Community mourns the loss of Dr. Haren Gandhi

Listening to Dr. Subhash Kelkar's radio program yesterday, I heard the sad news on the passing away of Dr. Haren Gandhi a Ford Motor Company researcher and the only member of the auto industry to win the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Dr Haren Gandhi died on Jan. 23 at the age of 68. Dr. Haren Gandhi is survived by his wife Yellow, daughter Sangeeta and son Anand.

From Ford Motor Company Press Release

Dr. Gandhi joined Ford in 1967 where he distinguished himself in leading-edge research, development and implementation of automotive exhaust catalysts at the company's Research and Innovation Center.

Among Dr. Gandhi's many scientific contributions is the development of the monolithic three-way catalyst, a discovery that has revolutionized the way the automotive industry approaches emissions control.

His work has resulted in more than 70 technical publications and 53 U.S. patents in automotive exhaust catalysis and related areas, with many more patents in other countries.

In 2003, President George W. Bush presented Dr Gandhi the National Medal of Technology and Innovation in a ceremony at the White House.

DhartiOnline.com a new website for Michigan's South Asian Community

Saleem Siddiqui a long time Michigan resident has just launched a brand new website - DhartiOnline.com. Indian and Pakistanis living in Michigan, are the focus of DhartiOnline, where users may shop, post ads, search for local Bollywood movies, find weekly domestic/international travel deals, locate real estate properties and everything else needed on a daily basis.

Dhartionline’s dedicated news sections keeps users up to date by providing the latest news, editorials, current affairs, and much more both on India and Pakistan. Dhartionline.com offers many benefits and features lacking by other local community websites. With plans to expand in the near future, dhartionline.com will offer other benefits such as helpful sections on immigration, education and health to name a few.

Visit dhartionline.com for more details.

Happy Republic Day - India (Check out Google India's Logo today)

Today is India's 61st Republic Day. On this day in 1950, the Constitution of India came into force. Here's wishing everyone a very...very Happy Republic Day.

Google India has changed its logo today. Here's what it looks like.

Search Engine Optimization Class

Nipa Shah of Jenesys Group LLC informs me that Jenesys Group is organizing a Search Engine Optimization workshop on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at Americenters Novi from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm. The same will be held via a WEBINAR on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 from 6.30 to 8.30 pm.

The workshop will teach about

• The three pillars of Search Engine Optimization
• What makes up ideal keywords for your use
• Metatags and why they are no longer enough to optimize your website
• Ethical and non-ethical SEO techniques
• Link building techniques
• Measuring performance

For more info on the workshop visit Jenesys Group LLC.

Neeru Sharma a disabilities blogger dead at 38

Neeru Sharma, a disabilities blogger for The Detroit News, died this morning in William Beaumont Hospital. Neeru was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, which causes fragile bones.

Ms. Sharma suffered a massive heart attack on Saturday (01/16) while having dinner with friends. As a result, she was put on a ventilator in order to breathe. Ms. Sharma did not recover and was disconnected from the ventilator this morning (01/18).

The world came to know of Neeru's untimely passing via her brother Naveen Sharma's facebook status update:

The world has lost a great person today, as my elder sister Neeru Sharma passed away this morning at the young age of 38 years old. Neeru was a very vibrant woman and she will be missed by all. The viewing is going to be from 3pm - 8pm on Tuesday January 19th 2010 followed by the funeral at 10am on Wed. January 20th 2010 at the same location. I am sure Neeru will love to see all her freinds there.

The viewing and funeral will be held at E. J. Mandziuk & Son Funeral Directors, Inc., 3801 18 Mile Road, Sterling Heights, MI 48314 ph: 586-997-3838.

Detroit News reports:

Ms. Sharma, a resident of Sterling Heights, worked as a long-term forecast analyst for General Motors' market & industry analysis division. She obtained a bachelors of science degree from the General Motors Institute and a master's degree from Oakland University.

"She tried to get (information) about disability awareness out," said Naveen Sharma about his sister. "She was a very independent person. She went to Europe, Denmark ... she traveled like crazy. She had millions of friends." Ms. Sharma is survived by her brother, Naveen, and her parents, Gurdev and Vimal Sharma.

Tata Technologies to add jobs in Michigan

Tata Technologies Ltd, the engineering arm of India's Tata group, plans to hire 200 more engineers at its facility in Novi, MI by the end of the year. The new positions will cover a wide range of engineering functions.

The company says it provides engineering services, product development information technology services and product management lifecycle expertise to most global OEMs. Main customers in the U.S. include Chrysler, Ford and Honda as well as aircraft maker Boeing. Its work for Chrysler included upfront digital crash analysis.

Tata Technologies currently employs about 600 people in the United States, including 475 in Novi.

In addition to its North American regional headquarters in Novi, the Singapore based company operates offices in California, Illinois, Ohio, Washington and Washington D.C. in the U.S. It also has regional headquarters in Pune, India, and Luton, U.K.

(via WWJ)

Indian American coordinates US response to Haiti Earthquake

Rajiv Shah who is originally from Detroit and recently sworn in as the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, is now the coordinator of US response to Haiti Disaster.

From USA Today

Rajiv Shah is a medical doctor who also holds a degree in economics, Shah is the highest-ranking Indian American in any presidential administration, according to the Press Trust of India. Plucked from his perch leading agricultural department research programs, Shah was still finding his way around USAID’s headquarters in the Ronald Reagan Building when the earthquake struck. His agency, which is in charge of development and foreign aid, plays a lead role in international relief efforts.

Check out Rajiv Shah's bio at USAID website.

Determinism a film by twin brothers Sanjit and Ranju Majumdar

Determinism is a ultra low budget feature film made by 24 year old identical twin brothers Sanjit and Ranju Majumdar. Sanjit and Ranju were born in Queens, New York to South Asian immigrant parents (father Bangladeshi, mother Indian) and raised in Pompton Lakes, a small, white, working-class town in New Jersey.

Determinism is a story about the dark side of friendship set in racially charged fictional college town in Pennsylvania, where students and drug dealers are often one and the same.

Synopsis

Alec, the film’s anti-hero, is an alienated South Asian. He’s always been an outsider, and he certainly doesn’t fit in here. New York is his Mecca. Tristan, his former best friend and a reformed cokehead, is a white guy, living with Alec’s ex-girlfriend, the beautiful, black Lynn. Tristan thinks he’s got it made.

Broke and cut off from his family after he flunks out of school, Alec sets off to free himself from the stereotypical role of “South Asian Geek” imposed upon him from birth. So opposed to typecasting that he can barely use a computer, he is determined to transcend Determinism — by any means necessary.

Karn Gill launches a new Radio Show

Michigan Indian Realtor, Karn Gill has launched a brand new radio show called the "The Karn Gill Radio Show". The show airs on WNZK 690 AM every Tuesday from 8.00PM to 9.00PM. The show includes Bollywood songs, interviews with community leaders, major news and event information for the Metro Detroit Indian community.

Karn Gill started his radio show on September 15 as a way of doing as he describes:

community service (seva) for free, to entertain people, to help people, to educate people. I keep the content of the show very close to the daily life of people around here, and I do my level best to prepare for every show with quality information, lot of work but I like it, I will call it community service, because my intention is not to make single $ from it by selling air time, I will do it for free.

This is great! Karn's daughter Jaasmeen a 11th Grader from Salem High School helps her Dad out in the Radio show by taking over some segments of the show.

You can contact Karn at KarnGill [at] Hotmail [dot] com or visit his website.