Pichai, Nadella and Khosla join India’s Covid-19 fight

(Our Bureau, April 30) Indian American technocrats are making funding available to strengthen India’s fight against the second wave of Covid-19. Entrepreneur and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla is offering monetary support to hospitals for importing oxygen and other supplies. He’s also exhorted public hospitals and NGOs that are in need to get in touch with him. Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the search giant and its employees are providing ₹135 crore in funding to Give India and UNICEF. Funds will be directed towards medical supplies, organisations supporting high-risk communities, and grants to help spread critical information. A “heartbroken” Satya Nadella tweeted that Microsoft will continue to use its “voice, medical supplies, organisations supporting high-risk communities, and grants to help spread critical information.”

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Priyanka Chopra starts Covid-19 fundraiser for India

(Our Bureau, April 29)  Crossover actress and entrepreneur Priyanka Chopra Jonas has set up a fundraiser on GiveIndia to support the country’s fight against the pandemic’s second wave. “India is my home and India is bleeding,” the Los-Angeles based artist posted on social media. Donations will directly go towards healthcare physical infrastructure, medical equipment, vaccine support and mobilization, Chopra said. "Nick (Jonas) and I already have (donated) and will continue to contribute, the 38-year-old, who also runs the Priyanka Chopra Jonas foundation, said. India reported 3.79 lakh new Covid cases and more than 3,600 deaths in the last 24 hours.

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Indian American NGO raises $10M for India

(Our Bureau, May 2)  Indian American non-profit Sewa International is raising $10 million in funding through social media to support India’s fight against Covid-19. It has already secured $4.7 million which is being used to ship 2,500 oxygen concentrators besides essential supplies to hospitals, institutions, and individuals in India, the Houston-based Sewa said in a press statement. About 60,000 donors participated in Sewa’s Facebook fundraising campaign from across the US. Globally, many charitable organizations are raising money for supplying medical essentials to India’s overwhelmed healthcare system. (Photo: Sewa executives Arun Kankani and Yagnesh Patel wiring money from a bank in Houston to purchase 2,184 oxygen concentrators.)

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British Indian doctors help unburden Indian doctors

(Rajyashree Guha, May 6) Several British Indian doctors are virtually supporting their overworked Indian counterparts through telemedicine technology. The British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO), which has already raised £108,000 pounds in crowdfunding for India’s Covid-19 efforts, has started providing teleconsultation to hospitals in Nagpur. BAPIO aims to get 1,000 doctors on board to check CT scan reports and conduct virtual ward rounds to check in on less serious patients at Indian hospitals, besides providing consultations for patients at home. It has the UK General Medicine Council’s go-ahead and is also working with the Indian High Commission in London and several National Health Service organisations to widen its reach. The British International Doctors Association and the Doctors Association UK - both count many Indian-origin medics as members - are also taking part in telemedicine efforts.

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Indian women pip global peers in leadership roles

(Our Bureau, April 25) India ranks third in the world for women working in senior management positions, the Women in Business 2021 report by Grant Thornton suggests. The percentage of Indian women in senior management stood at 39% as compared to the global average of 31%. Many experts see this as an indication that the outlook of Indian businesses towards working women is changing. Also,  the proportion of women leaders across key C-Suite positions across India was higher than the global average, the report shows. 47% of mid-market businesses in India now have women CEOs compared with 26% globally.  

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Pichai, Nadella and Khosla join India’s Covid-19 fight

(Our Bureau, May 1) Indian American technocrats are making funding available to strengthen India’s fight against the second wave of Covid-19.

• Entrepreneur and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla is offering monetary support to hospitals for importing oxygen and other supplies. He’s also exhorted public hospitals and NGOs that are in need to get in touch with him.
• Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the search giant and its employees are providing ₹135 crore in funding to Give India and UNICEF. Funds will be directed towards medical supplies, organisations supporting high-risk communities, and grants to help spread critical information.
• A “heartbroken” Satya Nadella tweeted that Microsoft will continue to use its “voice, medical supplies, orgs supporting high-risk communities, and grants to help spread critical information.”

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Indian diaspora-run NGOs send aid

(Rajyashree Guha, May 6) Non-profits headed by overseas Indians have stepped in to aid India’s fight against the Covid-19 devastation. They are procuring equipment, medical supplies and raising funds in myriad ways. However, their efforts struggle to reach India’s hinterland because of the September amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, which disallows sub-grants to smaller NGOs from larger bodies. The government is mulling to waive these curbs. Here’s how NGOs led by the Indian diaspora are contributing.

• Sewa International and Indiaspora are raising $10 million and $1 million respectively.
• The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) has raised $2 million from its members to send oxygen supply instruments.
• American India Foundation is helping with cold storage equipment, oxygen and medical beds.
• International Association of Human Values is supporting a campaign by Art of Living Foundation to support daily wage workers.
• Association for India’s Development is delivering groceries and providing support through helplines and help desks in rural India.
• Khalsa Aid International has already sent oxygen concentrators and is set to bring in 300 units of medical equipment.

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India Inc to create 6,500 new jobs in UK

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Covid-19: When the world came to help India 

• US aid to India is likely to exceed $100 million: Washington is sending ingredients for making 20 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine (Covidshield), besides oxygen kits and other medical supplies.  

• UK has sent three shipments of more than 400 oxygen concentrators.  

• Russia has despatched 22 tonnes of oxygen production units, ventilators and medicines 

• Sweden plans to donate 1 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses 

• Australia intends to send 1.5 million masks for frontline health workers in addition to the 1,000 ventilators, oxygen concentrators and other supplies already shipped. 

• Germany has pledged $60 million worth oxygen and medical supplies: Two consignments have already landed. 

• Romania sent 80 oxygen concentrators and 75 oxygen cylinders while Czech Republic is donating 500 oxygen tanks  

• Canada has announced $10 million in funding through the Red Cross society.  

• UAE's consignment comprises 480 BiPAPs, 157 ventilators and other medical supplies.  

• Bhutan and Bangladesh are sending stocks of Remdesivir. 

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Why Indian Americans are miffed with Kamala Harris

(Our Bureau, May 7) US Vice President Kamala Harris has courted criticism from a cross section of Indian Americans for not being vocal enough on India’s Covid-19 crisis. “Stunning how Kamala Harris has gone silent on the situation in India. Even if we put humanity and loyalty aside, it’s poor politics,” tweeted OnDeck program director Sar Haribhakti on April 25. Next day, Harris tweeted that the US is working closely with New Delhi to deploy additional supplies and offered prayers for India but many Indian Americans thought it was too little too late.  Harris, who’s extended family in India is also grappling with the virus, is set to deliver an opening message of US solidarity at an Indian diaspora event organised by the US State Department later today.

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Imran Khan wants Pakistan’s diplomats to learn from India

(Our Bureau, May 8) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged his country’s diplomats to take cues from their Indian counterparts. Indian embassies are more proactive in getting investments to India and render better services to citizens, Khan told envoys of Pakistan. He chastised Pakistani diplomats for their “colonial mindset” and "indifferent attitude” towards the diaspora. But Khan is facing internal criticism for his remarks, which were made days after Pakistan recalled its Saudi Arabia ambassador following public complaints of mistreatment.

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