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Indiaspora Statement on Racial Targeting of Political Candidates
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INDIASPORA STATEMENT ON RACIAL TARGETING OF POLITICAL CANDIDATES
Washington, D.C., USA | August 5, 2024 — During this election cycle, prominent Indian American leaders in public service on both sides of the political aisle have been shamefully targeted based on their race. At Indiaspora, we believe that such behavior stands in stark contrast to the higher values -- of inclusion, respect, and strength in diversity -- that our nation has aspired to hold and practice.
We believe strongly in the vision of a better America, indeed of a more perfect union, towards which we endeavor to contribute. As the recently released Indiaspora Impact Report shows, there are 150 Indian Americans in senior governmental positions in the current administration — a sign of the diaspora’s commitment to serve the United States. This number has been steadily rising across administrations of both political parties and has increased by 150 percent over the past decade. Moreover, five Indian Americans serve as elected officials in the U.S. House of Representatives, with at least two more currently running in the upcoming elections.
The Indian diaspora in the United States cares deeply for the country and is committed to being a force for good. At Indiaspora, we will continue to do our part in striving towards a nation that lives up to our highest ideals.
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About Indiaspora: Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit community of powerful global Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions who are committed to inspiring the diaspora to be a force for positive impact by providing a platform to collaborate, engage, and catalyze social change.
Media Contact:
contact@indiaspora.org
Women in Cloud and Indiaspora Launch Community Fundraising Campaign to Support Women in India
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Women in Cloud and Indiaspora Launch Community Fundraising Campaign to Support Women in India
The campaign will raise funds to stabilize women and families impacted by COVID-19 who might otherwise fall into a cycle of poverty.
November 6, 2021 — Women in Cloud and Indiaspora announced today the launch of a community fundraising campaign to provide cash assistance to women in India who have lost the primary earning member of their family due to COVID-19. Women in Cloud is coordinating this community fundraising campaign as part of its #empowHERfamily initiative, a cross-sector effort with the goal of providing economic relief to women in India who have been affected by the pandemic through strategic advocacy, digital skilling opportunities, and cash relief. “Four out of ten women lost jobs in India in 2020, while a total of 17 million women lost their livelihoods during the nationwide lockdown in March and April of 2020,” said Women in Cloud Co-Founder and Indiaspora member Chaitra Vedullapalli. “While the public health crisis may be over, there is an ongoing need to educate, skill, and assist women who are struggling with the longer-term economic impacts of the pandemic.”Indiaspora, Women in Cloud’s community fundraising partner, will facilitate donations through its online giving platform ChaloGive. Indiaspora launched ChaloGive in 2019 to encourage greater charitable giving from the Indian diaspora. In 2020 and 2021, Indiaspora raised more than $4 million through ChaloGive to support COVID relief efforts in India and in the United States. “The outpouring of generosity over the last eighteen months has been incredible,” said Ashish Shah, Senior Director of Philanthropy and Community Engagement at Indiaspora. “However, it is critical that this momentum continues if we want to build more resilient communities and systems.”GiveIndia and its network of more than sixty nonprofit partners in India will identify qualifying beneficiaries and coordinate distribution of funds raised through this campaign. Beneficiaries will receive cash assistance as a one-time direct bank transfer of $400 (INR 30,000). Recipients will include daily wage earners and tribal communities, among other underserved populations.“We have seen the impact cash assistance can have on families who have suffered loss due to COVID,” said Atul Satija, CEO of GiveIndia. “This small amount of support has ensured that struggling families have food, shelter, medical care, and other basic necessities essential to their survival.” Donors from anywhere in the world can contribute by visiting chalogive.org/empowherfamily. U.S. taxpayers are eligible for a tax deduction. For additional information and resources, visit womenincloud.com/empowherfamily. About Indiaspora Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit community of powerful global Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions who are committed to inspiring the diaspora to be a force for positive impact by providing a platform to collaborate, engage, and catalyze social change.About Women in CloudWomen In Cloud (www.womenincloud.com) is a community-led economic development organization taking action to generate $1B in net new global economic access for women entrepreneurs by 2030 through partnerships with corporations, community leaders, and policymakers.
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Media contact Indiaspora: Raka Mukherjee Senior Coordinator, Marketing and Communications raka@indiaspora.org
Media contact Women in Cloud: Vibha ChapparikaMarketing and Communications Specialist Vibhac@womenincloud.com
Indiaspora Releases 2021 Indiaspora Philanthropy Leaders List
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release
The 2021 Indiaspora Philanthropy Leaders List spotlights one hundred Indian and diaspora leaders who have made a significant impact with their philanthropic contributions and engagement
The List recognizes and celebrates the generosity of changemakers from across the world who serve as an inspiration for future philanthropists.
