Good news for California Indians! They will get more direct flights to India from San Francisco for the upcoming holiday travel. All thanks to Air India; the Tata airline will resume the most-awaited SFO to Bengaluru nonstop flights and launch the new SFO to Mumbai nonstop route in December 2022. Bi-weekly frequency of Air India flights between Bangalore and San Francisco will be thrice weekly starting  from December 15.

The Mumbai to SFO service, the latest addition to Air India’s winter schedule of 40 weekly flights from India to USA, will be operated thrice a week starting from December 2. This route was announced in summer 2018, but it was shelved for unprecedented reasons. Nonstop Air India flights, SFO to BOM, will cover nearly 8500 miles in 17 hours. Hope the Tatas will give due consideration to Los Angeles to India direct flights that Air India had planned in its disinvestment-bound days.

Air India’s B777-200LR for SFO to BOM and BLR flights

Boeing 777-200LR that the airline is all set to induct into its long-haul fleet will be deployed for direct connectivity from San Francisco to both Mumbai and Bangalore. Interestingly, Air India’s first-ever premium economy seats will gradually be rolled out on B777-200LRs between December and March 2023. B777-200LRs belong to the long-range category of wide-body aircraft suitable for long-haul intercontinental routes like San Francisco to Mumbai, New York to Singapore, and Chicago to Sydney.

Air India’s B777-200LR has an increased maximum take-off weight (347.5 tons) among other unique features. The more take-off weight, the more payload (carrying) capacity. B777-200LR’s maximum take-off weight is almost double the aircraft’s fuel capacity (148.7 tons) plus payload capacity (passenger, baggage, and cargo). Since the aircraft can accommodate additional fuel tanks in the rear cargo hold, it can carry extra fuel for extra flying time (in case the airline needs to change its route due to some foreign airspace restrictions) without compromising on the total load of passengers’ checked-in bags.

San Francisco to India: Direct flights vs One-stop flights

Middle East airlines’ one-stop flights between San Francisco and India are the best alternatives to non-stop Air India flights on the same routes. 17 hours 10 minutes is the travel time on direct Air India flights from SFO to Mumbai, according to IndianEagle.com. Emirates, Turkish Airlines, and Qatar Airways take 21-22 hours (including layover time) to complete a one-way trip on the same route via their respective hubs. Their check-in baggage allowance in economy is the same as Air India’s. You can check in two bags (each 23 kg) for free on Air India flights, and one-stop flights by the Middle East carriers. IndianEagle.com offers a user-friendly interface to let you check, compare and choose SFO to Mumbai airfare deals, SFO to Delhi cheap flights, and SFO to BLR air ticket prices.

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Come January 2021, Air India is all set to create history in the US-India travel corridor. Ahead of United Airlines’ upcoming launch of nonstop flights between San Francisco and Bengaluru in May 2021, Air India announced twice-weekly flights between the world’s two IT hubs. Air India’s first nonstop flight from Kempegowda Airport (BLR) to SFO Airport is scheduled on January 11, 2021.

SFO to Bengaluru nonstop flights will prove to be a Midas touch for the debt-ridden Air India for various reasons, including generous free check-in baggage allowance in all travel classes, Namaskar Sewa service for unaccompanied travelers, and economy to business class upgrade offer.

The announcement about the upcoming SFO-BLR direct flights came amidst Air India’s phase 7 of VBM/air bubble flights that will continue through March 2021. It will be the first-ever nonstop route between the West Coast of the USA and South India, which will also be accessible to Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah via short domestic flights.

Ranked first and second among the world’s most technologically advanced cities, Bengaluru and San Francisco will make the longest route in Air India’s US-India network. The SFO to Bengaluru service will be the longest of all Air India nonstop flights between USA and India. The airline will cover more than 14,000 km (8698 miles) in over 16 hours.

Reportedly, Air India’s nonstop Chicago to Hyderabad flights will be launched on January 15, 2021. ORD to HYD RGI Airport has remained an unserved route in the US-India travel sector till date. Being a gateway to South and Central India, Hyderabad’s RGI Airport will connect Air India’s direct flights from Chicago with short domestic flights to Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru, Vijayawada, Bhubaneswar, Bhopal, Chennai and Tirupati.

