Music Extravaganza by 'Indian Idol' Sreeram Chandra, Kousalya, Deepu & Pranavi at 18th TANA Conference
TANA is all geared up for most anticipated music concert by all young talented artists. The winner of Indian Idol season 5, Sreeram Chandra is going to enthrall the audience. Along with him, the famous singer Kousalya is going to mesmerize the audience with her sweet voice.
Also, the upcoming playback singers Deepu and Pranavi are ready to rock the stage.
Sreeram Chandra: won Indian Idol Season 5, which was announced by Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. He won hearts of Indians with his amazing performance at Indian Idol.
Kousalya: is a melodious singer of Tollywood with number of Hit songs to her credit. Received "Nandi Award" for Best Female Playback Singer.
Deepu: is a Telugu playback singer. He has recorded several songs in Telugu. Received "Vamshi Award" for the song Nachore from Yamadonga.
Pranavi: is a Telugu playback singer. Received Nandi Award for the year 2008 as Best female singer for the serial “Thoorpu Velle Railu”.
This fantastic four are coming to 18th TANA Conference to mesmerize the audience by singing fast numbers as well as melodious Telugu songs. “It’s a day of excitement and looking forward to see these young and talented singers at the conference”, said Mr Jayaram Komati, TANA President.
“This is going to be a memorable event, will be a great addition to so many other exciting events planned at the Conference”, said Mr Sateesh Chilukuri, Conference Convener. He also added guests can register online at www.tana2011.com
Showing posts with label NRI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NRI. Show all posts
Friday, June 3, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
NRIs fare no better on sex ratio front
It isn't just at home that India in particular, and Asia generally, have a problem of a low sex ratio. The sex ratio at birth among Indians and other Asian communities in the US is much lower than among the white and the black communities. This is a trend that was also found among Indians in the UK.
The US trend was revealed in a paper published recently in the journal Prenatal Diagnosis, which compared the sex ratios of blacks, Chinese, Filipinos, Asian Indians and Koreans, relative to the whites. This was done by reviewing all US live births from 1975 to 2002 using National Centre for Health Statistics birth certificates in 4-year intervals. However, separate figures for Indians and Koreans were available only from 1991.
In 1999-2002, the sex ratio at birth among Indians was 938 girls to 1,000 boys compared to 952 for the whites and 969 for the blacks, which was the highest.
In 2007, a study at Oxford University by Sylvie Dubuc had shown that for children born to India-born mothers, between 1990 and 2005, the sex ratio was between 926 and 962 girls for every 1,000 boys. In cases where there was a third child, the ratio was even more skewed, 884 girls for 1,000 boys.
Dubuc, who studied birth rates of different ethnic groups in England and Wales, found that in the 1970s, 971 girls were born for every 1,000 boys among those of Indian origin. But between 2000 and 2005, there were just 877 girls for every 1,000 boys. Dubuc wrote that the most plausible explanation for this trend was sex-selective abortion.
The US study clearly shows that Indians are not alone in this practice as several other Asian communities too have skewed sex ratio at birth suggesting prenatal gender selection by these populations. However, the Indian community recorded the least fall in sex ratio among the Asians and thus seemed the most virtuous in comparison.
In the absence of extrinsic factors, the sex ratio at birth is widely considered to be consistent across human populations ranging from 935 to 971 girls per 1,000 boys. The sex ratio for all US births from 1975 to 2002 was 952. However, in China, India, Korea and some other countries it was found to be less than 926 and this has been interpreted as having arisen through prenatal gender selection.
Between 1999 and 2002, the sex ratio at birth of the Indian community in the US was 938, but other Asian groups like the Chinese with 928, Filipinos with 931 and Koreans with 934 fared even worse.
On the other hand, Indians have recorded the steepest decline in sex ratio for the first birth. It was 976 in 1991-94, which was higher than even the black and the white communities. It fell to 943 by 1999-2002. In contrast, sex ratio at birth for second and third children in the Indian community has actually improved over this period.
This could mean that sex selection is now happening right from the first birth and the pressure to select for subsequent children has hence come down compared to the past.
The US trend was revealed in a paper published recently in the journal Prenatal Diagnosis, which compared the sex ratios of blacks, Chinese, Filipinos, Asian Indians and Koreans, relative to the whites. This was done by reviewing all US live births from 1975 to 2002 using National Centre for Health Statistics birth certificates in 4-year intervals. However, separate figures for Indians and Koreans were available only from 1991.
In 1999-2002, the sex ratio at birth among Indians was 938 girls to 1,000 boys compared to 952 for the whites and 969 for the blacks, which was the highest.
In 2007, a study at Oxford University by Sylvie Dubuc had shown that for children born to India-born mothers, between 1990 and 2005, the sex ratio was between 926 and 962 girls for every 1,000 boys. In cases where there was a third child, the ratio was even more skewed, 884 girls for 1,000 boys.
Dubuc, who studied birth rates of different ethnic groups in England and Wales, found that in the 1970s, 971 girls were born for every 1,000 boys among those of Indian origin. But between 2000 and 2005, there were just 877 girls for every 1,000 boys. Dubuc wrote that the most plausible explanation for this trend was sex-selective abortion.
The US study clearly shows that Indians are not alone in this practice as several other Asian communities too have skewed sex ratio at birth suggesting prenatal gender selection by these populations. However, the Indian community recorded the least fall in sex ratio among the Asians and thus seemed the most virtuous in comparison.
In the absence of extrinsic factors, the sex ratio at birth is widely considered to be consistent across human populations ranging from 935 to 971 girls per 1,000 boys. The sex ratio for all US births from 1975 to 2002 was 952. However, in China, India, Korea and some other countries it was found to be less than 926 and this has been interpreted as having arisen through prenatal gender selection.
Between 1999 and 2002, the sex ratio at birth of the Indian community in the US was 938, but other Asian groups like the Chinese with 928, Filipinos with 931 and Koreans with 934 fared even worse.
On the other hand, Indians have recorded the steepest decline in sex ratio for the first birth. It was 976 in 1991-94, which was higher than even the black and the white communities. It fell to 943 by 1999-2002. In contrast, sex ratio at birth for second and third children in the Indian community has actually improved over this period.
This could mean that sex selection is now happening right from the first birth and the pressure to select for subsequent children has hence come down compared to the past.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Telugu techie is coolest in US
Four Indian-Americans, including Mr Vikas Reddy, a Telugu, have been named among 30 of America’s “coolest young entrepreneurs” by monthly business magazine Inc.
The achievers are people who are “building unique brands, making money along the way and changing the way we do business”.
Mr Vikas Reddy co-founded Occipital, a technology start-up in Colorado in 2008. It has developed RedLaser, a best-selling iPhone app that lets users scan barcodes. Since May 2009, RedLaser has been downloaded more than two million times, making it one of the most popular paid-iPhone apps in the market.
According to Mr Vikas Reddy, their firm Occipital in December 2008 “was running on fumes.” They finally decided to ask their families for money.
Mr Vikas Reddy wrote on his blog they had decided to build next generation augmented reality technology, but it was still going to require some money.”
