Indo-American Community Federation

Indo-American Community Federation, (IACF-USA)
2024-03-29 17:30 - 22:00 UTC
Board of Directors:
Jeevan Zutshi, Dr. Ramesh Konda, Mr. Amit Goel, Mr. Shashi Sharma, Dr. Subhash Garg, Dr. Naresh Sharma, Dr. Harmesh Kumar, Mr. Rahul Zutshi, Mr. Sujoy Sarkar, Dr. Deepak Sachdev
IACF-USA was once again recognized and honored by the California State Senate in May, 2023 for promoting understanding and harmony amongst diverse communities for decades!
Friday, March 29, 2024 (5:30 PM to 10:00 PM)
30th Anniversary and Unity Dinner
Unity through Diversity: Breathing Life into Education
India Community Center, 525 Los Coches Street, Milpitas, CA.
Master of Ceremonies: Kathy Stahl Kimberlin
Honored Chief Guest: Ambassador of Peace Acharya Dr. Lokesh (visiting from India)
Keynote Speaker: Hon. Assemblymember Ash Kalra
Program:
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM: Social Hour
6:30 PM – 6:40 PM: National Anthem by Tanya Gupta
6:40 PM – 6:50 PM: 30 years of IACF-USA- presented by Dr. Subhash
Garg, IACF Director
6:50 PM – 7:00 PM: Brief presentation on Yoga by Shyla Zutshi
7:00 PM – 7:05 PM: IACF supports Sudha Society– YouTube message
7:05 PM – 8:00 PM: Panel Discussion
“Breathing Life into Education” Co-Convened by Art of Living
Introduction by Shyla Zutshi
Moderator: Anjali Shaykher Zutshi, National Security/ Intelligence Lawyer/Chief of Staff, National Nuclear Security Administration
Panelists:
Eileen McDonald, Alameda Board of Education Trustee
Vivek Prasad, Fremont School Board Member
Dr. Nilima Sabharwal, Founder, Home of Hope
Bill Herman, Founder and International Director, SKY Schools and Senior Faculty, Art of Living
Kasturi Basu, Principal at Lyndale Elementary School, Alum Rock Union School District.
8:00 PM – 8:05 PM: Honored Guest Speaker Alam Khydeeja
Executive Director, California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs (APIA)
California is proud to be home to over six million Asian and Pacific Islander Americans (APIA), the fastest growing ethnic population in the state.
The California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs (CAPIAA) was established in 2002 and is charged with elevating the political, economic, and social issues of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans (APIA), in the state.
The Commission advises the Governor and the Legislature on how to best respond to views, needs, and concerns of the state’s diverse and complex APIA communities. Additionally, the commission provides assistance to policymakers, state agencies, departments, and commissions to develop appropriate responses and programs that meet the needs of APIA communities, including focus on cultural language sensitivity, and hate incident and hate crime prevention measures.
8:05 PM – 8:45 PM: Dinner
8:15 PM – 8:20 PM: Hispanic Cultural Program – ballet Folklorico
8:20 PM – 8:30 PM: Presentation by Art of Living Foundation
8:30 PM – 8:40 PM: Indian dances by the Students of Aero Dance Academy by Ranjani Manda, Artistic Director
8:45 PM – 8:55 PM: Honored Chief Guest speaker Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni
(Introduction by Ajay Sehgal, IACF-USA India Liaison)
H.H. Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni Ji, Founder President “Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti” is a versatile thinker, writer, poet, and social reformer has been continuously making efforts for National character building, development of human values, and establishment of non-violence, peace, and cooperation in society for the last 39 years. He has, To, give practical shape to these values he founded “Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti” and thus made his field of activities spread throughout the world. With the establishment of Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti, he started a strong movement against social evils like the abortion of female children, drug addiction, Environmental Pollution, etc.
H.H. Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni is the recipient of many awards: including ‘The National Communal Harmony Award 2010’ by the Government of India ‘Ambassador of Peace’ at London Parliament. He has been honored by the United Peace Federation with the ‘Ambassador of Peace Award’ in 2014 at the United Nations Centre for his remarkable contributions towards World Peace & Communal Harmony. Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni has been honored with the Bharat Gaurav Award at U.N. Headquarters, U.S.A.
8:55 PM – 9:05 PM: Keynote Speaker Hon. Assemblymember Ash Kalra
Assemblymember Ash Kalra represents California’s 25th Assembly District, which encompasses the majority of San José, including downtown and open space areas in southeast Santa Clara County. He was first elected in 2016, becoming the first Indian American to serve in the California Legislature in state history, and was re-elected to his fourth term in 2022.
Assemblymember Kalra is the Chair of the Committee on Judiciary and also serves as a member on the Housing & Community Development, Local Government, and Natural Resources committees. He is Chair Emeritus of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus and works to ensure that key legislative priorities are successfully passed on civil rights, criminal justice, economic and worker justice, environmental justice, and housing justice, Previously, he served as Chair to the Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment.
9:05 PM – 9:15 PM: Address by Jeevan Zutshi, IACF Founder United we Stand – Community builders
Living the dream For All People ……Hon. Teresa Cox, Fremont City Councilmember
Introductions
Community Organizations:
Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA)
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, San Jose, CA, USA
Hindu American Foundation (HAF)
Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS)
Satish Chandra, A4H and Chief Advisory Committee for Santa Clara Police Department
South Asian Behavioral health and training foundation (Dr. Harmesh Kumar)
Home of Hope, Inc. (Dr. Nilima Sabharwal)
IbadatKhana Foundation (Tasawar Jalali)
Public Officials:
Congressman Ro Khanna represented by Tom Pyke
Attorney General of California represented by Tong Thao
State Senator (CA-15), Dave Cortese
Assemblymember (CA-25), Ash Kalra
Assemblymember Evan Low, District 26
Assemblymember (CA-24), Alex Lee
Mayor, City of Milpitas, Carmen Montano
Mayor, City of Newark, Michael K. Hannon
Newark Former Mayor Al Nagy
Fremont City Mayor Lily Mei
Mayor, City of Santa Clara, Lisa Gillmor
Councilmembers, City of Fremont, Dr. Raj Salwan, Teresa Keng, Teresa Cox
Alameda County Supervisor (CA-1), David Haubert
Alameda County Supervisor Lena Tam
Santa Clara County Supervisor (District 2) – Cindy Chavez
Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee (Area 2) Tara Sreekrishnan
San Jose Councilmember Arjun Batra
Patrick Ahrens, Governing body member of Foothill DeAnza Community College District
BART Director Liz Ames
9:15 PM – 9:25 PM: IACF Board Recognition including the Registration and Hospitality Committee
By Dr. Naresh Sharma, Member, Board of Directors
Closing Remarks by Amit Goel, President
9:25 PM – 11:30 PM: DJ Kish/Sing and Dance
Media Partners

Indica News
New India Abroad
India West
Radio Zindagi
FIJI Sun-USA
Sakshi TV / Ruchika Sharma
TV9
TV Asia

