The US President Donald Trump celebrated Diwali 2017 at the White House yesterday (October 17), in continuation of the tradition that Barack Obama officially initiated in 2016. He ignited a diya (earthen lamp) to mark the celebration of Diwali 2017 at the White House. He was joined by his daughter Ivanka Trump and the Indian American members of his administration on this momentous occasion. Some other eminent leaders from the Indian American community were also in attendance.

Celebrating Diwali 2017 at the White House with Donald Trump were Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the United Nations; Seema Verma, Head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Vanila Singh, chief medical officer at the Department of Health and Human Services; Ajit Pai, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Shalabh ‘Shalli’ Kumar, a renowned Indian American businessman and the Republican Hindu Coalition founder, also attended Trump’s celebration of Diwali at the White House.

A brief speech in recognition of Indian Americans’ contributions to the socio-economic progress of the USA was the highlight of Donald Trump’s first Diwali celebration at the White House. The President’s speech preceded the diya lighting ceremony. Trump began his speech saying that he was genuinely honored to be joined by so many Indian American leaders and the state administration officials of Indian origin. He added:

“You have made extraordinary contributions to art, science, medicine, business and education. America is especially thankful for its many Indian-American citizens who serve bravely in our armed forces and as first responders in communities throughout our great land.”

Having remarked, “We especially remember the people of India, the home of the Hindu faith, who have built the world’s largest democracy,” President Trump made Diwali 2017 at the White House a memorable event for Indians in America. At the same time, he acknowledged the value of his strong relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Trump concluded the speech saying, “Diwali is one of the most important celebrations in the Hindu religion.”

Donald Trump’s Principle Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah also attended the celebration of Diwali 2017 at the White House yesterday. Naperville-based Krishna Bansal, President (Midwest Region) of the US Pan-Asian American Chamber of Commerce, graced Trump’s Diwali celebration with her presence at the White House.

Though the White House celebrated Diwali in the India Treaty Room during former President George Bush’s administration in 2003, Diwali was recognized with the US Postal Service Department’s release of a Diwali stamp in 2016. Notably, Barack Obama was the first US President to light a traditional lamp in the White House’s East Room in 2009.

The post President Trump Celebrates Diwali at White House and Praises Indian Americans’ Contributions to USA appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

The US government is up with another attempt to restrict immigration inflow into the country, following a string of executive orders on the issuance of H1B visa to foreign professionals. Startup visas to USA are the latest target of restriction on immigration in the Trump administration, as plans to revoke an Obama-era program in favor of foreign entrepreneurs are underway.

The Barack Obama-led program, which is called the International Entrepreneur Rule, would allow entrepreneurs from foreign countries to launch startup companies and live in the United States. The US’s technology industry had welcomed the program in the Obama regime. The non-US citizens whose startup companies in USA have received venture capital investment worth $250,000 are supposed to get their stay permit renewed for a 30-month term, according to the program which was confirmed by the end of the Obama government. The Obama-led International Entrepreneur Rule was supposed to become effective in July 2017.

The Obama-led International Entrepreneur Rule for foreign entrepreneurs would be put on shelf until March 2018 as the White House announced it yesterday (July 10, 2017). The US Department of Homeland Security will review the startup visas further, and in the meantime the Trump administration will propose repealing of the program. Criticisms on the plan to restrict issuance of startup visas to USA as an immigration reformation measure, have already started pouring in across social media.

Steve Case, the founder of America Online and the CEO of Revolution LLC, tweeted, “Immigrant entrepreneurs are job makers, not job takers.” Many Silicon Valley entrepreneurs have shown the same sentiment in criticism of the latest executive order on the Obama-led International Entrepreneur Rule.

Undeniably, America is known for its culture of innovation, and startups significantly contribute to it. “America will be great again” was the slogan during the US elections 2016. It is the hope of millions of Americans in the current political regime too. America can build on innovation to be great again only if there is no barrier to overseas talent, according to leading US business groups.

A group of Republican senators wrote a letter to John Kelly, the Secretary of the Homeland Security Department, asserting that the Obama-led International Entrepreneur Rule is aligned with the American goals of generating employment and strengthening economy in USA.

Travel Beats is an Indian Diaspora portal by Indian Eagle, a leading international travel organization booking cheap international flights to and from India. Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest visa, immigration, travel, tourism and Indian community news.

Also Check New Form DS-5535 for US Visa Applicants

The post White House Puts Startup Visas to USA under Review for Foreign Entrepreneurs until March 2018 appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

All the speculations about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to USA for a meeting with President Donald Trump came to an end with the confirmation of his travel in the last week of this month (June 2017). It will be PM Modi’s first visit to Washington DC in the Trump administration post the US elections 2016. PM Modi’s first meeting with President Trump is scheduled between June 25 and 27.