Air India’s upcoming nonstop routes will cater to the demand of corporate travelers for direct business class flights to India from the West Coast of the United States.

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Indian American women are ruling the roost from civil services to philanthropy to entrepreneurship. Their achievements make success stories which are worth reading and sharing. After Kamala Harris, Pramila Jayapal and Seema Verma made their way to some key posts in the Trump Administration, two Indian American women entrepreneurs recently featured on Forbes’ 34th annual list of global billionaires.

Two of the richest self-made business women in America, Arista Networks’ CEO Jayshree Ullal and Syntel’s Vice President Neerja Sethi are among the 10 wealthiest Indian American billionaires in 2020, according to Forbes Magazine.

Jayshree Ullal, the President and CEO of cloud networking firm Arista Networks, has made $1.3 billion million fortune in the technology industry. Born in London and raised in New Delhi, Jayshree Ullal graduated in electrical engineering from San Francisco State University and did masters in engineering management at Santa Clara University. A recipient of the ‘Ernst and Young US Entrepreneur of the Year’ award in 2015, she has been with Arista Networks since 2008. The computer networking company earned revenues worth $1.1 billion in 2016 and $2 .2 billion in 2018 under her leadership. Forbes Magazine previously named her ‘one of the top five most influential people in the networking industry.’

Of America’s Richest Self-Made Women, Neerja Sethi is the other Indian American woman entrepreneur with a net worth of $1 billion on Forbes’ 34th annual list of global billionaires. Based in Florida, she is a co-founder and the Director of Syntel Inc, a prestigious IT consulting and outsourcing company. Neerja Sethi along with her husband Bharat Desai founded Syntel with an initial investment of $2,000 in 1980 at their residence in Troy, Michigan. Currently Syntel employs about 23,000 people around the world, including 80% of it staffing in India.

Jayshree Ullal and Neerja Sethi were the only Indian American entrepreneurs among the 60 women, including TV mogul Oprah Winfrey, on Forbes’ 2018 list of self-made richest women from across the globe. They made their own fortunes in America. Both Jayshree Ullal and Neerja Sethi are exemplary emblems of entrepreneurial innovation in the business of technology.

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

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There are many Indian restaurants in Silicon Valley serving the best Indian food in San Francisco Bay Area. It is one of the reasons why Silicon Valley is home to a great number of Indians in California. Most of the Silicon Valley companies including Google keep their Indian employees happy about food according to their desi taste buds, which is often a concern with many living or going abroad.

Among the Silicon Valley companies in San Francisco, Google at Mountain View deserves a special mention for providing free food to its employees. Google Headquarters houses 30 different eating joints to pamper its employees with delicious food from various cuisines. The global search engine giant has got an Indian restaurant Baadal to provide its Indian American and Indian employees with authentic Indian food for free at its Mountain View campus in Santa Clara County.

Café Baadal at Googleplex is Indian to the core from its décor to menu. With glittering lanterns hanging from the ceiling and flamboyant cushions on cozy chairs, this Indian restaurant at Google headquarters has captured the colors of India in its interior. With eye-catching posters of popular Bollywood films from the golden eras of Indian Cinema adoring the walls, Baadal has truly nostalgic ambiance, which makes Google’s Indian American employees feel a connect with India.

The maps and flags of India not only dominate the interior décor but also add to the nostalgic quotient of Café Baadal at Googleplex in Mountain View.

The menu at Café Baadal has some of the best and most popular Indian dishes, including chicken biryani, which is a favorite of many Google employees in the Mountain View campus. Masala chai is their favorite pastime too. The restaurant changes the menu every day but chicken biryani and masala chai are available all time. The menu serving authentic Indian food from north Indian dishes to south Indian thalis makes dining a desi affair at this Google restaurant in Santa Clara County.

Baadal Rice is the mainstay of the menu at Café Baadal. It is a special mix of Sona Masoori rice, brown rice and Bhutanese red rice. There is a special meal named Brahmin for some employees who prefer Sattvik food.

Be an employee Indian or Indian American, a meal or thali is incomplete without desserts for them. Unsurprisingly, Café Baadal at Googleplex serves sinful Indian desserts. The restaurant has become so popular that even Google employees need to book tables in advance. There is a small food truck outside Café Baadal at Googleplex for those having no reservation. The employees without advance booking and those on the go can grab some of the dishes from the truck instead of making a beeline.