Thanks to all the Event Sponsors
Grand Sponsors:
Alameda County Supervisor Dave Haubert
Deepak Ganju, Managing Director, Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management
V.I P Table Sponsors:
Washington Hospital Healthcare System
Kishore Pallapothu, Entrepreneur
Dr. Raj Salwan, Fremont City Councilmember
Vin Kruttiventi, Congressional candidate
Pannu Dental Group
Dr. Harmesh Kumar, Psychologist
Ashok Bhat, Hotelier
Droisys, Inc., A Software Solutions Company
Ajay Sehgal, IACF- India Liaison
Gaurav Patwardhan, Community Leader
Deepak Sachdev dental offices
Videography & Photography Directed by Sujoy Sarkar
Event Decorations by CC DECORS (Krishna Priya)

Panel Discussion: Gender Equity And Modern Solutions
2023-07-23 11:30 - 14:00
JULY 23RD, SUNDAY
11:30 AM – 2PM
INDIA COMMUNITY CENTER
525 LOS COCHES STREET, MILPITAS, CA 95035
Opening remarks by Mr. Jeevan Zutshi, Founder, IACF-USA
Revant Kasichainula – Moderator
Sheryl Brinkley, MBA – Women’s Exec and Leadership Coach at ITM Coaching Next Level
Ruth Yong, Ph.D. – Executive Director at Palm Academy
Connie LaScola, MBA – Finance Professional at Codexis
Ramesh Konda, Ph.D. – Vice President at FloData
Dr. Harmesh Kumar, Ph.D. – world renowned clinical psychologist
FREE ENTRY. DONATIONS ARE APPRECIATED. LUNCH IS PROVIDED.
Mr. Jeevan Zutshi
Jeevan Zutshi has been deeply involved in Community Development projects internationally for decades.
It is not a coincidence that he was one of the first on the west coast to see the need to get involved in mainstream America and inspire other Indo-Americans through Indo-American Community Federation (IACF), a non-profit organization.
Consequently, he was honored by the California legislature in 2004 in a ceremony on Capitol Hill for being a pioneer in leading the Indo-American community towards assimilating in mainstream culture. Jeevan is the author of a non-fiction “Earth on Trial – Fighting the invisible and visible enemies” and “The Last Smile – A Fathers love story – A journey of hope” which are available on Amazon.
He is also the Executive Producer of the award-winning film, The Last Smile, an 87 minutes long independent film, based on his book and true events – presented by Amit Zutshi Foundation, highlighting the dangers of over-the-counter-supplements and the multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical industry involved in marketing these life-threatening products, and one that remains totally unregulated by the FDA. The film is available on Amazon Prime.
Dr. Harmesh Kumar
Dr. Harmesh Kumar, renowned bay area clinical psychologist with a world-level reputation, has enthusiastically added his name to the list of candidates running for California U.S. Senator presently held by retiring Senator Diane Feinstein. With three members of congress having previously declared their candidacy to the position, Dr. Kumar-a Democrat– is the first non-member of congress to declare his candidacy.
Sheryl Brinkley, MBA
She is the Founder and CEO of ITM Coaching Next Level, is an International Coaching Federation certified Executive Coach, and is a Certified Leadership Development Professional specializing in Mid-Level Career progression and acceleration.
She is passionate about working with emerging and Mid-Level Female leaders aspiring to continue up the platinum staircase and into Senior Leader and Executive level seats.
Sheryl’s decades of experience in Fortune 100, Public, Private, Tech, and Utility sectors have given her a wide and varied lens on leadership environments. She leverages her acumen in talent pipeline program strategy and delivery in her approach with working with clients and within organizations.
Sheryl is a proud Bay Area native and holds an MBA from Holy Names University, a certification from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business – Women’s Executive Leadership Program and holds a specialty certification in Emotional Intelligence EQ-i 2.0.
Ruth Yong, Ph.D.
Ruth is an ‘Educator at Large’. She has worked in and around education for most of her career, including being a classroom teacher, a center/school administrator with a wide variety of responsibilities and a coach and trainer for aspiring teachers and entrepreneurs. Dr. Ruth came to education and childcare services with over 10 years of industrial experience, which helped her approach educating children from a very different perspective. She thinks that emotional intelligence is just as important, if not more important, than intellectual intelligence in today’s world. Ruth was raised in Fremont, California, went to Mission San Jose High School, graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Berkeley and Purdue University for her Masters and PhD. degree.
During her time in industry, she traveled extensively to different regional offices in the U.S. and overseas to conduct training certifications for upper management. She has also worked with research and development to develop a computer training module that, still this day, continues to train thousands of employees every month.
It was her family that brought her back to Fremont, California to start Fastrackids and Palm Academy in 2006. Besides dedicating most of her time to preschool centers and children’s education, she also coaches aspiring entrepreneurs, teaches children’s Sunday school, and sings in the choir.
Connie LaScola, MBA
Connie is an experienced Finance professional with a demonstrated history of working in the biotechnology industry. Skilled in Accounting, Public Speaking, Internal Controls, and Management.
As President of Bay Area Spirit Enthusiasts, Connie loves to inspire and promote youth and young adults to make a difference in our communities and national organizations through financial and volunteering commitments.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an Executive MBA focused on Global Economics.
Ramesh Konda, Ph.D.
Ramesh Konda has 30 years of combined working experience in automotive, semiconductor, manufacturing, and information technology industries. During his career, he has held key responsibilities such as Vice President, Director, Asst. Production Manager, Quality Manager, and Program Manager. Ramesh has worked at notable companies such as General Motors and Seagate Technology.
Ramesh is a Fellow of the American Society for Quality (ASQ), and the past chair of the ASQ Silicon Valley section. He is a Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) and Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) from ASQ. Ramesh holds Ph.D., M.B.A., M.S. (Industrial Engineering), and B.S. (Mechanical Engineering).
Revant Kasichainula
Revant is a high school senior at Basis Independent Fremont, driven by the desire to raise awareness and instigate change regarding gender equity in society. In addition to his advocacy work, he is also an accomplished author, having written the book “Mixed,” which is available on Amazon. This captivating novel delves into the fictional narrative of a biracial child’s experiences growing up in the 1960s American South.
Revant’s talents extend beyond the realm of literature. He is an exceptional sportsman, excelling as a national-level table tennis player and a dedicated marathon runner. Through his athletic pursuits, Revant embodies perseverance, discipline, and a commitment to personal growth.
Beyond his achievements, Revant’s true passion lies in fostering a more compassionate and caring society. With his infectious motivation, he serves as a source of inspiration for those around him, encouraging others to embrace empathy and actively contribute to the betterment of their communities.

