Indian American Community News, Stories of Indians in USA, US News Indian American Community Magazine Wed, 05 Feb 2025 13:59:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.6 Who is Akash Bobba in Elon Musk’s DOGE? A Young Indian American Takes a Big Leap from Coding to US Government https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/who-is-akash-bobba-in-elon-musk-doge/ https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/who-is-akash-bobba-in-elon-musk-doge/#respond Tue, 04 Feb 2025 21:31:06 +0000 https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/?p=34826 A national security risk or a bold bet on young recruits? A giant leap in the pursuit of American Dream or the beginning of the end of a bright career? The US media is rife with this debate on 21-year-old Indian American Akash Bobba, one of the newly hired engineers in the 19-23 age group […]

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A national security risk or a bold bet on young recruits? A giant leap in the pursuit of American Dream or the beginning of the end of a bright career? The US media is rife with this debate on 21-year-old Indian American Akash Bobba, one of the newly hired engineers in the 19-23 age group for key roles in Elon Musk’s DOGE, a federal agency. He is possibly the youngest Indian-origin recruit in the Trump administration 2025.

Who is Akash Bobba in the Department of Government Efficiency that Tesla chief Elon Musk formed with President Trump’s executive order on 20 January? It is one of the trending social media topics and popular Google searches this week. He is a UC Berkley graduate with impressive credentials in coding, analytics, and artificial intelligence. One of the six recruits, the youngest being a 19-year-old, whom Elon Musk handpicked for his ambitious experimentation at DOGE. Akash interned at Silicon Valley giants, Palantir, and wrote AI models for Meta.

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What made Elon Musk hire Akash Bobba is that the latter is a future-ready tech leader with a proven track record of solving business-critical problems under pressure and in a very short time. He also excelled at the prestigious Management Entrepreneurship Technology (MET) program at UC Berkeley and gained first-hand knowledge of financial modelling techniques at the hedge fund Bridgewater Associates. His mental agility, boundless enthusiasm, zest for learning, adaptability, and passion for everything tech make a collective drive for Elon Musk’s DOGE – a cost cutter for the US government’s federal spending.

Scheduled to end in July 2026, Elon Musk-led DOGE project’s objective is to “modernize federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.” It aligns with Trump’s election campaign promises to curtail federal overheads, reduce the government’s fiscal deficit, and ensure proper utilization of the federal budget. Musk, the world’s richest billionaire, has proposed that his DOGE project and team may make the federal budget shrink by up to $2 trillion through rigorous measures, including but not limited to, trimming the workforce, shutting down redundant agencies, and consolidating federal agencies from 400 to fewer than 100.

What caused the uproar among Americans over Musk’s appointment of Akash Bobba and other young engineers to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)? It is their high-level security clearance to access classified data of federal budget and taxation, as well as the government IT system, despite having no prior experience in any public service domain. A group of Trump’s supporters call it a potential threat to the national security citing that unprecedented access to restricted government systems is usually granted to experienced federal officials with clean records, not fresh college graduates.

Critics of the Trump 2.0 administration describe the bold government system overhaul by Elon Musk-led DOGE team as a ‘high-stake gamble.’ However, Akash Bobba’s meteoric rise from coding internships to a key federal agency in the new US government is grabbing the headlines. Alongside the news of Akash Bobba in DOGE, an anecdote about his remarkable coding skills is making rounds on social media. Charis Zhang, one of his former classmates, shares the anecdote,

“During a project at Berkeley, I accidentally deleted our entire codebase. I panicked. Akash just stared the screen, shrugged, and rewrote everything from scratch in one night – better than before. We submitted early and got first in the class.”

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India Announces Padma Awards 2025 and Names 4 Indian Americans as Padma Shri Honorees This Republic Day https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/padma-awards-2025-usa-vinod-dham-nitin-nohria-ajay-bhatt/ https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/padma-awards-2025-usa-vinod-dham-nitin-nohria-ajay-bhatt/#comments Sat, 25 Jan 2025 18:30:38 +0000 https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/?p=34788 The Padma Awards 2025, India’s highest civilian honors, are about to recognize remarkable individuals who have made lasting impacts across diverse fields. Among this year’s honorees are four trailblazers from the USA — Nitin Nohria, Ajay Bhatt, Vinod Dham, and Sethuraman Panchanathan — whose extraordinary contributions to technology, education, and innovation are impacting a global […]

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The Padma Awards 2025, India’s highest civilian honors, are about to recognize remarkable individuals who have made lasting impacts across diverse fields. Among this year’s honorees are four trailblazers from the USA — Nitin Nohria, Ajay Bhatt, Vinod Dham, and Sethuraman Panchanathan — whose extraordinary contributions to technology, education, and innovation are impacting a global audience. In this article, we dive into the stories of these distinguished leaders and their journey to receiving India’s prestigious Padma Awards.

Prof. Nitin Nohria, highest-paid Dean of HBS

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Indian American Nitin Nohria, the first foreign-born dean of Harvard Business School, is among the four Indian-origin achievers on the list of Padma Awards 2025. Born into a business family in Rajasthan, he made it big in business studies. He is a distinguished alumnus of Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, with a PhD in management from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. He has 16 titles to his credit, like “Management: An Integrated Approach”, “The Handbook of Teaching Leadership”, and “Driven: How Human Nature Shapes Our Choices.” He co-authored some of the books with his colleagues and contemporaries.

A devout advocate of ethical business leadership, Padma Shri Nitin Nohria, who lives in Lexington near Boston, believes that business is a sacred activity and that business leaders should honor their ethical responsibilities just as good doctors conduct themselves by the Hippocratic oath. Sustainable economy and corporate accountability are among the subjects of his interest. A close friend of India’s richest business tycoon Mukesh Ambani, Nitin Nohria made the headlines in 2019 as the highest-paid dean of HBS, earning $904,506 in salary and benefits.

Ajay V Bhatt, the inventor of USB

Indian American Ajay V Bhatt, who is widely famed as the inventor of USB, will receive the Padma Shri honor, among the Padma awardees in 2025. The decision to do a master’s degree from the City College of New York was his call to pursue the great American Dream. His career at Intel spanning 26 years starting in 1990 made America his home away from home. Today, he is a celebrated technologist and thought leader in the US Silicon Valley with as many as 132 international patents.

Born in Vadodara, Gujarat, Padma Shri Ajay V Bhatt was featured in the 2010 issue of GQ India, as one of “The 50 Most Influential Global Indians.” The Light of India Award in 2012, the European Inventor Award in 2013, and the Asian Award are among the recognitions he has earned as a computer architect. Currently, he resides in Portland, Oregon.

Vinod Dham, the Father of Pentium Chip

The list of India’s Padma Awards 2025 includes Indian American Vinod Dham, the ‘Father of the Pentium Chip’ in the land of American Dream. With a BE degree in electrical engineering from India, Vinod Dham travelled to the USA for an MS degree, with only $8 in his pocket, and became one of the immigrant technology pioneers in the US Silicon Valley. His pivotal role in developing Pentium Micro-Processor and co-inventing Intel’s first Flash Memory technology catapulted him to dizzying ‘leadership’ heights at Intel.

