Dates
- August 20-23, 2009
Venue
- Crowne Plaza Hotel LaGuardia Airport
104-04 Ditmars
Blvd., East Elmhurst, New York 11369, USA
Tel: 718-457-6300
(call for special discounted room rates for GOPIO
Convention)
Theme
"People of Indian
Origin: Strengthening Global
Connections"
Two
conferences under the broad
theme.
Business
Conference (Aug. 21): "India
and The Indian Diaspora in the Context of Global Economic
Challenges and Development"
Diaspora
Conference (Aug. 22): "The
Indian Diaspora: Challenges and Opportunities in the New
Millennium"
GOPIO
Convention 2009 will also re-examine and re-evaluate GOPIO's
role during the last 20 years with respect to goals and
aspirations of 25 million people of Indian origin. Conference
topics include the following: Human Rights, Political
Participation, Diaspora Economic and Business Trends and
Opportunities, Socio-Cultural and Diasporic related issues and
concerns, Inter-generational Conflict, Challenges and
Opportunities for the Future.
Thu
(8/20)
Day 2:00 - 4:00pm GOPIO Executive
Committee
Meeting
Chaired
by Inder Singh, President, GOPIO Int'l.
(Not open to general
public)
Day 5.00
- 6.00 GOPIO Executive Council
Meeting
Chaired
by Dr Thomas Abraham, Chairman of GOPIO
Int'l.
Day 5.00
- 6.00 Country & Regional
Reports
Eve
7:00 - 9:00pm Welcome
Reception/Dinner
Interactive
Session with Hon.
Vayalar Ravi
Minister
for Overseas Indian Affairs
Fri
(8/21)
Day 9:00am - 6:00pm NRI/PIO Economic/Business
Conference
Eve 7.00pm - 9:00pm Reception,
Convention Inauguration
& Entertianment
Chief
Guest- Hon. Minister Vayalar Ravi
Sat
(8/22)
Day 9:00am -10:00pm GOPIO General Council
Meeting & Elections
Day 10:00am - 6:00pm Indian Diaspora
Conference
Conference on Living Pioneers,
and
Networking
Session for the Next
Generation
Eve 7:00pm - 11:00pm Banquet & Cultural
Program
Sun
(8/23)
Day 10:00am - 12:00pm GOPIO
General Council Meeting (Cont'd)
Venues
Hotel
and Conference Center: Crowne Plaza Hotel LaGuardia
Airport
Tel: 1-718/457-6300 (call to make reservation,
mention GOPIO Convention for discounted room rates of $119 for
double room)
GOPIO Executive Council Meeting and Reception
on August 20th and Banquet August 22nd
World's Fair Marina
Banquet Hall, Flushing, New York
(near Citifields, one mile
from Crowne Plaza Hotel at LaGuardia
Airport)
MEETING
OF THE NEXT GENERATION TO BE HELD
As
part of the convention, YOUTH AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS MEET
(age 14 to 27) will be held at the convention. Contact: Vishnu
Mahadeo vrmahadeo@gmail.com or Anita Bhat
ablondon71@yahoo.com. Please tell your youth and young
professionals in your family to join us in this networking
sessions planned for August 22 afternoon.REGISTRATION
TO YOUTH AND YOUNG PROFESSIONAL NET WORKING
SESSIONS IS FREE.