22nd Annual Unity Dinner 2023
2023-04-21 17:00 - 23:59 | The India Community Center, 525 Los Coches Street, Milpitas, CA.
Indo-American Community Federation (IACF-USA) was co-founded by Jeevan Zutshi in the year 1994 as the first Indo-American organization to build bridges with mainstream organizations, diverse leadership groups, think tank and public officials. The Unity Dinner celebrates unity in diversity and the achievements of community leaders in our local community after 9/11/01 to promote unity in diversity and address serious community issues. IACF is proud to have celebrated 25th anniversary on March 22, 2019.
Unity through Diversity: Reclaiming a Sense of Connection
Friday, April 21, 2023 (5:00 PM to Midnight)
at the India Community Center, 525 Los Coches Street, Milpitas, CA.
Master of Ceremonies: Dr. Raj Salwan, Councilmember, City of Fremont, CA
Co- Master of Ceremonies: Rakhi Israni, Esq., President of Excel Test and a Public Relations Director for Sewa International.
Program:
5:00 pm to 6:15 pm
Panel discussion: The Rise in Gun Violence and the impact on our Youth
Moderator: Anjali Shaykher Zutshi, Esq.
Introduction by: Shyla Zutshi
Anjali is National Security Law Attorney at National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Department of Energy.
Panelists:
Teresa Keng, City of Fremont Councilmember
Jeff Rosen, Santa Clara District Attorney
Desrie Campbell, City of Fremont Council member
Fish Stark, Head of Program & Curriculum at Ever Scouts
Dr. Harmesh Kumar, Licensed Psychologist
Ragini Vecham, Parent representative
– 5:50 pm to 6:00 pm: Address by San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan
– 6:15 pm to 7:15 pm: “Tim Reilly – The Canyon Band” & Host bar and Dinner
– 7:15 pm: National Anthems by Manasa Gadepalli
– 7:20 pm: Introduction of IACF Board by Dr. Ramesh Konda, President
– 7:24 pm: “Why growth requires Diversity?” by Sanjiv Goyal, Chairman, Droisys
– 7:29 pm: Address by Jeevan Zutshi, Chairman, IACF-USA
Introductions
Consul General of India Ambassador, Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad
Congressman Ro Khanna represented by Tom Pyke
State Senator (CA-15), Dave Cortese
Patti Cortese, Eastside Union H.S. District
State Senator (Former), Bob Wieckowski
Assemblymember (CA-25), Ash Kalra
Assemblymember (CA-24), Alex Lee
Mayor, City of San Jose, Matt Mahan
Mayor, City of Milpitas, Carmen Montano
Mayor, City of Newark, Michael K. Hannon
Newark Former Mayor Al Nagy and Mrs Connie Nagy
Fremont City Mayor Lily Mei
Mayor, City of Tracy, Nancy Young represented by Mr. James Young
Mayor, City of Santa Clara, Lisa Gillmor
Mayor (Former) Milpitas, Rich Tran
Mayor (Former) Cupertino, Darcy Paul
Santa Clara City Vice Mayor, Kevin Park
Vice Mayor, City of Milpitas , Evelyn Chua
Councilmembers, City of Fremont, Dr. Raj Salwan, Teresa Keng, Teresa Cox
Board President, Alameda County Water District, Paul Sethy
Councilmember, City of Santa Clara (District 1), Kathy Watanabe
Councilmember, City of Oakland, Janani Ramachandran
Councilmember Arjun Batra, City of San Jose and Mrs. Batra
Councilmember (District 3), Murali Srinivasan, City of Sunnyvale
Alameda County Supervisor (CA-1), David Haubert
Santa Clara County Board Supervisor (District 3), Otto Lee
Santa Clara County Supervisor (District 4) – Board President, Susan Ellenberg
Santa Clara County Supervisor (District 2) – Cindy Chavez – Betty Duong, Esq., Chief of Staff
Fremont Police Chief Sean Washington
Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee (Area 2) Tara Sreekrishnan
Senior Assistant District Attorney and Policy Chief, Alameda County District Attorney’s Office Cynthia Chandler
Milpitas Unified School District Board of Education Trustee Anu Nakka
Milpitas Unified School District Board of Education President Chris Norwood
Commissioner to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Ajay Bhutoria
Santa Clara Human Rights Commissioners Pranjali Dani, Mita Dey, Robert Cheykin
Milpitas Planning Commissioner Dipak Awasthi
Marie Bernard, Executive Director, Sunnyvale Community Services
Joined by Prof. Bruce Paton, Board member, Leadership Sunnyvale

– 7:37 pm: Joe Johal
– 7:39 pm: Address by Consul General of India Dr. Nagendra Prasad
– 7:45 pm: Introduction of Community leaders by Rakhi Israni, Esq.
Hindu American Foundation (HAF)
Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS)
Hindu Swayam Sewak Sangh (HSS)
Sewa International
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Milpitas, CA
– 7:52 pm: Guest Speaker and Presentation by Hindu American Foundation (HAF)
– 8:02 pm: Honored Speaker – CA State Senator Dave Cortese
– 8:08 pm: Honored Speaker Susan Ellenberg, President, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
– 8:13 pm: Fashion Show by Frontier Heritage Fremont
– 8:20 pm: IACF-USA Honorees
Deepak Ganju, Lifetime Achievement award
Fremont Police Chief Sean Washington, Public Safety Official of the year
The Urban League of Greater San Francisco Bay Area, Community organization of the year
Sanjiv Bhandari, Prominence in the field of Architecture
– 8:35 pm: Hispanic Ballet Folklorico by Martha Alvarez
– 8:45 pm: Keynote address by Dr. Tae Yun Kim, Motivational speaker and founder of Lighthouse Worldwide Solutions, Inc.
– 9:00 pm: Free drawing for fantastic prizes donated by Dr. Tae Yun Kim
– 9:15 pm: Dance performance by students of Aero Dance Academy Director: Ranjani Manda
Introduction by Vijaya Aasuri, AIA and BATA leader
– 9:25 pm: Closing Remarks and Vote of Thanks by Dr. Ramesh Konda, IACF-USA President
– 9:30 pm onwards: Yeh Shaam Mastani organized by Prasad Mangina and Veeru Vuppala, BATA Karaokee

Live Bollywood music 🎵 concert by popular Bay Area singers
Videography & Photography by Sachin
Media Sponsors:
Tri-City Voice
Radio Zindagi
Indica News

Event Sponsors:
Comcast
Dr. Tae Yun Kim, Motivational speaker and the founder of Lighthouse Worldwide Solutions
Deepak Ganju, Managing Director, Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management
Droisys, Inc., a leading Software company
Washington Hospital Healthcare System
Bay Area Community Health (BACH)
Alameda County Supervisor Dave Haubert
Dr. Raj Salwan, City of Fremont Councilmember
Dr. Dharam P. Salwan, Salwan Properties
Association of Indo-Americans (AIA)
Dr. Dalvir Pannu, Pannu Dental
Hindu American Foundation (HAF)
Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS)
Hindu Swayam Sewak Sangh (HSS)
Sewa International
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Milpitas, CA
Dr. Harmesh Kumar, Licensed Psychologist
Kishore Pallapothu, Entrepreneur
Teresa Keng, City of Fremont Councilmember
Ashok and Pushpa Saraf
Dr. Vijay Chowdhury
Joe Johal
You are also invited to join IACF leaders on the Senate floor at the California State Capitol on Monday, April 24, 2023, as the State of California celebrates IACF’s Unity Day. RSVP with your full name and contact information.
For additional information, feel free to contact anyone of us:
Mr. Jeevan Zutshi, jeevanzutshi@aol.com, (510) 589-3702
Dr. Ramesh Konda, rameshkonda.phd@gmail.com, (510) 565-2495
Mr. Amit Goel, Amit@droisys.com, (415) 706-8643
Mr. Shashi Sharma, Shashisharma1@gmail.com, (408) 569-3396
Dr. Naresh Sharma, nareshcsharma@yahoo.com, (408) 206-3330
Dr. Subhash Garg, Sooku@yahoo.com, (702) 308-6339
Dr. Harmesh Kumar, harmeshkumar@sbcglobal.net, (925) 285-9881