Like Dr Amarjit Singh Marwah, a pioneer of American Dream for Indian families in the 1950s; Vinod Dham’s parents with four children had migrated to India from Rawalpindi after the 1947 Partition. He calls himself an accidental engineer as engineering happened to him by chance; physics was his first choice. He was hesitant to leave his mother and siblings alone in India for higher studies in USA after his father died. “You must go. America is your destiny. I will manage. Don’t worry about me,” Vinod recalled his mother encouraging him back then.

The Government of India named entrepreneur and venture capitalist Vinod Dham for Padma Bhushan 2025.

Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan

Indian American Sethuraman Panchanathan, the Director of the US National Science Foundation, is one of the 113 names for Padma Shri 2025. Born and brought up in Chennai, Dr Panchanathan is an undisputed leader in electrical and computer engineering. He graduated from the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, earned an MTech degree from IIT Madras, and then pursued PhD at the University of Ottawa in 1989. His pursuit of American Dream started at the University of Ottawa where he was promoted to associate professor and went through Arizona State University where he became the chief research officer in 2009.

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Who’s Indian American Aneesh Sohoni, New CEO of Teach for America, to Reform Education in Trump 2.0 Era https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/aneesh-sohoni-teach-for-america/ https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/aneesh-sohoni-teach-for-america/#respond Mon, 20 Jan 2025 15:25:00 +0000 https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/?p=34745 High-paying job placements are on the decline for MBA graduates of Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, and other top B-schools in America, according to a recent study by The Wall Street Journal. 23% of Harvard Business School’s 2024 MBA batch have remained unemployed for the past 3 months. It provides a contrast to the non-corporate sector with […]

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High-paying job placements are on the decline for MBA graduates of Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, and other top B-schools in America, according to a recent study by The Wall Street Journal. 23% of Harvard Business School’s 2024 MBA batch have remained unemployed for the past 3 months. It provides a contrast to the non-corporate sector with myriad opportunities for purpose-driven leadership that zeroes in on a noble vision and mission, rather than revenues and ROI.

Teach for America, one of the largest nonprofits in the US, has decided to trust Indian American Aneesh Sohoni with its top leadership baton from the departing CEO Elisa Villanueva Beard. Aneesh Sohoni, as the next CEO of Teach for America, is looking to come back home in April 2025. He euphorically looks upon this opportunity as his homecoming as he started his career and the journey to becoming a leading educationist at Teach for America in 2009.

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Teach for America is a nationwide community of changemakers, including “leaders who teach, and teachers who lead” to illuminate your minds from low-income families in US public schools. As CEO of the organization with 35 years of impact on the uneven landscape of American education, Aneesh Sohoni will be heading a network of 70,000 alumni, teachers, tutors, and staff to prepare every child for a bright future, thereby driving the country’s socio-economic growth.

Aneesh whose Indian immigrant parents live in Minneapolis, was in the pool of promising college graduates that Teach for America had recruited in early 2009. Two years of teaching English as a corps member of TFA set his career path forever. “My life changed when I became a corps member. My students in my Twin Cities high school classroom were incredible and their potential was only matched in size by the challenges they faced in an unjust education system. I knew then I needed to make this my life’s work,” Aneesh shared in a LinkedIn post.

His passion for transformative education catapulted him to Tennessee where he worked as the Chief of Staff to Assistant Commissioner for Teachers and Leaders for nearly 3 years. The role of a project director at a New York-based nonprofit that strives to improve America’s education system in high-needs schools was his next venture for two years. His dedication to uplifting communities through education led to him being roped in as Teach for America’s Executive Director for Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana.

After shouldering the responsibilities of a zonal Executive Director for TFA, from 2016 through 2021, Aneesh Sohoni took a leap as CEO of One Million Degrees in Chicago. OMD empowers Greater Chicago’s deserving community college students from low-income families to excel in education, career, and life, so they could become important cogs and wheels in America’s growth engine. As CEO of One Million Degrees, Aneesh collaborated with several bodies of civic importance, like City Colleges of Chicago and Complete College of America, to further drive the impact of OMD in the past 3 years.

In his new role as Teach for America’s CEO, Aneesh Sohoni believes, “the current trajectory of education and learning in our country does not have to define our future,” and says, “I am proud that TFA prioritizes coalition-building with students and communities to achieve a shared vision for a future that is brighter than today.”

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Dr Amarjit Singh Marwah, a Pioneer of American Dream in 1950s, Leaves USA Forever https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/dr-amarjit-singh-marwah-california/ https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/dr-amarjit-singh-marwah-california/#respond Tue, 14 Jan 2025 17:29:02 +0000 https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/?p=34710 Dr Amarjit Singh Marwah, an Indian American community leader, philanthropist, and scholar, is among the few Indian Americans whom the US honored by renaming major thoroughfares and intersections after them. The City of Los Angeles immortalized Dr. Marwah by naming the intersection of Vermont and Finley Avenues, Marwah Square, in 2019, just 2 years before […]

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Dr Amarjit Singh Marwah, an Indian American community leader, philanthropist, and scholar, is among the few Indian Americans whom the US honored by renaming major thoroughfares and intersections after them. The City of Los Angeles immortalized Dr. Marwah by naming the intersection of Vermont and Finley Avenues, Marwah Square, in 2019, just 2 years before Berkeley City got a street named after Indian American Kala Bagai in 2021.

A pioneer of American Dream for Indian students in the 1950s, a decade of possibilities and uncertainties for a free India; Dr Marwah took his last breath on January 7, 2025 at the age of 98. His journey from Pakistan to India to the United States after the 1947 Partition became a legacy of achievements, community activism, and unparalleled philanthropy. Air India having started international flights in June 1948, gave a runway to the dreams and aspirations of young Indians amidst the socio-economic volatility across the country. Dr. Marwah was one of them.

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Not many Indian immigrants in USA know that it was Dr Amarjit Singh Marwah who founded Hollywood Sikh Gurdwara, the first Sikh temple in America, in 1969. Early in the 1950s, he came to the US on a Fulbright Scholarship after 4 years of practice as a dentist in Punjab. He graduated in dentistry from King Edward Medical College in Lahore before his family of physicians shifted to Punjab after the partition. He dared to dream big while the aftereffects of the partition continued to linger.

Turban-clad Amarjit in his 20s was an anomaly in the 1950s’ New York. Owing to his bushy beard and inherent benevolence, he earned the nickname “Young Santa” alongside having secured the Guggenheim Foundation’s Pediatric Dentistry Fellowship in New York. His pursuit of American Dream took an exciting turn with an MS degree in Pathology from the College of Dentistry at the University of Illinois, Chicago.