The story of Indian food at Googleplex does not here. There is a smaller van beside the food truck, which serves desserts outside the restaurant.

Chef Irfan Dama, who is popular as Chef Dama in San Francisco Bay Area, cooks Indian food for the Google employees in Mountain View. He specializes in Indian cuisine and cooking. It is his culinary magic that has made the Indian restaurant Baadal at Google Headquarters a hit with employees.

Baadal is one of the best restaurants for Indian food in Silicon Valley. Each bite reminds you of your mother, home and country. The Indian street style masala tea is my favorite at Baadal. – An Indian employee at Googleplex.

Travel Beats is an overseas Indian community portal by Indian Eagle, a leading international travel organization excelling in booking cheap airline tickets to India. Subscribe to Travel Beats for interesting community news and stories from the US and India.           

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With Gita Gopinath having been appointed International Monetary Fund’s Chief Economist and Indra Nooyi being considered to lead World Bank as its president, more and more Indian Americans are emerging as policymakers and leaders in key areas from US politics to administration to judiciary. The recent appointment of few Indian Americans as county judges, and President Trump’s latest nomination of three Indian Americans to the Senate validate the fact that the Indian American community is collectively exerting ‘colossal’ power on US economy, politics and administration. On top of that, Hindu-American Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Indian-American Senator Kamala Devi Harris are all set to enter the 2020 Democratic Presidential primary contest.

We at Travel Beats, an Indian American community portal by Indian Eagle took a sneak peek into the profiles and agendas of the newly appointed and emerging Indian American policymakers and leaders.

Dr. Rita Baranwal, Aditya Bamzai, Ram Villivalam, Bimal Patel (left to right)

Dr. Rita Baranwal, Pennsylvania              

The US President Donald Trump’s latest nominations to the Senate for key positions include three Indian Americans: Rita Baranwal, Bimal Patel and Aditya Bamzai. A member of the American Nuclear Society, Dr. Rita Baranwal from Pittsburgh is a nominee for the post of assistant secretary of Nuclear Energy. If the Senate approves her nomination, she will be helming the office of Nuclear Energy in the United States, with a special focus on the department’s nuclear technology research and development. An MIT alumnus having a PhD degree in materials science and engineering from the University of Michigan, Dr. Rita Baranwal is the Director for the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative.

Aditya Bamzai, Virginia

Nominated to the Senate for the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, Aditya Bamzai from Virginia is a Professor at the University of Virginia’s School of Law. A Yale graduate, he teaches and writes about cybercrimes, national security law, civil procedure and federal courts at the University of Virginia’s School of Law. Earlier, he was appointed a law clerk to Judge Jeffrey Sutton at the US Court of Appeals and to Justice Antonin Scalia at the US Supreme Court. Indian American Aditya Bamzai has also worked in the Office of legal counsel and the National Security Division of the US Department of Justice. If confirmed by the Senate, he will serve the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board until January 29, 2020.

Bimal Patel, Georgia  

President Trump has nominated Indian American Bimal Patel from Georgia for the post of assistant secretary in the US Department of Treasury. An alumnus of Stanford University, Harvard University and Georgetown University Law Center, Bimal Patel currently serves as the deputy assistant secretary of the Treasury for the Financial Stability Oversight Council. Earlier, he worked as an adjunct associate professor at Stanford University and taught a banking regulation course to undergraduate students. He was also a senior advisor to Director Jeremiah O Norton at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Ram Villivalam, Illinois    

Indian American Ram Villivalam, a Democrat from Chicago has recently been sworn in as a member of the Illinois General Assembly in the state’s 8^th district. He took his oath on the Bhagavad Gita, and so did other Indian American legislators including Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. As per the priorities on his agenda for Illinois’ 8^th congressional district, Ram Villivalam is hell-bent on bringing legislation for gun violence prevention, women’s rights, progressive income tax, LGBTQ rights, and hike in minimum wage. Notably, he is looking forward to bringing progressive perspectives to the process of making decisions in the Illinois Senate for the 8^th district covering 21 neighborhoods in Chicago City.