or
send in your registration to GOPIO International, Attn. Ashook
Ramsaran, Convenor, PO Box 560117, New York, NY 11356, USA,
Tel: 718-939-8194, Fax: 1-718-353-2404 email:
ramsaran@aol.com
GOPIO
Officers: Chairman: Dr. Thomas Abraham; President: Inder Singh;
Executive Vice President: Lord Diljit Rana; Regional Vice
President North America: Dr Piyush Agrawal; Secretary General:
Ashook Ramsaran
Convention
Team:
Dr. Thomas Abraham, Sudha Acharya, Dr .Piyush Agrawal, Ritesh
Agrawal, Anand Ahuja, Sangeeta Ahuja, Darshan Bagga, Rafeek
Baksh, Sharon Banta, Anita Bhat, Marina Budhos, Dr. Maya
Chadda, Ravi Dhingra, Bhanu Dwarika, Ram Gadhavi, Dr
Sushila Gidwani-Buschi, Deo Gosine, Rekha Gupta, John Joseph,
Prasad Kambampaty, Ramesh Kalicharran, Ram Lakhina, Bina
Mahabir, Gary Mahabir, Vishnu Mahadeo, Robert Mahesh,
Prince Markose, Dr. Raj Metha, Jaswant Mody, Chandra Morgan,
Ashook Motwani, Dr. Jagat Motwani, Lal Motwani, Stanley Raj,
Dr. Rohini Ramanathan, Yesu Persaud, Rajeshwar Prasad, Netram
Rambudhan, Ashook Ramsaran, Jasbir Sachar, Dr .Asha Samant,
Dharmatma Saran, Dr. Parmatma Saran, Dr. Rupam Saran, Shabana
Sharif, Inder Singh, Nohar Singh, Prakash Singh, Pritha Singh,
Dhiraj Solanki, Satruhan Sukdeo, Dr. Najma Sultana,
Mohinder Taneja, Thambi Thalappillil and Raju
Thomas.
GOPIO has been providing a common
platform for people of Indian origin since its inception in
1989. GOPIO membership is open to all people of Indian origin.
For more information or to volunteer for the convention
activities, please contact: GOPIO Secretary General &
Convention Convener Ashook Ramsaran at 718-353-2404 email:
ramsaran@aol.com or GOPIO Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham at
gopio@optionline.net or GOPIO President Inder Singh at
GOPIO-Intl@sbcglobal.net.
CONFERENCE
PROGRAM
Venue:
Crowne Plaza Hotel La Guardia, New York,
USA
Friday,
August 21, 2009
NRI/PIO
ECNOMIC, BUSINESS AND
DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
Theme
India
and Indian Diaspora in the Context of Global Economic
Challenges and Development
CO-SPONSOR
CONFEDERATION
OF INDIAN INDUSTRES (CII), New Delhi
Chair: Dr.
Thomas Abraham
Co-Chair: Dr. Maya Chadda
Dramatic
deceleration in the global economy pose serious
challenges to India and the people of Indian origins residing
in different parts of the world. How has this global
developments affected them? Having returned to power with a
stronger mandate, what direction the new government is taking?
Will it accelerate economic reforms and liberalization?
Will it take steps to establish a more business friendly
environment encourage Indian and Diaspora-led
business? Will it promote transfer of technology and encourage
Indian community abroad to participate in India's growth and
advancement? What impediments is it likely to encounter in
achieving this? What investments, trade and technological
collaborations can one expect from the interface between
India and the Indian Diaspora in advancing India's status as a
potential great power?
9.20
a.m. - 10.00 a.m. INAUGURAL SESSION
Speakers
- Hon.
Dr. A.M. Gondane,
Deputy Consul General, Consul General of
India
Hon.
Basdeo Panday,
MP, Leader of the Opposition, Trinidad &
Tobago
Hon.
Logie Naidoo,
Deputy Mayor, City of Durban, South
Africa
10:00am
- 11:15am Session I - India & the Global
Economy: Prospects and Challenges
Session
Chair - Dr.
Maya Chadda,
Prof. of Political Science, William Paterson Univ.,
NJ
Speakers - Dr.
Arvind Panagariya,
Professor of Economics and
Jagdish Bhagwati Professor
of Indian Political Economy Columbia Univ. School of
International & Public
Affairs
Sreedhar
Menon,
Chairman of the Board, Strategic
Advisor
&
Co-Promoter of VITEOS Fund Services Inc., NJ and
Bangalore
Dr.