In 1954, he became not only a Doctor of Dental Surgery at Howard University in Washington DC but also the first Indian to obtain a license to practice dentistry in America. In the same year, he returned to his alma mater, the University of Illinois, as a faculty member, very much in line with what he had grown to be known for – a man of roots.

At the same time, Amarjit was not blind to the underlying social alienation faced by Asians, particularly Indians, in the 1950s USA. He recognized that increasing the community’s representation within the establishment could be of great help. In 1957, he managed the election campaigns for Dalip Singh Saund, the first Sikh and the first Indian American to be elected to the US Congress, thus opening doors for Indians in the American corridor of power.

In 1957, Dr. Marwah was granted U.S. citizenship, the culmination of his American Dream. This was the first brick to the first-ever Indian home that came up in Los Angeles after he relocated to Baldwin Hills, as a professor at the University of Southern California.

Dr. Marwah’s skilful hands in dentistry quickly earned him a prominent place in the field. His fame spread, attracting some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Among his clients were Gregory Peck, Elizabeth Taylor, sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, spiritual teacher Harbhajan Yogi, and champion boxer Muhammed Ali. Singer-actor Barbra Streisand was one of his neighbors at 14-acre Malibu Ranch where he owned a property.

As Dr. Marwah’s influence expanded, he became well-acquainted with influential personalities from different walks of life. He hosted both President Zail Singh and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at his California home. The Marwah family property at Malibu Ranch overlooking the Pacific Ocean served as the wedding venue for the 38th US President Gerald Ford’s son.

The experience of social depravity brought Dr. Amarjit Singh Marwah close to Tom Bradley, Los Angeles’ first Black mayor. Bradley appointed Dr. Marwah as a City Commissioner, a position he held for 18 years, setting a record for any Indian American. During his tenure, he chaired both the Cultural Heritage Commission and the Hollywood Art Commission, overseeing the protection of nearly 300 historical sites, including the Walk of Fame and Roosevelt Hotel. This was poetic how an immigrant conserved the nativity of a foreign land.

Dr Marwah built a community nest in California and offered warm hospitality to many Indian immigrants there. Additionally, he supported many humanitarian causes in USA and India. He helped establish a Los Angeles High School in Mumbai, with an annual contribution of $10K to support the school. He adopted two villages, Guru Ki Dhab and Guru Nanak Basti, in Punjab. He founded KK Marwah College for Girls (named after his wife, Kuljit Kaur Marwah) in Punjab. He co-founded the Bank of Punjab, a precursor to present-day HDFC Bank.

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From Layoff to Six-figure Food Business: Indian American Chef Priyanka Naik’s ‘American Dream’ Story https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/modern-tiffin-author-chef-priyanka-naik/ https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/modern-tiffin-author-chef-priyanka-naik/#respond Mon, 30 Dec 2024 11:29:11 +0000 https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/?p=34638 Sometimes, blessings come in disguise. A layoff is not always the end of the world. Rather, it may be an opportunity to start a more fulfilling career, turn a passion into a fruitful venture, and unlock a hidden treasure of fortunes. Indian American Priyanka Naik’s success story started from a mass layoff at Twitter (now […]

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Sometimes, blessings come in disguise. A layoff is not always the end of the world. Rather, it may be an opportunity to start a more fulfilling career, turn a passion into a fruitful venture, and unlock a hidden treasure of fortunes. Indian American Priyanka Naik’s success story started from a mass layoff at Twitter (now X) after Elon Musk took over the company in 2022 and axed half of the workforce in a week of his ownership. Priyanka Naik from New York, an award-winning chef and cookbook writer, was among the total 6000 layoffs at X.com.

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Chef Priyanka Naik, who cashed in on her passion for vegan cooking and became her own boss with a six-figure income in US dollars after being laid off, has no regrets for her impressive 12-year career, from Bloomberg to Conde Nast to Twitter, which ended abruptly. She put on a chef’s hat, grabbed a blender, armed herself with a knife, sharpened her olfactory sense, took to vegan cooking, and started culinary blogging. The pink slip from Elon Musk laid her unconventional passage to fame and popularity.

Culinary experimentation is neither her newly found niche nor her new shot at success. When her professional career was peaking up, she won Cooks vs Cons, a cooking competition on Food Network, in 2017. It was her first recognition in the world outside the corporate sector and her first stepping stone to what she is today—a self-taught vegan chef, celebrated cookbook author, TV personality, globetrotter, and food columnist for The Washington Post.

With her roots in Maharashtra and a little down the south, Priyanka is a vegetarian. Food has been one of the few ways for her parents to stay connected to the roots and culture since they immigrated to America. Apparently, it was her mom’s kitchen where her destination was scripted, in childhood. Food gave her not only a second inning in her career, but also a baton to advocate for a plant-based lifestyle through her vegan cooking. She believes, “What we eat impacts not just our health but our planet.”

Just like her signature look, accentuated with a pair of glasses in burgundy color, her vegan recipes and cooking stand out for sustainable measures. Sustainability being her USP, Chef Priyanka educates her social media followers on the importance of the ingredients we choose and use in everyday cooking for environmental health. Whether it is her kitchen, a culinary event, or a live TV show, she sticks to environment-friendly practices, from sourcing local ingredients to using unprocessed food grains and ditching single-use plastic items.

Cultural fusion and experimentation, other than sustainability, are among the hallmarks of her cooking. She is not shy of doing experimentation even with everyday fun snacks like panipuri, a most versatile and adaptable street food in India. Panipuri with a tongue-twisting fusion of the Mexican flair and Indian spices is very representative of who Priyanka Naik is. The filling of panipuri with Mexican elote (grilled corn in mayo cream sauce, garnished with chilli powder, and seasoned with lime) elevates the taste a notch above the traditional taste.

Chef Priyanka Naik’s pledge to further her mission of sustainable vegan cooking across geographies took shape as a cookbook “The Modern Tiffin” early in 2024. The Modern Tiffin that documents her love of Indian vegan cooking and global cuisines seeks to broaden the prevailing view about vegan food and prove that easy-to-cook vegan recipes could make it fun to lead a plant-based lifestyle. One of the recipes in her debut cookbook shows how to make Chicken 65 vegan.

Her commitment to building a global community of vegan lifestyle aspirants and enlightening people on sustainability in the kitchen did no go unnoticed at the White House. “The Modern Tiffin” author, Chef Priyanka Naik was among the guests who were officially invited to attend President Biden’s last Diwali celebration at the White House this year. Her blog and Instagram page have piqued the interest of high-profile public figures, like Kamala Harris and Chrissy Teigen, in a vegan diet.