San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC — August 12, 2021 — Indiaspora, a nonprofit community of global Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions, released today their list recognizing one hundred Indian and diaspora leaders who are making a difference through their giving.“It is incredibly inspiring to see so many philanthropists from our community who have translated their success into social impact,” said Indiaspora Founder MR Rangaswami. “These leaders serve as an example of the importance of generosity and remind us of the many issues that need our attention.” With guidance from nine jurors and drawing from multiple sources, including reputed studies, earlier verified lists, and publicly shared documents, Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List recognizes Indian and diaspora leaders across the globe for their philanthropic contributions and engagement. “It was very gratifying to be a part of this effort, and I appreciated the careful consideration given to each honoree by those who were involved,” said Sara Kalim, Director of Development at Somerville College and one of the jurors. “As someone who works in the development space, I see firsthand how philanthropy can transform lives for the better. This list shines a light on the tremendous power of giving.” With more than 32 million people of Indian origin globally, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Indians are the largest diaspora population in the world. Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List includes philanthropists from India and from geographies with significant diaspora migration, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and Australia. Several of these philanthropists stepped forward to give during the COVID-19 crisis.“COVID-19 taught us that businesses, nonprofits, government, and philanthropy all play a critical role in lifting the communities they serve and operate in during times of crisis,” said Prem Watsa, Founder and CEO of Fairfax Financial Holdings and one of the honorees on the List. “Indiaspora’s Philanthropy Leaders List serves as a reminder to the diaspora to continue the important work of giving even once the crisis abates so our communities can meet future challenges.” The List includes names from various industries including technology, entertainment, finance, and the law, among others, who are using their philanthropy to address issues such as access to healthcare, quality education, water and sanitation, arts and culture, food insecurity, and employability.“I hope the diaspora will continue to give forward, and even more boldly,” said Rohini Nilekani, Founder-Chairperson of sustainable water and sanitation nonprofit Arghyam, who is also an honoree on the List. “It is both inspiring and critical to resolve many old and emerging societal challenges in India.” Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List is one of several of the organization’s philanthropy-focused initiatives. Other initiatives include ChaloGive, an online giving campaign that raised more than $3.5M in 2021 to provide COVID relief in India, and the Philanthropy Summit, an annual event that brings together nonprofits, foundations, philanthropists, and others in the social impact space to share learnings regarding Indian and diaspora philanthropy. “This is a transformative moment for philanthropy,” said Ashish Shah, Senior Director of Philanthropy and Community Engagement at Indiaspora. “The purpose of our philanthropy work is to galvanize the Indian diaspora to elevate its level of giving in the next decade, and Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List is an important step towards building a culture of philanthropy.” For the list of honorees and additional resources, including additional quotes, information and news about the honorees, please visit the 2021 Indiaspora Philanthropy Leaders List website. More on the Indiaspora ListsThe Indiaspora Lists (lists.indiaspora.org) highlight the advances of the Indian diaspora in areas such as government, business, and philanthropy.Indiaspora’s inaugural Business Leaders List (July 2020), highlights the Indian diaspora who are leading the largest global companies and the Government Leaders List (February 2021) highlights over 200 government leaders of Indian heritage from 15 countries around the globe.Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit community of powerful global Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions who are committed to inspiring the diaspora to be a force for positive impact by providing a platform to collaborate, engage, and catalyze social change.
Indiaspora participates in U.S. State Department discussion on diaspora response to India's COVID-19 pandemic
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Following a message from Vice President Harris thanking the Indian diaspora, Indiaspora participated in a State Department-hosted discussion on the diaspora response to the COVID-19 pandemic in India
Indiaspora Founder MR Rangaswami discussed strong American response through giving and their ChaloGive campaign
PRESS RELEASE
San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC — May 7, 2021 — Following remarks from Vice President Harris on the United States’ strong partnership with India, Silicon Valley angel investor and entrepreneur MR Rangaswami, who founded Indiaspora, a nonprofit community of global Indian diaspora leaders, spoke about the outpouring of support from the Indian diaspora toward India’s COVID-19 relief efforts during a discussion hosted by the State Department.“The message from the Vice President about the strong and long-standing U.S.