Sanjay Ruparelia,
Assistant Professor of Political Science and Faculty Fellow
of the India China Institute, New School for Social
Research, New York, NY
11:15am - 11:35am
Tea/Coffee Break
11:35am
- 12:50am Session II - Indian Diaspora - Prospects
and Challenges in the
Emerging Global
Economy
Session
Chair - Bharat
Bhargava,
President, US-India American Chamber of Commerce,
Washington, DC
Speakers - Lord
Diljit Rana,
Business Leader & Member of House of Lords,
UK
Naveen
Jain,
CEO, Intelius, Bellevue,
WA
George
Abraham,
Managing Director, GA Group,
Singapore
Vibhuti
Jha,
Director, The Human Potential Project, New
York
12:50pm
- 2:00pm Lunch -Keynote
Speaker - Ambassador
Frank Wisner
Former
US Ambassador to India
2:00pm
- 3:15pm Session III - Diaspora in
India's Development
Session
Chair - Prof.
P. Somasundaran,
La von Duddleson Krumb
Professor
School of Engineering Columbia University, New
York
Speakers - Dr.
Sanjay Sinho,
American India Foundation, New
York
Dr.
George Abraham,
MD, FRCS, Medical Director, ED & EMS, Troy
Community Hospital; Chair and Secretary, American Academy
for Emergency
Medicine in India and President and Managing Trustee,
Institute of Emergency
Medical Services (IIEMS); Troy,
Pennsylvania
Dr.
Surendra Kaushik,
Prof. of Finance, Lubin School of Business,
Pace
University (New York) and Founder Chairman, Mrs. Helena
Kaushik
Women's College, Rajasthan,
India
Pavit
Mattewal,
Mattewal La Offices, Chandigarh,
India
B.C.Gupta,
IAS, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Govt. of
Punjab
3:15pm -
3:35pm Tea/Coffee
Break
3:35pm
- 4.35 pm Session IV - Indian Diaspora in
Social Development - What could we do?
Session
Chair - Yesu Persaud, Chairman, Demerara Ltd. and Chairman of
the Caribbean
Council for Europe (CCE),
Guyana
Speakers - Hon.
P. Chandrasegaran,
Minister of Community Development & Social Inequity
Eradication, Govt. of Sri
Lanka
Dr.
Raj Warrier,
Vice Chancellor, Manipal University,
India
Aruneshwar
Gupta,
Former Advocate General of Rajasthan, Jaipur,
India
Pritpal
Singh Pannu,
Chairman, National Integrated Forum of Artists and
Activists (NIFAA), Karnal, Haryana,
India
4:35pm
- 4.55 pm Special Presentation
Speaker
- Shefali
Chaturvedi,
CEO, Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre
(OIFC)
Confederation of Indian
Industry
4.55pm
- 5.15pm Concluding Session &
Resolutions
To
be conducted by Conference
Chairs
5.15pm
- 7.00pm Networking
Reception
7.00
pm Inauguration of GOPIO Convention - Chief
Guest: Honorable Vayalar Ravi
Special Guest
- Hon. Prabhu Dayal, Consul General of
India
Saturday,
August 22, 2009
INDIAN
DIASPORA CONFERENCE
Theme:
The Indian Diaspora: Challenges and Opportunities in the New
Millennium
Chair:
Prof. Parmatma
Saran
Co-Chairs: Prakash Singh, Ashook
Ramsaran
GOPIO's 20th Anniversary
Commemoration and Convention 2009 will examine and evaluate
GOPIO's role during the last 20 years with respect to helping
achieve goals and aspirations of 25 million people of Indian
origin (PIO) living outside of India. GOPIO Diaspora
Conference "The Indian Diaspora: Challenges &
Opportunities in the New Millennium" will examine issues of
human rights, political participation, economic trends and
challenges, socio-cultural and Diaspora related issues and
concerns, inter-generational issues, inter-ethnic relations,
and opportunities for the future.