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White House Selects Dr Padmini Pillai and Dr Nalini Tata of Indian Origin for a Fellowship in Federal Policymaking https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/white-house-fellows-padmini-pillai-nalini-tata/ https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/white-house-fellows-padmini-pillai-nalini-tata/#respond Wed, 23 Oct 2024 12:29:49 +0000 https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/?p=34442 Two Indian American research scientists with a PhD degree made it to White House for a prestigious fellowship program (early this month) before the United States named Indian-origin Sirish Subash as the nation’s top young scientist recently. Instituted on the premise – A genuinely free society cannot be a spectator society – in 1964, the […]

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Two Indian American research scientists with a PhD degree made it to White House for a prestigious fellowship program (early this month) before the United States named Indian-origin Sirish Subash as the nation’s top young scientist recently. Instituted on the premise – A genuinely free society cannot be a spectator society – in 1964, the White House Fellow program is an opportunity of distinction for highly competent achievers to have first-hand experience of policy-making leadership and gain insights into the process of governing the world’s biggest economy.

Of the 15 meritorious young professionals selected for the White House fellowship this year, Dr. Padmini Pillai and Dr. Nalini Tata will be working under senior federal officials and participating in roundtable discussions with policymakers from public as well as private sectors. The program is designed to give them precise knowledge of how various federal agencies work and what challenges they face. On completion of the program, they may continue to participate in national affairs.

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Who is Dr. Padmini Pillai among White House Fellows?

A highly accomplished immunoengineer from Boston, Dr. Pillai is doing the fellowship at the Social Security Administration. She invents effective treatment of life-taking human diseases by bridging the gap between immunology breakthroughs and the development of new biomaterials. With a PhD degree in immunology from Yale University, she reveals that excessive lung inflammation could increase mortality rate from flu infections. Her research is suggestive of a new strategy to boost vulnerable individuals’ disease tolerance to improve their likelihood of survival.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ story of her mother resonates with Padmini Pillai, among the Whitehouse fellows. Her fearless mom, whom writer RK Narayan called “Bright Eyes”, was from Bangalore and earned a NASA fellowship after pursuing her masters in pure math. She was only 17 back then. Her mother was the only woman in the department of Applied Math at Brown University, Rhode Island, in 1963.

“Mom has always been an advocate for the vulnerable. She taught me and my brother about compassion and how to use our privilege as Indian Americans to help others. After being offered jobs at places like NASAJPL in the 70s, she chose to devote her career to inspiring and empowering women to pursue careers in math. Mom is an amazing Carnatic singer. As a proud first generation immigrant, mom worked on political campaigns in the 60s and 70s, and stayed outspoken her whole life. She used to send part of her graduate stipend home to ensure her siblings went to good school,” Padmini shared on Instagram.

Dr Pillai has received a cash award of $2 million in funding for her research on engineering a tumor-selective RNA nanotherapy that would help destroy cancel cells and enhance anti-tumor immunity.

Who is Dr. Nalini Tata among White House Fellows?

Dr Nalini Tata, in the 2024-2025 batch of White House Fellows, is a neurobiology expert from New York City, home to one of the largest Indian immigrant populations. She has been inducted into the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs. An MD from Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, and a BSc in Neurobiology from Brown University speak volumes about her as an individual of high calibre.

A Master of Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School of Government is also what made her eligible for the White House Fellows program for public service leadership. Dr. Nalini Tata has spearheaded the treatment of elective neurosurgical conditions as a resident doctor at Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Centre and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York. She has co-authored a book on the principles and philosophy of neurosurgical practice before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Indian-origin Storeowner Feeds Hungry Thief Rather than Punishing him for Stealing Food https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/storeowner-jay-singh-toledo-ohio/ https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/storeowner-jay-singh-toledo-ohio/#comments Tue, 15 Oct 2024 16:58:40 +0000 https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/?p=22589 ‘Humanity is dead.’ We see this note of criticism and disgust spewed on social media by netizens across geographies even in response to the least important incidents of apathy in any part of the world. But, humanity is not dead. Rather, few people make sure to keep it alive in different forms such as compassion, […]

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‘Humanity is dead.’ We see this note of criticism and disgust spewed on social media by netizens across geographies even in response to the least important incidents of apathy in any part of the world. But, humanity is not dead. Rather, few people make sure to keep it alive in different forms such as compassion, empathy, mercy, benevolence and selflessness. In a recent instance of humanity, Indian American Jay Singh, in the US state of Ohio, took a corrective measure instead of a punitive action for teaching a lesson to a teen thief in his store.

Jay Singh, who owns and runs a 7-Eleven store in Toledo in Ohio, has become an inspiring figure after the locals went gaga over what he did to a teen boy upon discovering the teenager’s act of thieving in his store on the night of April 6.

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Picture credit: CBS News

At his 7-Eleven store in Toledo, Jay Singh spotted a boy, who pretended to be a customer, and observed his suspicious behavior for some time. He saw the boy putting some stuff into his pockets, as reported by CBS News. He caught the thieving teenager red-handed and asked an employee to call 911.

When caught, the boy felt unnerved and said that he would put the stolen stuff back. Jay Singh told him to put the things on the counter so that he could see what the boy had stolen. On discovering that the stolen stuff was nothing but food, Jay Singh wondered, “Why was he stealing?”

On being interrogated, the teen boy said that he was hungry, and that he was stealing some food for himself and his younger brother. The moment the 7-Eleven storeowner Jay Singh got to know the reason, he stopped his employee from calling 911.

“You need food? I will give you food. That’s not a problem,” Jay said to the boy out of compassion for him and his brother.

Jay thought for a while that if the boy were handed over to the cops, he would be a thief on the police record forever, and that his life would deteriorate further leaving him without a good job. He realized that punishment would not correct the teen; it would rather perpetuate his misery.

On seeing no point in meting out punishment to the teenager for the thieving act, Jay took a corrective step. He filled a bag with food and gave it to the boy for free.

On being asked by CBS News why he took pity on the boy, Indian American Jay Singh said, “Giving food to the hungry is a fundamental Indian value, and it’s believed that the Almighty will bless you for such acts of kindness.”

This inspiring story is brought to you by Travel Beats, a leading community portal for Indians in America. Travel Beats is a subsidiary of Indian Eagle, the most trusted air-ticketing partner of Indians for best flight deals from USA to India. Subscribe to our newsletter for latest updates on Indian immigrants, US-India airlines, transit visa, US visa and immigration.

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NRIs Share Views on Comforts of Life in India and Benefits of Living in USA; an Emerging Social Media Trend https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/differences-between-life-in-usa-vs-india/ https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/differences-between-life-in-usa-vs-india/#respond Wed, 11 Sep 2024 12:56:35 +0000 https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/?p=34330 In an emerging social media trend, some Indians are bragging about their decisions to choose America over India, whereas some other Indians are proudly announcing their move back to the home country and reasoning why. Their posts are going viral from public platforms to private WhatsApp groups, inviting praise and criticism alike, with netizens at […]

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In an emerging social media trend, some Indians are bragging about their decisions to choose America over India, whereas some other Indians are proudly announcing their move back to the home country and reasoning why. Their posts are going viral from public platforms to private WhatsApp groups, inviting praise and criticism alike, with netizens at loggerheads over their individual views on living in America vs living in India.