Both Indians at home and in the US are sanguine about Narendra Modi’s visit to USA and meeting with Donald Trump in June 2017 as it is set to take place when the White House’s stand on H1B visa and optional practical training (OPT) is a big global issue. India’s rejection of the US government’s Paris accord charge is another matter in the background of PM Modi’s visit to USA in June 2017.

According to the schedule of PM Modi’s visit to USA in June 2017, which is not yet fully reveled, he will have an official welcome at the White House and a couple of meetings with the lawmakers in the Trump administration. However, a previously planned visit to Houston for a meeting with leading activists from the Indian community in USA has been removed from PM Modi’s schedule of US visit.

The White House’s recent executive orders to reform H1B visa norms and restrict inflow of foreign workers on US employment visas have thrown the Indian IT sector out of gear. India’s leading IT giants including Wipro, Infosys and TCS, who are the biggest users of H1B visas and who hit the panic button for the US government’s latest work visa policy, are looking up to Narendra Modi’s visit to USA in June 2017 for a positive change.

PM Modi’s upcoming meeting with President Trump has given rise to expectations regarding India’s stand against hate crimes to Indians in USA. When Srinivas Kuchibhotla, an aviation engineer from Hyderabad, was gunned down in the Kansas shooting, certain groups of Indians expressed unhappiness about the way India’s External Ministry of Affairs responded to the shocking incident.

The schedule of PM Modi’s upcoming US visit in June 2017 also includes a round-table meeting with the CEOs of leading American companies. However, the White House has not yet issued any press release about PM Modi’s meeting with President Trump. Reportedly, Donald Trump invited Narendra Modi to visit the United States after a telephonic discussion about bilateral ties between two countries in January 2017.

Indian Eagle, a trusted travel partner of Indians in America for booking their flights to India, publishes stories of Indians in USA, shares latest air travel news and lists upcoming Indian American events on Travel Beats, a leading Indian community portal. 

You may Find These Stories Interesting and Word Reading

• Indian Americans to Adopt 500 Villages in India
• MIT Names a Planet after 16-year-old Indian Girl
• 30,000 Indians are Overstaying in USA

The post Narendra Modi is All Set to Visit USA and Meet Donald Trump in Last Week of June 2017 appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Ultimately, the abuse of H1B visa program seems to come to an end as US President Donald Trump signed the executive order, Buy American and Hire American, to eliminate US work visa frauds. H1B visa has been a popular instrument for some firms in USA to make money illegally. Even some Indian Americans were found exploiting this work visa program in 2016 for their own monetary benefit. In most cases of H1B visa fraud, America’s local workforce was replaced by low-skilled foreign workers for a considerably low wage.

The executive order, Buy American and Hire American, with Donald Trump’s signature and the White House stamp is a most-awaited, all-in-one solution to reform the immigration system based on American work visa programs. A pressing need of the hour, it is a directive for all federal agencies to draft new rules and guidelines in the interest of American workers. Prevention of H1B visa abuse is the most-expected outcome of Buy American and Hire American.

The US Secretary of State, the US Secretary of Labor, the US Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Attorney General have been sent a mandate to draft new rules for prevention of H1B visa frauds at the earliest so that the deserving applicants with high-skilled profiles are benefited.

Donald Trump’s new executive order, Buy American and Hire American, is intended to create high-paying jobs for Americans and save the existing ones for them at the same time by restricting the inflow of foreign workers to USA and making the immigration process more rigorous than before, so that American workers having special skills get employed and high-skilled foreign workers benefit from H1B work visa program.

The latest executive order from the White House is aimed at strengthening the US economy and national security by promoting the manufacturing and defense industries to economically empower the middle-class income group in America. It also seeks to maximize the use of products made and goods produced in the US in order to boost the American economy.

The Buy American and Hire American policy is aligned with the promises that Donald Trump made during his electoral campaigns in 2016, including the ‘America First’ campaign focused on H1B visa fraud prevention, immigration system reformation, industrial development, national security enhancement, and economic growth.

Within 60 days from the date of issuing the executive order, Buy American and Hire American, the Secretary of Commerce and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget are required to issue guidelines to their respective agencies regarding how to make assessment policies, in discussion with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Labor.

Also Check New Requirements for US Visa Application

Within 150 days from the date of issuing the executive order, the heads of all federal agencies are required to monitor the implementation and enforcement of ‘Buy American’ laws, and assess its impact on domestic jobs as well as manufacturing. The Buy American and Hire American policy also requires them to submit assessment reports including key findings to the President.

This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.     