9:00am -
10:00am Conference
Registration
10:15am
- 10:45am Introductory
Session
11:15am
- 11:30am Tea/Coffee
Break
11:30am
- 1:00pm Session
I: Energizing the Global Indian Diaspora
Synopsis:
Areas
and means whereby the global Indian Diaspora can become much
more vibrant, active and engaged in more collaboration through
improving means of communication, interaction, networking,
cultural exchanges, academia, economic alliances and support
for mutual benefits to all.
Faculty
Chairperson: Prof
Chandershakhar Bhat (former Professor of Sociology & Director, Centre for the
Study of Indian Diaspora, University of Hyderabad,
India)
Co-Chair:
Nohar Singh (CEO of Travel Span Ltd, Community Advocate, New York,
USA)
Speaker:
Mitra
Kalita (Journalist and Author, New York, USA)
Speaker:
Hon. Basdeo Panday (former Prime Minister, Trinidad &
Tobago)
Speaker:
Sandhya
Sinha (Chairperson- Women's Political Forum,
India)
Conclusion:
Dr Asha Samat (University of Medical and Dentistry, New Jersey,
USA)
11:30am
- 1:00pm Session IA: Living
Pioneers: Global Perspective of Indian
Elders
Synopsis:
Discussion
on issues faced by early and recent immigrants of Indian
Origin with perspectives as seen and understood in other
countries: New Zealand/Australian; Indian, European and
possibly Canadian views. Issues include: Social, cultural,
economic aspects of senior life such as health, isolation,
loneliness, family interaction, etc.
Faculty:
Chair: Rajeshwar
Prasad ,
Exec Dir, National Indo-Amer Assoc for Senior Citizen
(USA).
Co-Chair: Chan
Jamoona,
Exec Dir, United Hindu Cultural Council Senior Center
(USA)
Speaker: Raj
Loomba,
CBE, Founder & Chairman, The Loomba Trust Foundation
(UK)
Speaker: Suman
Kapoor,
President, GOPIO of Waikato(New
Zealand)
Speaker:
K N Gupta,
President, GOPIO of New Delhi(India)
Q
&A Moderator Interactive
Audience Participation
From the Floor: Dr
Jagat Motwani, Joseph Parmar
Concl. Remarks:
Sunny Kulathakal,
Vice Pres, GOPIO Middle East
rEGION(Bahrain)
ISSUES
TO BE ADDRESSED:
Who
is a Senior? Their categories outside India: Early Immigrants,
Recent Immigrants, also Single Seniors. Matters of Importance
to Each Group in the following areas:
(a) Social, Cultural
and Economic Aspects of Seniors such as Isolation, Loneliness,
Family Interaction, Financial Stability or Lack of it During
Retirement Phase; Economic Independence or Lack of it;
assimilation problems in foreign countries, including
adaptation to a different way of life, domestic abuse.
(b)
Intergenerational Problems (Conflicts and Compromises) such as
Communication with Children and Grand Children; and
utilization of richness that seniors bring to the next
generations.
(c) Health Related Issues including
Insurance; End of Life issues such as Wills, Durable Power of
Attorney, Health Proxy, Asset Protections
(d) Residential
Alternates: Joint Family Structure; Home Sharing with someone
like a Tenant, but not a tenant in literal terms; Senior
Homeowners and Apartment Residents organizing themselves to
seek support on the spot from Private and Public Entities;
Independent Senior Housing or Retirement Complexes; Assisted
Living and Nursing Homes: Various Concepts in Different
Countries.
REGISTRATION
TO THE LIVING PIONEERS IS FREE. VEGETARIAN LUNCH WILL BE
SERVED. Please register by sending your name, address, tel. no. and
e-mail address to:
GopioConv09@gmail.com
1:00pm
- 2:00pm
Lunch
Speaker: Personal Perspectives in the
Diaspora
2:00pm
- 3:30pm Session II:
The Global Indian Diaspora: Then and Now
Synopsis:
In
this session, an attempt will be made to see the changing
experiences of the Indian Diaspora in general, with particular
references to family, religion, politics, economics and
identity.
Faculty
Chairperson: Dr.