In one of the recent X posts (formerly tweets), Viba Mohan, an O1 visa holder from Bengaluru, wrote, “I have been bouncing between Bengaluru and America. After lots of overthinking (and probably too much coffee), I decided America’s going to be my new home…”.  She listed and elaborated a little the vibrant tech scene, optimistic culture, outdoor safety in the US, along with her O1 visa, among the considerations that influenced her decision and put an end to her dilemma.

Difference between life in India and USA, living in USA vs India, why NRIs move back to India

Both resident and non-resident Indians on X divided themselves into two groups over Viba Mohan’s X post. One group sided with her, while the other group schooled her. “Choosing America is a rational and low risk decision. Choosing India is an emotional and courageous decision” is one of the remarks that inundated her post. One user countered her, “You did not come here on H1B. Neither you studied here or borrowed a loan, so naturally everything appears green and optimistic.”

Another user went on to comment, “The US is good as long as you have a good job. U need to be extremely good to have your job. Craftsmanship can be experimented. Safety is a concern in USA. Plus, you are always treated as a 2nd grade citizen. Divorce rate is high. Traffic is still a problem in San Francisco.”

“The recent mass shooting that killed two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Georgia on 5 September raises eyebrows over Viba Mohan’s observation of safety in the US that she described as ‘living somewhere safer doesn’t just make you feel calmer — it makes you more productive too.’ The Apalachee High School shooting is the 30th mass killing incident in America alone this year, according to USA Today and The Associated Press. If she meant the safety of women’s dignity in the US, then her observation becomes a different debate altogether,” said Sourav Agarwal, the Editor of Travel Beats.

In July 2024, Niharikaa Kaur Sodhi took netizens aback with her perception of true quality of life in USA vs India after having spent only 11 days in the land of American Dream. She went uninhibited in her X post about the conveniences of living in India, such as affordable domestic help vs the fundamental necessities for a quality life in USA, like clear air and green spaces.

She opined certain conveniences that make daily life comfortable in India are sheer luxuries, not basic needs in America. Clean air, green pastures, good roads, uninterrupted electricity, and personal freedom, among the benefits of living in USA are far more valuable than material comforts, such as doorstep food delivery, 10-min grocery delivery, and affordable domestic help in India. Her perspective is that one does not need quick grocery delivery in USA where there are good roads to walk to nearby stores without the fear of getting hit by a car or stray animals. It is relatively easy to drive without ‘crazy congestion’ at crossroads in the US.

In her viral X post, Niharikaa listed “freedom to wear what you want to be comfortable instead of men ogling at you” as one of the things that have made her happy in the US, except family time in India.

Simple yet profound pleasures like morning walks in the calm environment, breaths of fresh air, chirping of birds, etc. took center stage in her definition of quality life – which elicited various responses from netizens who enjoy a plenty of such luxuries in rural India. But Niharikaa thwarted their arguments by citing the lack of basic amenities, such as power supply, clean drinking water, and accessible healthcare in rural pockets of India. While she asserted that even semi-urban areas cry for good infrastructure in India, some netizens voiced that no place is a utopia on earth; every place has its pros and cons.

Of late, Nayrith Bhattacharya and Rishita Das – a working couple and IIT graduates – shared their list of 10 observations one year after they moved back to India from America in August 2023. They referred to the list as an honest compilation of 10 differences between life in USA and life in India, with a disclaimer.

Contrary to Niharikaa’s picture of American streets without ‘crazy congestion’, Nayrith Bhattacharya observed in the past 12 months of his stay in India that downtown New York/San Francsico/Chicago has traffic no way better than his home country. At the same time, he unhesitatingly said, “Traffic in India is definitely irritating and slow because of the unpredictable driving practices and multi-modal transport.”

In his personal observations about the difference between USA and India, Nayrith said that making meaningful connections is a lot easier in India than in America. While staying in the US, he found it challenging to make connections beyond usual coffee meetups and mere work/sports related discussions.

“I beg to differ with him though it is his personal view. Being editor of a leading Indian immigrants community portal in the US, I have observed them closely. Every Indian community, be it Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, or Marathi, lives like a bonded family there. They celebrate their respective cultures, festivals and heritage together, ensuring no dearth of camaraderie among them. Maybe, Nayrith felt too nostalgic about the cultural milieu in Kolkata,” said Sourav Agarwal, the Editor of Travel Beats.

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These Durga Puja Events in New York and New Jersey Turn East Coast into a Mini Bengal This Time of Year https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/new-york-new-jersey-durga-puja/ https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/new-york-new-jersey-durga-puja/#comments Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:22:07 +0000 https://blogbox.indianeagle.com/?p=18283 Durga Puja is one of the grandest and most-awaited Indian festivals in October 2024. It is a most spectacular celebration in the Indian state of Bengal. However, the festival is celebrated with equal enthusiasm wherever Bengalis are in the world. About two dozen of Durga Puja events in New Jersey and New York transform the northeast […]

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Durga Puja is one of the grandest and most-awaited Indian festivals in October 2024. It is a most spectacular celebration in the Indian state of Bengal. However, the festival is celebrated with equal enthusiasm wherever Bengalis are in the world. About two dozen of Durga Puja events in New Jersey and New York transform the northeast cost into a mini Bengal with cultural exuberance this time of the year. Bengali associations across New York and New Jersey started preparations months ago, so that the festivity does not fall short of joy and happiness in their adopted home. They can live away from home, but can’t survive without the blessings of Maa Durga, the bliss of bhoger kichudi, the beats of dhak, and the ecstasy of dunuchi naach.

Travel Beats, a leading overseas Indian community portal by Indian Eagle, recommends some of the best places for Durga puja 2024 in New York and New Jersey.  “Elo re Dugga elo re…” 

New York Durga puja 2024, New Jersey Durga Puja 2024, Durga puja events northeast USA, where to see Durga Puja in New York, Durga Puja at Times Square NYC

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First-ever Durga Puja at Times Square, New York

2024 will see the first-ever Durga Puja celebration at Times Square, a most happening commercial hub in New York City. Usually, Times Square is a popular venue for Diwali, Yoga, and Indian Independence Day celebrations. Unlike other Durga puja events in USA, the 2-day Times Square Durga Puja is a free event for all, regardless of their nationality and religion. It is being organized by Bengali Club of USA .

  • Date: October 5 and 6
  • Contact: ecdpanewyork@gmail.com, +1315-586-3372

Sanskriti Durga Puja 2024: Buffalo, New York

Sanskriti, a Bengali cultural association in Buffalo, is one of the best and oldest Durga Puja celebrations in New York. Founded in 1974-75, the Sanskriti Durga Puja is a cultural platform for the present generation of Bengali Diaspora in the northeast US to have a tryst with their heritage, literature, and traditions thousands of miles away from India. Sanskriti also celebrates other festivals with equal enthusiasm. They also organize Kojagori Lokkhi puja at the same venue.