-India partnership was a reaffirming one, and we are humbled by her acknowledgement of how Indiaspora has played a critical role,” said Executive Director of Indiaspora Sanjeev Joshipura. “During a time when people are hurting, the message was clear that the United States, along with its Indian diaspora, will continue to stand with India.”Following Vice President Harris’s remarks, Indiaspora Founder MR Rangaswami spoke about the diaspora and the broader American community’s unprecedented response to India’s COVID-19 pandemic during a panel discussion hosted by the U.S. State Department, “Bolstering U.S. COVID Relief Efforts in India: Perspectives from the Diaspora,” with fellow diaspora leaders. “One of our biggest focus areas for Indiaspora is philanthropy. When COVID-19 first hit, we started a campaign called ChaloGive. This has hit everyone on a personal basis. I’m treating this as a personal emergency as well as a call to action,” said MR Rangaswami, who lost his sister to COVID-19 a few months ago. “We are grateful to the U.S. government, to the diaspora, and to the greater American community for stepping up during this time.”Moderated by the U.S. State Department’s South and Central Asia Senior Bureau Official, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Ervin Massinga, the panel discussion also included the following speakers: Honorable State Senator Dr. Ghazala Hashmi of Virginia; Gunisha Kaur, Assistant Professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, Medical Director, Weill Cornell Center for Human Rights; and Lata Krishnan, American Indian Foundation Founder and Co-Chair of the Board. In addition to remarks from Vice President Harris, the USAID's Deputy Assistant Administrator Anjali Kaur also offered remarks about USAID's contributions to the relief efforts. Indiaspora officially launched their giving platform ChaloGive.org May 3rd as a grassroots initiative for the public to donate to COVID-19 relief efforts in India after Indiaspora served as a $1 million matching partner for the high-profile fundraiser, HELP INDIA BREATHE, organized by author and podcast host Jay Shetty.The ChaloGive for India campaign facilitates giving by the global diaspora toward on-the-ground NGOs working in three areas of COVID-19 relief: the creation of urgently needed COVID care centers and makeshift hospitals through nonprofit WISH Foundation, direct cash transfer to families who have lost a primary earning member through nonprofit GiveIndia, and food relief and livelihood assistance for migrant workers and other underserved populations through EdelGive Foundation to nonprofits Goonj and Jan Sahas.Donors from anywhere in the world can either choose one area to donate to, or make a contribution that will be evenly split between all three areas. U.S. donors also receive a tax exemption.Visit ChaloGive.org for additional information and resources.About ChaloGive:Indiaspora launched its inaugural ChaloGive giving campaign in October 2019 to encourage higher levels of giving by the diaspora by partnering with more than 20 India-based NGOs, several of which are part of the India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA). Indiaspora launched its second campaign, ChaloGive for COVID-19 in April 2020 during the first wave of the COVID-19 crisis to alleviate food insecurity in both the U.S. and India by partnering with nonprofits Feeding America and Goonj, respectively.About Indiaspora:Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit community of powerful global Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions who are committed to inspiring the diaspora to be a force for positive impact by providing a platform to collaborate, engage, and catalyze social change.
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MEDIA CONTACT:Mansi PatelIndiasporaDirector of Communicationsmansi@indiaspora.org(772) 486-0351
Indiaspora raises $1 million for COVID relief; partners for "Help India Breathe" May 1st
Indiaspora raises over $1 million for COVID relief from diaspora leaders in 48 hours
Aims to double the impact of relief efforts by providing matching funds Saturday, May 1st during the virtual event, “Help India Breathe”
San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC — April 30, 2021 — Indiaspora, a nonprofit community of global Indian diaspora leaders, announced they raised USD $1 million toward COVID-19 relief efforts within the last 48 hours and will aim to double the impact of their donations by offering to match funds Saturday during the virtual event, “Help India Breathe.”“We are proud of our community’s response. The outpouring of support from the Indian diaspora has been immediate and overwhelming,” said Sanjeev Joshipura, Executive Director of Indiaspora. “We hope Saturday’s event will continue to raise awareness and provide another opportunity for all of us to give. This has the potential to serve as a launch pad for additional and much-needed help for relief efforts in India.”The $1 million will address three major areas of COVID-19 relief on the ground: the creation of urgently needed COVID care centers and makeshift hospitals through nonprofit WISH Foundation, direct cash transfer to families who have lost a primary earning member through nonprofit giving platform GiveIndia, and food relief and livelihood assistance for migrant workers and other underserved populations through nonprofits Goonj and Jan Sahas."I am heartbroken by the deepening COVID crisis in India. Urgent action is needed to help those suffering,” said Indiaspora Founders Circle member Reshma Kewalramani, Chief Executive Officer and President at Vertex, a global biotechnology company, who contributed toward the campaign. “Please join me in giving as generously as you can to support India in her time of need.”Indiaspora will use the money raised from its members to match donations during the virtual event, “Help India Breathe,” which will take place from 1 PM-3 PM PT / 4 PM-6 PM ET and will bring together several powerful voices from the Indian and AAPI community, including Lilly Singh, Deepak Chopra, Dhar Mann, Payal Kadakia, Kunal Nayyar, Humble the Poet, Jay Sean, Radhanath Swami, Janina Gavankar, Vishen Lakhiani, Deepica Mutyala, and others.“We are devastated by the news of the rising tragedies in India. They urgently need our help, and we are so grateful to our friends, communities, and audiences that will participate in making a difference this weekend. We know you’ll show up,” said best-selling author, award winning storyteller & podcast host, and former monk Jay Shetty, who has put together the two-hour event, which will be livestreamed on his and Indiaspora’s Facebook and YouTube pages.Funds raised during the event will go toward GiveIndia, which launched India COVID Response Fund-1 in April 2020. With the second deadly wave currently hitting India, the organization launched ICRF-2 to support gaps in healthcare and other critical needs.Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit community of powerful global Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions who are committed to inspiring the diaspora to be a force for positive impact by providing a platform to collaborate, engage, and catalyze social change.