Unity Dinner 2021: The Road Ahead – A Unified Recovery
2021-03-19
Together we build a tapestry of colorful cultures
Co-Hosts:
Jeevan Zutshi, Dr. Raj Salwan, Yogi Chugh, Varun Kapur
Master of Ceremonies: Vijaya Aasuri
Panel Moderator: Anjali Shaykher Zutshi, Esq.
March 19, 2021, 4:45 PM to 7:15 PM
You are invited to join us at the 20th Annual Unity Dinner, organized by Indo-American Community Federation (IACF), on Friday, March 19th, 2021 from 4:45 PM to 7:15 PM.
IACF celebrated its 25th anniversary in March 2019 and has successfully been promoting unity in diversity.
A panel discussion will be held from 5:15 pm to 6:00 pm PST on current issues related to Covid-19, after members of Congress and our Consul General of India address the community.
The Panel discussion is titled “Covid-19 Pandemic: Response, Lessons Learned and Recovery” and is being moderated by Anjali Shaykher Zutshi Esq., Attorney at National Nuclear Security Administration.
Panelists:
Fish Stark – Global Director of Programs at Peace First
Harsha Ramchandani, M.D. – CMO, Bay Area Community Health
Chander Shaykher, M.D. – Miami Heart Center
Kimberly Hartz, CEO – Washington Hospital
Mihir Meghani, M.D. – Emergency Medicine Physician, Kaiser Permanente
This will be followed by Honorable speakers, IACF Leadership awards, Book releases and a cultural program.
The entire meeting will be virtual, keeping the pandemic situation in view.
This year’s theme is Unity Dinner 2021: The Road Ahead – A Unified Recovery. It will focus on deep-diving into the key issues around us and what we must do as a community to fully recover. The program includes Keynote Speeches, Awards, and top-notch cultural performances.
A prominent group of more than 400+ community members, organizations, and public officials have supported this signature event to network and promote unity in diversity, year after year. Nearly 45 elected officials and senior Lawmakers attend and support every year. Coincidentally, we were the first organization to start this event after 9/11 to promote unity in diversity.
We will be welcoming the President of Ohlone College Dr. Eric Bishopand some newly elected officials as well. The following are some of the confirmed honored guests, as of this moment.
Consul General of India Ambassador Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad
Member of Congress Anna Eshoo
Member of Congress Ro Khanna
Senator, State of California, Bob Wieckowski
Senator, State of California, Dave Cortese
Assembly member Ash Kalra
Assembly member Bill Quirk
Assembly member Alex Lee
Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert
Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee
Mayor Lily Mei, City of Fremont
Mayor Alan Nagy, City of Newark
Mayor Larry Klein, City of Sunnyvale

UNITY DINNER 2021
Virtual Program
The Road Ahead – A United Recovery

1.
Opening Unity Dinner Program Introduction of IACF BOD – Dr. Ramesh Konda
(4:45-4:50)

2.
About IACF by Dr. Subhash Garg
(4:50-4:53)

3.
National Anthems
(4:53-5:00)

4.
Address by IACF Chairman Jeevan Zutshi
(5:00-5:03)

5.
Presenting Congresswoman
Anna Eshoo by Jeevan Zutshi
(5:03-5:04)

6.
Address by Congresswoman Anna Eshoo
(5:04-5:07)

7.
Introductory Remarks & Presenting Congressman
Ro Khanna by Yogi Chugh
Address by Congressman Ro Khanna
(5:07-5:09)
(5:09-5:12)

8.
Presenting Consul General of India by Vijaya Aasuri
Address by Consul General of India Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad
(5:12-5:13)
(5:13-5:16)

9.
Presenting Assembly member Dr. Bill Quirk by Dr. Raj Salwan
Address by Assembly member Dr. Bill Quirk
(5:16-5:17)
(5:17-5:20)

10.
Introduction of Anjali Zutshi by Dr. Raj Salwan
Panel Discussion by Panel discussion moderator Anjali Shaykher Zutshi Esq. and Panelists: Dr. Harsha Ramchandani (CMO, Bay Area Community Health), Kimberly Hartz (CEO, Washington Hospital), Dr. Chander Shaykher (Miami Heart Center), Dr.Mihir Meghani (Kaiser Permanante), Fish Stark (Programs at Peace First)
(5:20-6:05)

11.
Book Release Introduction by Yogi Chugh
Earth on Trial-Fighting the visible and invisible enemies by Jeevan Zutshi
Sikh Heritage beyond the borders by Dr. Dalvir Pannu
(6:05-6:11)

12.
Presenting Special Guest Speaker Ohlone College President by Yogi Chugh
(6:11-6:12)

13.
Address by President Dr. Eric Bishop President of Ohlone community college
(6:12-6:15)

14.
Address by Fremont Police Chief Kim Peterson
Introduction by Yogi Chugh
(6:15-6:19)

15.
Introduction & Presenting Elected County Supervisors (Otto Lee and David Haubert) and Assembly members (Ash Kalra, Alex Lee and Kansen Chu) By Dr. Raj Salwan, Fremont City Councilmember
(6:19-6:27)

16.
Introduction of City Mayors and Council members By Yogi Chugh
IACF UNITY Awards: (Yogi Chugh)
Dr. Dalvir Pannu for promoting Unity and Sikh Heritage
Sanjiv Gupta, CPA for community service and Philanthropy
Association of Indo-Americans (AIA) for uniting community organizations and promoting Indian heritage
Arjun Banerjee Mulchandanifor Youth Leadership
La Familia for serving underserved communities in Alameda County
Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) for promoting Kashmiri culture globally through extensive festivals
Deepak Ganju, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisor for Philanthropy
(6:27-6:35)
(6:35-6:54)

17.
Cultural Program – Moderated by Vijaya Aasuri
(6:54-7:10)

18.
Vote of thanks – Dr. Naresh Sharma
(7:10-7:15)

Indian American Activist Jeevan Zutshi Launches Second Book ‘Earth on Trial - Fighting The Invisible and Visible Enemies’
2020-12-20
Jeevan Zutshi, founder of the Indo-American Community Federation, is seen at the organization’s 19th annual Unity Dinner May 23, held via Zoom this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Indian American activist has just launched his second book titled, “Earth on Trial – Fighting The Invisible and Visible Enemies.” (IACF photo)
Jeevan Zutshi’s rst book, “The Last Smile: A Father’s Love Story,” highlighted the dangers of over
Written during the Covid-19 lockdown and through the lens of Zutshi’s cultural and personal perspective, “Earth on Trial – Fighting The Invisible and Visible Enemies,” combines history, extensive information, and personal anecdotes, in an attempt to provide a comprehensive insight into the most pressing topics of our time, from the global pandemic to the Black Lives Matter movement.
It also explores the everyday quest to seek perfection in our mind and bodies, which is often pursued through dangerous means, such as dietary supplements, fad diets, and unconventional health trends.
“In 2020, unlike any other time, mankind everywhere has been united against a common enemy: an invisible virus that has inltrated every land, claimed thousands of deaths, and brought the world, as we know it, to its knees,” reads the book’s ofcial description. “The coronavirus pandemic rages, but it doesn’t stop the reign of the many visible enemies that have plagued man from time immemorial – racism, bigotry, and religious discrimination, to name a few. Even a deadly pandemic could not humble the ego of man, and so mother nature has been rocked, humanity has been tested, and the earth is on trial.”
“Earth on Trial,” it adds, reveals the “hard truths about the corrupt pharmaceutical industry and its insidious inuence, which has frayed the fabric of our society, particularly the millennial generation.”