Sanskriti is looking forward to a live performance by Snigdhajit Bhowmik and his band of musicians on October 6. Their event was graced by such renowned performing artists as Purna Das Boul and Bhupen Hazarika in the years gone by.

  • Dates: October 4,5, and 6
  • Venue: Hindu Cultural Society, 1595 N French Road, Getzville, NY 14068
  • Contact: president@buffalosanskriti.org, +1 716-331-7657
  • Website: Buffalosanskriti.org

New York Kali Mandir Durga Puja, Baldwin

New York Kali Mandir located close to JFK International Airport is the destination if you wish to celebrate Durga Puja in the most traditional manner. Inspired by the Dakshineswar Kali Temple of Kolkata, NYKM is home to Goddess Kali worshiped by Bengalis and other Indian communities. Founded in 2005, the temple doubles up as a community organization and helps preserve the age-old Bengali cultural traditions in New Yok Metropolitan Area. The temple has a well-stocked library for all age groups. Those interested in volunteering can serve the temple this Durga Puja.    

  • Dates: October 8 to 12
  • Venue: 614 Seaman Ave, Baldwin, NY, 11510
  • Contact: nykmdevotee@gmail.com, +1 516-771-5254
  • Website: Nykalimandir.org

Also read: Sanyal Brothers Offer Best Kolkata Street Food with Chai in New York

Durga Puja at Ramakrishna Vivekananda Center of New York

Durga Puja at the Ramakrishna Vivekananda Center of New York for the followers of the Ramakrishna order is among the best Durga puja celebrations in the Greater New York Area. Founded in 1933, the center organizes the puja to worship the Divine Mother and seek Her blessings for the humankind. The chanting of sacred hymns and the singing of devotional songs in chorus are the mainstay of their celebration without pomp and in strict adherence to the principles laid out by Belur Math, the headquarters of Ramakrishna Missions worldwide.   

  • Dates: October 13
  • Venue: 17 E 94th St, New York, NY 10128
  • Contact: (212) 534-9445
  • E-mail:  rvcenternewyork@gmail.com
  • Website: Ramakrishna.org

East Coast Cultural Association Durga Puja, NY

The East Coast Cultural Association, one of the youngest communities in New York, has planned a spectacular Durga puja celebration this year to mark its third anniversary. Founded in 2022, the non-profit Bong organization strives to create the ambience of parar pujo in Kolkata through a grand display of traditional Bengali culture, ranging from mouthwatering dishes to live music programs, at their puja venue. The schedule of ECCA Durga Puja 2024 includes three musical evenings by Somlata on OCT 18, Snigdhajit Bhowmik on OCT 19, and Prashmita Paul on OCT 20.

  • Dates: October 18, 19 and 20
  • Venue: Gujarati Samaj Hall, 17315 Horace Harding Expy, Fresh Meadows, NY 11365
  • Contact: eastcoastcultural@gmail.com
  • Website: Eccany.com

Utsov Durga Puja 2024 in New Jersey

Utsov Inc. is known for one of the biggest Durga Puja events in New Jersey. Their celebration, both traditional and contemporary, has a number of ‘wow’ factors – delectable Bengali food, Sindoor Khela, Dhunuchi dance, cultural programs, and art competition for kids. East Brunswick near Edison is the location of their puja venue that will turn into a Disneyland of festivities and revelry for two days as Utsov Inc. has invited Deep Chatterjee, a renowned folk singer, and Saberi Bhattacharya, a popular playback singer, to enthral the audience with folk music of Bengal.

Krosswindz, a Grassroot Grammy Award winning folk-fusion band from Kolkata, will churn out popular folk numbers and take the exuberance of Utsov Durga Puja 2024 celebration to the fever pitch on October 13. Prior registration is compulsory to enter the venue and attend the live band shows.

  • Dates: October 12 and 13
  • Contact: 732 648 7461 or 313 338 8768, utsov@utsov.org
  • Venue: Jo Ann Magistro Performing Arts Center, 200 Rues Lane, East Brunswick, NJ 
  • Website: Utsov.org

Also read: Indian Food is a Pure Bliss at This Temple Kitchen in New York

Garden State Puja Committee’s 43rd Durga Puja in New Jersey

One of the oldest and biggest Durga Puja events in New Jersey is organized by the Bengalis of Garden State Puja Committee, Jersey City. GSPC Durga Utsov 2024 will celebrate its 43rd anniversary over foot-tapping numbers of the most popular bands, Cactus on 12 OCT and Chandrabindoo on 13 OCT. Bongobhoj – a traditional Bengali food fare – is the mainstay of their celebration.

The pandal modelled on thakur dalan, a distinct feature of mansions dating back to the feudal era of Bengal, has already been shipped from Kolkata to New Jersey. This is the biggest attraction of GSPC Durga Puja in Jersey City this year.

  • Dates: October 12 and 13
  • Venue: William L. Dickinson High School, 2 Palisade Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07306
  • Contact: +1 201-993-4577 | info@gardenstatepuja.org
  • Website: gspcnj.com

New Jersey Kallol Durga Puja 2024  

Among the Durga Puja celebrations in New Jersey, Kallol Durga Puja hits the headlines every year. Of the oldest Bengali organizations in the northeast coast, Kallol will transform Somerset into a mini city of joy with cultural and musical extravaganza for 4 days, OCT 10-13.

Babul Supriyo will make the audience groove to his hit numbers on October 10, while the Nandi sister duo will set the stage on fire with their foot-tapping music on October 11. Madhubanti Bagchi from Mumbai will take over the stage on October 12 and her soulful songs will make the evening unforgettable. Kallol New Jersey Durga Puja 2024 will culminate in amazing rides on a rollercoaster of music by Piu Mukherjee and Sudesh Bhosle on October 13.

  • Dates: October 10 to 13
  • Venue: Ukranian Cultural Center, 135 Davidson Avenue, Somerset, New Jersey 08873
  • Contact: 732.290.5218
  • Website: Kallol.com

Also read: Why Bengal worships living goddesses during Durga puja

Agrani Durga Puja, Plainfield NJ

Agrani Durga Puja in Plainfield near Edison is one of the 10 best Indian events in New Jersey in October 2024. Like WomenNow TV’s Durga Puja in California, the women members of Agrani NJ organize the puja, from fabulous feasting to cultural extravaganza. Equally popular with the Bong and non-Bengalis in Central New Jersey, Agrani Durga Puja promises to be an exhilarating experience for music connoisseurs, as singer Javed Ali of ‘Jodhaa Akbar’, ‘Delhi-6’, and ‘Rockstar’ fame from Delhi will set the stage on fire on OCT 6.

  • Dates: October 5 and 6
  • Venue: Plainfield High School, 950 Park Avenue
  • Contact: Info@agranicnj.org

Alor Benu Durga Puja in Edison, NJ 

The ‘Ekchala’ style Durga idol is the main attraction of this humble celebration by a few Bengali families in Edison, NJ. This is more a gharoa (homely) puja than a community puja. The festive evenings from October 4-6 will see various cultural indulgences by the organizers and their families. The puja schedule is chock-a-block with traditional rituals from pushpanjali to the Goddess in the morning to dhunuchi naach in the evening to family dinner at night.