Mona Das, Washington 

India-born Mona Das from the US state of Washington joined the league of Indian American female politicians by taking oath as a senator of the 47^th legislative district in the state. Mona Das whose ancestral home is in a suburban village at a short distance from Kolkata came to the US along with her parents just after eight months of her birth in Munger district of Bihar. A psychology graduate from the University of Cincinnati, Indian American Senator Mona Das will on the Senate Housing Stability and Affordability Committee, the Senate Transportation Committee, the Senate Financial Institutions, Economic Development and Trade Committee, and the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee.

In her capacity as a Washington State Senator, Mona Das will be advocating the causes related to gender equality for women, environment and minority communities. Her speech on the oath-taking day was eloquent with her love for India and its cultural heritage. She concluded her speech with ‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai.’ Like most of Indian American female politicians, Mona Das believes that education is the key to girls’ success and bright future.

Vedica Puri, California  

Vedica Puri from San Francisco is among the few new Indian American faces in the administrative power of the USA. A native of Mumbai, 47-year-old Vedica Puri has been appointed a judge to the San Francisco County Superior Court. A graduate from Santa Clara University School of Law, Vedica Puri is the first Indian American judge in the San Francisco County Superior Court. Her areas of practice include dealing with emerging technology risks to universities and businesses in Silicon Valley. Indian American Vedica Puri is one of the partners at Pillsbury & Coleman LLP.

K. P. George, Texas

Of the new Indian Americans in administrative power, K. P. George has been sworn in to the judgeship of Fort Bend County in Texas. He succeeded Republican Robert Hebert, who designated the position for the past 15 years, and described his eventful journey from a South Indian farmhouse to Fort Bend County Judgeship an inspiring story of perseverance. ‘Never Give up’ was Indian American K. P. George’s message to those in attendance during his oath-taking ceremony.

The chief executive of Fort Bend County Texas, K. P. George promises an effective, efficient and engaging administration to involve youngsters and community members in various nation-building and development projects. He does also guarantee a revision of the emergency management policy as the destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 still sticks to the public memory.

Better county government transparency, higher levels of community engagement, more youth empowerment, the making of a flood control district, and meticulous emergency-handling plans are what he zeroed in on while campaigning for the judgeship of Fort Bend, the most diverse and 10^th most populous county in Texas. The Fort Bend County Judge is said to exert more power than Indian American mayors of cities in California and New Jersey.

Manjari Chawla, California  

Indian-origin judges in America include attorney Manjari Chawla from Jaipur, Rajasthan. She was the first Indian American to be appointed a hearing judge by the California Supreme Court in San Francisco, in October 2018. As a hearing judge of the State Bar Court, Majari Chawla presides over cases of violation of the State Bar Act and the Rules of Professional Conduct, involving attorneys in California. A member of the San Francisco Court Bar Association, Indian American Manjari Chawla is known for her expertise in fighting for justice to the Asian-origin people in the USA. An alumnus of Yale University, she will be serving the State Bar Court through October 2024.

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2019 might see a drop in airfares from USA to India, due to the mounting competition of airlines operating nonstop flights to India from USA, and the ongoing experiments with biofuel in commercial passenger aircraft.

Introducing a new route for nonstop flights to India and jumping into the fray with Air India, is United Airlines. One of the major US carriers, United Airlines announced to fly nonstop from San Francisco to New Delhi in 2019. Toronto, Melbourne, Amsterdam and Auckland are also earmarked on the map for United Airlines’ upcoming nonstop flights from San Francisco International Airport, one of the United hubs in the US.

December 5, 2019 is the tentative date for the launch of United Airlines’ nonstop flights to New Delhi from San Francisco (SFO). Good for Indians in California, who mostly travel back home by the year end! They will be privileged to compare between the Air India cheap fares and the United Airlines cheap tickets for nonstop SFO to DEL flights.

Los Angeles to Delhi and Houston to Delhi are among the busy routes between the United States and India. Demand for nonstop flights to New Delhi from those two US cities is also high. Leading Indian Americans, along with the governors of Los Angeles and Houston have already proposed Air India to commence nonstop service on these two routes. But, the national airline of India is yet to take a step forward. It would have been far better if United had announced nonstop service to Delhi from Houston and Los Angeles among its hubs.

