Aziz Haniffa In Washington, DC &Amp; George Joseph In New York

Stories by Aziz Haniffa In Washington, DC &Amp; George Joseph In New York

Indian American creates history in Maryland

Indian American creates history in Maryland

Rediff.com   3 Aug 2011

Dr Rajan Natarajan, 51, a leading entrepreneur, has created history in Maryland by becoming the first Indian American to be appointed to a sub-cabinet level position in the state administration. Democratic Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley appointed Natarajan as his deputy secretary of state for policy and external affairs, which is the highest administrative office held by any Indian American far in Maryland's history.

Ranju Batra sworn in as AIA-New York president

Ranju Batra sworn in as AIA-New York president

Rediff.com   2 Aug 2011

Community activist Ranju Batra was sworn in as president, Association of Indians in America, New York Chapter, at an event held at the Indian consulate.

Musharraf insists he did not know about Osama

Musharraf insists he did not know about Osama

Rediff.com   22 Jul 2011

Asked by Wilson Center president Jane Harmon, a former nine-term US lawmaker, if he bore any responsibility for the negligence or the complicity when bin Laden moved to Abbottabad since "most people believe the residence was built and constructed" during his presidency, Musharraf said, "Whether one believes it or not, let me say with confidence, I did not know."

2 Americans held for being 'ISI agents'

2 Americans held for being 'ISI agents'

Rediff.com   20 Jul 2011

The complaint alleges that the defendants have conspired to: 1) act as an agent of a foreign principal without registering with the Attorney General in violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA); and 2) falsify, conceal, and cover up material facts they had a duty to disclose in matters within the jurisdiction of Executive Branch agencies of the US government.

'Indian American community indispensable for ties'

'Indian American community indispensable for ties'

Rediff.com   18 Jul 2011

The Obama administration has declared that the Indian American community has always been and will continue to be indispensable to the United States-India Strategic Dialogue. Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake, who will be by Secretary Hillary Clinton's side as she co-chairs the talks with External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, explained how integral the Indian American community has been to this dialogue.

Exclusive! Robert Blake on Clinton's India visit

Exclusive! Robert Blake on Clinton's India visit

Rediff.com   18 Jul 2011

The Obama administration's point man for South Asia, United States Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake, tells rediff.com/India Abroad's Aziz Haniffa in this exclusive interview that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who co-chairs the second US-India Strategic Dialogue with External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Tuesday

Indian Americans hail Rao's appointment as envoy

Indian Americans hail Rao's appointment as envoy

Rediff.com   17 Jul 2011

There has been overwhelming elation from across United States from Indian American community leaders and activists over the decision by the government of India to appoint Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao as the new Indian Ambassador to the US, to succeed Meera Shankar whose term ends on July 31 after which she is expected to go into retirement from the Indian Foreign Service.

In Chennai, mum's the word for Hillary on Lanka

In Chennai, mum's the word for Hillary on Lanka

Rediff.com   13 Jul 2011

Senior diplomatic sources, while conceding that there have been regular discussions of the Sri Lanka situation between Delhi and Washington, and that both countries were on the same page in terms of its policy regarding the repatriation of Tamil refugees and that the rights of the Tamil minority needs to be respected, reiterated that this issue would not figure in the discussion Clinton has while in Chennai

'Iran issue may be a train wreck for Indo-US ties'

'Iran issue may be a train wreck for Indo-US ties'

Rediff.com   23 Jun 2011

Richard Fontaine, director of the Task Force convened by the Centre for New American Security, fears that India's abstentions of key votes at the United Nations Security Council and a divide on the issue of Iran when it does come up may dissipate Washington's enthusiasm to push for India's bid for a permanent seat.

2 key Indian American physicians quit Obama's team

2 key Indian American physicians quit Obama's team

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2011

Two key Indian American physicians from the Obama administration, who worked on implementing healthcare reforms, are stepping down from their posts to return to clinical practice. Dr Sachin H Jain, 30, and Amol S Navathe, 32, worked for the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Kerala-born doctor heads Florida medical board

Kerala-born doctor heads Florida medical board

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2011

Indian American Dr George Thomas, the erstwhile president of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, has been elected chairman of the Florida Board of Medicine, thus becoming the third Indian American physician to head this influential organisation in the American state.

Indian American doctor wins top Filipino honour

Indian American doctor wins top Filipino honour

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2011

Considered the pioneer of echocardiography in the world, Nanda explained that "Maharlika in the Filipino idiom connotes nobility or royalty -- as someone who has become the respected leader of a clan or tribe reverentially referred to as the Datu or Sultan."

Pratima Dharm is Pentagon's first Hindu chaplain

Pratima Dharm is Pentagon's first Hindu chaplain

Rediff.com   3 Jun 2011

Although neither the US Army nor the US department of defense has officially made public her appointment, Stars and Stripes, a Washington, DC-based newspaper that reports exclusively on the Pentagon, said the appointment was a done deal and that Hindu service-members would now have their own chaplain

US 'not trying to hold global power China down'

US 'not trying to hold global power China down'

Rediff.com   3 Jun 2011

The United States on Thursday said that it is not trying to 'hold China down,' despite crucial differences over issues like supplying arms to Taiwan and was trying to 'manage' differences with the 'global power.'

Why are we ignoring ISI-LeT nexus: US Senator

Why are we ignoring ISI-LeT nexus: US Senator

Rediff.com   27 May 2011

Speaking at a hearing of the Foreign Relations Committee, Maryland Democrat Ben Cardin, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said: "There are mixed signals here that are very, very troubling and that the United States needs to be able to have alternatives for carrying out its foreign policy in that region."

Pakistan would never abandon Lashkar: US Expert

Pakistan would never abandon Lashkar: US Expert

Rediff.com   27 May 2011

Christine Fair, an expert on Pakistan-based Jihadi groups, has predicted that even if there is an India-Pakistan rapprochement and a resolution of the Kashmir imbroglio, it will not result in Pakistan reining in these strategic assets that are invaluable to it to wage it proxy wars against India.

Indian diplomat's daughter to sue NYC, school

Indian diplomat's daughter to sue NYC, school

Rediff.com   25 May 2011

An Indian diplomat's daughter is suing the New York City government for $1.5 million for what she alleges is a wrongful arrest on the suspicion of sending threatening e-mails to teachers at her school in Queens, a New York borough.

Indian girl jailed in US for 'mistaken identity'

Indian girl jailed in US for 'mistaken identity'

Rediff.com   22 May 2011

In a case of mistaken identity, the daughter of an Indian diplomat in New York was arrested, handcuffed and put in to jail. Later the school suspended her and she had to be out of school for more than a month. When the real culprit was found, he was not criminally charged, in a show of clear cut favoritism.

Not interested in 2012 VP post: Nikki Haley

Not interested in 2012 VP post: Nikki Haley

Rediff.com   16 May 2011

The Indian American Republican Governor of South Carolina Nimrata 'Nikki' Randhawa Haley has said that she's not interested in being the vice presidential candidate of the Republican presidential nominee in 2012.

Clamour builds up in US Congress to cut Pak aid

Clamour builds up in US Congress to cut Pak aid

Rediff.com   4 May 2011

Soon after Central Intelligence Agency Director Leon Panetta provided a classified briefing to the House leadership in the US Congress on the covert mission inside Pakistan that killed Al Qaeda head Osama bin Laden, he was peppered with a volley of questions. He was quizzed about Pakistani duplicity, particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence's perfidy about how it could have not known about bin Laden living right under their nose in Abbottabad.