NRIs Corner

An Indian-origin expatriate, who is a leading trader of fresh vegetables in Saudi Arabia, involving trade running into millions of dollars, has been arrested for allegedly running a cover-up business.

The expatriate from Kerala is a leading player in the import and export of fresh vegetables in the country and a prominent figure in the Jeddah central vegetable market.

The trader is likely to be deported and slapped with an entry ban into the country and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the Arab News reported without naming him.

Leading Indian American Malayali researchers, technologists, entrepreneurs and businessmen will meet in New York this week to discuss new technologies suitable for Kerala, a media release said.

“During the meeting, we would brain storm about the new technologies that should be considered for Kerala for it to leapfrog into next generation technology business,” said

Thomas Abraham of the New York-based Kerala Center, which is organising the two-day Technology Summit on November 14 and 15.

An Indian-origin expatriate, who is a leading trader of fresh vegetables in Saudi Arabia, involving trade running into millions of dollars, has been arrested for allegedly running a cover-up business.

The expatriate from Kerala is a leading player in the import and export of fresh vegetables in the country and a prominent figure in the Jeddah central vegetable market.

The trader is likely to be deported and slapped with an entry ban into the country and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the Arab News reported without naming him.

Kunal Shah, a 32-year-old Indian-origin banker, has become the youngest among 78 new partners named by investment bank Goldman Sachs.

He is among five Indian-origin individuals named partners by the bank Wednesday, media reported Thursday.

Shah emerged as a markets trader based in London, and was promoted to managing director at the age of 27.

He graduated from Cambridge University with a mathematics degree.

Shah was named to Forbes’ 30 – an under 30 finance list – in 2011.

An eight-year old Indian-origin child prodigy is among experts who will address a cyber security conference starting Thursday where Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh is also listed as a keynote speaker.

In his address at the summit on November 14, the US-based whizkid Reuben Paul will highlight and demonstrate the need for developing the current generation with cyber security skills, according to the organisers of Ground Zero Summit to be held here.

The organisers said, “8-year-old Reuben Paul gives keynote at Houston Security Conference.”

Two Indians have been charged by US federal regulator Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for running an alleged high-yield investment scheme through which they sought to exploit investors by pervasive social media pitches on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

The SEC’s Enforcement Division alleges that Pankaj Srivastava and Nataraj Kavuri offered “guaranteed” daily profits as they anonymously solicited investments for their investment management company called Profits Paradise.

Urdu Hindi Cultural Association of New Zealand to organize “MUSHAIRA AND KAVI SAMMELAN” in honour of the members of parliament Mr. Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, Dr Paramjit Parmarand and Mr.Mahesh Bindra for speaking Urdu and Hindi and also for supporting the aim and objectives of the association.

The function will be held at 54 A Roberton Road Avondale on Sunday 30th November 2014
at 4.00 pm.

Further information can be had from General Secratary, Mr. Syed Mujeeb on Phone number 8284876.

The wife of one of the two engineers stranded in Iran since December 2013, has sought intervention from newly-appointed Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar to secure the release of her husband and his colleague.

Vadodara-resident Sanket Pandya (36) and his colleague Mohammed Hussain Khan (from Haryana) were illegally ‘confined’ in Iran last year following the seizure of their passports when their employer Power Engineers India Ltd, allegedly got embroiled in a dispute with a company there.

As many as 5,000 nurses in Kerala can look for a well-paying job in the Middle East in the next one year, UAE’s Abu Dhabi-based business honcho B.R. Shetty said here Saturday.

Shetty, MD and CEO of UAE Exchange Centre and one who owns the SUT-NMC group of hospitals, said 5,000 nurses will be placed in one year.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Tuesday here said welfare of the Indian nationals residing abroad, particularly in the Gulf countries, is one of the top most priorities of her government.

“We believe that the overseas Indians must be a part of the growth story
of the nation,” she said in an interactive session with the Indian diaspora here Tuesday.

November 10-12 is her first visit to the UAE as external affairs minister.

In a first-of-its-kind case, an Indian-origin lady doctor in the UK, who was caught on camera agreeing to carry out an abortion based on the sex of the unborn baby, has been ordered to appear in court.

46-year-old Prabha Sivaraman has been served a summon to appear before Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court next
month to face an allegation under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act.

The South Yorkshire-based Indian was one of the two doctors filmed allegedly agreeing to arrange terminations

Indian women in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest and most populous urban area, are facing a wave of sexual harassment from their own countrymen, a media report said Saturday.

“Horrendous ‘eve-teasing’ seems to be happening in Auckland now,” stuff.co.nz quoted an Indian woman as saying. The woman claimed she was walking to a Diwali event wearing a sari when she was approached by an Indian man in a car who harassed her for 20 minutes.

Indian-origin British politician Keith Vaz named as the Labour MP of the year 2014 for his valuable work for underrepresented, deprived and minority sections of the country.

