Indiaspora Post-Election Analysis 2020 November 4th aims for community-building for Indian Americans in historic election cycle

Media Advisory

Indiaspora Post-Election Analysis 2020 November 4th aims for community-building for Indian Americans in historic election cycle

Indiaspora will host a virtual political analysis show in the wake of the 2020 U.S. presidential election with live commentary from recently elected & re-elected Indian American political leaders on the federal and state levels; political and policy experts; Indian Americans from the national presidential campaigns; and community advocates and organizers who will discuss their reactions to the election, what's next for our community, and the future of U.S.-India relations.Washington, DC  | San Francisco, CA  —  November 4, 2020  — In the wake of a historic election cycle for the Indian American community, Indiaspora has organized a virtual political show for the community to meet U.S. Congressional members, candidates, state legislators, U.S.-India policy experts, and key leaders in the political, organizing and advocacy space.MR Rangaswami, Founder of Indiaspora, and Executive Director, Sanjeev Joshipura, will host more than 40 guests confirmed to speak on the four-hour virtual show.In the course of the 2020 election cycle, the Indian American community demonstrated a considerable increase in political engagement both in financial contributions and political participation, with more than 200 to 300 Democratic and Republican candidates of Indian origin running for local, state and federal office; several candidates will join the show to discuss their races. Newly-elected Vermont state Senator Kesha Ram, the first woman of color elected to the Vermont Senate; Jenifer Rajkumar, the first Indian American woman elected to the New York State Assembly; and Ohio state Senator Niraj Antani, the first Indian-American elected to the Ohio Senate, are scheduled to join.The 2020 presidential election also holds special significance given Senator Kamala Harris’s historic nomination as the first Indian American and first woman of color on a major presidential ticket; Indiaspora’s Post-Election 2020 show comes on the heels of this watershed moment for the Indian American community as a whole, which has seen an Indian American candidate represented on the national stage this election cycle.What: Indiaspora Post-Election Analysis 2020When: Nov. 4th 7 - 11pm EST | Nov. 4th 4 - 8pm PST | Nov. 5th 5:30 - 9:30 am IST VirtualTo see the full agenda, and to register, visit here.

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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. MEDIA CONTACT:Mansi Patel, Senior Manager, Communications, Indiasporamansi@indiaspora.orgcell: 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

2020 Business Leaders List India Press Release

RELEASED JULY 8, 2020UPDATED JULY 17, 2020

2020 Indiaspora Business Leaders List recognizes 60 executives of Indian heritage leading global corporations

Indian diaspora leaders are reaching the pinnacle of corporate success in greater numbers than ever, many use their platforms for social change advocacy

San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC  — July 8, 2020  — Indiaspora, a nonprofit organization of global Indian diaspora leaders from various backgrounds and professions, released today their inaugural list honoring executives of the Indian diaspora who are leading the largest global corporations in 2020.Drawing from the latest editions of Fortune and Forbes U.S. and global lists, the Indiaspora Business Leaders List includes 60 executives serving at the helm of their respective companies as Chief Executive Officer, President, or Chairman of the Board. Under their leadership, these companies collectively employ more than 3.6 million worldwide and account for a combined USD $1 trillion in revenue and $4 trillion in market capitalization. Headquartered across 11 different countries including the U.S., Canada, England, and Singapore, these companies have delivered annualized returns of 23 percent during the tenure of these executives, outperforming the S&P 500 by 10 percent."This inaugural list shares so many shining examples of the quintessential immigrant story," said Indiaspora Board member Rajan Navani, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Jetline Group of Companies. "Hardworking, enterprising, and innovative, these executives have achieved the highest success in their respective fields, often drawing on their Indian heritage to help guide and ground them along the way. No doubt they will inspire generations to come."The list includes immigrants from India as well as professionals born in countries such as Uganda, Ethiopia, England, and the U.S.“I’m amazed to see how far we’ve come in terms of representation in business,” said Raj Gupta, former CEO of Fortune 300 company Rohm and Haas, and one of the first executives of the Indian diaspora to join the ranks of corporate leadership along with pioneers such as Indra Nooyi of PepsiCo and Dinesh Paliwal of Harman International. “There used to be only a handful of us leading corporations. Now that we are reaching prominence, I am eager to see how the next generation leaves its own legacy.” Mr. Gupta, an Indiaspora member, serves as Chairman of two companies on the Business Leaders List, Aptiv and Avantor.Agents for Change and Inclusion"It is gratifying to see the growing impact of individuals from the Indian community on business on a global scale," said Indiaspora Board Member Arun Kumar, Chairman and CEO at KPMG India, who also served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce in the Obama administration. "I have had the opportunity to work with several of the individuals on our 2020 Business Leaders List in a professional and personal capacity, and can attest to their dynamism as leaders not only of their companies, but also for the larger diaspora community. In addition, many of them bring a remarkable sensitivity to issues relating to social change."Many of these diaspora executives have led their companies in advancing social change by addressing racial injustice, climate and sustainability justice, and the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 through policy and financial commitments. For example:

• Tech industry leader Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, has announced new goals for racial equity, including improving leadership representation of underrepresented groups at Google, and an “economic opportunity package” for the Black community.
• Many of the leaders’ companies have created or contributed funds in response to COVID-19, with monetary and humanitarian aid totaling more than $400 million.
• More than a dozen leaders have aligned their companies’ business practices to meet United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and are members of the UN Global Compact.

"It’s inspiring to see so many leaders of Indian heritage playing a significant role in business and in society,” said Ajay Banga, President and CEO of Mastercard. “Our culture and our values are a common starting point. But it’s what we do with the opportunities presented to us that make a difference. When we lean into our diverse experiences to deal with challenges like the pandemic or racial injustice, we can have an even greater impact on the lives of those around us.”The Indiaspora Business Leaders List also calls attention to the presence of a glass ceiling that women, including Indian women, still face. Out of 1,000 companies represented on the Fortune 500 list, only 61 have women CEOs; the Indiaspora List has a marginally higher percentage of women, yet includes only five women out of the 60 leaders.“It’s an honor to join so many outstanding leaders on this year’s Indiaspora Business Leaders list, each of whom is making a meaningful impact within their industry,” said Reshma Kewalramani, M.D., CEO and President of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. “As a physician and CEO dedicated to creating transformative medicines that improve the lives of people with serious diseases, I believe deeply in the critical role a diverse and inclusive culture plays in being able to achieve that mission at Vertex. We are committed to developing the next generation of leaders from all backgrounds, and I look forward to some of those names showing up on this list and others like it in the years to come.”About the Indiaspora Business Leaders ListThe following lists were used to identify honorees: Fortune 500 (which features 1,000 companies), Forbes Global 2000, Fortune Global 500 and the Forbes Largest Private U.S. Companies.Please visit the Indiaspora Business Leaders List website for additional resources, including information and news about the honorees, more than a dozen quotes from executives, and actions that the executives and their companies are undertaking in response to COVID-19, the current racial justice movement, and climate and sustainability needs.About IndiasporaIndiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit organization established to transform the success of the Indian diaspora into meaningful impact worldwide. The members form a powerful network of global leaders who serve as a platform to build stronger communities with a culture of giving and inspiring social change.