Prakash Shah Elected GOPIO President As New Leadership Team Sworn In

India-West Staff Reporter 

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) held its election last month, with the new leadership team sworn in on January 31 during a virtual Zoom ceremony. Veteran community leader Prakash Shah of New Jersey was elected president. A longtime GOPIO member, Shah was a Founder Life Member when the organization was established in 1989 and previously served as Chairman of the New Jersey Development Authority.

Joining him in leadership roles are Umesh Chandra, a media and community leader from Brisbane, Australia, as Executive Vice President; Kewal Kanda, a Los Angeles-area community leader, as Vice President; and Jasbir “Nami” Kaur, a former IBM official and New York-based social activist, as Global Ambassador. Also elected were International Coordinators Ishwar Ramlatchman for Africa and Dhiraj Ahuja for South Asia.

Given the international presence of GOPIO’s officers, the oath ceremony was conducted virtually and began with a universal prayer. GOPIO International Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham welcomed participants from across the globe and provided a brief history of the organization’s founding and achievements over the past 36 years.

Outgoing President Lal Motwani reflected on the initiatives undertaken during his tenure and expressed gratitude to his team. Dr. Abraham then administered the Oath of Office to the newly elected officials.

Following the ceremony, the new leadership team outlined their plans for GOPIO, while several GOPIO chapter presidents and community leaders shared congratulatory remarks.