The post Trump Signs Executive Order on Buy American and Hire American to Keep His Electoral Promises appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

24-year-old Sharad Sagar is the only Indian on President Barack Obama’s list of invitees for a special White House event on October 3, 2016. Dedicated to the spirit of innovation, the event is titled “South by South Lawn: A White House Festival of Ideas, Art and Action.” Inspired by the South by Southwest in Austin which President Obama attended earlier this year, the White House South by South Lawn is the first-ever gathering of creative thinkers, change makers, entrepreneurs and innovators who strive to improve the lives of others and make the world a better place.

Sharad Sagar, a young entrepreneur in the Indian state of Bihar, is the founder and CEO of Dexterity Global, a platform for children to access the best opportunities in education. He launched Dexterity Global in 2008 when he was only 16. Interestingly, Barack Obama was elected president of USA the same year. Dexterity Global nurtures and powers today’s underprivileged children to create the next generation of leaders by democratizing their access to education and connecting them with opportunities, irrespective of their place and family income.

Sharad Sagar was the first change maker, entrepreneur and thought leader from the Indian state of Bihar to have featured on Forbes’ ‘30 under 30’ list for the year 2016. He shared the space in innovation and leadership with the likes of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai. He was also honored as one of the “100 Next Century Innovators” by the Rockefeller Foundation in 2013.

Since the inception of Dexterity Global, Sharad Sagar has come a long way to impact the education of over 1.2 million middle school and high school students in India and other South Asian countries through a digital ecosystem of educational platforms. It’s a nonstop journey towards infinity thought some of the initial goals are reached, according to Sharad.

I am honored to have received prestigious invitation from President Obama. It is not just an invitation but a rare opportunity to meet some of the world’s best leaders and most innovative entrepreneurs at the White House in Washington DC. – Sharad Sagar

In collaboration with the American Film Institute, South by Southwest, and the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities, the White House will hold the event in three sections: Interactive, Film and Music. The ‘Interactive’ section comprises panel discussions with influencers and leaders on topics like how to bring about positive change and make a difference using new technologies.

The film section of the ‘White House South by South Lawn’ event is the 3^rd Annual White House Student Film Festival. It will announce the official selection of short films submitted by students in grades K-12 and honor young filmmakers. The ‘Music’ section includes performances by both established and emerging artists whose music impacts lives and inspire people.

Stories of Indians Honored by White House in 2016

• 2 Indian Americans Win White House Fellowship 2016
• Indian American Kids Win White House Recipe Contest
• White House Honors 2 Indian Americans as National Student Poets

Travel Beats, a digital portal for Indian Diaspora by IndianEagle, celebrates the achievements of Indians and Indian Americans from different walks of life. Join our free newsletter for the latest news and stories from USA and India.

The post President Obama Invites This Young Indian Entrepreneur to Celebrate Innovation at White House appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Today two Indian American teens have walked into the White House to attend an invitation by the US First Lady Michelle Obama. Gopal Raman from Texas and Maya Eashwaran from Georgia are the first Indian Americans to be selected for the National Students Poets Program by the White House. They are among the five budding poets selected for this prestigious program this year.

Most of the times, young Indians in America hit headlines for winning scholarships in science or technology, making impactful inventions or significant contributions to communities, and pursuing philanthropy. Undeniably, the achievement by Indian-origin Gopal Raman and Maya Eashwaran is an altogether different feather in the cap of Indian American community.

Incepted in 2011, the White House’s National Student Poets Program seeks to promote and establish the role of creative writing in academic and other spheres as a key to personal success across the nation. Every year, five National Student Poets are selected from a number of creative writers, who have bagged a National Scholastic Art and Writing Award for poetry.

17-year-old Maya Eashwaran from Alpharetta in Georgia exercises his creative writing skills to write about foreigners and his personal experiences of dealing with them. Cultural assimilation in the modern age is a subject matter of his writings.

Gopal Raman, a High School senior from Dallas in Texas, believes that the emotive power of poetry unites people against all odds. He draws inspirations from the writings of such eminent authors as Walt Whitman, Wallace Stevens and Billy Collins.

Travel Beats is an Indian American Community Portal by IndianEagle, a leading travel organization for Indians in USA. Subscribe to Travel Beats’ free newsletter for latest news and stories about young Indians in America.

The post Two Indian American Teens Walk into White House as National Student Poets of the Year 2016 appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Yesterday, the US First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a dinner in the White House recognizing and congratulating the young winners of the 2016 White House Recipe Contest which is also known as Healthy Lunchtime Challenge. Three Indian American children were among the invitees to the State Dinner in recognition of their winning recipes. A matter of pride for the Indians in USA!

Healthy Lunchtime Challenge is one of the most popular events at the White House in Washington DC. A nationwide recipe contest for young culinary aspirants, it helps to promote healthy cooking and eating. Since its launch in 2012, the contest has been won by 270 young chefs from across the United States and seen submission of over 6000 recipes. Sponsored by the US Department of Education and the US Department of Agriculture, the White House recipe contest is part of Michelle Obama’s initiative ‘Let’s Move’ to keep kids in good health.