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Indiaspora Founder MR Rangaswami Receives “Global Service Award” at Canada-India Business Council’s Diwali Awards
RELEASE DATE OCTOBER 28, 2020
Indiaspora Founder MR Rangaswami to receive “Global Service Award” at Canada-India Business Council’s Diwali Awards
The premier trade group recognizes Indiaspora Founder and Silicon Valley investor MR Rangaswami for furthering Indian diaspora relations globally
San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC — October 28, 2020 — Indiaspora’s Founder, MR Rangaswami, has been recognized by the Canada-India Business Council with its new 2020 “Global Service Award” for launching Indiaspora and connecting the Indian diaspora globally. The award will be presented virtually Thursday, October 29th, as part of the Canada-India Business Council’s virtual Diwali Awards to be held from 5 pm - 6 pm EDT.
The inaugural award is given to an individual who demonstrates excellence, and a record of exceptional service for the betterment of others. The “Global Service Award” recognizes selflessness, dedication, and a significant contribution to either Canada or India.
"It's an awesome privilege to accept this award from the prestigious Canada-India Business Council. This award will give us momentum on our journey of connecting the Indian diaspora globally and making an impact. We view Canada and Indo-Canadians as an integral partner in this mission,” said Indiaspora founder MR Rangaswami, a Silicon Valley software executive, investor, and entrepreneur.
“MR has served in numerous ways throughout his life, with grace and humility. What he has done in eight short years through Indiaspora, by convening, mobilizing, and catalyzing key diaspora leaders in the United States and around the world, is nothing short of remarkable,” said Victor Thomas, President and CEO of Canada-India Business Council. “We are thrilled to recognize him with the Canada-India Business Council’s first-ever ‘Global Service Award.’”
"The 1.6 million strong Indian community - affluent, hard-working, peaceful and fully integrated into the Canadian ethos - is a living bridge fostering people to people ties between India and Canada. The community is making a significant contribution to the growth and prosperity of Canada, which is well recognized by Canadian society and the government,” said Apoorva Srivastava, Consul General of India in Toronto, who also will be one of the presenters at the Diwali Awards event.
“There are several organizations who are working tirelessly for the well-being of the community members. Indiaspora is one such organization, which since its inception, has amplified the voice of the community and transformed it into a vibrant and dynamic force. I congratulate Mr. Rangaswami and the Indiaspora team for their stupendous work in the service of the community. Today’s award is a recognition of their efforts in helping the community to unite together for their common good,” said Consul General Srivastava.
As part of its “Global Connect” program to lead high-level delegations of the Indian diaspora to different countries, Indiaspora organized a delegation of their members and prominent friends from the U.S. to Canada to meet Canadian, Indian, and Indo-Canadian leaders in government, academia, philanthropy, the arts, finance, business and technology in October 2018. The “Track II” diplomacy meetings took place in Toronto and Ottawa in the wake of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) proposed earlier that month, as well as Prime Minister Trudeau’s trade trip to India earlier that year.
“MR is a true example of how to provide selfless service while making a meaningful impact in the world through various initiatives, including as founder of Indiaspora,” said Sukesh Kumar, a Partner and National Leader of KPMG’s India Practice, and an Indiaspora Patron who has played a leading role in Indiaspora’s Canadian activities. “What makes him even more special is his humility and approaching every situation with a smile.”
"I was delighted to be a part of Indiaspora's high-level delegation to Canada led by MR Rangaswami. The enthusiasm to engage with our group, which was evident among Indo-Canadian leaders in diverse professions, was testament to his amazing relationship building and convening capacity,” said Arjun Divecha, a U.S.-based investor who is head of Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co’s Emerging Markets Equity team and an Indiaspora Founders Circle member who was part of Indiaspora’s delegation to Canada. “Under his dynamic, visionary leadership, Indiaspora is fast becoming a premier organization working to build meaningful relationships across Indian diaspora leaders globally, including of course in Canada.”
Ms. Patricia Koval, Chair of the Canada-India Business Council will be introducing the “Global Service Award” on Thursday prior to Mr. Rangawami’s remarks.
Other Canada-India Business Council honorees on Thursday include Paytm Canada (Harinder Takhar, CEO) with the Member of the Year Award; G(irls)20 (Bailey Greenspon, Acting-CEO) with the Roy MacLaren Humanitarian Award, and Teck Resources Limited (Donald Lindsay, President and CEO) with the Thomas Bata Corporate of the Year Award.