“So we did something that didn’t require a lot of money,” he wrote. Occi-petal launched an iPhone app called ClearCam, which is actually the beginnings of next-generation augmented reality engine.”
To users, it doubles the resolution of their iPhone 2G/3G camera, takes photos faster, and can intelligently select sharp photos, Mr Reddy notes. “Since the camera was perhaps the most-criticised element of the iPhones, ClearCam was a hit, and has been downloaded 780,000 times.”
The achievers are people who are “building unique brands, making money along the way and changing the way we do business”.
Mr Vikas Reddy co-founded Occipital, a technology start-up in Colorado in 2008. It has developed RedLaser, a best-selling iPhone app that lets users scan barcodes. Since May 2009, RedLaser has been downloaded more than two million times, making it one of the most popular paid-iPhone apps in the market.
According to Mr Vikas Reddy, their firm Occipital in December 2008 “was running on fumes.” They finally decided to ask their families for money.
Mr Vikas Reddy wrote on his blog they had decided to build next generation augmented reality technology, but it was still going to require some money.”
“So we did something that didn’t require a lot of money,” he wrote. Occi-petal launched an iPhone app called ClearCam, which is actually the beginnings of next-generation augmented reality engine.”
To users, it doubles the resolution of their iPhone 2G/3G camera, takes photos faster, and can intelligently select sharp photos, Mr Reddy notes. “Since the camera was perhaps the most-criticised element of the iPhones, ClearCam was a hit, and has been downloaded 780,000 times.”
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Arun Kumar Narote Shot dead in Bridgeport, CT
Arun Kumar Narote, 26 yrs, M.S student at Stratford University, VA was shot dead on July 12th at a grocery store in Bridgeport, CT. Arun Kumar a native of Hyderabad joined M S (Software Engineering) in Stratford University after graduating with B.Tech from Indra Reddy Memorial Engineering College in Hyderabad. Arun is supposed to graduate with MS in couple of months. Arun Kumar lives in Bridgeport, Connecticut who attends Stratford University in weekends has been working part time jobs in Cambridge, CT to support his educational expenses.
As per preliminary police reports, on Monday, July 12th around 9:30 PM, two masked men walked in to "Norman Grocery Store" in Bridgeport, CT where Arun Kumar was working as a store clerk, robbed the cash and shot him in the head though there was no resistance found. Police are still investigating the case for further details.
Arun Kumar is survived by parents Dhondiba Rao ( a retired Teacher), mother Sakhuntala and elder brothers Avinash, Amar and elder sister. The whole family of Arun Kumar who live in Karwan area in Hyderabad was in deep shock after hearing this sad news, called Prasad Thotakura, TANA Executive Vice President and requested TANA to help send the body to Hyderabad as soon as possible.
Mohan Nannapaneni, TANA Secretary, Rao Yalamanchili, President of Telugu Association of Connecticut, Revanh, Karthik friends of Arun Kumar and scores of TANA Team Square volunteers are helping in this case.
"This is a very unfortunate incident though Arun Kumar was working from a Bullet proof cabin, one of the thieves jumped in to the cabin through a gap, robbed the cash and shot him in the head though he was not resisting and willing to give away the whole cash register. We can understand the financial stress that these students face to support their education and living expenses but certainly these types of places to be avoided and shouldn't put their lives at risk" said Prasad Thotakura, who is working with the Cambridge Police Department, Indian Consulate Office and Funeral Home to expedite the process.
Jayaram Komati, TANA President expressed his deepest condolences on behalf of TANA to Narote family and appreciated TANA Team Square volunteers for their immediate action to help the family.
Friday, July 9, 2010
YSR Jayanthi Celebrations in Virginia/Washington DC Area
Virginia/Washington DC area Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy gari Jayanthi (Birthday) celebrations will be held on July 11 @ 5 PM, at Boyds School, 24328 Goshen Rd, Aldie, VA-20105.
It was sad that such a great leader of our nation is not with us today to celebrate what would have been his 61st birthday! However, his memories in our minds are etched forever and to commemorate such we will be conducting this Jayanthi event on July 11th.
Please come and attend with your friends and families in large numbers and help celebrate the life and times of our fear-less leader late Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
The program includes brief prayers from major world religions, playing a few YSR audios and videos, pictures on different occasions. Snacks will be provided. Please visit www.celebrateYSR.org for more details or contact the following:
Srinivas Anugu 703-608-5252
Amar Chandagari 703-932-0504
Please Evite: http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/WEDEDTJJTDPGMIIQFIQD/dc-ysr
It was sad that such a great leader of our nation is not with us today to celebrate what would have been his 61st birthday! However, his memories in our minds are etched forever and to commemorate such we will be conducting this Jayanthi event on July 11th.
Please come and attend with your friends and families in large numbers and help celebrate the life and times of our fear-less leader late Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
The program includes brief prayers from major world religions, playing a few YSR audios and videos, pictures on different occasions. Snacks will be provided. Please visit www.celebrateYSR.org for more details or contact the following:
Srinivas Anugu 703-608-5252
Amar Chandagari 703-932-0504
Please Evite: http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/WEDEDTJJTDPGMIIQFIQD/dc-ysr
Monday, February 8, 2010
Several Indians pack bags, head home from Australia
Australian authorities have been promising action to curb the continuing attacks on international students and communities. But Indian students aren't waiting. Several are packing their bags and heading home for good. That's despite incurring a loss ranging from Rs 12-20 lakh per student.
"There are no statistics available. But several Indian students are either leaving or have left and are not coming back. The primary reasons are lack of safe living conditions and absence of job security," says Gautam Gupta, secretary, Federation of Indian Students of Australia (FISA). Over 150,000 Indian students are studying in Australia today.
Gupta talks of a couple who came to Australia in June 2009 to study and left within three months in October 2009 after the husband got beaten up at Carnegie station, Melbourne. "They said, "We didn't come here to be beaten up. What wrong have we done to be treated like this?" says Gupta.
Sejal Shah (name changed on request), 26, is another such student. She was confident of a secure future when she went to Melbourne early 2008. She hadn't dreamt that 18 months later in November 2009 —- six months short of completing her course —- she'd be returning without a degree in hand.
"Even if I got an Australian qualification, I wasn't sure of a getting a job anymore," says the student of business and finance from Melbourne's La Trobe University. The tension was palpable, only five out of the current batch of 150 students had landed jobs. She chucked the residency dream: as per Australian law, a degree would have ensured her residency. But insecurity and sense of threat to Indians further pushed her to return, says the Gujarat resident. Parental concern saw to it that Ambala's Avinash Minocha returned within a year of his two-year accounting course. He came to India on vacation in December but parents told him to stay put at home.
"There are no statistics available. But several Indian students are either leaving or have left and are not coming back. The primary reasons are lack of safe living conditions and absence of job security," says Gautam Gupta, secretary, Federation of Indian Students of Australia (FISA). Over 150,000 Indian students are studying in Australia today.
Gupta talks of a couple who came to Australia in June 2009 to study and left within three months in October 2009 after the husband got beaten up at Carnegie station, Melbourne. "They said, "We didn't come here to be beaten up. What wrong have we done to be treated like this?" says Gupta.