The Indian American winners of the 2016 White House Recipe Contest are:

• 8-year-old Shakthi Ramachandran from Indiana
• 10-year-old Priya Patel from Texas
• 11-year-old Abhijith Jenkins from Missouri

Shakthi Ramachandran from the US state of Indiana won the White House Recipe Contest for her recipe of chicken tikka pita with cucumber raita. She owes her love of Indian food to her father who is from India. Any Indian dish having a lot of vegetable is her favorite. She gets most of the vegetables from their outhouse garden.

Priya Patel from the US state of Texas won the contest for her recipe of delicious Tex-Mex vegetable lasagna. She owes this winning recipe to her mother who always inspires her to add vegetables to food. She shared, “My mom says that not liking one ingredient or not having an ingredient of your choice is not an excuse to buy fast food or avoid trying a recipe.”

Abhijith Jenkins from the US state of Missouri won the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge for his tropical catfish and quinoa delicacy.

Michelle Obama gave a warm welcome to all 56 winners of the 2016 White House Recipe Contest, including the three kids from the Indian American community, praised them eloquently for their culinary creativity and treated them to a delicious dinner in the White House.

During her congratulatory speech at Kids’ State Dinner in the White House, the First Lady said, “This annual recipe contest is not only competition but an opportunity to adopt healthy eating habits for lifetime.” She added, “The right food for the body is the right fuel to make you feel better, stronger and more active.”

A special performance by Walt Disney World Resort’s “The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic” was organized for the young chefs, as the kids were referred to. Television Chef Rachael Ray whose Yum-O organization is a partner of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge turned up to catch up with the winners at the State Dinner.

Travel Beats is a digital news portal for Indian Diaspora by IndianEagle, a leading international organization booking travel to India for Indians in America. Subscribe to Travel Beats for the latest updates from the Indian Community in USA.

The post 3 Indian American Kids Win Michelle Obama’s 2016 White House Recipe Contest appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

The White House announced 30 finalists including two Indian Americans for the 2016-2017 White House Fellowship. Dr. Tina Shah from Chicago and Anjali Tripathi from Woodland Hills are the Indian Americans among the potential White House Fellows. The 30 finalists from different walks of life across the United States were appraised on different grounds from June 9 till June 12 in Washington DC.

Each of the White House Fellowship finalists is an accomplished professional with demonstrated ability in his or her niche. The potential White House Fellows should prove to be committed in service to the community and equipped with leadership skills, according to the White House Spokesperson. They were chosen through a highly competitive selection process comprising a comprehensive written test and interviews with civic leaders.

Dr. Tina Shah is a pulmonary specialist at the University of Chicago in the state of Illinois. A science graduate of Penn State University, she is a Doctor of Medicine from Thomas Jefferson University. Tina Shah is a though leader at the Center for Health Care Innovation in Greater Chicago Area. The Center for Health Care Innovation is a non-profit organization for life science researchers. She is also associated with the American Medical Association for Resident and Fellows, which consists of 40,000 US physicians. Additionally, she dons several hats at the same time. Dr. Shah is a member on the board of trustees and a vice speaker for Chicago Medical Society. She also serves as a member of Clinical Leader’s Editorial Board.

An Indian American among the White House Fellowship finalists for 2016-2017, Anjali Tripathi is a PHD student of astrophysics in the Astronomy Department, Harvard University. She is doing research on how planets form and evolve. She has an M. Phil degree in astronomy from the University of Cambridge and a degree in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Anjali was an active member of the Society of Physics Students and the Solar Electric Vehicle Team during her years at MIT.

The White House Fellowship program was initiated by the then President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. The program requires the winners to work with cabinet secretaries and participate in public affairs of national or international importance for a year in Washington DC. It gives them a high-level work experience for the good of the citizens. President Johnson intended the White House fellows to work for greater public interests in exchange for this opportunity.

The White House Fellowship program is full of challenges. The most challenging is the fellows’ participation in round-table discussions with eminent leaders from both public and private sectors, including presidents, prime ministers and other high-profile government officials across the globe.

There were three Indian Americans among the White House Fellowship finalists in 2015 too. They were Payal Patel from Harvard Medical School, Anil Yallapragada from South Carolina Stroke Institute, and Luxme Hariharan from Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. CNN’s chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the second most popular doctor in the US, is in the group of over 700 White House Fellowship alumni.

Being shortlisted for the most prestigious White House Fellowship is Dr. Tina Shah and Anjali Tripathi’s achievement, which is a matter of pride for the Indian community that IndianEagle represents and has a strong connect with.

The post White House Fellowship Finalists Include Two Indian Americans: Dr Tina Shah & Anjali Tripathi appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.