Mansi Patel, Senior Manager, Communications, Indiaspora
Washington, DC
cell: 772-486-0351
“The Invisible Indian": A Study of Poverty in the Indian American Population
RELEASE DATE OCTOBER 1, 2020 at 8 pm U.S. Eastern Time
Press Release
An estimated 6.5 percent of Indian diaspora live in poverty, according to “The Invisible Indian,” a new report from Indiaspora and researchers at Johns Hopkins’ Paul Nitze School of Advanced International StudiesThe majority of the United States’ 4.2 million Indian Americans are thriving, but the COVID pandemic may drive the percentage of the Indian diaspora living in poverty to as high as 10.1 percent.San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC — October 1, 2020 — Indiaspora, a nonprofit organization of global Indian diaspora leaders from various backgrounds and professions, released today at their Indiaspora Philanthropy Summit 2020, “A Study of Poverty in the Indian American Population,” with researchers Devesh Kapur and Jashan Bajwaat of Johns Hopkins’ Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies that focuses on the underprivileged Indian diaspora in the U.S.While the Indian diaspora are one of the most affluent ethnic minorities in the U.S., with a median income of $120,000, nearly double that of the average U.S. household, a look into the U.S. Census data found about 250,000 of the 4.2 million Indian Americans in the U.S. live below the poverty line.“With this report, we wanted to draw attention to the plight of the most underprivileged Indian Americans,” said MR Rangaswami, founder of Indiaspora. "With COVID-19 wreaking health and economic havoc, this is an appropriate moment to raise awareness and discuss the issue of poverty that exists in our otherwise affluent community. We hope that the report will lead to an increased focus on this topic, followed by targeted measures to make a positive difference."While the study provides a detailed analysis of the impoverished populations of the Indian American community, Indian Americans are still less likely to be living in poverty compared to white, Black and Hispanic Americans. While poverty in the U.S. overall declined from 15.1 percent in 2010 to 11.8 percent in 2018, Indian American households experienced a decline from 9 percent to 6.5 percent in 2018. "This report unveils the specific characteristics of impoverished Indian Americans. In 2018, 6.5% of Indian American households were living below the poverty line. Their place of residence overlapped with areas where higher numbers of unauthorized Indian American immigrants reside,” said Devesh Kapur, Director of Asia Programs and Starr Foundation Professor of South Asian Studies at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. “The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to increase poverty among Indian Americans by between a quarter and half, depending on the duration and intensity of the health and economic shocks.”The report also details a large percentage of impoverished Indian Americans are not in the labor force, with four-fifths of this group being undocumented. In addition, the study found underprivileged Indian Americans live in the same states as other more affluent Indian diaspora in the U.S. who live above the poverty line. By identifying the demographics, vulnerabilities, cultural links, and geographies of the Indian diaspora living in poverty, specific strategies can be developed to mitigate the risks faced by these “Invisible Indians”.Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit organization established to transform the success of the Indian diaspora into meaningful impact worldwide. Their members form a powerful network of global leaders who are committed to building stronger communities with a culture of giving and inspiring social change.
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CONTACT: Mansi Patel
Senior Communications and Outreach Manager. Indiaspora
mansi@indiaspora.org
cell: 772-486-0351
Indian Americans Vote 2020: Voter Survey Results
RELEASE DATE SEPTEMBER 15, 2020
Indian Americans Vote 2020: Voter Survey Results reveals the
U.S. Indian diaspora’s growing political power
Sixty-five percent of Indian Americans currently favor VP Biden, and twenty-eight percent favor President Trump, with both Democratic and Republican parties reaching out to this increasingly influential voting bloc for the 2020 presidential election, says Indiaspora and AAPI Data’s joint report
San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC — September 15, 2020 — Indiaspora and AAPI Data released today their joint report on Indian American voters’ attitudes in the upcoming 2020 U.S. presidential election. The report documents the strengthening political power of the Indian American electorate in the U.S. due to factors such as their rapidly growing population and increased political participation.“With increased attention being paid to the Indian American vote given our growing numbers, increasing political contributions and overall political engagement, we wanted to shine a spotlight on the issues that really matter to Indian American voters,” said MR Rangaswami, founder of Indiaspora.The report, which has survey results of 260 Asian Indian registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, found that some of the issues at the top of the list for Indian Americans in this election included education, jobs and economy, health care, and the environment.The report also chronicles the rise of the Indian American electorate as one of the fastest growing minority groups in the U.S., with significant numbers in “battleground” states.“Indian Americans are positioned to make a difference in several swing states that may be close in this election, such as Florida (87,000), Pennsylvania (61,000), Georgia (57,000), Michigan (45,000), and North Carolina (36,000), and perhaps even Texas, which has 160,000 Indian-American voters,” said Dr. Karthick Ramakrishnan, professor of public policy and political science at UC Riverside, and founder of AAPI Data. “Given Senator Kamala Harris’s historic vice presidential nomination, as well as highly publicized rallies that President Trump and Prime Minister Modi held together, high turnout could make a huge difference in this election.”Currently, there are 1.8 million Indian Americans in the U.S. who are eligible voters. About 310,000 Indian green card holders remain in a backlog for citizenship as of 2019, and another 310,000 Indian residents in the U.S. are in a backlog to obtain their green cards.In addition, Indian American political engagement extended to several areas, with a fifth of Indian American registered voters saying they contacted their representative or government official in the U.S. this year, 74 percent had discussed politics with family and friends, and a quarter of those surveyed had donated to a candidate, political party or campaign this year. By the end of June 2020, Indian Americans had donated at least $3 million to 2020 presidential campaigns. Both Democratic and Republican parties have conducted outreach to Indian Americans in this election, with 56 percent of Indian American registered voters surveyed saying they had been contacted by the Democratic party in the past year, and 48 percent saying they had been contacted by the Republican party. This is a marked increase from 2016, when only 31 percent of Indian Americans said they had been contacted by a political party, compared to 44 percent of White voters and 42 percent of Black voters. In addition, several hundred Indian American candidates also are running for office in record numbers at federal, state and local levels.“Given the Indian diaspora’s increasing political importance in the U.S, it’s no surprise they are being courted by both sides of the aisle,” said MR Rangaswami, Founder of Indiaspora. “It’s great that both major political parties have begun to realize just how critical it is to reach out to Indian Americans – our impact is only going to increase over time.”Additional key findings from the report include:
- 66 percent of Indian Americans currently favor Vice President Biden, 28 percent favor President Trump, and 6 percent were undecided. In the 2016 presidential election, 77 percent voted for Secretary Hillary Clinton, and 16 percent voted for President Trump.