Sejal Shah (name changed on request), 26, is another such student. She was confident of a secure future when she went to Melbourne early 2008. She hadn't dreamt that 18 months later in November 2009 —- six months short of completing her course —- she'd be returning without a degree in hand.
"Even if I got an Australian qualification, I wasn't sure of a getting a job anymore," says the student of business and finance from Melbourne's La Trobe University. The tension was palpable, only five out of the current batch of 150 students had landed jobs. She chucked the residency dream: as per Australian law, a degree would have ensured her residency. But insecurity and sense of threat to Indians further pushed her to return, says the Gujarat resident. Parental concern saw to it that Ambala's Avinash Minocha returned within a year of his two-year accounting course. He came to India on vacation in December but parents told him to stay put at home.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Indian students targeted in Oz: Victoria police chief
Victoria's top cop on Wednesday said crime against Indians was a problem which was noticed by police two years ago.
Indians are overrepresented in robbery statistics and there is a racist element to some attacks, chief commissioner Simon Overland said, according to media reports here.
"There is no question, regardless of the motives, Indian students have to a degree been targeted in robberies and that is not okay," he said.
"We recognised this problem a long time before it hit the public."
We have known for two years that there has been this issue and we have been working away, at a number of levels around engaging with students, trying to make them understand the risks and how they keep themselves safe."
Overland said police had detailed data on attacks involving Indians and said that while Indians were over represented when it came to robberies, the same could not be said for assaults.
About 50 per cent of assaults on Indians occurred in their workplace, mostly involving taxi drivers and convenience store clerks, he said.
Overland said some of the attacks were racist. "I have said from day one undoubtedly some of these attacks have a racist motive or there is racist elements to these attacks," he said adding regardless of who they are, what they are, what colour they are, what occupation they are, my job is to make the state as safe as I can for everyone.
Indians are overrepresented in robbery statistics and there is a racist element to some attacks, chief commissioner Simon Overland said, according to media reports here.
"There is no question, regardless of the motives, Indian students have to a degree been targeted in robberies and that is not okay," he said.
"We recognised this problem a long time before it hit the public."
We have known for two years that there has been this issue and we have been working away, at a number of levels around engaging with students, trying to make them understand the risks and how they keep themselves safe."
Overland said police had detailed data on attacks involving Indians and said that while Indians were over represented when it came to robberies, the same could not be said for assaults.
About 50 per cent of assaults on Indians occurred in their workplace, mostly involving taxi drivers and convenience store clerks, he said.
Overland said some of the attacks were racist. "I have said from day one undoubtedly some of these attacks have a racist motive or there is racist elements to these attacks," he said adding regardless of who they are, what they are, what colour they are, what occupation they are, my job is to make the state as safe as I can for everyone.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Indian youth set on fire in Melbourne
A 29-year-old Indian-origin man was set ablaze by a group of four attackers on Saturday, a week after a student from the country was stabbed to death amid a slew of assaults on the community in Australia.
The man, who suffered 15 per cent burns including on his arms, chest and face, was admitted to 'The Alfred' hospital after he was attacked shortly before 2 am local time (0730 HRS IST) in Melbourne's Essendon area.
The man, who was not identified, and his wife left a dinner party in Essendon, in the city's northwest, between 1.30 am and 2 am and drove to their nearby home in Grice Crescent. He dropped his wife at home and had gone to park his car when he was attacked, local media reported.
Police said that as he was getting out of the car, four men attacked him, pushing him back against the vehicle and pouring an unknown fluid on him. One of the men then ignited the fluid with a lighter before all the attackers fled.
The victim, who is now in a stable condition in the hospital, ran from the car while peeling off his clothes, 'The Age' reported.
The attack comes a week after the stabbing death of 21-year-old Indian graduate Nitin Garg in a Yarraville park while he was on his way to his part-time job in a restaurant.
The body of another Indian youth, 25-year-old Ranjodh Singh, was found beside Wilga Road in Willbriggie in the neighbouring state of New South Wales on December 29. The incident was reported earlier this week.
A police spokeswoman said investigators do not yet know any motive or circumstances surrounding today's Essendon attack.
"They don't believe it was racially motivated at this stage," she said.
The ABC reported that the man is of Indian origin but said police do not know whether he is an Australian citizen.
The incident is being investigated by the arson and explosives squad.
Police appealed for public assistance to locate the victim's clothes, which he shed as he fled the scene.
The man, who suffered 15 per cent burns including on his arms, chest and face, was admitted to 'The Alfred' hospital after he was attacked shortly before 2 am local time (0730 HRS IST) in Melbourne's Essendon area.
The man, who was not identified, and his wife left a dinner party in Essendon, in the city's northwest, between 1.30 am and 2 am and drove to their nearby home in Grice Crescent. He dropped his wife at home and had gone to park his car when he was attacked, local media reported.
Police said that as he was getting out of the car, four men attacked him, pushing him back against the vehicle and pouring an unknown fluid on him. One of the men then ignited the fluid with a lighter before all the attackers fled.
The victim, who is now in a stable condition in the hospital, ran from the car while peeling off his clothes, 'The Age' reported.
The attack comes a week after the stabbing death of 21-year-old Indian graduate Nitin Garg in a Yarraville park while he was on his way to his part-time job in a restaurant.
The body of another Indian youth, 25-year-old Ranjodh Singh, was found beside Wilga Road in Willbriggie in the neighbouring state of New South Wales on December 29. The incident was reported earlier this week.
A police spokeswoman said investigators do not yet know any motive or circumstances surrounding today's Essendon attack.
"They don't believe it was racially motivated at this stage," she said.
The ABC reported that the man is of Indian origin but said police do not know whether he is an Australian citizen.
The incident is being investigated by the arson and explosives squad.
Police appealed for public assistance to locate the victim's clothes, which he shed as he fled the scene.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Indian-American Rajiv Shah takes over as USAID chief
An adventurous 36-year old Indian-American who navigated glaciers and volcanoes before taking to developmental work was thrown into the political cauldron in Washington DC on Thursday in what is purportedly the highest federal government position occupied by a person of Indian origin in the US.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who should know a thing or two about Beltway politics, warned Rajiv Shah about the pitfalls in Washington DC even as she swore him in as the Obama administration’s USAID chief, a high profile and lately controversial job that involves overseeing disbursal of a nearly $ 40 billion US foreign aid program.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who should know a thing or two about Beltway politics, warned Rajiv Shah about the pitfalls in Washington DC even as she swore him in as the Obama administration’s USAID chief, a high profile and lately controversial job that involves overseeing disbursal of a nearly $ 40 billion US foreign aid program.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Killed Indian student's family feel let down by Govt
An Indian student Nitin Garg, 21, was stabbed to death by unidentified assailants on Saturday night in Australia.
Garg, an accounting graduate who migrated from Punjab to work part-time at a fast food joint in Melbourne, was attacked on his way to work. He died in hospital, tragically a few days after his birthday.
Garg's friends and family in Australia feel let down by the Indian High Commission and they say no one has reached out to them even as External Affairs Minister SM Krishna said that Indian will be forced to act.
"If the attacks don't stop, Government of India will be pushed to take other measures," said Krishna.