Indo American Community Foundation Holds Virtual Unity Dinner Amid COVID 19 Pandemic
2020-05-28
Jeevan Zutshi, founder of the Indo American Community Foundation, kicked off the 19 annual Unity Dinner May 23, held via Zoom this year due to the COVID 19 pandemic. “We have witnessed both positive and negative impacts during this crisis,” said the long-time Indian American community activist. “We have lost our freedom to venture out, but nature has defeated man for the rst time,” said Zutshi, seen here at the 2018 Unity Dinner. (IACF photo)
FREMONT, California — More than 2,800 people Zoomed in May 23 for the Indo American
Community Foundation’s 19 annual Unity Dinner.
The annual event, which featured numerous Indian American political and civic leaders and local musicians, was held virtually for the rst time, as several Northern California counties reissued shelter-in-place orders amid the COVID 19 pandemic, which has killed more than 101,000 people nationwide as of May 27.
The usually peaceful event, however, saw long-time Rep. Anna Eshoo, who was scheduled to give a keynote speech during the dinner, reportedly nding herself unable to virtually enter the brieng when she attempted to speak on the call. Eshoo, who represents portions of the Silicon Valley, is being challenged by fellow Democrat Rishi Kumar, who enjoys support within the Indian American community. An insider speculated to India-West that Eshoo might have purposely been left on the sidelines by a supporter for the challenger.
But Jeevan Zutshi, founder of the Indo American Community Foundation, told India-West that
Eshoo had accepted that it was a technical glitch on her part. “Due to technical issues, she was
unable to connect,” he said.
Zutshi stands rmly behind Eshoo, who has served California’s 18 Congressional District since 1993. “Anna has been a key supporter for the Indian American community. We need to be ambitious, but not at the cost of members who have consistently supported us. I would love to see Anna win again and again,” he said.
During the March 3 California primary, Kumar took second place to Eshoo, with 16.3 percent of the vote. Eshoo garnered 61.7 percent.
“We have witnessed both positive and negative impacts during this crisis,” said Zutshi at the Unity Dinner. “We have lost our freedom to venture out, but nature has defeated man for the rst time.”
Speaking at the event, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-California, who represents portions of the Silicon Valley and Fremont, criticized President Donald Trump for engaging in demagoguery and racial proling amid the pandemic. He championed state and local leaders, who, he said, “are focused on science, solidarity, and facts.”
“We relied on our public health ofcials. We did not get on planes and we sheltered in place early,” Khanna said of Californians. “The situation is not like New York.”
New York state has seen a staggering death toll of 23,282 deaths from more than 360,000 conrmed infections.
Khanna extended his gratitude to front-line essential workers, including health care professionals and “the guy who picks our trash up.” He advocated for fair pay for essential workers.
Fremont Vice Mayor Raj Salwan also championed essential workers. “Our lives have been turned completely upside down. We depend on our front-line workers.”
Salwan optimistically said the crisis could bring about “our nest hour. Our children and our grandchildren will look back on this time and say we were strong.”
Other community leaders who spoke at the dinner included: Fremont Mayor Lily Mei; California state Senator Bob Wieckowski; California state Assembly member Kansen Chu; Dave Cortese, who sits on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors; Fremont Police Chief Kimberly Petersen; former Fremont city councilwoman Anu Natarajan; and Fremont re chief Curtis Jacobson. A number of local business owners also spoke about the impact of the pandemic on their small
businesses.
Maneshwar Judge and Dr. Amitesh Mihra gave a musical performance as well as a quartet from Sangam Arts featuring musicians playing cello, sitar, tabla, and pipa, a Chinese stringed instrument.

Celebration of 19th Annual Unity Dinner
2020-03-20 | Indian Community Center (ICC), 525 Los Coches St, Milpitas, CA 95035
Celebration of 19th Annual Unity Dinner
Friday, March 20, 2020
Indian Community Center (ICC), 525 Los Coches St, Milpitas, CA 95035.
A prominent group of more than 400 community members including organizations and public officials supported this signature event to network and promote unity in diversity. Nearly 35 public officials and senior lawmakers attended.
Restoring Unity: The Path Forward for Kashmir
In keeping with our theme, this year the IACF and “Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA)” planned a Panel discussion from 6:45 PM to 8:00 PM, led by an esteemed Kashmir expert invited from Kashmir, India to promote peace and understanding in Kashmir, India.
The Unity Dinner features keynote speech, Guest speakers, Awards, and a top-notch entertainment program.
Special Guests:
Hon. Member of Congress Anna Eshoo,
Hon. Lieutenant Governor of the State of California Eleni Kounalakis,
Hon. Consul General of India Ambassador Sanjay Panda,
Hon. California State Senator Bob Wieckowski
Master of ceremonies: Dr. Raj Salwan
Jeevan Zutshi Speech at IACF 25th Anniversary