  • Dates: October 4,5,6
  • Venue: 2 Farmhaven Avenue, Edison, NJ 08820
  • Contact: aamantran@aalorbenu.net, 207-807-7556 (Suvro)

New Jersey Ananda Mandir Durga Puja 2024

Durga Puja at Ananda Mandir in New Jersey is a most traditional one. Hundreds of New Jersey Indians throng the shrine to immerse themselves in festive revelries for five days. New Jersey Ananda Mandir is one of the few Hindu temples in USA that follows the Bengali calendar precisely for celebrating Durga Puja and other festivals. The temple that also doubles up as an Indian cultural center was commissioned in 1995 and completed in 2003. You may need to pre-register online. On successful registration, you would receive a confirmation email, which you can show to the volunteers at the temple complex.

  • Dates: October 8 to 12
  • Venue: 269 Cedar Grove Lane, Somerset, NJ 08873-5212
  • Contact: (732) 873-9821 or info@anandamandir.org
  • Website: Anandamandir.org

Garden State Cultural Association: Plainfield, NJ

Among the best places for Durga Puja 2024 in New Jersey, Garden State Cultural Association (GSCA) is gearing up for their 33rd year of the celebration. GSCA, a nonprofit Indian American organization of Bengalis in Plainfield, leaves no stone unturned to make Durga Puja a grand get-together of not only Bengalis but also other Indian communities over delicious food, shopping, and cultural entertainment. The interesting lineup of events include talent shows and drawing competitions.

Registration is compulsory to attend the celebration, especially the cultural programs. You can register on their website given below. Popular Indian singers Richa Sharma and Pousali Banerjee are among the eminent guests this year.  

  • Dates: October 19 and 20
  • Venue: Plainfield High School, 950 Park Avenue, Plainfield, NJ 07060
  • Contact: (908) 754-3079 or contact@gsca.us
  • Website: web.gsca.us

Also Read: Payal Saha’s Kati Roll from Kolkata Rocks in New York

Bengali Cultural Society Durga Puja: South Jersey

Of New Jersey Indian events in October 2024, Bengali Cultural Society’s Durga Puja celebration is a lot more than food, fun and frolic. Rather, it mirrors the rich cultural heritage of Bengal on the American soil. Founded in 1978, Bengali Cultural Society is not just one of the oldest Bengali diaspora associations but a philanthropic organization too. They publish their own magazine Sanskriti every year and run a Bengali language school for their young ones and those interested in learning the language. Each day of the puja will culminate in an authentic Bengali community dinner.

You can check out their extensive menu for festive bhuribhoj on their Facebook page. Among the Durga Puja organizers in USA, only BCS South Jersey is presenting ‘Chitrangada‘, Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s dance drama based on a popular tale from the Mahabharata.

  • Dates: October 11, 12 and 13
  • Venue: Indian Cultural Center, 820 NJ-73, Marlton, NJ 08053
  • Contact: info@bcssj.org
  • Website: Bcssj.org

New Jersey Bharat Sevashram Sangha Durga Puja

The New Jersey chapter of Bharat Sevashram Sangha celebrates Durga Puja to worship the Supreme Power of the universe. The chanting of slokas and hymns reverberates in the air of the ashram temple on the five days of Durga Puja. Devotees can soak in numinous vibes that the ambience is rife with this time of the year. Bharat Sevashram Sangha is one of the few places where all the rituals of Durga Puja are strictly followed in compliance with the scriptures. Devotees are requested to pre-register for the puja.

  • Dates: October 8 to 13
  • Location: 3490 Route-27 Kendral Park, New Jersey 08824
  • Contact: 732 422 8880/ 347 735 2984 | devotees@sevashramsangha.org
  • Website: sevashramsangha.org

Trinayani Durga Puja in Plainsboro, New Jersey

A non-profit organization established in 2022 with the aim to promote India’s rich art and culture, Trinayani is eyeing a theme-based Durga Puja celebration in a grander fashion this year. In its inaugural year (2022), Trinayani was the first and only one to have worshipped the protima (idol) made by Prabasi Bengalis among the community members. The Bong being great foodies complement their festivities with sumptuous food.

The musical acts to be performed by Raghab Chatterjee and jazzy Somlata Chowdhury, on October 2 and 13 respectively, will make you not only groove to live music but also feel nostalgic. You may contact Trinayani for registrations.

  • Dates: October 12 and 13
  • Venue: Community Middle School, Plainsboro Township, NJ, USA
  • Contact: contact@trinayaninj.org  
  • Website: www.trinayaninj.org

PBA Agomoni and Durga Puja 2024

Princeton Bengali Association in New Jersey will invoke Maa Durga on Mahalaya (September 29) through their ‘Agomoni’ program and celebrate Durga Puja on October 20 in Plainsboro. Dhunuchi naach, Sindoor khela and other traditional rituals are the hallmarks of their humble celebration. Rishi Panda, a popular YouTuber and singer, has been invited for a musical evening at PBA Durga Puja in New Jersey. The event is free for kids (5 years and below).

  • Date: 20 October
  • Venue: Community Middle School, Plainsboro NJ
  • Contact: pbanj.org

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Soak in Patriotic Vibes at 10 Best Indian Independence Day Events across USA in August 2024 https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/indian-independence-day-events-usa/ https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/indian-independence-day-events-usa/#comments Wed, 17 Jul 2024 08:00:41 +0000 https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/?p=23436 India is all set to celebrate the 78th Independence Day this August 15, and so are Indians in America. The way Indians abroad celebrate the Independence of Mother India is no way different from the celebration at home. Hence, like previous years, the calendar of August 2024 is full of Independence Day events for nearly […]

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India is all set to celebrate the 78th Independence Day this August 15, and so are Indians in America. The way Indians abroad celebrate the Independence of Mother India is no way different from the celebration at home. Hence, like previous years, the calendar of August 2024 is full of Independence Day events for nearly 5 million Indian-origin population in the United States.

This exclusive list of major Indian Independence Day 2024 events in USA is brought to you by Travel Beats, a leading community portal for the Indian Diaspora in America. Travel Beats is a subsidiary by Indian Eagle, the most-trusted travel-booking partner for Indians in America. These events not only celebrate the Independence of Mother India, but also Indian Americans’ roots, culture and pride of being desi to the core.

Indian Independence Day events in USA, NYC India Day Parade, FOG India Day Parade, Atlanta Festival of India, Novi Michigan India Day, Boston India Day Festival

PC: Travel Beats | IndianEagle.com

New York India Day Parade 2024

The New York India Day Parade is a special mention among the Indian Independence Day events in the United States. Scheduled on 18 August 2024, the parade will kick off at 12 noon from 38th Street at Madison Avenue and feature a spectacular Ram Mandir tableau. Billed as the largest Indian Independence Day event outside of India, the NYC India Day Parade promises to be a vibrant celebration of Indian culture and heritage in the heart of New York City, with a great lineup of performances by different age-groups.