Garg's friends in Australia now say that they will be forced to defend themselves if no measure by the authorities are taken.
"They punched him and when he fell down they kicked him in the stomach," said victim's friend.
"If we are to live in Australia we have to protect ourselves by ourselves. No one is going to protect us," he added.
However, police insist the recent attack wasn't racially motivated.
Tourism Australia in its latest project has said that the spate of racial attacks on Indian students will result in fewer Indians coming to study in Australia this year.
The fall in numbers, will cost Australia 70 million dollars in revenue.
Garg, an accounting graduate who migrated from Punjab to work part-time at a fast food joint in Melbourne, was attacked on his way to work. He died in hospital, tragically a few days after his birthday.
Garg's friends and family in Australia feel let down by the Indian High Commission and they say no one has reached out to them even as External Affairs Minister SM Krishna said that Indian will be forced to act.
"If the attacks don't stop, Government of India will be pushed to take other measures," said Krishna.
Garg's friends in Australia now say that they will be forced to defend themselves if no measure by the authorities are taken.
"They punched him and when he fell down they kicked him in the stomach," said victim's friend.
"If we are to live in Australia we have to protect ourselves by ourselves. No one is going to protect us," he added.
However, police insist the recent attack wasn't racially motivated.
Tourism Australia in its latest project has said that the spate of racial attacks on Indian students will result in fewer Indians coming to study in Australia this year.
The fall in numbers, will cost Australia 70 million dollars in revenue.
Oz condemns killing of Indian student
A day after the brutal killing of the Indian student in Melbourne hit the headlines, Australia has condemned the fatal attack.
Buzz up!
"I obviously unreservedly condemn this attack," said Australian Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
"This is a nation that welcomes international students. We want to make them welcome, this is a welcoming and accepting country," Gillard said, raising concern over how these attacks are severely damaging the country's multi-million dollar foreign student sector.
On Saturday, Jan 2, 21-year-old Nitin Garg, hailing from the Indian state of Punjab, was stabbed to death.
Describing the murder as 'vicious', the police said that the motive behind the act was unknown.
India expressed shock as the incident came to light on Sunday, Jan 3. The External Affairs Minister SM Krishna warned Australia of serious 'bearing' on the bilateral ties if the attacks against Indians down under doesn't stop.
"The brutal attack on the Indian student is strongly condemnable. I call on the Australian authorities to speedily bring to book persons responsible for the crime," Mr Krishna said.
Buzz up!
"I obviously unreservedly condemn this attack," said Australian Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
"This is a nation that welcomes international students. We want to make them welcome, this is a welcoming and accepting country," Gillard said, raising concern over how these attacks are severely damaging the country's multi-million dollar foreign student sector.
On Saturday, Jan 2, 21-year-old Nitin Garg, hailing from the Indian state of Punjab, was stabbed to death.
Describing the murder as 'vicious', the police said that the motive behind the act was unknown.
India expressed shock as the incident came to light on Sunday, Jan 3. The External Affairs Minister SM Krishna warned Australia of serious 'bearing' on the bilateral ties if the attacks against Indians down under doesn't stop.
"The brutal attack on the Indian student is strongly condemnable. I call on the Australian authorities to speedily bring to book persons responsible for the crime," Mr Krishna said.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Sikh youth brutally assaulted in US
A Sikh student was ‘racially abused’ and brutally assaulted after being thrown into a swimming pool in West Texas, the Sikh Coalition,an advocacy group for the community in the United States, said.
Four men assaulted the unnamed graduate Sikh student, who works as a part-time pizza delivery person, the advocacy group said. According to a media release of the Sikh Coalition, the four men intercepted the youth while he was on his way to deliver pizzas to a home. “They grabbed the Sikh youth and threw him into a swimming pool”.
“The four attackers surrounded the pool, kicking him in the head and body. Every time he tried to escape, they would stomp or hit him. For 20 minutes, he swam for his life trying to escape,” the release alleged. “I was terrified that I would die that night,” the victim said. “No one should have to endure something like this just because of their religion, ethnicity or appearance,” he was quoted as saying by the Coalition.
The youth, who had to go to a hospital for the treatment, “is still emotionally scarred because his attackers have been roaming free”. It alleged that police “failed to respond adequately”.
“It is clear from the attackers’ references to ‘Osama bin Laden’ and ‘Go back to Afghanistan’ and the fact that they kicked off his turban” meant they “targeted not only him as an individual, but his Sikh identity”, the Coalition alleged.
Four men assaulted the unnamed graduate Sikh student, who works as a part-time pizza delivery person, the advocacy group said. According to a media release of the Sikh Coalition, the four men intercepted the youth while he was on his way to deliver pizzas to a home. “They grabbed the Sikh youth and threw him into a swimming pool”.
“The four attackers surrounded the pool, kicking him in the head and body. Every time he tried to escape, they would stomp or hit him. For 20 minutes, he swam for his life trying to escape,” the release alleged. “I was terrified that I would die that night,” the victim said. “No one should have to endure something like this just because of their religion, ethnicity or appearance,” he was quoted as saying by the Coalition.
The youth, who had to go to a hospital for the treatment, “is still emotionally scarred because his attackers have been roaming free”. It alleged that police “failed to respond adequately”.
“It is clear from the attackers’ references to ‘Osama bin Laden’ and ‘Go back to Afghanistan’ and the fact that they kicked off his turban” meant they “targeted not only him as an individual, but his Sikh identity”, the Coalition alleged.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
IIT alumnus Vikram Buddhi convicted in US
IIT alumnus Vikram Buddhi was today sentenced to four years and nine months in prison and an additional three years of supervised release by a US court for posting hate messages in 2006 against former president George Bush and calling for bombings of American infrastructure.
Indiana court district judge James Moody said the supervised release would be monitored by a probation officer.
Buddhi was arrested in 2006 after being convicted of making threats to Bush, the then Vice President Dick Cheney and their wives, and calling for bombings of US infrastructure.
The 38-year-old Phd student of Purdue University, convicted in 2007, had fired his lawyer yesterday when his sentencing hearing began. He represented himself in the court and said "the trial was unfair. I am not the kind of person the government is trying to portray".
After the sentence, Buddhi wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, spoke for a little while with his former lawyer. He was then taken into custody and led out of the courtroom. Buddhi has a right to appeal against the judgement in a Chicago court within 10 days.
Since Buddhi was representing himself, the notice of appeal can be filed through the court or by his previous lawyer Arlington Foley, whom he had fired but remained his stand-by counsel.
"Every person has a right to appeal. The court has asked me to ensure that (the notice of appeal) is filed," Foley told reporters after the sentencing.
Indiana court district judge James Moody said the supervised release would be monitored by a probation officer.
Buddhi was arrested in 2006 after being convicted of making threats to Bush, the then Vice President Dick Cheney and their wives, and calling for bombings of US infrastructure.
The 38-year-old Phd student of Purdue University, convicted in 2007, had fired his lawyer yesterday when his sentencing hearing began. He represented himself in the court and said "the trial was unfair. I am not the kind of person the government is trying to portray".
