We long to have a few more moments with our near and dear ones when we go to see off them at an international airport. Many Indians in the US bid goodbye to their departing family, parents, or friends from outside the airport terminal, as non-travelers can’t enter the terminal except at some airports, like Philadelphia International Airport, where visitor passes are available for non-flyers.

Deepika Jain, an Indian immigrant in New Jersey, shared with Indian Eagle how she obtained the Philadelphia Airport Visitor Pass for herself, how it enabled her to accompany her parents to the departure gate, and how she was able to lessen their pre-travel anxiety. Early this month, her visiting parents on B2 Visa traveled back to Delhi with Qatar Airways. Then, they reached home in Ahmedabad after a short stay at a family friend’s in New Delhi.

This AI-generated image is for illustration purpose only

It was her parents’ first international travel to the US and first visit to her. Their long-haul travel journey to the US did not worry her as much as their return trip did, as one of her friends accompanied them on nonstop Air India flights to New York from Delhi some three months ago. They came to bless their daughters for her housewarming ceremony near Flushing, Queens where the Ganesh Temple of New York is located. Deepika’s time with them passed like a dream over the past 3 months.

“I began to feel anxious as their return travel neared. They had to fly back unaccompanied this time. I wanted to be with them as long as possible before their departure to India,” Deepika said with moist eyes. Luckily, she read about Seattle Airport Visitor Pass on Travel Beats. It propelled her to google whether Philadelphia Airport allows nonticketed visitors to enter the terminal and go past security, as she had booked their return on Qatar Airways flights from Philadelphia to Delhi for Indian Eagle’s best deals.

She discovered Philadelphia Airport’s Wingmate Guest Pass program that enables non-travelers to go through security checks, from 4 am to 10 pm, just for one day. “I could not believe PHL Airport offers visitor passes. Just knowing I could accompany them to the departure gate through TSA security checkpoints gave me peace of mind,” said Deepika Jain. She shared with Travel Beats – how to apply for the PHL Wingmate Guest Pass online.

She visited Philadelphia Airport’s website and filled out the application with her personal information, as well as a valid email ID. She had to give a reason for visiting the airport and upload a copy of her government-issued photo ID. She received a confirmation email with a QR code to her registered email ID on successful review of the application by TSA. It was that easy to get a visitor pass for Philadelphia International Airport.

Since the PHL Airport Guest Pass program was unveiled in November 2023, thousands of non-flyers have used it. You can apply for it 7 days before your planned visit. Same-day applications are likely to be rejected. The airport issues only 100 Wingmate Guest Passes every day. Those under 18 years of age can also apply, but an adult person must accompany them to the airport. You may visit with service animals.  The most critical condition is that your name must match with your government-issued ID.

On the day of travel, Deepika effortlessly accompanied her parents through check-in and TSA. Since they reached the airport early, they had a meal together in the terminal. Also, she got some time to make them understand the international transit process at Doha Airport, as they were scheduled to fly with Qatar Airways. She heaved a sigh of relief while bidding them goodbye.

The post ‘How I Accompanied My Parents to Boarding Gate through Security at Philadelphia Airport with a Guest Pass,’ Shares an Indian American appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

When the Trump administration is trying its best to save US jobs for Americans by restricting the inflow of foreign workers on H1B and other employment related visas, Indian American Jignesh Pandya from Philadelphia has come forward to create 17,800 jobs in the United States. A self-made business tycoon, Jignesh Pandya recently announced his plans to build eight cricket stadiums in USA. It is a $2.4 billion project. The other purpose is to professionalize cricket and heighten its popularity in the US.

New York, New Jersey, Texas, California, Georgia, Florida, Illinois and Washington DC are the target locations for the eight cricket stadiums. Each stadium having a seating capacity for 26,000 will cost approximately $300, according to estimates. Direct and indirect salaries worth $800 billion will be generated from each stadium over a span of 20 years, according to Jignesh Pandya, the Chairman of Global Sports Ventures.