- 54 percent of Indian Americans identified as Democrats, 16 percent as Republicans, and 24 percent as Independents. In 2016, 46 percent of Indian American voters identified as Democrat, 35 percent were Independent or Other, and 19 percent identified as Republican.
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Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established to transform the success of Indian-Americans into meaningful impact worldwide. Their members are a powerful network of diaspora leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions who are committed to building stronger communities with a culture of giving and inspiring social change. In 2013, Indiaspora held an inaugural presidential ball, and in 2017, Indiaspora held a gala to recognize the success of Indian Americans on the political stage.AAPI Data (aapidata.com) is a nationally recognized publisher of demographic data and policy research on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, with hundreds of news mentions in national and local outlets. Their reputation is built on data and research that is accurate, compelling, and timely. MEDIA CONTACT:Mansi Patel, Senior Manager, Communications, Indiasporamansi@indiaspora.orgcell: 772-486-0351
India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA) launches nationwide youth essay competition
FOR RELEASE FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2020
Contact: Alex Counts
Senior Adviser, India Philanthropy Alliance
mobile: 202-257-8739
email: alex@indiaspora.org
Press Release
The India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA) launches a nationwide youth essay competition for middle and high school students
Member organizations of IPA also announce their COVID-19 response
Washington, DC, USA —The India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA), a U.S.-based coalition of organizations that aid India, has launched a nationwide youth essay competition for middle and high school students to submit their ideas on how to effectively engage in philanthropy, including philanthropy benefiting India."Our hope through this essay competition is that the India Philanthropy Alliance can both push and amplify the best thinking of Indian-American youth about philanthropy and about what smart giving can do for India," said Deepak Raj, Chairman of IPA.Up to ten finalist essays by middle and high school students will be selected by a panel of philanthropy experts, and will be published on the Internet.For middle school students, the essay length is 600 words or fewer, and for high school students, the limit is 1,200 words. The deadline for submissions is June 1, 2020.The authors of the best essay in each cohort will be invited to the Indiaspora Philanthropy Summit, tentatively scheduled for the fall, to present their award-winning ideas. They also will be able to direct at least $1,000 to a nonprofit of their choice.“With the current public health and humanitarian crisis, the stakes have never been higher,” said Sanjeev Joshipura, Executive Director of Indiaspora, a member organization of IPA. “With so many students learning at home, this is an opportunity for parents to perhaps encourage their children to think about how best to help the less fortunate.”The pilot is made possible with generous support from the Sarva Mangal Family Trust, supported by the Shah Family of Orange County and their company MS International, Inc. They are also advising and assisting in the process."The Sarva Mangal Family Trust is pleased to support India Philanthropy Alliance's essay competition,” said Rup and Mona Shah of Sarva Mangal Family Trust. “We look forward to hearing what young people throughout the country are thinking about philanthropy and how it can be done right and in ways that benefit India. We are keen to learn about their innovative solutions."The essay competition is one of multiple initiatives of the IPA to grow the culture of philanthropy among the diaspora in the United States.The IPA also announced Tuesday what each of its organizations is doing to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and meet critical need. Responses include providing essential knowledge, protecting communities and frontline workers, ensuring education for school-age children, fighting hunger, supporting and collaborating with government to meet critical health needs, aiding affected populations, training health care professionals, and continuing to operate programs or preparing to re-launch those on hold.The twelve member organizations of the IPA include Akanksha Education Fund, American India Foundation, Arogya World, CRY America, Ekal USA, Foundation for Excellence (FFE), Indiaspora, Magic Bus USA, Pratham USA, Project ECHO, VisionSpring and WISH Foundation.The IPA (https://www.indiaphilanthropyalliance.org/) is a coalition of nonprofit, philanthropic and charitable organizations that mobilize people and funding in the United States (and elsewhere) for development and poverty-reduction programs in India.For additional information on the background and essay guidelines of the youth essay competition, please visit here.For any questions, please reach out to Alex Counts, Senior Adviser at India Philanthropy Alliance at alex@indiaspora.org.