After the sentence, Buddhi wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, spoke for a little while with his former lawyer. He was then taken into custody and led out of the courtroom. Buddhi has a right to appeal against the judgement in a Chicago court within 10 days.
Since Buddhi was representing himself, the notice of appeal can be filed through the court or by his previous lawyer Arlington Foley, whom he had fired but remained his stand-by counsel.
"Every person has a right to appeal. The court has asked me to ensure that (the notice of appeal) is filed," Foley told reporters after the sentencing.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Another Indian student attacked in Australia
In yet another attack on Indian students in Australia, a 23-year-old youth was stabbed in the chest by unidentified assailants here on Wednesday, police said.
The student, who was also a cabbie, was attacked and left to bleed on a Brunswick West street, police said.
The victim parked his taxi outside his girlfriend's home on Collier Crescent in the wee hours and rang her to bring his dinner outside when someone approached his vehicle, The Age reported.
His girlfriend heard the driver scream out over the phone as he was attacked, police officer Greg Johnson was quoted as saying by the paper.
The woman ran outside and found her boyfriend lying outside the car, bleeding with a single stab wound to the chest. Police do not believe the attack was racially motivated or an attempted robbery as the man still had cash in his pocket and his mobile phone, the paper said.
Investigators are examining whether another car was involved. The taxi has damage to the rear of the vehicle and bits of a broken front headlight were found near the scene.
"That is certainly one of the lines of inquiry we'll be looking along, that it could be a road rage incident," Johnson said.
NRI NEWS, NRI,
The student, who was also a cabbie, was attacked and left to bleed on a Brunswick West street, police said.
The victim parked his taxi outside his girlfriend's home on Collier Crescent in the wee hours and rang her to bring his dinner outside when someone approached his vehicle, The Age reported.
His girlfriend heard the driver scream out over the phone as he was attacked, police officer Greg Johnson was quoted as saying by the paper.
The woman ran outside and found her boyfriend lying outside the car, bleeding with a single stab wound to the chest. Police do not believe the attack was racially motivated or an attempted robbery as the man still had cash in his pocket and his mobile phone, the paper said.
Investigators are examining whether another car was involved. The taxi has damage to the rear of the vehicle and bits of a broken front headlight were found near the scene.
"That is certainly one of the lines of inquiry we'll be looking along, that it could be a road rage incident," Johnson said.
NRI NEWS, NRI,
Monday, November 30, 2009
Home from Dubai for Eid, workers axed over SMS
When Sajid took leave to come home for Eid last week, he had thought he would spend a few days quiet days with his wife and two children
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before returning to his job in Dubai. But the festival holiday has quickly turned into a nightmare for Sajid. He and dozens of other workers from Meerut who were employed in various tile production units in Dubai, have been informed through SMSes that they were being sacked.
``It was early morning when I received a text message from my office, Al-Hamid, telling me that I need not bother returning to Dubai. My contract has been discontinued and my work permit stands terminated. It said my dues will be sent through post and my belongings will be duly returned,'' said Sajid.
The workers say at least 64 of them, all working in meltdown-hit Dubai, have been received pinks slips through text messages. Most of them live in areas like Shalimar Garden, Gokalpur, Shahpeer Gate and Zaida Farms in the city, and worked in tile-making units of various construction companies.
``We have been working in Dubai beyond all scheduled hours. We have not even taken our salaries for the past four months as we wanted to save money to get our families to UAE. Our dreams lie shattered today,'' said a weeping Noor Mohammad who stays at Zaidi Farms.
The workers say the text messages ^ received by workers in several other UP towns, including Bulandshahr, as well ^ were all the more shocking as they came after several Indian ministers including the finance minister claimed that the financial meltdown in Dubai it would not affect Indian workers too much. ``The ministers have been only talking about those from south India working in Dubai. A good 30% of the young workforce in our localities has gone to the Middle-East in the past two years. Many of my friends are still stuck in Dubai. We do not know whether they will even be paid. Our government must intervene and bring them back,'' said Asif from Zaidi Farms.
These are tense times even for those who haven't got the sack. ``I still have my job. My office has not sent any SMS. But I'm worried as I have not been able to contact them. I am thinking of forgetting about going back to Dubai and instead going to Delhi to find a job,'' said Javed from Zaidi Colony.
According to official estimates, in 2008, India got $43.5 billion as remittances from those working in the UAE.
A total of 3.4 lakh new workers got jobs in that country in 2008.
Sources in the Meerut administration said that they were closely watching the situation. ``We are aware of the people who work in Dubai. We are sympathetic to their problems. We will be talking to the relevant central government departments once we know about the extent of the crisis,'' said a senior Meerut zone officer.
However, these words were of little comfort for Javed, a sacked worker from Gokalpur locality of Meerut.
``I want my salary. I wish the government will ensure that we get paid for the countless hours we toiled in Dubai,'' he said.
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before returning to his job in Dubai. But the festival holiday has quickly turned into a nightmare for Sajid. He and dozens of other workers from Meerut who were employed in various tile production units in Dubai, have been informed through SMSes that they were being sacked.
``It was early morning when I received a text message from my office, Al-Hamid, telling me that I need not bother returning to Dubai. My contract has been discontinued and my work permit stands terminated. It said my dues will be sent through post and my belongings will be duly returned,'' said Sajid.
The workers say at least 64 of them, all working in meltdown-hit Dubai, have been received pinks slips through text messages. Most of them live in areas like Shalimar Garden, Gokalpur, Shahpeer Gate and Zaida Farms in the city, and worked in tile-making units of various construction companies.
``We have been working in Dubai beyond all scheduled hours. We have not even taken our salaries for the past four months as we wanted to save money to get our families to UAE. Our dreams lie shattered today,'' said a weeping Noor Mohammad who stays at Zaidi Farms.
The workers say the text messages ^ received by workers in several other UP towns, including Bulandshahr, as well ^ were all the more shocking as they came after several Indian ministers including the finance minister claimed that the financial meltdown in Dubai it would not affect Indian workers too much. ``The ministers have been only talking about those from south India working in Dubai. A good 30% of the young workforce in our localities has gone to the Middle-East in the past two years. Many of my friends are still stuck in Dubai. We do not know whether they will even be paid. Our government must intervene and bring them back,'' said Asif from Zaidi Farms.
These are tense times even for those who haven't got the sack. ``I still have my job. My office has not sent any SMS. But I'm worried as I have not been able to contact them. I am thinking of forgetting about going back to Dubai and instead going to Delhi to find a job,'' said Javed from Zaidi Colony.
According to official estimates, in 2008, India got $43.5 billion as remittances from those working in the UAE.
A total of 3.4 lakh new workers got jobs in that country in 2008.
Sources in the Meerut administration said that they were closely watching the situation. ``We are aware of the people who work in Dubai. We are sympathetic to their problems. We will be talking to the relevant central government departments once we know about the extent of the crisis,'' said a senior Meerut zone officer.
However, these words were of little comfort for Javed, a sacked worker from Gokalpur locality of Meerut.
