——–FIIDS 2018 Report———

Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies
(http://FIIDS-usa.org)
(501 C 3 Tax Exempt)
2018 Report and Donation Appeal
For Info Contact : khanderao@fiids-usa.org

Hello and Namaste,

We would like to report a summary of the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) activities in 2018. In this impactful year, FIIDS focused on international relations and issues, representing India’s and Indians’ interest, human rights, connecting with Indian diaspora, engaging policy experts, government officials, and elected officials. In addition to activities similar to 2018, in 2019 FIIDS would like to formalize policy engagement group, Indo American political awareness group, an internship program, a newsletter, and publications.

Please financially support FIIDS activities by donating online at http://fiids-usa.org/donate/ or by mailing a check payable to FIIDS to FIIDS, 22395 Dolomite Hills Drive, Ashburn, VA 20148

Summary of 2018:

Glimpses of FIIDS events in Silicon Valley and DC: Speakers Alok Bansal, Ms. Shakti Munshi

1. Meeting of India and US experts on Af Pak Region: As a part of FIIDS organized US tour of Capt. Alok Bansal (Director India Foundation) and Shakti Munshi (Jammu Kashmir Study Center), FIIDS hosted a lunch meeting with Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad ( US diplomat and the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation at the Department of State), Dr. Stephen Tankel (American University and the Center for New American Security), and Ambassador. Pradeep Kapur (University of Maryland).

2. Pakistan Watch and Kashmir Issue: Multi-City Awareness Campaign on Faultlines in Pakistan and the Plight of Kashmiri Hindus: FIIDS hosted talks of Captain Alok Bansal (India Foundation) and Ms. Shakti Munshi (Jammu Kashmir Study Center, New Delhi) at George Mason University (Virginia) and Maryland University (Maryland), Milpitas(Silicon Valley), Atlanta and New Jersey. Apart from the talks, the delegation also met Kashmiri Hindus and community leaders in various places.

Khanderao, Amb. Viren Gupta and Hon. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (speaking)

3. Indo US Relations:
On 1st June 2018, FIIDS Silicon Valley center hosted a dialog of Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and Ambassador Viren Gupta (currently President of Antar Rashtriya Sahayog Parishad, New Delhi) on India US Relations and its role on International Stage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEiLEVOABvY

In Sept 2018, FIIDS led a delegation from India in two seminars organized by Prof. Walter Andersen (John Hopkins University), ‘Major issues facing the Indian economy’ and ‘India’s ties with the US, Pakistan, and China’. Dr. Richard Rosso, Prof. Pravin Krishna, Dr. Ashley Tellis, Ambassador Teresita Schaffer, Dr. Stefan Tetzlaff, Dr. Joshua White (India Pak expert).

Prof. Vijay Kaul explaining BRI’s economic perils for countries like Sri Lanka and Pakistan

4. China Watch: on Oct 14th, FIIDS Silicon Valley Center hosted a talk of Prof. Vijay Kaul’s, Delhi University, on Economic and Strategic Impact of China’s Belt Road Initiative.

Shri Datta Hosabale (speaking) at Washington DC

5. Nation, Culture, and Globalization: On Sept 11th, 2018, FIIDS hosted a talk by Shri Dattaji Hosbale, RSS Joint-General Secretary, at Capitol Hill (Washington DC) on Role of Nation and Culture in Globalized World.

Press Report

Watch Video on youtube

6. India’s Internal Issues: Exposing Backbone behind India;’s Naxal: On 1st July 2018, FIIDS hosted a talk on Urban Naxals by Vivek Agnihotri in Silicon Valley. This was just a two months before a conspiracy of Urban Naxal’s was exposed in an investigation of a riot in Pune, India

DCG of India Rohit Rathish , Mr. Raju Reddy and DCG of Israel Ms. Ravit Baer

7. India Israel Friendship Initiative: On the occasion of Centennial Commemoration of Haifa (Israel) battle (1918) won by the valor of Indian soldiers, FIIDS hosted a dialogue on India and Israel Relations. In this dialogue, Deputy Consul General of Israel Ms. Ravit Baer, Deputy Consul General of India Mr. Rohit Rathish, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Raju Reddy and Fremont Vice Mayor Raj Salwan addressed various areas of progress and opportunities of India Israel relations. Please read more details at http://www.fiids-usa.org/report-silicon-valley-dialogue-on-india-israel-relations/

8. India’s Values, Integrity, and Continuity: On 14th Feb 2018, FIIDS hosted a talk by a famous Indian author Amish Tripathi on India’s historic role, with Values, Integrity, and Continuity.Indo Afghan Friendship Initiatives.

FIIDS team with Congresswoman Barbara Comstock and Amb. Navtej Sarna – CGI Ashok Venkatesh

9. High Tech Immigration Policies in US: FIIDS team represented interests of high tech immigrants to US government, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (India Center for Migration), and US lawmakers (Congresswoman Barbara Comstock, Congressman Ro Khanna, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi). FIIDS created an awareness on the impacts of changes in H1B policies, country-wise quota in Greencard and H4 policies.

Additional Activities in 2019: In addition to the above initiatives, FIIDS plans to have following initiatives in 2019:
1. Connecting Indo American’s Leaders and Activists
2. Internship program and conference of Indo American Youths
3. Conference on Counter-Terrorism
4. Policy Engagement Group and conducting surveys