Americas

India-West Staff Reporter NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) has sharply criticized Rutgers University for hosting a panel titled ‘Hindutva in America: A Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism,’ calling the discussion one-sided and dismissive

India-West Staff Reporter WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, alongside House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia, has initiated a formal inquiry into the Trump administration’s use of private messaging platforms for government business. On October 29, they sent records preservation requests to the CEO of Truth Social and officials at X. The

KUALA LUMPUR -Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on October 31 met US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur, where the two leaders signed a 10-year ‘Framework for the US-India Major Defense Partnership.’ The bilateral engagement was held on the sidelines of the 12th

India-West Staff Reporter SAN FRANCISCO, CA — More than 170 leaders in US-India philanthropy gathered on October 28 for the Philanthropy Summit organized by Indiaspora and the India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA), celebrating the rapid rise of Indian American giving and setting

India-West Staff Reporter BROOKLYN, NY – Etsy, Inc. which operates online marketplaces connecting millions of buyers and sellers globally, on October 29 named current President and Chief Growth Officer Kruti Patel Goyal as its next Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1,

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Vice President JD Vance said he hopes his wife, Usha Vance, who was raised in a Hindu household in Southern California, will one day embrace Christianity — while emphasizing mutual respect and free will in their interfaith marriage. Speaking

CHICAGO, IL  — A massive new building was opened in Hyderabad on October 29, as McDonald’s officially inaugurated its largest overseas facility, a sprawling Global Capability Centre in Hitec City. Spanning 1.56 lakh square feet, the state-of-the-art center is now the single

Photo:maritimeoptima.com India-West News Desk NEW DELHI — A Russian oil tanker bound for India has abruptly reversed course in the Baltic Sea, underscoring the widening disruption to Moscow’s crude exports after fresh sanctions by the Trump administration on energy giants Rosneft and

Photos: Subhadra Photographay By BHARTTI KUMAR IRVINE, CA - The 11th annual Diwali Fest at the Great Park amphitheater on October 5 drew, by some estimates, nearly 8,000 attendees for a day-long celebration of art, tradition, and community. What began in 2014 as

EDISON, NJ – Community members gathered at Papaianni Park here, to celebrate Chhath Mahaparv with devotion and reverence, honoring the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya through traditional rituals and offerings. Organized by the Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America (BJANA), the annual celebration brought together

India-West Staff Reporter NORWALK, CA - Gujaratis of North America (GONA), in collaboration with Love Sports, hosted a ‘Gujarati Unity’ Festival Diwali celebration on October 26 at the Sanatan Dharma Temple, bringing together the vibrant Gujarati community for an evening of

File Photo: YouTube India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC — Harmeet Dhillon, the Sikh lawyer who serves as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, has spoken out in defense of Sikh and Indian-origin truck drivers after a

NEW YORK- A group of members of US Congress has expressed concern that an event at a university here could "fuel further prejudice" against Hindus at a time when Hindu temples have been targets of violence. In a letter addressed to

NEW YORK, NY – Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of the worldwide BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, was honored with the distinguished Achievement in Building Better Communities award at the Forum on Faith 2025 in New York City. A statement from the spiritual

KUALA LUMPUR- Ministry of External Affairs' Secretary P Kumaran met US Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, S Paul Kapur, in Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur on October 27 as both sides exchanged views on India-US relations. The meeting between Kumaran and Kapur

IVINS, UT- Sahith Theegala, who shot 68-67 on the first two days, was unable to maintain his momentum, carding a one-under 70 in the third round of the Bank of Utah Championship and slid down the standings. Competing at the scenic Black Desert Resort Golf

India-West Staff Reporter ELK GROVE, CA — The City of Elk Grove came alive with light and celebration on October 13, as hundreds gathered at District 56 for the 6th annual Diwali Festival. Hosted by USA Sanatan in partnership with the

PICTURE CREDIT Sonia Raman X Account India-West News Desk SEATTLE, WA — Sonia Raman, assistant coach for the New York Liberty, has agreed to a multiyear deal to lead the Seattle Storm, ESPN reported — marking a historic moment as she becomes

Photo: Andria Xu (Left), Nandika Nambiar (Right) India-West Staff Reporter SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Raju Agarwal’s first visit to a school in Rajasthan’s Thar Desert left a lasting impression. He saw students struggling to speak English and realized that access to quality

India-West Staff Reporter DALLAS, TX - In a suburban Texas food bank, volunteers of all ages move quickly along long tables, packing boxes of rice, beans, and fresh produce. Among them are members of the Indian American community, united under the

India-West News Desk MORRISVILLE, NC — The Morrisville Police Department said illegal fireworks set off at Church Street Park following Diwali on October 21 damaged the park’s cricket field and left a significant amount of litter, creating safety risks for visitors

India-West News Desk BALTIMORE, MD - T. Rowe Price Group has announced the re-election of Richard Verma as an independent director on its Board of Directors. Verma, a seasoned diplomat and corporate executive, previously served on the board from 2018 to 2023

India-West Staff Reporter SUNY Old Westbury Assistant Professor Renu Balyan has been named to the State University of New York’s inaugural class of AI for the Public Good Fellows, recognizing her extensive research in deep learning and computational tools alongside 19

MUMBAI — India’s Federal Bank announced on October 24 that its Board of Directors has approved the sale of a significant 9.99 per cent stake to an affiliate of US-based private equity giant Blackstone. The deal, valued at $705 million,

India-West News Desk MUMBAI – Reliance Industries, India’s largest private refiner, has sharply increased its crude oil purchases from the Middle East as global sanctions tighten around Russian energy exports and Western political pressure mounts. The company has reportedly bought at