``I want my salary. I wish the government will ensure that we get paid for the countless hours we toiled in Dubai,'' he said.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Dubai debacle likely to hit workers, remittances
Despite the brave front put up by Indian government, the debt crisis that has enveloped Dubai World threatens to hit the struggling Indian
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overseas labour market that is largely dependent on short-term Middle East job contracts. The latest crisis comes at a time when official estimates have admitted that unemployment rates have spiralled to 30% in the Middle East in the last one year.
Industry sources say unemployment figures could be higher than the official estimates and that remittances to India - $43.5 billion in 2007-2008 - are certain to be much lower this year in the wake of the continuing recession in the region. The Dubai World's debt just adds to the bad news.
UAE is the favourite destination for a maximum number of overseas Indian workers - 3.4 lakh people went to the country in 2008 - but the number has been fast declining as Indian workers are unable to get new contracts or extensions in the country that's in the grip of recession.
It's well known that when Dubai sneezes, south India, especially Kerala, catches more than just a cold. Last September, when Lehman Brothers collapsed triggering the great recession, the arrivals at Chennai, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram airports wore a grim look. The news of Dubai World's inability to repay the $59 billion debt has triggered similar fears among the relatives of immigrants back home.
However, the minister for Overseas Indian Affairs tried to allay such fears. ``There were some concerns during the beginning of the slowdown an year ago, but now we are not expecting any exodus (return) of Indians and India will not be affected by Dubai's debts,'' Vayalar Ravi told TOI on telephone.
OIA secretary K Mohandas added that large scale retrenchment was unlikely even though labour movement to UAE had come down. ``There are some countries like Saudi Arabia where labour movement has increased,'' he said adding, however, that the increase was negligible.
However, the government of Kerala, where overseas remittances contribute 20% of the state GDP,
does not sound too optimistic. ``We do not yet know the magnitude of the crisis. On the face of it, the problem looks serious. Now we will have to wait and see its impact on other sectors, and whether there will be a credit freeze,'' Kerala finance minister T M Thomas Isaac told TOI.
``If it (Dubai debt crisis) affects the real estate sector, we have enough reasons to be worried. Only after the (Id) holidays are over in the Gulf, we will come to know more,'' Isaac said.
Over 5 lakh Indians have returned from Dubai since September 2008, of which two lakh are Malayalees. Almost 60% of these people are technical or non-technical skills professionals. ``Over 50 lakh Indians work in the Middle East of which 20 lakh are from Kerala. We do not expect large number of returnees now,'' K V Mohankumar, CEO of Kerala NRI group, Non Resident Keralites' Affairs (Norka).
According to Norka, 10 lakh Malayalees live and work in Dubai, along with 4 lakh people from Andhra Pradesh and and 4.5 lakh Tamils.
The situation in the past year has prompted the OIA ministry to introduce a welfare fund for emigrants in distress. Services like a toll-free helpline, a counselling facility and a facility to extend contingency based legal, medical and emergency relief assistance are on the anvil to provide a safety net to a large and vulnerable work force in the region.
The minister has also announced setting up of an Indian Workers Resource Centre (IWRC) in the region and a ``Return and Resettlement Fund'' that will provide for a contribution-based scheme to incentivize the return and resettlement of overseas workers. Details of the proposal are being worked out.
However, bankers here are not losing sleep over the Dubai World crisis, yet. ``The original impact of the Dubai crisis has already happened. I do not see any further impact coming in,'' said Venugopalan M, managing director & CEO, Federal Bank. ``I don't see any further reduction in remittances as well.''
The news of Dubai rescheduling its debts fails to surprise some. Jinu Rani George, a senior official with a builder group that has considerable interests in Dubai, said it was expected. ``We are in Dubai for 27 years now. But from November 2008, when recession fears began, we have not been getting any money from the government or municipality. So we put a freeze on all our projects. Now, we do high volume business mostly in Abu Dhabi.''
She said groups like Nakheel, a subsidiary of Dubai World, and Dubai Properties, a unit of Dubai Holding, had sacked almost 80% of their employees.
During the last 10 months a number of Indian professionals have moved from Dubai to the oil-rich emirate of Abu Dhabi not just in search of high-paying jobs but also job stability.
``We knew things were shaky in Dubai. Its diminishing spending power brought projects to a standstill. The only option was to move to Abu Dhabi and luckily we found employment here,'' said Biju Haridas, a management professional in Abu Dhabi.
``The emirate of Abu Dhabi will bail out Dubai with conditions, but those conditions will never be made public,'' said an Indian diplomat in UAE.
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overseas labour market that is largely dependent on short-term Middle East job contracts. The latest crisis comes at a time when official estimates have admitted that unemployment rates have spiralled to 30% in the Middle East in the last one year.
Industry sources say unemployment figures could be higher than the official estimates and that remittances to India - $43.5 billion in 2007-2008 - are certain to be much lower this year in the wake of the continuing recession in the region. The Dubai World's debt just adds to the bad news.
UAE is the favourite destination for a maximum number of overseas Indian workers - 3.4 lakh people went to the country in 2008 - but the number has been fast declining as Indian workers are unable to get new contracts or extensions in the country that's in the grip of recession.
It's well known that when Dubai sneezes, south India, especially Kerala, catches more than just a cold. Last September, when Lehman Brothers collapsed triggering the great recession, the arrivals at Chennai, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram airports wore a grim look. The news of Dubai World's inability to repay the $59 billion debt has triggered similar fears among the relatives of immigrants back home.
However, the minister for Overseas Indian Affairs tried to allay such fears. ``There were some concerns during the beginning of the slowdown an year ago, but now we are not expecting any exodus (return) of Indians and India will not be affected by Dubai's debts,'' Vayalar Ravi told TOI on telephone.
OIA secretary K Mohandas added that large scale retrenchment was unlikely even though labour movement to UAE had come down. ``There are some countries like Saudi Arabia where labour movement has increased,'' he said adding, however, that the increase was negligible.
However, the government of Kerala, where overseas remittances contribute 20% of the state GDP,
does not sound too optimistic. ``We do not yet know the magnitude of the crisis. On the face of it, the problem looks serious. Now we will have to wait and see its impact on other sectors, and whether there will be a credit freeze,'' Kerala finance minister T M Thomas Isaac told TOI.
``If it (Dubai debt crisis) affects the real estate sector, we have enough reasons to be worried. Only after the (Id) holidays are over in the Gulf, we will come to know more,'' Isaac said.
Over 5 lakh Indians have returned from Dubai since September 2008, of which two lakh are Malayalees. Almost 60% of these people are technical or non-technical skills professionals. ``Over 50 lakh Indians work in the Middle East of which 20 lakh are from Kerala. We do not expect large number of returnees now,'' K V Mohankumar, CEO of Kerala NRI group, Non Resident Keralites' Affairs (Norka).
According to Norka, 10 lakh Malayalees live and work in Dubai, along with 4 lakh people from Andhra Pradesh and and 4.5 lakh Tamils.
The situation in the past year has prompted the OIA ministry to introduce a welfare fund for emigrants in distress. Services like a toll-free helpline, a counselling facility and a facility to extend contingency based legal, medical and emergency relief assistance are on the anvil to provide a safety net to a large and vulnerable work force in the region.