Kashmiri Pandits brief members of U.S. Congress on way forward in troubled state
2019-10-19
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Over 200 Kashmiri Pandits from across the U.S., descended on Capitol Hill on Oct. 16 to interact with U.S. lawmakers and their aides at a Congressional briefing titled, ‘Kashmir, the Way Forward,’ in the aftermath of the government of India’s revoking Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that provides for special status for the Muslim-majority state of Kashmir.
“The objective of the briefing was to promote pluralism, reconnect and to reintegrate the hearts and minds of the people of Kashmir following the removal of Articles 370 and 35A on August 5, 2019.”
Taking the lead in organizing the briefing was the Indo-American Community Federation (IACF), founded by longtime Kashmiri Pandit activist Jeevan Zutshi, who got Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D.-Calif.) to co-host the event. Partnering with the IACF, were the Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA) and U.S.-India Political Action Committee (USINPAC), led by their chairpersons, Dr. Shakun Malik and Sanjay Puri.
Besides Eshoo, among the lawmakers who marked their presence included Reps. Ro Khanna, Mike Thompson, Zoe Lofgren, Mark Desaulneir and Dorthy Matsui, all Democrats from California.
The chairman of House Foreign Affairs Committee, Elliot Engel (D.-N.Y.) also attended the event, and in his brief remarks, said, “Democratic and pluralistic communities are very much needed to live harmoniously, and I commend all of you for promoting harmony across the globe.”
Earlier, Eshoo said, “It is a testament to this worthy cause (of the Indian American community) that we have so many members of Congress here to support you, including chairman Eliot Engel.”
“I am very touched and can’t believe so much torture is being inflicted in Kashmir,” she said, apparently referring to the ethnic cleansing alleged by the Pandits, who were driven from their homes in Jammu and Kashmir more than two decades ago due to the terrorism by alleged Pakistan-backed militants, and have been living as refugees in various parts of India, and now after the repeal of Article 370, have been left wondering if they could return to their ancestral homes.
Khanna, in his remarks, said, “I was born in the USA in 1976, and I am proud of my South Asian roots, and I came to this briefing to grasp the many issues related to the Kashmiri community, and I am glad that I am here tonight to learn more.”
“Malik, spoke of the sorry plight of the “ethnically cleansed Kashmiri Pandits and the discrimination faced by Kashmiri women, minorities and weaker sections of society due to Articles 370 and 35A,” while Puri informed the lawmakers and aides present that “Kashmir is a very serious issues for Indian Americans.”
He said, “It should also be an important issue to the U.S. as India is a vital partner,” and exhorted that “we must continue to work together so that the future generations of Kashmir, regardless of their background or religion, have an opportunity for good education, jobs and security.”
Jeff M. Smith, Research Fellow and the head of the South Asia Program at the conservative Heritage Foundation, recounted his previous visits to Kashmir and said, he was touched by the heart-wrenching stories of Kashmiri Pandit victims and wondered why “these stories of genocide and ethnic cleansing have not been covered by the western press while Pakistan’s narrative about Kashmir has been getting wide press coverage.”
He also explained to the audience that U.S. policy on Kashmir continues to be that any resolution of the problem has to sorted out bilaterally between India and Pakistan without any third party intervention, and that the recent revocations of Articles 370 and 35A are clearly  “the internal matters of India.”
Earlier, gripping personal stories by victims of Kashmiri terrorism, particularly in 1990-1991 were shared by Swapna Raina, Dr. Archana Kokroo, and Sachin Koul, while Dr. C Shaykher, a cardiologist from Florida spoke about what he argued “are misconceptions about Hindutva” and provided a historic perspective of Kashmir, emphasizing “that Kashmiri Hindus have a 5,000-year documented civilizational legacy.”
Dr. Surinder Kaul, International Coordinator of Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora, stated that “the most dangerous framing of the issue in the U.S. media reporting is fanning religious polarization with the use of the Hindu Muslim binary,” and asserted, “The only binary that exists in Kashmir is that between peace and violence, and the latter was introduced by the gun culture of the terrorists.”
He said that just in the past few weeks, “terrorists aided and abetted by Pakistan have killed four innocent people in cold blood and are making attempts to disrupt public harmony.” Kaul also referred to the bellicose saber rattling by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his declarations of Jihad against India for the repeal of Article 370 and the alleged subjugation of the Kashmiri people in his eyes.
Zutshi who earlier had joined Eshoo in welcoming the U.S. lawmakers, their aides and the hundreds of guests and other participants, returned to the podium to address the question of ‘The Way Forward for India,’ and emphasized that the “only way forward for Kashmir is to ensure that people of all religions, including minorities live peacefully in Kashmir with justice, security and economic opportunities for all.”
He expressed the hope that with the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35 A “will result in expanded and equal opportunities to all and a chance for the development of regions like Ladakh, which have been neglected for far too long.”
Zutshi also made a fervent appeal “to my fellow Kashmiris, that we must promote pluralism in the state so that all communities can live together as they did before Pakistani trained militants created mayhem and forced Kashmiri Pandits to leave Kashmir valley. IntraKashmiri dialogue, exchange programs of students, writers, artists to offer their strengths in all the regions will definitely help in reconnecting and reintegrating hearts and minds of the
people.”
He also said that “we must educate community members to use discretion when making hurtful intolerant or bigoted comments on social media and elsewhere. I urge you to remember — secularism was not promoted by a law or by a constitutional belief — it was promoted by the ethos of the society. The ethos of our society in India has not changed, and the ethos of India, the Hindu ethos, is very secular.”