The proposed cricket stadiums in USA will be modeled as multi-purpose entertainment and lifestyle centers. It is expected that each stadium will create employment for 725 workers in construction and 1500 workers on a permanent basis. A press release from Global Sports Ventures states that America will see job opportunities in sports tourism, coaching and training, merchandising, security, logistics and transportation, hospitality, media and broadcasting once the $2.4-billion project is completed.

Philadelphia-based Jignesh Pandya is a sports enthusiast. He is a die-hard supporter of cricket. He believes that Americans are the greatest sports lovers in the world. The United States’ sports economy is valued at a whopping $87 billion, while the sports economy of India stands at a nascent stage only for $6 billion. Indian American Jignesh Pandya’s proposal to build 8 cricket stadiums is likely to boost the US economy in sports.

The founder and chairman of the Rohan Group headquartered in Philadelphia, Jignesh Pandya watches international cricket matches in different parts of the world. He observes that a majority of the audience is from USA. The US has a huge market for cricket, which is to be explored for an economic boost. Over 1.4 million people across the US watched the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in 2016.

Cricket used to enjoy immense popularity in America before the Civil War. George Washington, a cricket lover, played the sport in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in 1778. A cricket match between USA and Canada was the first international sports competition, according to the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA). Global Sports Ventures’ $70 million multi-year licensing agreement with USACA is the first significant step towards restoring the glory of cricket in the US.

Indian American Jignesh Pandya, a self-made billionaire, is a philanthropist too. He immigrated to USA at the age of 15 and got into retail business when he was 19 years old. Then he ventured into commercial real estate and gradually built an empire across the East coast. He supports the World Hunger Organization’s mission to eradicate hunger by donating to distribute free meals to the needy. He feels privileged to give back to the community.

Travel Beats is a leading Indian American portal by Indian Eagle, a trusted partner of Indians in USA for booking their flights to India. Subscribe to Travel Beats’ free newsletter for the latest immigration, visa, air travel and community news. 

The post Indian American Billionaire Jay Pandya to Build 8 Cricket Stadiums and Create 17,800 Jobs in USA appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

2016 seems to be the year of Indian American students among scientists and researchers in the United States because of their achievements in their respective fields. The recipients of the President’s Engagement Prizes from the University of Pennsylvania include two Indian American graduates – Vaishak Kumar and Kriya Patel – this year. Penn President Amy Gutmann announced the recipients in Philadelphia.

The President’s Engagement Prize is part of the University of Pennsylvania’s commitment to support the impactful projects of meritorious students under the Penn Compact 2020. Each of the recipients will be awarded up to $100,000 for project implementation and $50,000 for living expenses. Initiated last year, the prizes help Penn seniors (as recipients are officially known as) design and execute global, national or local engagement projects.

Kriya Patel is an Indian American senior in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, among the recipients of the President’s Engagement Prize 2016. Her project is meant for those women who will soon get free from the Riverside Correctional Facility in Philadelphia. Kriya Patel will help those needy women secure their right to health insurance and apply for the identification process before they are released. With the health insurance, the women will be able to meet their healthcare and medication needs.

Kriya Patel will also monitor and record the effects of the health insurance in the lives of the women for at least three years under the supervision of Kathleen Brown, an associate professor of nursing.

Vaishak Kumar, another recipient of the President’s Engagement Prize 2016, is a Penn senior in the College of Arts & Sciences. He has designed a project to help farmers in India improve their productivity and benefit from farming so that they are not left high and dry due to unpredictable weather or atmospheric inclemency.

Mentored by Devesh Kapoor who is the Director of Penn’s Center for the Advanced Study of India, Vaishak Kumar is inspired by the thought of giving back to India where he belongs to. He will leverage the potential of cost-efficient mobile technology to educate Indian farmers on the fundamentals of farming in the unnaturally changing environment.

Undeniably, frequent farmer suicide is one of the biggest concerns in India, which, he thinks, can be mitigated through technology. As per his commitment towards the project, he is looking to set up low-cost mobile laboratories to provide farmers with personalized information from time to time.

The President’s Engagement Prize also honors three collaborators in case of collaborative team projects.

Read More Indian-origin Scientists Generate Energy from Food Waste

The post Indian American Students among Recipients of President’s Engagement Prize 2016 in Philadelphia appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.