The minister has also announced setting up of an Indian Workers Resource Centre (IWRC) in the region and a ``Return and Resettlement Fund'' that will provide for a contribution-based scheme to incentivize the return and resettlement of overseas workers. Details of the proposal are being worked out.
However, bankers here are not losing sleep over the Dubai World crisis, yet. ``The original impact of the Dubai crisis has already happened. I do not see any further impact coming in,'' said Venugopalan M, managing director & CEO, Federal Bank. ``I don't see any further reduction in remittances as well.''
The news of Dubai rescheduling its debts fails to surprise some. Jinu Rani George, a senior official with a builder group that has considerable interests in Dubai, said it was expected. ``We are in Dubai for 27 years now. But from November 2008, when recession fears began, we have not been getting any money from the government or municipality. So we put a freeze on all our projects. Now, we do high volume business mostly in Abu Dhabi.''
She said groups like Nakheel, a subsidiary of Dubai World, and Dubai Properties, a unit of Dubai Holding, had sacked almost 80% of their employees.
During the last 10 months a number of Indian professionals have moved from Dubai to the oil-rich emirate of Abu Dhabi not just in search of high-paying jobs but also job stability.
``We knew things were shaky in Dubai. Its diminishing spending power brought projects to a standstill. The only option was to move to Abu Dhabi and luckily we found employment here,'' said Biju Haridas, a management professional in Abu Dhabi.
``The emirate of Abu Dhabi will bail out Dubai with conditions, but those conditions will never be made public,'' said an Indian diplomat in UAE.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
20,000 AP youth held in Gulf for illegal stay
Around 20,000 youth from North Telangana districts are reportedly jailed in Gulf countries on charges of illegal stay.
The kin of the victims continue to wait for their safe return.
There are about 3.50 lakh youth from the Telangana districts staying in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM) state co-convener, Mr Kotapati Narasimham Naidu, said the labour acts in Gulf countries have changed over the years reducing job opportunities for people from India.
Mr Naidu, who visited Abu Dhabi and Anjam in the UAE on November 11 and 12, interacted with associations like Telugu Kala Sravanthi, Gulf Telangana Welfare Association and discussed problems faced by the people of AP.
The SJM district convener, Mr Raj Kumar Subedar, said they will launch an agitation to ensure the release of the workers jailed there.
He said MPs and MLAs should bring the matter to the notice of the government. Lack of moral support and financial instability has forced many Gulf returnees to commit suicides, he said.
He said job melas should be organised for the Gulf returnees so that they are not forced to take the extreme step.
Mr Naidu said they will meet the Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, soon and tell him about the problems faced by the Gulf returnees.
“We will urge the Chief Minister to strengthen the NRI affairs ministry. The government should set up an exclusive department to look into the problems faced by the migrants in the Gulf countries,” he added.
NRI, NRI NEWS,
The kin of the victims continue to wait for their safe return.
There are about 3.50 lakh youth from the Telangana districts staying in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM) state co-convener, Mr Kotapati Narasimham Naidu, said the labour acts in Gulf countries have changed over the years reducing job opportunities for people from India.
Mr Naidu, who visited Abu Dhabi and Anjam in the UAE on November 11 and 12, interacted with associations like Telugu Kala Sravanthi, Gulf Telangana Welfare Association and discussed problems faced by the people of AP.
The SJM district convener, Mr Raj Kumar Subedar, said they will launch an agitation to ensure the release of the workers jailed there.
He said MPs and MLAs should bring the matter to the notice of the government. Lack of moral support and financial instability has forced many Gulf returnees to commit suicides, he said.
He said job melas should be organised for the Gulf returnees so that they are not forced to take the extreme step.
Mr Naidu said they will meet the Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, soon and tell him about the problems faced by the Gulf returnees.
“We will urge the Chief Minister to strengthen the NRI affairs ministry. The government should set up an exclusive department to look into the problems faced by the migrants in the Gulf countries,” he added.
NRI, NRI NEWS,
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Briton given 18 years for racial killing of Indian
A Briton was on Tuesday sentenced to a minimum of 18 years in prison for the "racially-aggravated" murder of Indian Navy officer Kunal Mohanty by a court here.
Christopher Miller, 25, had knifed 30-year-old Mohanty in the neck as he walked to a restaurant with his friends in Glasgow in March this year.
Miller claimed in court that the incident was 'botched mugging' but a jury at the High Court in Glasgow returned a unanimous verdict of murder.
The judge said the killing was as "incomprehensible as it was evil".
During the trial at the High Court in Glasgow prosecutors said the seaman was attacked because of his skin colour.
Mohanty, who was due to become a father for the first time, was in Glasgow to sit his captain's exams at the city's Nautical College.
The court was told that he was left bleeding to death from an 18cm long hole in his neck.
A doctor described Mohanty's neck injury as "one of the worst he had ever seen".
Prosecuting lawyer Dorothy Bain said it was "an atrocity delivered without mercy, a death blow" and "an unprovoked attack on a blameless, defenceless and wholly decent man because Christopher Miller didn't like the colour of his skin.
As Mohanty lay dying in the street with blood gushing from his neck, Miller and his friend John McGrory, 20, were seen on CCTV running through a car park celebrating.
Miller's brother Jamie Miller, 17, gave evidence during the trial and said Miller told him he had "done a Paki".
Sentencing him, temporary judge John Beckett told Miller: "Your behaviour after the murder suggested that you were anything but sorry and appeared to be celebrating".
"The murder was racially aggravated. There can be no justification for slashing the neck of someone who did you no harm... To do so because of the colour of a man's skin is as incomprehensible as it is evil," he said.
The judge said everyone in this city and this country should be ashamed of his actions. He told Miller that it would be up to the parole board to decide when he is released.
After the verdict, Lesley Thomson, area procurator fiscal for Glasgow said: "Mohanty was doing nothing other than enjoying time off his studies with friends. He was attacked for no reason other than that Christopher Miller is a racist".
"He died because Christopher Miller had a knife and had no hesitation in using it," she said.
She added that Glasgow rightly celebrates its cultural diversity and everyone should be free to enjoy the city in safety.
Det Insp Gary Thomson, the officer in charge of the investigation, said the racist murder of an innocent man on the streets caused a lot of concern and fear in the community, "however fortunately crimes of this nature aren't common".
"However one is still one too many, and the senseless loss of life is tragic," he said.
NRI, NRI NEWS,
Christopher Miller, 25, had knifed 30-year-old Mohanty in the neck as he walked to a restaurant with his friends in Glasgow in March this year.
Miller claimed in court that the incident was 'botched mugging' but a jury at the High Court in Glasgow returned a unanimous verdict of murder.
The judge said the killing was as "incomprehensible as it was evil".
During the trial at the High Court in Glasgow prosecutors said the seaman was attacked because of his skin colour.
Mohanty, who was due to become a father for the first time, was in Glasgow to sit his captain's exams at the city's Nautical College.
The court was told that he was left bleeding to death from an 18cm long hole in his neck.
A doctor described Mohanty's neck injury as "one of the worst he had ever seen".
Prosecuting lawyer Dorothy Bain said it was "an atrocity delivered without mercy, a death blow" and "an unprovoked attack on a blameless, defenceless and wholly decent man because Christopher Miller didn't like the colour of his skin.