“I am honoured to have been chosen for this award. In my constituency of Leicester East, I work with individuals and groups of all backgrounds, faiths and races. For all groups to be better represented in Parliament, and the wider political process, is a positive and necessary aim in our multicultural society,” Vaz said

In latest development in the trial of honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani, hotel receptionist Monde Mbolombo said that he was told about a foreigner who wanted his wife killed.

According to News 24, Mbolombo told prosecutor Shareen Riley that his friend and taxi driver Zola Tongo told him on 13 November 2010, that the tourist had approached him the day before at the airport.

Malaysia has deported a suspected Sikh militant wanted for the 2009 killing of Rulda Singh, president of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, a top police official said here today.

The Indian national, 36, using a fake Nepalese passport, was arrested during a sting operation in southern Malaysia on October 24 for immigration offences and deported yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said in a statement.

The operation conducted by the Counter Terrorism Department on October 24 had uncovered the wanted man hiding in a neighbourhood in the town.

Indians working in different parts of the world should not forget their roots and become partners in their country’s progress, Indian mathematician Anand Kumar has said and highlighted the need for inclusive education to tackle world’s biggest challenges.

“It is the duty of those who have succeeded, to look back and give something back to the society, it plays an invaluable part in every individual’s success. Hence, once you succeed, you must share your success with the society as well,” Kumar the founder of Super 30, said at a function organised in Qatar.

The Australian government Thursday awarded 60 scholarships to Indian scholars to undertake study and research in the country.

“I congratulate the successful recipients of Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships. The fact that 60 Indians were selected for this award is a testament to the talents in this country,” said Australian High Commissioner Patrick Suckling.

The number of Indians receiving scholarship have increased to 60 from 40 recipients in 2014.

A charitable organisation founded by billionaire NRI entrepreneur Manoj Bhargava has pledged Rs 500 crore to fund development activities in Uttarakhand.

On the occasion of its fifth anniversary, the Hans Foundation, which works closely with NGOs by providing them financial assistance in 25 states, announced the decision at a function here last evening. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has welcomed the initiative.

At 23, Indian-American law student Niraj Antani, a Republican, will be one of America’s youngest lawmakers after being elected to the state House in Ohio in the mid-term elections.

“I think the legislature should reflect the way the people look, so I believe my generation does deserve a voice to fight for my children or grandchildren,” University of Dayton student Antani said on his election.

He defeated 62-year-old Patrick Morris of the Democratic Party in Ohio’s 42nd House District.

A New Jersey town is holding public safety meetings after four Indian families were targeted by armed robbers post Diwali.

The meetings to be held in Edison, New Jersey, will focus on home security and crime-prevention measures, after complaints from residents that the town lacked enough police officers, mycentraljersey.com reported.

“The victims are my neighbours, so this crime is very personal to me,” Edison councilwoman Sapana Shah was quoted as saying.

A London-based Indian-origin entrepreneur has launched a unique “pay-what-you-want” money remittance service that abolishes compulsory fees.

India-born Rajesh Agrawal believes his Xendpay online platform will save customers in the developing world 60 pounds million over the next five years.

India is the largest recipient of remittances in the world, with USD 71 billion sent last year. World Bank figures show global migrants last year sent home 250 billion pounds in remittances to developing countries – with an eight per cent increase predicted for 2014.

(Syed Mujeeb) The Human Rights Commission has condemned reports of racial abuse against Muslim New Zealanders.

Muslim leaders have reported a spike in racial abuse aimed mostly at women and children, many walking to and from school.

“The Human Rights Commission is concerned for the wellbeing of vulnerable Muslim Kiwis some of whom are being wrongly targeted and blamed for things they are not responsible for and have vehemently opposed,” said Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy.

“We urge New Zealanders to stand alongside Muslim Kiwis in peace and compassion.”

An umbrella Sikh group and a couple of human right bodies have written a letter to US President Barack Obama seeking his support for justice for the 1984 anti-Sikh violence in India that claimed 3,000 lives.

“We are writing to urge the Obama administration to call on India’s new government to bring justice to the victims of the 1984 massacres by prosecuting those responsible,” the Sikh Coalition, Ensaaf and Human Rights Watch wrote in the letter sent Monday.

A man from Odisha who had gone to the US 20 years ago with just $50 in his pocket to seek a better life for himself and his family is a Democratic Party candidate for Georgia state Senate elections on Tuesday.

Georgia-based Bikram Kumar Mohanty is in the race for the second time for the 8th District State Senate seat. He had unsuccessfully contested the 2012 election from the same party.

Mohanty is an occupational therapist.

The increasingly ubiquitous Indian hand is going places in the US, whether it’s inventing the world’s first email programme or weaving an intricately sequined gown for First Lady Michelle Obama.

Washington’s Smithsonian Institution has now stepped up to the plate to pay tribute to the contribution of the Indian American community, one of the fastest growing ethnic communities there, to the US.