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ChaloGive Oct 2 - 8: Indiaspora’s online giving campaign to facilitate higher levels of giving by the Indian diaspora
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ashish Shah, Community Relations Director, Indiaspora
Phone: (312) 203-5418
email: ashish@indiaspora.org
or
Gabrielle Trippe, Philanthropy Initiatives Manager, Indiaspora
Phone: (917) 708-1696
Email: gabrielle@indiaspora.org
ChaloGive (Oct 2 - 8)
Indiaspora’s online giving campaign to facilitate higher levels of giving by the Indian diaspora
Press Release
Washington, DC, USAIndiaspora has launched its inaugural ChaloGive online giving campaign from Oct 2 to Oct 8, created to encourage higher levels of giving by the Indian diaspora.The grassroots initiative will focus on individual giving by the Indian diaspora to nonprofits that are making an impact through its online platform ChaloGive.org.The campaign was inspired in part by the success of Giving Tuesday in the US as well as the week-long Daan Utsav campaign in India, which also has gained considerable traction.“The word ‘Chalo’ means ‘Let’s,’ so ChaloGive means ‘Let’s Give,’” said Sanjeev Joshipura, Executive Director of Indiaspora. “The idea is simple: to allow the diaspora to learn about different organizations doing meaningful work, streamline the process for them to donate, and help cultivate the spirit of giving.”While it is well documented that Indian Americans are roughly 1 percent of the population and the highest-earning minority group in the U.S., a study Indiaspora conducted in 2018 with Dalberg found that the monetary giving potential of Indian Americans is enormous—at over $3 billion dollars annually.“ChaloGive was created to achieve that promise. Imagine what an impact such a growing and influential demographic can have,” said Gabrielle Trippe, Indiaspora Philanthropy Initiatives Manager.In addition, the study found a “passion-donation gap,” which means that the community does not necessarily give to those causes which it collectively claims to be most passionate about.By highlighting more than 20 organizations with successful track records in areas of poverty alleviation and empowerment, health, and education, ChaloGive allows the diaspora to find causes that they care about and to give to them.“We want to make the giving experience frictionless in order to effectively engage with online donors so that giving is not only easy but also strategic. The 21 beneficiary organizations for ChaloGive this year are a mix of small, medium-size and large non-profits with proven interventions and an ability to scale,” said Ashish Shah, Indiaspora Community Relations Director, who has previous experience starting giving platforms as founder of GivingRise.High-profile personalities in the diaspora community are also helping raise awareness about ChaloGive. “ChaloGive Ambassadors” include Kailash Satyarthi, 2014 Nobel Peace Laureate; Nina Davuluri, 2014 Miss America; and cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar.ChaloGive also coincides with the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth this October 2, in which themes of service resonate with the Indian diaspora.“ChaloGive was a logical next step for Indiaspora in our mission and role as a philanthropic catalyst for the Indian diaspora community. Our aim is to encourage philanthropic giving at all levels and ChaloGive allows us to engage with the 3 million strong Indian Americans who are looking to give to a cause that they care about,” said Indiaspora founder, MR Rangaswami.Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization established to transform the success of the Indian diaspora into meaningful impact worldwide. Their members are global leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions that work to build stronger communities at home and abroad, with a shared culture of strategic giving and inspiring social change.
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New India Philanthropy Alliance to Advance Humanitarian and Development Goals
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alex Counts, Senior Adviser, India Philanthropy Alliance
Phone: (202) 257-8739
Email: alex@indiaspora.org
NEW INDIA PHILANTHROPY ALLIANCE ANNOUNCED TODAY
TO ADVANCE INDIA’S HUMANITARIAN AND DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Eleven leading organizations to stress cooperation and collaboration
WASHINGTON, DC, October 2— On the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, eleven organizations announced the formation of a new India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA) to further advance humanitarian and development goals in India through increased collaboration. They did so at the Indiaspora Philanthropy Summit held on the first day of ChaloGive, a week celebrating Indian diaspora philanthropy.The organizations that comprise the new Alliance are the Akanksha Fund, American India Foundation (AIF), Arogya World, CRY America, Dasra, Ekal USA, Foundation for Excellence (FFE), Indiaspora, Magic Bus USA, Pratham USA, and VisionSpring. These organizations collectively raise $125 million annually in philanthropic donations, including more than $50 million in the United States. Their most generous donors are Indian-American entrepreneurs and professionals as well as companies doing business in both the United States and India. Together, these 11 organizations have cumulatively impacted more than 67 million people with their evidence-based programs spanning education, health care, livelihood support, and other essential services. The pre-launch activities of the Alliance began two years ago and were generously supported by Indiaspora.To help India meeting its United Nations Sustainable Development Goal commitments, the organizations that are part of the Alliance will work more closely together in their constituency-building efforts in the United States and in their work in India. An article detailing their activities and objectives was published on October 1 in the prestigious Stanford Social Innovation Review.“We’re excited about this effort to join forces today as a new alliance committed to the ideal of making a collective impact. Working together, using our combined philanthropic reach and innovative ideas, we can help India in far greater ways than each of us could accomplish working on our own,” said Deepak Raj, a New Jersey-based entrepreneur and investor. Raj is the chairman of the Alliance, and also the chairman of Pratham USA, one of the leading education-focused nonprofits in the world. “The time is right for building a more robust culture of philanthropy among Indian-Americans and I am positive that our efforts will help accelerate social progress in India.”“Organizations working towards the goal of educating all Indians regardless of their family’s wealth cannot work in isolation from others with similar goals, or from efforts of the government,” said Minoo Gupta, vice-chair of the Alliance and the president of Foundation for Excellence (FFE), which has supported 20,000 low-income Indian scholars to pursue higher education. “The opportunities for transformation are vast and a collective impact approach is now needed.”“Our generous donors have been telling us for years that greater collaboration among professionally run nonprofits focused on India made sense, and that a narrative of complementarity has been missing from our sector,” said Nishant Pandey, vice-chair of the Alliance and CEO of American India Foundation (AIF), which is a nearly two-decade old collective platform for philanthropy benefitting India that has raised $129 million benefitting more than 5.6 million underprivileged people in India through its work in education, health, and livelihoods. “AIF is pleased to respond in a pragmatic and visionary way to our friends and supporters by being a founding member of the Alliance.” The India Philanthropy Alliance’s mission is: “To enhance collaboration among organizations working to advance the development agenda in India. We work together to foster a more robust and better recognized culture of giving among Indian-Americans and over time, increase the scale and impact of philanthropy benefiting India.”