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Indian-American security expert Paul Kapur was officially sworn in as the Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, marking a key appointment of the Trump administration for the region. The State Department Bureau of South

PICTURE CREDIT- DALITDIVA.COM India-West News Desk SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The Tamil Nadu government announced on October 22 that the 2025 Vaikom Award will be conferred on California-based activist and author Thenmozhi Soundararajan. The award, which carries a cash prize of ₹5 lakh,

PICTURE CREDIT-Brotman Baty Institute India-West Staff Reporter SEATTLE, WA - Dr. Jay A. Shendure, professor of genome sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of 100 new members

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Former diplomat Nicholas Burns said that the Quad grouping is a way to "cement our relationship" with India and keep the country "closely knit" with Washington on security affairs. Speaking at an event at the Atlantic Council on October 21, Burns, who is a former

India-West Staff Reporter ATLANTA, GA – Atlanta City Hall glowed with the lights of Diwali as Mayor Andre Dickens joined the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) for the third annual celebration of the festival of lights on October 20. The

India-West Staff Reporter SCHAUMBURG, IL — Palm Bay, Florida, City Council Member Chandler Langevin launched a racist tirade against Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, calling him a “foreign occupier” and mocking his Indian heritage after the Illinois Democrat condemned Langevin’s earlier remarks urging the

Photo: J'adore Andy India-West Staff Reporter NEW YORK, NY – More than 400 supporters gathered at HK Hall on October 16 for the 12th annual ‘Diwali on the Hudson,’ New York City’s long-running Diwali charity event hosted by The Desai Foundation. The evening

India-West Staff Reporter OCEANSIDE, CA – MiraCosta College recently honored retiring Superintendent and President Dr. Sunita “Sunny” Cooke at its annual Community Leaders Breakfast, celebrating her transformative 11-year tenure and the college’s “Built to Adapt” future. The event drew more than

By MANISHA KOSHY NEWPORT BEACH, CA - Energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster and Prime among others have long been a go-to solution for people chasing focus and vitality, but the caffeine highs and sugar crashes that follow have left

India-West Staff Reporter SCHAUMBURG, IL –Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ranking Member of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services, has urged Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to halt plans expanding eligibility for “catastrophic”

Photo: Wikipedia India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC - The White House on October 22 was forced to withdraw Paul Ingrassia’s nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel after several Republican senators announced they would not support him, citing his history of

India-West Staff Reporter LOS ANGELES, CA -  Los Angeles City Hall hosted an event for members of the Indian diaspora and the Consulate General of India on Diwali. The celebration featured the lighting of traditional lamps, music and dance performances, and the

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC – The official White House twitter handle did not mention it. Then, it reposted Kash Patel, the administration’s FBI Director’s post which had a video and read, “Happy Diwali from the Oval with @POTUS” and alluded

Photo: Screenshot White House Feed WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. President Donald Trump hosted a Diwali celebration at the White House, attended by a small group of about two dozen guests, including senior officials, diplomats, and business leaders from the Indian American community. Seated at his

India-West Staff Reporter BOSTON, MA -  The India Society of Worcester (ISW), one of New England’s largest community organizations, brought Diwali festivities to the heart of Boston with a grand celebration at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The vibrant event drew hundreds of

PICTURE CREDIT-India in USA (Consulate General of India, Houston) Facebook India-West Staff Reporter HOUSTON, TX — The Consulate General of India and the City of Houston marked Diwali 2025 with a celebration at City Hall, bringing together elected officials, members of the Consular Corps, and the

India-West Staff Reporter MILPITAS, CA – The Bay Area Telugu Association (BATA) celebrated the festival of lights, Deepavali, with community spirit. The celebration brought together hundreds of Telugu families from across the Bay Area for an evening of cultural performances, music,

Photo: Youth were recognized at the gala for embodying the spirit of compassion. By Komal Agrawal LONG BEACH, CA — The ballroom of the Hyatt Regency in Long Beach shimmered with purpose as more than 250 guests gathered for the Akshaya Patra

Photo: P. Taufiq Photography India-West Staff Reporter LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – Over 500 dancers from around the world came together at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom for the third annual Diwali Dance Fest, produced by Jashn Productions and led by Jeanie Beri. For the first time,

India-West News Desk SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Global technology leaders, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, extended their Diwali greetings on October 20. Tim Cook shared a “stunning” Diwali photo captured by Mumbai-based photographer Apeksha Maker, noting that

NEW YORK, NY - A stretch of a road in New York has been renamed Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Marg honoring the ninth Sikh guru’s legacy. Councilwoman Lynn Schulman, who moved the city resolution for the reaming said it recognizes “the 9th Sikh Guru’s legacy of sacrifice,

WASHINGTON, DC - US President Donald Trump extended his greetings on the occasion of Diwali, calling it a "timeless reminder of light’s victory over darkness". In a presidential message, Trump wrote: “Today, I send my best wishes to every American celebrating Diwali

India-West Staff Reporter HARTFORD, CT - Congressman Jim Himes (D-CT) fully supported the concerns of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) regarding the Trump Administration's $100,000 H-1B visa fee increase, warning that the policy risked a significant loss of talent for the

By Fatema Baldliwala ENCINO, CA — The spirit of Diwali shone brightly at the Encino Community Center this year, as the Valley Indian Senior Association (VISA) brought together generations of Indian Americans to celebrate the Festival of Lights with warmth, gratitude,

By India-West Staff Reporter SACRAMENTO, CA – Setting a national precedent, California will sell its own state-branded insulin, making life-saving diabetes medication affordable for millions. Governor Gavin Newsom announced that starting January 1, 2026, CalRx biosimilar insulin glargine pens will be