However, the upcoming nonstop United flights SFO to Delhi hold some good for Indians in and around Los Angeles, since it takes them only 6 hours to reach San Francisco Airport by road. As San Francisco is a short flight away from Phoenix in Arizona, Nevada in Las Vegas, Utah in Salk Lake City, and Portland in Oregon, Indians residing in those US cities may take a liking to fly United Airlines from San Francisco to Delhi IGI airport.

Baggage Allowance for Nonstop SFO to DEL Flights: United Airlines vs Air India

Air India’s generous baggage allowance for economy travelers is the only disadvantage with United Airlines. Economy travelers flying nonstop Air India flights from USA to India can check in two pieces of baggage, each weighing up to 23 kgs or 50 lbs. But, only one check-in bag weighing not more than 23 kgs is allowed to economy passengers of United Airlines’ nonstop flights to Mumbai and Delhi from Newark Liberty international Airport. United Airlines’ economy baggage allowance will apply to the upcoming SFO to DEL nonstop service as well.

Extra Fee for Preferred Economy Seats on United Flights

Travelers flying United Airlines will have to pay up for their preferred seats in the economy cabin starting today, December 14. The additional fee for preferred seats, which are basically standard economy seats with no extra legroom behind the Economy Plus rows, will apply on all routes in the airline’s global network. Those unwilling to sit on the backside of aircraft prefer the seats behind the Economy Plus rows onboard.

No matter how cheap United Airlines economy flight tickets are; preferred economy seats will add to the fare. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines with similar economy seats have already been continuing the trend of charging extra for preferred seats in economy.

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With a lineup of glittering Indian events in 2017, California has become a springboard of entertainment for its Indian community. Recently, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles 2017 came to an epic end after four days of cinematic and cultural extravaganza. Let the month of July come, and the Indian Academy Awards 2017 in San Francisco Bay Area will spell a high time for California Indians. The two-day ceremony will be followed by the San Diego International Film Festival in October 2017.

The California Indian community is already full of buzz about the first-ever 2017 Indian Academy Awards in San Francisco Bay Area. To be held on July 7 and 8, the Indian version of Academy Awards was announced by renowned actor Shah Rukh Khan at the US Consulate in Mumbai, and launched by eminent actress Madhuri Dixit in California in January this year.

Among the San Francisco Bay Area Indian events in 2017, the award ceremony will be soaked in the grandeur and glamor of glitterati from across the border: India and USA. Reportedly, Shah Rukh Khan himself will host the Indian Academy Awards 2017 in San Francisco Bay Area, and Madhuri Dixit will also grace the inauguration with her unmatched glamorous presence on the dais. The event schedule includes live performance by the crème de la crème of Bollywood, Hollywood and South Indian Cinema.

Asia’s largest production company Cineyug in India and Los Angeles-based Brainstorm Media joined hands to bring the first-ever Indian Academy Awards to Silicon Valley where many Indian American entrepreneurs and professionals are excited about this upcoming event. Indian American physician Dr. Sanjay Gupta from New Jersey, who became a social media celebrity having 2 million twitter followers, and who was the second most popular doctor of 2016 in USA, is a co-founder of the Indian Academy Awards 2017 in San Francisco Bay Area.

The Indian Academy Awards 2017 California is not just about entertainment, but an entertainment program for a cause. According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, it will support Mijwan Welfare Society, an NGO run by eminent actress Shabana Azmi, legendary poet Kaifi Azmi’s daughter. Another objective of the award ceremony is to support the Women Achievers Awards for successful women in Indian Diaspora.

Launched on the International Women’s Day 2017 in March, the Women Achievers Awards felicitates women of exceptional caliber from the Indian community worldwide by recognizing their contributions as well as achievements and share their success stories. It is intended to encourage and inspire women in general with success stories of women philanthropists and entrepreneurs in India and abroad.

Music and fashion show are other two attractions of the Indian Academy Awards 2017 in San Francisco Bay Area. The event will be choreographed by Shiamak Davar who is known as the pioneer of contemporary dance in India. “The Indian Academy Awards 2017 California is a platform for real-time cultural exchange among cinema lovers in India and USA besides being a cinematic celebration for Indians in America,” according to Brainstorm Media.

Subscribe to our free newsletter or watch out this space for venue and ticketing details of the Indian Academy Awards California 2017.