Actor Pankaj Tripathi is the Guest of Honor at the 42nd Indian Day Parade NYC. Famed for his power-packed performances in Indian Cinema and web series, Tripathi’s presence is sure to add an extra spark to the much-awaited event. Organized by the Federation of India Association (FIA), the patriotic event was graced by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar from Bengaluru in 2023. As important as the Diwali holiday in New York City, the India Day Parade follows FIA’s Empire State Building lighting, a must watch.

Atlanta Festival of India 2024

Since India’s 50th Independence Day, the Indian American Cultural Association of Atlanta has been organizing the Festival of India as one of the biggest Indian Independence Day events in USA. Scheduled on 17 August 2024, the 28th Atlanta Festival of India will take place at Gas South Arena in Duluth, some 28 miles from Atlanta, GA. With music, feasting, shopping, yoga, chess, dance and artistic displays, the Festival of India – Atlanta is a ticketed event. You can look forward to a day of patriotic fervor at the cultural event sponsored by Delta Airlines and others.

Boston India Day Festival 2024

Organized by the Indian Association of Greater Boston, India Day Festival is one of the major events for Indians in New England, MA. Scheduled on 17 August, the IAGB’s India Day 2024 will celebrate 77 years of Independence with ‘Naach: Rhythms of the World’ at Hatch Shell Memorial, from 2 pm to 6:30 pm. ‘Naach: Rhythms of the World’ is highly anticipated to be a vibrant cultural program featuring music and dance performances by various Indian communities from New England. In 2023, the Indian Association of Greater Boston honored some trailblazers and achievers from the local community. You can visit www.iagb.org for more information about this culturally immersive event in Boston.

Fremont FOG India Day Parade, California

Of all the Indian Independence Day events in the US, Fremont’s FOG India Day Parade is a two-day celebration scheduled from 10 am on 17 August to 6 pm on 18 August. Sponsored by Air India and supported by the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, the 32nd Festival of India in Fremont CA promises a comprehensive exploration of Indian culture, arts, craft, fashion, food and literature. The fair or mela with over 120 booths and exhibits that local Indian businesses put up to showcase their diverse merchandise is a major attraction of FOG India Day Parade and Festival at 39439 Paseo Padre pkwy in Fremont.

Los Angeles India Independence Day 2024

Other than looking forward to the upcoming Air India flights from LAX to India, SoCal Indians are eagerly waiting for the Independence Day event 2024 by the India Association of Los Angeles (IALA). Scheduled on August 24 (5pm – 10pm PDT), the 25th Indian Independence Day will take place at Hjelte Sports Center, Burbank Blvd, Encino, CA 91436. The Guests of Honor are Dr. Srikar Reddy, the Consul General of India in San Francisco, and Congressman Brad Sherman. Since 1999, Los Angeles’ India Independence Day Celebration has been fostering unity and pride among Southern California Indians through music, dance, food, and artistry.

Venue: Hjelte Sports Center, Burbank Blvd, Encino, CA 91436

Illinois India Day Parade 2024

If you are looking to having a fun-filled day this Independence Day, you can mark 11 August on your calendar for the India Day Parade 2024 in Naperville, Illinois. One of the biggest events for Indians in the Midwest US, the India Day Parade will have its 10th anniversary celebrated in a grander way this year. Organized by the Indian Community Outreach Organization, the most-anticipated event features an array of food, fun, fashion, other than dazzling fireworks, electrifying music, and mesmerizing dance performance.

A colorful, mile-long parade with decorated floats is the mainstay of the India Day Parade that will take place at Rotary Hill, 440 Aurora AVN, Naperville, which is a one-hour drive from Chicago. A live concert by Shankar Mahadevan, whom Bollywood’s music composer duo – Salim-Sulaiman – will accompany, will mark the 10th anniversary of the event.

Michigan India Day 2024

Every year, Indians of Michigan get together to celebrate the Indian Independence Day as India Day in Novi, only 25 miles away from Detroit. Scheduled on 17 August (11 am – 8 pm), the India Day 2024, organized by the India League of America (ILA), is more or less the same as other Indian Independence Day events in the Midwest US. With traditional Indian food, dance and music, the India Day in Novi, MI will surely immerse you in the colors and flavors of India. Dalip Singh Rana aka the Great Khali, a renowned Indian American wrestler, is the chief celebrity guest this year.

Venue: Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave, Novi, MI 48374

Indian Independence Day in Loudoun County, Virginia

Anna Sudha Community Kitchens, a non-profit that runs a licensed kitchen and provides free meals to shelters, is organizing the Indian Independence Day festival in Loudoun County, VA. Among all upcoming Indian events in Virginia, the 78th Indian Independence Day will be celebrated through interesting displays of India’s rich culture and heritage.  Reportedly, a spectacular show on the cultural festivals celebrated across India is also part of the event schedule.

Scheduled on 17 August (11am – 5;30pm ETD), the event programs include a Kuchipudi dance performance by Bharata Mallika, a Bharatanatyam dance drama by Tapasya School of Dance, and a Bollywood dance performance by Nehas Thumkas Dance Academy. The venue is Dulles Town Center, 21100 Dallas Town Circle, Virginia.

India Independence Day Festival, Florida

The Association of Indians in America’s Florida Chapter is gearing up for the India Independence Day Festival in Fort Lauderdale on August 18. One of the major events for Indian immigrants in Florida, the Independence Day Festival is a much-awaited occasion to bask in the glory of the home country, soak in the patriotic vibes, and pay a tribute to Mother India. Cultural programs, delicious Indian food, ethnic fashion, and patriotic music are the main draws of the event. Interested visitors can visit AIAFL.org for more information.

Venue: Broward Center, 201 SW Fifth Avenue, Fort Lauderdale 33312

Jai Ho! Indian Independence Day near Austin, TX

Jai Ho! India Independence Day in Round Rock near Austin is the biggest patriotic celebration in Texas, home to the second largest Indian-origin population in the US. With a free concert by Bollywood singer Shilpi Paul, Jai Ho! India Day promises a musical evening from 6pm to 9pm on 17 August 2024. Indians in and around Austin are enthusiastically looking forward to watching or participating in the state parade that will be followed by the musical evening. The state parade will commence with the national anthem of India and the US. Scheduled to take place at Centennial Plaza in Round Rock, this is one of the few free events among Indian Independence Day celebrations across the USA.

Brought to you by Indian Eagle Travel, the above listing of the Indian Independence Day celebrations in USA is neither sponsored by any of the event organizers, nor endorsed by us.

The post Soak in Patriotic Vibes at 10 Best Indian Independence Day Events across USA in August 2024 appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

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