Indo American News

Category: US South Asian

  • Swati Dandekar Mulls Run for Congress in Iowa, Says Report

    Swati Dandekar Mulls Run for Congress in Iowa, Says Report

    Swathi dandekar
    Swathi dandekar

    Former Indian American Iowa state House and Senate member Swati Dandekar is mulling a run for the U.S. Congress, according to a report by the Gazette in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

    A Web site at http://swatidandekarforiowa.com) — which is not authorized by Dandekar — is the latest hint she could join the race for an open U.S. House seat in Iowa’s 1st District.
    “Is coming soon” is the only statement on the Web site. Dandekar could not be reached for comment, the Gazette said.
    Charlie Kress of Marion, Iowa, a friend and treasurer of her state legislature campaigns, told the newspaper, “She hasn’t decided, but a lot of people are pushing on it.”
    Kress predicted those encouraging Dandekar to seek the Democratic nomination would form an exploratory committee.
    Former Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge confirmed there’s interest in seeing her run. “She’s certainly proven in the past to be a good campaigner and a better fundraiser than many,” Judge said. “She has the capacity to put a campaign together and it would be great to have her in the race.”
    The 1st District seat is open because Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Waterloo, Iowa, is running for the U.S. Senate seat that will open up with the retirement of Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin.
    State Rep. Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, Iowa, is the only Democrat who has announced for Congress, but other candidates are expected to announce soon, observers said. Republicans in the race include businessmen Steve Rathje of Cedar Rapids and Rod Blum of Dubuque.
    Dandekar, 62, served in the Iowa House from 2002-08, when she was elected to the Iowa Senate. She resigned in 2011 to accept Gov. Terry Branstad’s appointment to the Iowa Utilities Board. She and her husband, Arvind, president of Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Fastek International, have two children.
    Kress told the Gazette he believes Dandekar probably won’t announce her candidacy until late summer or fall.
    The 20-county 1st District runs from Marshalltown north to Minnesota and east to the Mississippi River. It includes Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Dubuque.

    Read more at http://www.indiawest.com

  • Ritankar Das Named 2013 Udall Scholar

    Ritankar Das Named 2013 Udall Scholar

    By Indiawest

    Ritankar Das
    Ritankar Das

    The Udall Foundation recently announced that Ritankar Das, an Indian American student at the University of California at Berkeley, was among the 50 students from 43 colleges and universities who have been selected as 2013 Udall Scholars.

    A 14-member independent review committee selected this year’s group of Udall Scholars on the basis of commitment to careers in the environment, Native American health care, or tribal public policy; leadership potential; academic achievement; and record of public service.

    The class of Udall Scholars was selected from 488 candidates nominated by 230 colleges and universities. Forty-two scholars intend to pursue careers related to the environment.

    Each scholarship provides up to $5,000 for the scholar’s junior or senior year.

    Read more at www.indiawest.com

  • SAHARA’s Valley Office Presents 1st Annual Spring Affair

    SAHARA’s Valley Office Presents 1st Annual Spring Affair

    SAHARA held its first Spring Valley Mixer event April 14. Read more at http://www.indiawest.com/news/10747-sahara-s-valley-office-presents-1st-annual-spring-affair.html#30l6ArhWMoIiaToY.99
    SAHARA held its first Spring Valley Mixer event April 14

    By India West

    STUDIO CITY, Calif., United States

    The South Asian Helpline and Referral Agency, a Southern California-based non-profit organization working to stop domestic violence in the South Asian community, hosted its first Spring Valley Mixer event April 14 at the CBS Studios here.

    The event focused on bringing together the South Asian community in the Valley area to raise awareness about the issue of domestic violence.
    The evening began with a brief introduction by board member Reshma Block about SAHARA, its inception, and events that brought to light the need for organizations to exist.
    She then introduced the SAHARA team, including president Rekha Bajaria and Dr. Seema Arora, a SAHARA board member who has been facilitating the Valley chapter for the past two years.
    Arora talked about SAHARA’s work and new developments that had occurred over the past year with their efforts to expand SAHARA’s reach to the Valley area. The Indian American activist also shed light on the uncertainty but also the strength of the survivors of domestic violence.
    Anjali Sood, a volunteer social worker at SAHARA, reminded the attendees that “domestic violence is not a private issue; it is a silent epidemic because people are embarrassed to talk about it.”
    The presentation was followed by a video of a DV survivor who shared her story in the hope that she could encourage survivors to speak out against domestic violence in order to help themselves and the women around them.

    Renu Chopra, the community outreach coordinator at the Valley chapter, encouraged people to join hands and challenged the attendees in supporting the critical work of engaging community members to end domestic violence.

    Read more at www.indiawest.com