IACF Celebrates 25 Years, Features Panel on Women at 18th Annual Unity Dinner
2019-03-28
It was a dual celebration for the Indo-American Community Federation, which concurrently celebrated its 25 anniversary 18 annual Unity Dinner at the India Community Center in Milpitas, Calif., March 22. Seen here is IACF’s Indian American founder Jeevan Zutshi (right) being honored by U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., who was the night’s keynote speaker and Lif Achievement Award recipient, with a ag own over the Capitol in Washington, D.C. (In Focus Photography photo via IACF)
MILPITAS, Calif. – In celebrating 25 years, the Indo-American Community Federation pulled out all
the stops for its 18 annual Unity Dinner event March 22 at the India Community Center here.
Among the guest speakers at the annual event, themed “Women’s History and Contribution,” and
which coincided with the federation’s silver anniversary, included U.S. Reps. Anna G. Eshoo and Ro
Khanna, both Democrats from California, as well as Consul General of India in San Francisco Sanjay
Panda.
The annual Unity Dinner event, created by IACF to improve community involvement, education,
health and understanding of different cultures, was created in 2002 in the wake of the Sept. 11,
2001, terror attacks to promote harmony and unity in diversity.
IACF was founded as a nonprot by Indian American community activist Jeevan Zutshi in 1994 to
build bridges with mainstream organizations, diverse leaders, think tanks and public ofcials.
“The 25th Anniversary celebration of our organization, which coincided with our signature Unity
Dinner 18th Annual event, was received very enthusiastically by the community, diverse leadership
and lawmakers with two members of Congress, members of Assembly, county supervisors, city
mayors, councilmembers and many other public ofcials,” Zutshi told India-West.
“IACF was conceived to inspire Indo-Americans to be a part and parcel of mainstream America by
serving community at large. Today, after 25 years, we have a vice-mayor, a congressman and so
many enthusiastic members of the Indo-American community vigorously involved in mainstream
issues positively and have integrated with the American values bringing the best of Indian culture
to blend with it,” Zutshi added.
“I feel that my vision of promoting unity and harmony has proved to be a blessing for my own
personal development and am rmly committed to continue in my mission to unite community,” he
said.
Eshoo, who represents California’s 18 Congressional District, was honored with the Lifetime
Achievement Award at the event and served as the keynote speaker.
“This evening is extraordinarily special for me and is for you,” she said. “This organization (IACF)
has prospered over time, where other organizations wear down over time.”
Eshoo thanked Zutshi for creating the federation, which she said has made a difference and
continues to make a difference.
“I have a very deep understanding that our country is made stronger through its diversity,” Eshoo
stressed, noting she experienced it in her family and sees it in her district. “We’re a nation of
immigrants and it is our greatest advantage.”
Eshoo also touched on the importance of the relationship between the U.S. and India, and how she
is working on upping the number of individuals from the country who can come to the U.S. on green
cards.
“My promise to (Zutshi and IACF) is that you have a sister (in me),” Eshoo said in response to
receiving the lifetime achievement award.
The congresswoman, in conclusion, awarded Zutshi for his 25 years of IACF with an American ag
that was own over the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Khanna and Panda were also featured at the event as honored guest speakers.
Khanna, overjoyed to be back in the Bay Area and seeing the diversity, called it “the future of the
nation.”
“The country is changing. It is extraordinarily diverse and that’s our strength,” Khanna said. “Every
time I come back home, I’m so inspired to represent this place.”
Khanna believes the freshmen class in Congress is what the country is all about – diverse, women,
youth.
“Now we have people in Congress from all walks of life,” he said. The second-term congressman
said Congress is now a more apt indication of what America is and those people will bring forward
Zutshi’s vision for unity.
Panda, who has been in his role since November 2018, was speaking at the Unity Dinner for the rst
time since taking ofce.
Using the theme of the night, Panda cited a quote apt for the event. “If you want something to be
said, ask a man. If you want something to be done, ask a woman,” he said.
Additionally, there was a panel discussion on women’s history and contributions. Among the
panelists were Alameda County District Attorney Nancy E. O’Malley; Fremont, Calif., Police Chief
Kimberly Peterson; League of Women Voters president Syeda Reshma Inamdar; and Dr. Connie
Wun, advocate, educator, researcher and a national expert on issues impacting women and girls of
color. It was moderated by lawyer Anjali Shaykher Zutshi.
The panel discussion specically focused on the #MeToo movement.
Zutshi, in kicking off the discussion, noted that the movement isn’t just a women’s or girls’ issue,
but affects everyone.
O’Malley noted that social media, as well as people who are in show business, made the movement
spread like wildre.
“What’s important is that, those who responded, were from people from so many different
backgrounds just like us,” O’Malley said.
Wun echoed O’Malley’s point, adding that it is important that women are using their brand in
leadership roles to bring in more victims and raise awareness.
Inamdar added that some of the perpetrators now faced some sort of accountability.
“These powerful gures were nally held accountable where previously the women who came
forward were held accountable,” she said. “When women were considered human beings (receiving
the right to vote), the movement started to take shape.”
The police chief credited the snowball-like effect, saying the movement has had strength in
numbers.
“It has reached a tipping point and the time is right,” Peterson said.
In shifting focus to the culture aspect of victims, Inamdar noted that there has been a shift where
there was previously shame placed upon women or victims who came forward and that has changed
with the new wave of voices.
Peterson used anecdotes as a younger police ofcer saying that in certain situations with cultural
differences, women were afraid to come forward and law enforcement didn’t get involved until it
was facing physical abuse allegations.
Wun talked about how her organization would travel across the country to hear what women deal
with in regards to sexual violence.
“There’s an imagination (here in the U.S.) that we as women are supposed to accept that we are to
be acted upon,” Wun explained. “What has been considered the norm can no longer be considered
the norm, especially if there is no consent.”
Wun elaborated for several minutes on the cultural aspect of the movement, noting women are
fearful of many repercussions of coming forward.
“What we want (victims) to know is that abuse, sexual abuse and violence is never OK,” district
attorney O’Malley stressed.
Anjali Zutshi opened the panel up to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh being conrmed into
the position despite facing sexual abuse allegations.
The panel spoke about how Christine Blasey Ford was right to come forward despite her allegations
stemming from decades earlier.
“I think women felt defeated,” O’Malley said, “but I think others felt inspired by her coming forward
when she had nothing to gain from it.”
Wun seconded O’Malley’s point, adding that, as a survivor herself, coming forward and having the
courage to speak out is not easy.
“What she did was continue to speak and showed the world she would continue to speak, and I
don’t believe she thought she was going to win,” Wun noted, adding that it is a win in itself not to
be silenced.
“Kavanaugh escaped, but that doesn’t mean the next one will,” Inamdar said.
The panel wrapped up with the panelists talking about stories from their past and providing advice.
“If something does happen, speak up,” O’Malley stressed. “It’s the courage that allows others to
come forward.”
In a male-dominated industry, Peterson said that people were very respectful for the most part, just
at the shock at seeing her in the position she held, citing her time on the SWAT team.
“The millennial generation grows up expecting equality,” she said. “To me, that’s a positive change.
I do think things are moving in the right direction.”
Wun said she has been experiencing #MeToo moments since she was in junior high, to varying
degrees.
“I got a Ph.D. at U.C. Berkeley so I could be the perfect woman so my story would be accepted,” Wun
stated. But she said she had dealt with too much trauma, which led her to starting her own
nonprot, bypassing her aspirations to becoming an academic.
“The rst thing you have to know is it’s not your fault,” Wun advised. “No. 2, you are not alone. And
No. 3, you have to go through the process of healing.”
Going forward, Inamdar said there needs to be more education for children as to what’s normal and
what is not.
“We need a lot of prevention, and that’s through education and through society saying ‘this is not
OK,’” she said.
Each of the panelists stressed the need to give everyone a voice, and education in general will help
as the movement continues to ratchet up.
The IACF also used the platform of the Unity Dinner to dole out several awards. In addition to
Eshoo being bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award, AAPI Women Lead co-founder Wun was
named Advocate of the Year; Alameda County administrator Susan Muranshi was honored with Excellence in Public Administration; Peterson was named the Public Safety Ofcer of the Year;
VajraSoft Inc. chief executive Kameshwar Eranki was named Entrepreneur of the Year; and the
Rajasthan Association of North America was named Community Organization of the Year.
The event was attended by hundreds of community members, including several dignitaries, among
whom were California Assemblymembers Ash Kalra, Kansen Chu and Evan Low; California State
Controller Betty Yee; Newark, Calif., Mayor Al Nagy; former Milpitas Mayor Jose Esteves; and
several members of the Fremont City Council, among many others.