Travel Beats is a community portal for Indians in USA by Indian Eagle, a US-based, leading travel organization booking the best flights to India from San Francisco for the guaranteed lowest airfares. Travel Beats publishes news and stories of the Indian community besides sharing the latest travel, visa and immigration updates.

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An Indian American victim of hate crime and discrimination in USA is running for a key post in the Civil Rights division of the US Department of Justice. An accomplished lawyer and Senior Republican leader from California, Harmeet Dhillon has gone through the rounds of interview with the US General Attorney Jeff Sessions. If nominated by President Donald Trump, she would replace Vanita Gupta, an Indian American, who helmed the Civil Rights division in the Department of Justice during the Obama regime.

The Civil Rights Division was set up in 1957 aiming to uphold and protect the civil as well as constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly vulnerable citizens and minorities, regardless of national origin, race, color, gender, religion, disability and financial status. If nominated, 48-year-old Harmeet Dhillon would be primarily required to restore immigrant citizens’ faith in their civil and constitutional rights by enforcing the federal laws to end discrimination and hate crimes in the US.

It is said that a victim can effortlessly empathize with another victim. Shaken by three successive incidents of hate crime in USA, the Indian American community is sanguine about the selection of Harmeet Dhillon for the Civil Rights Division in the Department of Justice. Born in Chandigarh, Harmeet herself was subjected to hate mongering when her ex-husband, a Sikh doctor, was shot and injured in a racist attack in 1995.

San Francisco-based Harmeet Dhillon was the first woman to be elected vice chairman of the California Republican Party. In July 2016, she was elected national committee woman of the Republican National Committee at the party’s state convention in May. She once financially contributed to Senator Kamala Harris’ electoral campaigns. She had expressed her desire to work in the Trump administration soon after Donald Trump’s presidential victory.

“She’s one of the best-known Republicans from the Bay Area. She’s a gift to the Republican Party because she’s quite brave and very articulate,” Shawn Steel, a national committeeman of the Republican National Committee, said about Harmeet Dhillon.

California Republican Harmeet Dhillon also suffered domestic violence in her first marriage with a doctor from India. “I was beaten to death,” she said uninhibitedly in one of her interviews. She graduated in law from at the University of Virginia after she divorced her abusive husband. The house party for a presidential debate between President George W. Bush and John Kerry that she hosted in 2004 proved to be a steppingstone for her career in US politics.

She was one of the few who worked hard to protect the civil rights of the Sikh community in USA after the September 11 terrorist attacks. She wrote legal memos for human rights organizations in the wake of hate crimes in USA following the 9/11 attacks.

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

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The Mayor of San Francisco, Ed Lee announced free college education for all of the city residents. Under this initiative, City College of San Francisco will be providing free education for two years to the Californians living in the city irrespective of their national origin and annual income. Those who have lived in San Francisco for at least a full year are eligible for free education at the campuses of City College. With the plan being expected to become effective in the next fall, San Francisco will be the first American city to make community college free to all of its residents.

City College of San Francisco (CCSF) is a multicultural community college having multiple locations; the largest being the Ocean Avenue. It’s the second largest collegiate institution enrolling more than 100,000 students in an academic year, in the United States. Founded in 1935, it was the first community college to enroll women for training in aircraft mechanics. CCSF offers associate degrees in multiple academic programs including computer science, engineering, broadcasting, health care, graphic design, physical education, nursing, fashion and arts.

According to the agreement signed by Mayor Ed Lee and City College, the college will be paid $5.4 million a year to buy out the $46-per-credit fees which usually qualified students pay. It resulted from the approval of a transfer tax by the voters of San Francisco in November 2016. It enables both full-time and part-time students to apply for free tuition at City College of San Francisco.

Students from low-income households will receive an annual grant of $500 only if they pursue full-time academic programs, besides the current waiver on tuition fees. Low-income students pursuing part-time courses will be given $200 a year. They can use the grant to pay for textbooks, school supplies, transportation and health fees.

San Francisco Mayor’s plan to make college education free came almost after one month of a similar announcement by New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo to provide free tuition to the residents of New York with gross family income less than $125,000 a year. Those who meet the eligibility criteria are entitled to free tuition at any of state universities, city colleges, or community colleges in New York.

