Community

India-West Staff Reporter NEWPORT BEACH, CA – The Bihar Jharkhand Bandhu Association (BJBA) hosted the Chhath Puja Mahaparv on October 27 and 28, transforming the tranquil waters of the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort into a site of spiritual devotion. Devotees from

India-West News Desk AUSTIN, TX - A 23-year-old student from Andhra Pradesh, Rajyalakshmi (Raji) Yarlagadda, who had recently graduated from Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, was found dead in her sleep on November 7. Her sudden passing has left her family and

India-West Staff Reporter  ARTESIA, CA- To observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the South Asian Network (SAN) organized a march here, along the city’s Pioneer Boulevard. The demonstration gathered survivors, families, youth, and leaders to "make awaz" and break the silence surrounding domestic violence. Dozens of marchers, clad

India-West Staff Reporter BUENA PARK, CA - Kusumben Hark Vasa, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, and friend, passed away peacefully on October 29. She lived a life full of love, laughter, and joy, leaving behind a legacy of kindness and dedication,

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 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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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 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,

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,

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,

India-West Staff Reporter PHILADELPHIA, PA — The American Association of Veterinarians of Indian Origin (AAVIO) hosted its Northeast Chapter meeting on October 12, bringing together veterinary professionals to explore emerging market trends, innovations, and best practices in the field. Kim Hutchinson of

India-West Staff Reporter DANVILLE, CA – As October marks Cybersecurity Awareness Month, 17-year-old Vaishnav Anand, a student at The Athenian School, is working to  turning awareness into action through pioneering research in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. On October 11, he presented his

File Photo USA Cricket India-West Staff Reporter USA Cricket has blamed years of “commercial overreach” by its former partner, American Cricket Enterprises (ACE), for the current crisis that has pushed the governing body to the brink of bankruptcy and internal division. Calling the

India-West Staff Reporter PLEASANTON, CA — The Bay Area shimmered with light, devotion, and cultural pride as Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka 2025 transformed the Alameda County Fairgrounds into a dazzling celebration of Indian heritage on October 11. Drawing an estimated crowd of

Photo: Jatin Patel, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Jan Kulmann, Mayor India-West Staff Reporter THORNTON, CO — West Indian cricket legend and ICC Hall of Famer Shivnarine Chanderpaul officially opened a new cricket pitch and ground at the Thornton Sports Complex on October 4. The

India-West Staff Reporter NEW YORK, NY — Times Square came alive with the colors, rhythms, and spirit of India as thousands gathered on October 2 for the Durga Utsav Celebration, organized by the Times Square Durga Utsav Association. The vibrant event

Photo: LinkedIn India-West News Desk DALLAS, TX - Daniel Keene, the 30-year-old owner of Boundaries Coffee, in the Dallas suburbs, is at the center of controversy after his remarks on immigration and H-1B visas sparked outrage online — and, he says, cost

India-West Staff Reporter FREMONT, CA —Community members gathered on October 8, here, for the Annual Candlelight Vigil to honor victims and survivors of domestic violence and to raise awareness about prevention and healing during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The event was co-organized

India-West Staff Reporter LOS ANGELES, CA - Supervisor Janice Hahn has once again led the effort to bring Diwali celebrations to Los Angeles County. The Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved her motion to officially recognize Diwali, the Festival of Lights,

India-West Staff Reporter UNIVERSAL CITY, CA – Caring Hand for Children hosted its 19th Annual Fundraising Gala on October 4 at the Hilton Los Angeles here, bringing together more than 325 guests for an inspiring evening of compassion, entertainment, and community

Photo: UNM News India-West News Desk ALBUQUERQUE, NM — The University of New Mexico School of Engineering has appointed Pavithra Prabhakar as the inaugural Cleve Moler and MathWorks Endowed Chair in Mathematical and Engineering Software. Prabhakar, a distinguished researcher and academic, will

 By Sabrina Chugh NEW YORK,  NY — At the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual meeting this week, Chelsea Clinton sat down with Deepak Bhargava, president of the Freedom Together Foundation, for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of civic engagement in the United

WASHINGTON, DC — The Indian Embassy joined the ISKCON Temple in Maryland in celebrating Dussehra, in an event that also saw the participation of Maryland Lt. Governor Aruna Miller and several state officials. The celebration, marked by devotional performances and cultural

By Francesca Echavarria CERRITOS, CA — Chugh, LLP hosted a moving celebration on October 2 at its office here, honoring the 156th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. This year’s observance carried special significance, coinciding with the community’s celebration of the newly

SEATTLE, WA - -Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, has appreciated India as a global leader in innovation, noting that its pioneering solutions have the potential to benefit millions of lives across the Global South. Addressing an event organized by the Indian

India-West Staff Reporter EAST STROUDSBURG, PA – Shrimad Rajchandra Spiritual Center, USA hosted the Festival of Bliss, a three-day celebration marking the 60th birth anniversary of its founder, Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji. The event held September 26–28, at the center’s campus here,

India-West Staff Reporter GARDEN GROVE, CA – SAHARA (South Asian Helpline and Referral Agency) held its annual fundraising gala on September 20 at the Delta Hotels by Marriott, here, bringing together 240 supporters for an evening of celebration, remembrance, and inspiration. The

By BHARTTI KUMAR SARATOGA, CA – Neha Sharan’s love for chess began at a summer camp at the University of Texas at Dallas, where a casual introduction quickly turned into a lasting passion. Today, Sharan leads Girls4Chess.org, an organization dedicated to

Photo (Left to RIght): Shreya Murthy, Shantanu Agarwal., Neil Vora (Source Time Next) India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY - TIME magazine has named three Indian Americans to its 2025 TIME100 Next list, recognizing emerging global leaders shaping the future across business,

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC – The India Philanthropy Alliance has opened registration for the fourth annual India Giving Day, set for March 13, 2026. Nonprofits focused on India must apply by October 31 to participate. Launched in 2023, India Giving Day

India-West Staff Reporter MONROE TOWNSHIP, NJ - The Indo-American Cultural Foundation of Central Jersey (IACFNJ) hosted its Grand Navratri Garba celebration on September 20 and 27 at Monroe Township High School, here. The two-day event drew a large, diverse crowd from across