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Indiaspora Monitor of University Giving 2018
Indiaspora Releases Monitor of University Giving
More Than $1.2 Billion Donated by Indian Americans to U.S. Higher Education
Press Release
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Washington, D.C., USA
Indiaspora today announced the creation of the Monitor of University Giving - a “living database” to keep abreast of Indian American philanthropic donations to higher education. The goal is to illustrate how Indian Americans, the most highly educated ethnic minority in America1, are giving back to higher education in their adopted homeland.The database catalogs Indian American donations totaling US $1 million or more to American institutions of higher education since the year 2000. It includes donations, made to colleges and universities that have been publicly disclosed. Since smaller gifts are not tracked, this results in underreporting of the total contributions made by Indian Americans, but allows for consistent year-to year comparisons of donations.MR Rangaswami, Founder of Indiaspora stated, “While Indian Americans continue to donate time and money towards causes in India, our community also believes that charity begins at home. Indian Americans are acutely aware of the vital role played by American Institutions of Higher Education in their professional success stories, and many of us consider it a moral obligation to give back and pay it forward for the next generation of Americans.”Several significant trends were found among Indian American donors. Fifty individuals made 68 donations of one million dollars or more amounting to over $1.2 billion. Of these donors, nearly half are repeat donors indicating how passionately Indian Americans feel towards giving back to American institutions of higher education, in many but not all cases, their alma maters. Additionally, while the frequency of large donations has stayed fairly consistent since 2000, the dollar amount of donations has increased on average since then.Indiaspora is proud to note that seven of the 68 donors are Indiaspora members. These members include: Sumir Chadha, Desh Deshpande, Kris Gopalkrishnan, Raj Gupta, Deepak Raj, Anand Rajaraman, and Sanjay Swani.This demonstrates that Indian Americans are giving back to institutions of higher education in their adopted homeland of America, helping to contribute not only to their own communities, but to the United States as a whole.Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization established to transform the success of Indian Americans into meaningful impact worldwide. Their members, who are influential Indian-American and Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions, form an impactful network. Indiaspora has three objectives:
- Increase the visibility and influence of Indian-Americans to actively engage in their communities
- Create a platform to help shape successful U.S.-India relations and connect with the global Indian diaspora in various countries
- Redefine the philanthropic model to promote more effective and sustainable giving by Indian-Americans
For questions, please contact Gabrielle Trippe, Indiaspora Philanthropy Initiatives Manager, at gabrielle@indiaspora.org.Footnote1:https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/chart/educational-attainment-of-indian-population-in-the-u-s/Additional Resources:
- Download the Press Release
- Download the Report: Indiaspora Monitor of University Giving
- Download the Slide Deck: Long version
- Download the Slide Deck: Short version
Press to date:
- Times of India, "PIOs have donated more than $ 1.2 billion to US alma maters since 2000," Chidanand Rajghatta, September 25, 2018.
- Press Trust of India, https://www.deccanherald.com/international/indian-americans-donated-usd-694654.html, Lalit Jha, September 26, 2018.
- The American Bazaar, https://www.americanbazaaronline.com/2018/09/26/indian-american-donors-gave-more-than-1-2-billion-to-us-universities-colleges-report-435381/, Dileep Thekkethil, September 26, 2018.
- India West, Indian Americans Have Donated Estimated $1.2 Billion to U.S. Universities, Reveals Indiaspora in New Study, Sunita Sohrabji, September 28, 2018.
- India New England News. 50 Indian Americans Have Donated $1.2 Billion to US Higher Education. September 30, 2018.