As Mohanty lay dying in the street with blood gushing from his neck, Miller and his friend John McGrory, 20, were seen on CCTV running through a car park celebrating.
Miller's brother Jamie Miller, 17, gave evidence during the trial and said Miller told him he had "done a Paki".
Sentencing him, temporary judge John Beckett told Miller: "Your behaviour after the murder suggested that you were anything but sorry and appeared to be celebrating".
"The murder was racially aggravated. There can be no justification for slashing the neck of someone who did you no harm... To do so because of the colour of a man's skin is as incomprehensible as it is evil," he said.
The judge said everyone in this city and this country should be ashamed of his actions. He told Miller that it would be up to the parole board to decide when he is released.
After the verdict, Lesley Thomson, area procurator fiscal for Glasgow said: "Mohanty was doing nothing other than enjoying time off his studies with friends. He was attacked for no reason other than that Christopher Miller is a racist".
"He died because Christopher Miller had a knife and had no hesitation in using it," she said.
She added that Glasgow rightly celebrates its cultural diversity and everyone should be free to enjoy the city in safety.
Det Insp Gary Thomson, the officer in charge of the investigation, said the racist murder of an innocent man on the streets caused a lot of concern and fear in the community, "however fortunately crimes of this nature aren't common".
"However one is still one too many, and the senseless loss of life is tragic," he said.
NRI, NRI NEWS,
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Attack on 22-yr-old Indian in Australia
In yet another attack on Indian students here, a 22-year-old youth was punched on his face by a group of Australians, who also told the victim that “in this place there is no home for you”.
Sai Ratan Tiwari, who hails from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, was on his way to a temple along with a friend on Sunday when two Australians stopped him and asked where they were going. “I told them I was going home instead of disclosing that I was going to a temple,” said Tiwari, who arrived here a year ago to pursue Bachelors of Information Systems.
Tiwari, a student of Ballarat University, said he was scared to disclose that he was visiting a temple. “They punched on my face and told me ‘in this place there is no home for you’,” he said, adding he refused to go to hospital and instead was treated by an on-site ambulance.
He said while his friend was trying to make a phone call to the police, the attackers snatched the phone and fled the scene. “We called the police. They arrived after 10 minutes and after that the ambulance arrived.. I was unconscious because I had lost a lot of blood,” Tiwari said.
He said he has already contacted the Indian Consulate General’s office here.
The incident has already been reported to Frankton Police Station. Tiwari is the latest victim of racial attacks in Australia.
Last week, 36-year-old Amrit Goyal, an engineering student, was racially abused by a group of Australians, including a woman, who also punched him in his left eye.
NRI NEWS, NRI,
Sai Ratan Tiwari, who hails from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, was on his way to a temple along with a friend on Sunday when two Australians stopped him and asked where they were going. “I told them I was going home instead of disclosing that I was going to a temple,” said Tiwari, who arrived here a year ago to pursue Bachelors of Information Systems.
Tiwari, a student of Ballarat University, said he was scared to disclose that he was visiting a temple. “They punched on my face and told me ‘in this place there is no home for you’,” he said, adding he refused to go to hospital and instead was treated by an on-site ambulance.
He said while his friend was trying to make a phone call to the police, the attackers snatched the phone and fled the scene. “We called the police. They arrived after 10 minutes and after that the ambulance arrived.. I was unconscious because I had lost a lot of blood,” Tiwari said.
He said he has already contacted the Indian Consulate General’s office here.
The incident has already been reported to Frankton Police Station. Tiwari is the latest victim of racial attacks in Australia.
Last week, 36-year-old Amrit Goyal, an engineering student, was racially abused by a group of Australians, including a woman, who also punched him in his left eye.
NRI NEWS, NRI,
Monday, October 26, 2009
Fugitive NRI woman, son found in Chennai after two-year hunt.
CBI sleuths on Saturday traced an NRI woman who was on the run after fleeing from the US to India with her minor son on June 28, 2007.
Vijayashree Voora and her seven-year-old son, Aditya, were detained in Chennai while checking out from a hotel in Nungambakkam. They were taken to Delhi, where they were produced before Justice Tarun Chatterjee of the Supreme Court, who directed the CBI officials to produce them before the court on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court had asked the CBI to trace the duo after Aditya’s father, V Ravi Chandran, complained that Vijayashree had disappeared with their son three months before a New York family court dissolved their marriage on September 8, 2005. The court gave Ravi Chandran the custody of the child, but the mother and son remained untraceable despite efforts by the police of several Indian states. Later, the New York family court issued non-bailable warrants against Vijayshree.
Ravi Chandran moved the Supreme Court in India in September 2007 seeking a writ of habeas corpus, saying his son was being illegally detained by Vijayashree. On August 29, the Supreme Court asked the CBI to trace Vijayashree and Aditya.
City police sources said a CBI team from Delhi had arrived here a few days ago. “The CBI team had some definite clues. They watched Voora’s movements for a while and took her into custody while she was vacating her room in a hotel to move into another at Nungambakkam,” a police official told TOI. Vijayasheree had been dodging the police, moving constantly from one place to another, changing her contact numbers and destroying her credit cards and other identity documents. “She never stayed in a hotel for more than three days and never allowed any room boy or hotel authorities to enter the room. She never lost sight of Aditya. She preferred three-star hotels instead of five-star ones, checking herself in as a tourist,” the official said.
CBI officials in disguise were waiting at the reception of the hotel when Voora was checking out. The mother and son were detained and taken to Delhi by air.
NRI NEWS, NRI
Vijayashree Voora and her seven-year-old son, Aditya, were detained in Chennai while checking out from a hotel in Nungambakkam. They were taken to Delhi, where they were produced before Justice Tarun Chatterjee of the Supreme Court, who directed the CBI officials to produce them before the court on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court had asked the CBI to trace the duo after Aditya’s father, V Ravi Chandran, complained that Vijayashree had disappeared with their son three months before a New York family court dissolved their marriage on September 8, 2005. The court gave Ravi Chandran the custody of the child, but the mother and son remained untraceable despite efforts by the police of several Indian states. Later, the New York family court issued non-bailable warrants against Vijayshree.
Ravi Chandran moved the Supreme Court in India in September 2007 seeking a writ of habeas corpus, saying his son was being illegally detained by Vijayashree. On August 29, the Supreme Court asked the CBI to trace Vijayashree and Aditya.
City police sources said a CBI team from Delhi had arrived here a few days ago. “The CBI team had some definite clues. They watched Voora’s movements for a while and took her into custody while she was vacating her room in a hotel to move into another at Nungambakkam,” a police official told TOI. Vijayasheree had been dodging the police, moving constantly from one place to another, changing her contact numbers and destroying her credit cards and other identity documents. “She never stayed in a hotel for more than three days and never allowed any room boy or hotel authorities to enter the room. She never lost sight of Aditya. She preferred three-star hotels instead of five-star ones, checking herself in as a tourist,” the official said.
CBI officials in disguise were waiting at the reception of the hotel when Voora was checking out. The mother and son were detained and taken to Delhi by air.
NRI NEWS, NRI
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