Swati Varshey has a PhD in materials science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has made over 1,200 jumps with a speciality in vertical freefall, according to Space.com.
In Search of Dharma in the Indian Diaspora
We have become an aggressive and divisive society which is becoming intolerant of others' ideas and points of view. For a pluralistic society like India, all the people who live there are important and we need to work together to take the country forward and to great heights. Unless we change our present thinking, we have the danger of becoming an extremist state
Beyond the Remittance: How Bangladesh's Overseas Workers Are Reshaping Post-Uprising Politics
For decades, Bangladeshi governments referred to their overseas workers as remittance warriors—a formulation that was generous in one respect and quietly limiting in another. It honored their economic contribution while bracketing their political identity. The July Uprising may have ended that bracketing for good. What is now taking shape, imperfectly and without clear resolution, is a constituency that earns its living abroad but has not surrendered its stake in what Bangladesh becomes.
US Immigration Policy Change Could Adversely Affect Indians, South Asians Seeking Employment-Based Green Cards
The policy could have particularly significant consequences for employment-based Green Card applicants, many of whom have traditionally relied on adjustment of status (AOS) while continuing to live and work legally in the U.S. There is a large number of Indian immigrants who stand to face significant disruption and delay because of this policy shift.
Stricter H-1B visa rules, OPT Termination Will Make US Less Attractive for Indian and South Asian Students
It is not just Indian professionals, but this bill could result in a further drop in Indian students - the largest foreign student cohort in the US - showing interest in higher studies in the US. It is not just the H-1B visa by itself, but the proposal for ending the OPT which prospective students would be paying attention to. OPT helps students in drawing employment, gaining experience and potentially transferring to H-1B Visa status. In 2024-2025, over 140,000 Indian students were participating in the OPT program.
More on South Asia Diaspora and Global Indians
Two Indian Americans star - and clash - in Republican presidential debate
The only time India figured in the two-hour debate was when Haley rebutted Ramaswamy’s claim that climate change was a “hoax”, but said that to protect the environment “we need to start telling China and India that they have to lower their emissions” (even though an Indian’s greenhouse gas emissions are about an eighth of an American’s). Without mentioning his parent’s motherland, Ramaswamy said, “My parents came to this country with no money 40 years ago”.
Pakistan-owned hotel becomes the unlikely hub of New York migrant crisis
Some of the migrants are housed in the nearly century-old Roosevelt Hotel, a city landmark owned by Pakistan International Airlines, while others are sent to other hotels or venues.
India tells Pakistan, designated a "Hunger Hotspot", to resolve its domestic problems first
Pakistan brings up Kashmir when speaking on any topic regardless of the relevance even though it ends up as a cry in the wilderness as hardly anyone pays heed. Khan acknowledged it saying that it has been “virtually abandoned by an indifferent international community”.
G20 Diaspora Forum in New Delhi to celebrate India's G20 presidency
The three-day event from August 22-24 at the Taj Mahal Hotel will convene influential Indian diaspora voices from around the world to deliberate on critical issues encompassing foreign policy, financial inclusion, climate change, gender equality, healthcare, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, sports, and trade and investments, and beyond.
Indian-American Geeta Rao Gupta leading US delegation to G-20 women’s meet in India
With a Ph.D. in psychology from Bangalore University, she was the president of the Washington-based International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) for more than a decade.
The gift syndrome: What goes into a homeward-bound NRI’s suitcase?
Can a gift make up for a steadying presence at a doctor’s appointment? Can a ‘present’ make up for not being present? My parents have never once asked for anything
Bangladeshi-origin student's death: South Asian diaspora seeks justice and protection from racist policing
The relationship between South Asians and policing reflects both the racist structure of US policing and internal differences among South Asians in their experiences with policing. South Asians in the US are stratified by caste, class, religion, language, nationality, ethnicity, and documentation status.
Bangladeshi peacekeepers have played a stellar role in Mali's MINUSMA mission
A total of 139 people of the Bangladesh Armed Forces have sacrificed their lives and 242 people have been injured in maintaining world peace. Their self-sacrifice has brought Bangladesh acceptance as the leading peacekeeping country in the world.
International conference on Bangladesh seeks long-awaited UN recognition of 1971 genocide
The conference, presided over by Member of the European Parliament, Mel Fulvio Martusciello, brought together 65 participants, including speakers from various fields, all united in their commitment to seeking recognition for the victims of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide.
Reservations followed Indian immigrants to US; Will Supreme Court judgement now give them reprieve?
The overrepresentation of Asians in coveted educational and employment opportunities has drawn the ire of social justice groups and activists, although they avoid directly speaking of them and often make it appear directed against Whites.
US Supreme Court affirmative action ruling may help South Asians
Three Indian, two Pakistani and two Hindu organisations had joined other Asian groups in filing a brief supporting the Students for Fair Admissions (SAFA) case against Harvard.
Modi in US meets parade of intellectuals, investors, health experts, scientists, musician
When Modi came to the Lotte Palace Hotel in midtown Manhattan, he flouted security to greet supporters deliriously chanting his name and dancing, while worried Secret Service agents and security personnel tried to put him in a tight physical cordon.
Indiaspora welcomes Modi’s historic state visit to the US
To further bolster the two countries’ relationship and to engage the global diaspora in envisioning India after 100 years of its independence, Indiaspora will be hosting a G20 Summit in New Delhi in August of 2023. This summit will bring together Indian-origin leaders from around the world to discuss geopolitics, trade and commerce, entrepreneurship and innovation, healthcare, philanthropy, education, arts and culture, and sports.
New York to make Diwali school holiday in city
“As the first Hindu-American and South Asian-American woman elected to state office in New York, I take special pride in advocating for new American communities, including those that celebrate Diwali,” Rajkumar
