To commemorate the independence days of India and the U.S., the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) hosted an event at FalconX in Milpitas on July 28.
The event titled “Celebrating the Resiliency of Democracies” featured speeches by the Consul General of India, Dr. Srikar Reddy, Milpitas Mayor Carmen Montano, Assemblymembers Evan Low and Alex Lee; Santa Clara Supervisor Otto Lee; Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert; Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor; and Fremont Mayor Lily Mei.
Dr. Reddy spoke of the US-India partnership as being a century-defining partnership and emphasized that the shared value of democracy is instrumental in maintaining the robustness of that relationship.
FIIDS director for Political Liaison, Yogi Chugh also hosted a panel discussion with Joe Johal (Chairman of APAPA), Ajay Jain Bhutoria (Commissioner on the Presidential Advisory Committee on Pacific Islanders), and FIIDS Chief of Policy and Strategy, Khanderao Kand. During the discussion, Mr. Johal spoke about the importance of outreach across diverse communities to create a wider impact. Mr. Bhutoria acknowledged the increased political participation by the community but rallied the audience to be more engaged to make an impact on policies like immigration. Mr. Kand then briefed the audience on the FIIDS’ ongoing work related to policy issues in technology, immigration, and US-India partnership in various sectors.
California Assemblymembers and elected representatives from Fremont, Milpitas, and Santa Clara presented proclamations and appreciation certificates to FIIDS for its efforts to advocate on behalf of the Indian community and being a voice for the diaspora on Capitol Hill.