Unity Dinner: Immigration Must Be National Priority
2015-03-27
Milpitas, Calif. – Immigration must be a top priority to ensure the continued growth of the U.S. economy, said Russell Hancock, president and CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley, on the sidelines of the 14 annual Unity Dinner, held Mar. 20 at the India Community Center.
“We’re fooling ourselves by thinking we can build fences to protect our national interests,” Hancock – the keynote speaker at the evening event founded by Indian American Jeevan Zutshi – told IndiaWest. He advocated for an expansion of the H-1B skilled temporary worker program, but declined to comment on a new initiative which would allot work authorization to the spouses of H-1B workers.
H-4 visa holders – spouses of H-1B workers who are often as skilled as their partners – were previously denied work authorization. But U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services unveiled a new initiative Feb. 24 that would allow some H-4 visa holders to work. Indian spouses make up the majority of H-4 residents: 180,000 people will be eligible in the rst year, and 55,000 will become eligible in successive years.
The annual Unity Dinner, organized by the Indo American Community Federation, brought together local, state and national elected leaders and Indian American community and business leaders. Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., California state Treasurer John Chiang; State Controller Betty Yee; and California state Assembly members Bill Quirk, Kansen Chu and Evan Low were among the many politicians who attended the event.
Fremont Mayor Bill Harrison, Cupertino Mayor Rod Sinks and Milpitas Mayor Jose Esteves also attended the dinner, along with council members from several local cities.
In his keynote address, Hancock acknowledged the vast contributions of immigrant workers – particularly Indian Americans – to the growth of the San Francisco Bay Area’s Silicon Valley. “Any technology company here is like the United Nations. You’ve got people from all over the world feverishly working to attain a common goal.”
“The Silicon Valley is not an American phenomenon. It was built by people from everywhere, working on a path to success,” said Hancock, the inaugural director of Stanford University’s Shorenstein Forum for Asia-Pacic Studies.
“Most countries have a race, religion or tribe that binds them together. What is unique about the U.S. is the lack of tribe that binds us. This country was based on the glue of nationhood, liberty, justice and opportunity,” said Hancock, noting that in 1776, when America’s leaders were founding a democracy – including an elected president and Congress – most countries were still ruled by monarchies. “Two hundred and fty years later, only the American institutions remain,” he said.
Venkatesan Ashok, India’s new consul general in San Francisco, also spoke about the impact of the co-mingling of cultures in his keynote address. “India is the best example of diversity compared to anywhere in the world,” he said, noting the numerous cultural communities, languages and religions that make up the world’s largest democracy.
“From that community, you have come to this community, another shining example of diversity,” said Ashok, who took ofce in November 2014 when former consul general N. Parthasarathi retired from public service and returned home to Bangalore.
Ashok spoke about a new directive issued by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which all Indian consulates and embassies throughout the world will celebrate the rst International Yoga Day. The United Nations declared the date after Modi’s address to the General Assembly, urging nations to adopt the practice with the aim of fostering world peace.
In San Francisco, the Indian Consulate has issued an open invitation to people “from the length and breadth of California,” to participate in a day-long celebration of yoga at the Palace of Fine Arts. Per capita, non-Indians do more yoga daily than Indians, noted the affable diplomat, adding: “We will be teaching ourselves the value of something that many people here already know.”
Ashok also addressed the troublesome visa process, noting that the consulate is holding “visa camps” throughout the Bay Area, in Fresno, Calif., and Seattle, Wash., to help people through the often tortuous process of applying for an Indian visa.
Former Cupertino, Calif., Mayor Gilbert Wong – who now serves on the city council – told IndiaWest that the Silicon Valley township recently established a sister-city relationship with Bhubaneswar and hopes to promote cultural and educational partnerships. Cupertino currently has sister-city relationships with Hsinchu, Taiwan; Toyokawa, Japan; and Copertino, Italy. Initially, both cities will send six students over to experience the culture of each country.
Jeevan Zutshi, founder of the IACF, told India-West that the event had raised more than $5,000 to support the Amit Zutshi Foundation. The foundation was created in 2008, he said, after Zutshi’s son abruptly died that March from the use of over-the-counter health supplements. Jeevan Zutshi has written a book about the tragedy – “The Last Smile” – which has been made into a featurelength lm.
In the non-documentary lm directed by Shankey Srinivasan, Keith Stevenson plays Kapil, a father searching for clues as to what killed his son. Danny Arroyo plays a detective who helps Kapil navigate the complex process of how drug manufacturers market their goods to a primarily-younger demographic concerned with body image.
“The Last Smile” is scheduled to be released this May, said Zutshi.

IACF-US Welcomes GOPIO SV Chapter and raise awareness for Creating Jobs in CA at the 2012 Unity Dinner
2012-03-30
30 March 2012
IACF-US Welcomes GOPIO SV Chapter and raise awareness for Creating Jobs in CA at the 2012 Unity Dinner

Blindly Seeing the World as One: Jeevan Zutshi
2012-02-08
Blindly Seeing the World as One
Jeevan Zutshi
By Diana Rohini Lavigne
Jeevan Zutshi founded the Indo-American Community Federation (IACF-USA), a non-prot, in 1994 to pave the way for Indo-Americans to get involved in mainstream activities. IACF helps build Indo-U.S. relations through educating law makers, organizing international seminars and keeping an open dialogue with public ofcials in the U.S. and in India.
After 9/11, things changed in the United States. He created an annual Unity Dinner in association with his son, Rahul Zutshi, to help foster unity and understanding among a diverse number of community groups and leaders. The Unity Dinner has grown from a small event to a large-scale event and grabs the attention of some high prole members of Congress and the Senate as well as other government bodies.
Jeevan Zutshi’s background is as a civil engineer, a teacher and a real estate broker. This jack of all trades hails from the strife torn state of Kashmir and has fought for the human rights and rehabilitation of Kashmiris in India, who were forced to ee their homes as a result of terrorism since 1990.
“Not only did IACF-USA bring other Indo-American factions and organizations together to support mainstream involvement but also brought together other diverse community leaders and organizations along with a host of policy makers and public ofcials,” explains Zutshi. “I wish I could make people color blind and remove the word ‘hate’ from the dictionary replacing it with compassion and love.”
So it shouldn’t shock readers that these two world leaders are his biggest inuences; Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Both fought for human rights and spread the message of love and harmony across the globe and have inspired Jeevan in his work.
When asked what his special skill is, Jeevan said he has an uncanny way of recognizing good people and puts his effort towards showing them their value to him. Surrounding himself with like-minded good people is one skill that everyone should learn from this grand master of diversity and community.

IACF Celebrates Unity with Awards and awareness - Mar 26, 2010, shehjar
2010-03-26
26 March 2010
IACF Celebrates Unity with Awards and awareness – Mar 26, 2010, shehjar

Celebrating Diversity: IACF Unity Dinner (2007) 6th unity dinner
2007-04-24

Sixth Unity Dinner a big draw (2007) 6th unity dinner
2007-04-06
6 April 2007
Sixth Unity Dinner a big draw (2007) 6th unity dinner

Tri-city who's who at glittering IACF dinner 2007, 6th annual dinner
2007-04-03
03 April 2007
Tri-city who’s who at glittering IACF dinner 2007, 6th annual dinner

Unity Dinner 2006 - a Sellout Event (5th annual dinner)
2006-04-07
7 April 2006
Unity Dinner 2006 – a Sellout Event (5th annual dinner)

Unity Dinner 2005 Press Coverage by India West Newspaper
2005-01-24
24 January 2005
Unity Dinner 2005 Press Coverage by India West Newspaper

Indo-American Community Federation, kick-off, Unity Dinner 2004 (3th annual dinner)
2004-12-10
10 December 2004
Indo-American Community Federation, kick-off, Unity Dinner 2004 (3th annual dinner)

Pallone Hosts Hearing on Plight of Kashmiri Pandits (2003)
2003-11-14
14 November 2003
Pallone Hosts Hearing on Plight of Kashmiri Pandits (2003)

Dinner for Unity on 24th January 2003 - A Report by India Currents December 2, 2002
2003-01-24
24 January 2003
Dinner for Unity on 24th January 2003 – A Report by India Currents December 2, 2002

Second Unity Dinner in California Focuses on Peace and Harmony (2nd Unity Dinner)
2003-01-24
24 January 2003
Second Unity Dinner in California Focuses on Peace and Harmony (2nd Unity Dinner)

Unity Dinner 2002 on 25th Jan' 2002 - The Indo-American Community Federation's first annual event Unity Dinner 2002 with Live musical entertainment by Melody Queen Alka Bhatnagar
2002-01-21 08:00 - 17:00
21 January 2002
Unity Dinner 2002 on 25th Jan’ 2002 – The Indo-American Community Federation’s first annual event Unity Dinner 2002 with Live musical entertainment by Melody Queen Alka Bhatnagar