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

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If you are not traveling to India this holiday season, you must know where to spend New Year’s Eve 2016 in USA. Needless to say, America is known for wild celebrations on the eve of New Year. After all, December 31 is the most awaited time to look back into what has gone past and make new resolutions for the New Year. Though most of the US cities are party capitals offering live music, street dance, dazzling fireworks and a lot more, we at Travel Beats handpick some of the best places to celebrate the eve of New Year 2017 and watch fireworks in USA for you.

San Francisco

San Francisco is one of the best places in USA for firework celebration on the eve of New Year 2017. Spectacular fireworks between the Ferry Building and the San Francisco Bay Bridge fill the night sky with lots of gleams and glitters. The New Year’s Eve in San Francisco culminates in partying which keeps the city sleepless till wee hours.

Miami

Miami offers myriad places to spend New Year’s Eve 2016 and watch firework display. Apart from rooftop restaurants and galleries, Nikki Beach and Miami City Beach are the best spots to see the night sky light up on the eve of New Year 2017 in Miami. You can also join a cruise party to celebrate the New Year’s Eve in Miami. Needless to say, Miami is known for its vibrant nightlife.

New York

No need to wonder where to spend New Year’s Eve and watch firework display in America if you are in New York. The iconic Times Square in New York City is one of the best places for firework celebration on the eve of New Year 2017 in the US. The Times Square throbs as a partying zone with thousands of revelers ringing in the New Year. Several rooftop bars, lounges and restaurants, including Monarch Rooftop Lounge, in and around the Times Square offer mind-blowing views of fireworks at the Hudson River and on top of the Empire State Building.

Los Angeles

Credit: Shutterstock

Los Angeles, the City of Hollywood, is undeniably where to spend New Year’s Eve in USA by clubbing, dancing, singing, lounging and dining in downtown. Grand Park is one of the few places to be for free events on the eve of New Year in Los Angeles. The Cleopatra’s Ball at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood is one of the most popular events to attend in the evening of December 31, 2016. The New Year’s Ball at the Edison in downtown Los Angeles is full of amazing performances.

Orlando

Orlando is also on the list of best places in USA for firework celebration on New Year’s Eve 2016. Being one of the entertainment capitals in America, Orlando knows how to ring in the New Year. The Magic Kingdom of Walt Disney in Orlando is one of the few most popular places for revelry on the eve of New Year 2017. Walt Disney World is the venue for one of the biggest New Year eve celebration parties in USA. The Church Street Entertainment District in Downtown Orlando is another thriving venue for outdoor entertainment and celebration.

Chicago

Chicago has been voted as one of the best places in USA for firework display on New Year’s Eve for years. The shores of Lake Michigan glitter with dazzling fireworks and throbs with cries of joy on New Year’s Eve in Chicago. The venues of music and dance at Chicago House rock with electrifying numbers played by international DJs, live Jazz shows and live blues plays from early evening till midnight of December 31. You can catch glimpses of fireworks at Navy Pier while enjoying cruise dining with your dear ones on Lake Michigan.

Atlanta

Atlanta has been ringing the bell of New Year with the Peach Drop on the New Year eve since 1989. What started as a trend of New Year eve celebration in Atlanta has become a tradition. Thousands throng at Underground Atlanta to catch views of the 800-pound peach fall from a 138-foot tower of lights. You can spend the New Year’s Eve 2016 by laughing out loud at Atlanta Comedy Theater in Norcross. Celebrity comedians will bring the house down to fill you with enthusiasm for a new year.

New Orleans

A blend of food, music, fun and firework makes New Orleans one of the best places to spend New Year’s Eve in USA. Revelers rock the December 31 evening from Bourbon Street to Jackson Square with live music and street dance. No wonder where to spend New Year’s Eve 2016 in USA if not in New Orleans where sparkling fireworks light up the sky over the Mississippi River for the New Year celebration.

Portland 

Among the best places for firework celebration on the eve of New Year 2017 in USA, Portland is dotted with a great number of nightlife venues for fun and entertainment. The city hosts some epic balls on New Year’s Eve.  The Portland Champagne Ball is one of the most popular celebration parties in the evening of December 31 in Portland. Portland offers whatever you are looking for a high time on New Year’s eve in the Pearl District.

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