Parmatma Saran (Prof of Socilogy, City Univ. of New York,
USA)
Co-Chair: Dr.
Najma Sultana (Founding Member, NRIs for Secular & Harmonious
India)
Speaker: Hon.
Dr. A. M. Gondane (Deputy Consul General, Indian Consulate, New
York)
Speaker: Dr.
S. Jauhar (North Shore - Long Island Jewish Health System, New York,
USA)
Speaker: Dr.
Prem Misir (Pro-Chancellor, University of Guyana, Georgetown,
Guyana)
Conclusion: Harold
Ramdhani (President, GOPIO of Suriname, Paramaribo,
Suriname)
2.00
pm - 3.30 pm Session IIA: The Next Generation (First
Session)
Synopsis:
GOPIO
believes in strengthening the next generation, in line with
the motto"The Next Generation is our Future." To create a
strong next generation, GOPIO has planned sessions where it
engages the Next Generation members from different Diaspora to
interact, collaborate and network. This session aims to
discuss Academic, Professional, Political & Economic
challenges and raise awareness on the impact of these key
issues on the next generation of PIOs.
During
this session, teams are formed to discuss four chosen topics:
- Political Engagement, Career Opportunities,Current
Economy, & PIO Youth - Identity. Experts on all
these topics will be invited to provide a primer. Teams,
thereafter, get to discuss issues and recommend initiatives in
these areas. Experts and assessors will develop a report on
the basis of group discussions. This will be presented to
GOPIO Executive committee at the end of the session to create
an action plan.
The dialogue and the discussion between
experts and the next generation will help GOPIO formulate an
action plan for the Next Generation. GOPIO International
will look into addressing these issues and concerns as part of
their global initiatives and growth, through GOPIO's various
chapters
The first session aims to discuss
Academic, Professional, Political & Economic challenges
and raise awareness on the impact of these key issues on the
next generation of PIOs.
Faculty
Speaker:
Bhiravi
Desai (Taxi Workers Alliance in New York,
USA)
Speaker:
Nohar
Singh (CEO of Travel Span Ltd, Community Advocate, New York,
USA)
Speaker:
Jessica Taneja (Shelter Rock Strategies LLC, USA)
Speaker:
Shankar Krishnan (Managing Director, Adventity Inc, New York,
USA)
3.
00pm to 3. 30pm Coffee break and Networking
for The Next Generation
Organizations
taking part in the networking session
Sakhi
for South Asian Women - Mohammad Alam
Jahajee
Sister - Jacquelene R. Latif Scully , Taij Kumarie
Moteelall
Census
2010 - Suzanne Persard
SAYA
- Annetta Seecharran
Youth
Canada - Vanessa Rambihar
3:30pm
- 3:45pm
General Tea/Coffee Break
3.30pm
- 4.30pm Session III A - The Next Generation - Networking: An
Essential Guide to Survival
Session
will engage the Next Generation members from to interact,
collaborate and network collectively to challenges and
opportunities
4.30pm
- 4.45pm Concluding Session & Presentation - The Next
Generation
3:45pm
- 5:00pm Session III: The Global Indian
Diaspora: Inter-Ethnic Relations
Synopsis:
How
Indians can peacefully and successfully co-exist in
multi-ethnic societies as increasing numbers of Indians live
and settle in more countries; including suggestions,
precautions and guidelines on adaptation, assimilation and
coping as well as participation in host country social,
cultural, political and community
activities.
Faculty
Chairperson: Prof
Mohan Gautam (Co-Chairperson, GOPIO Academic Council, former Professor of
Disapora Studies at Leiden University, The
Netherlands)
Co-Chair:
Jasbir
Sachar (Founder & Publisher, Asia Who's Who,London,
UK)
Speaker:
Prof Mahin
Gosine (Prof of Sociology, Suffolk Comm. College, New York,
USA)
Speaker:
Ms. Marina Budhos (Author, Educator, New Jersey, USA)
Speaker:
Amarinder
Bajwa (GOPIO Australia Country Coordinator,
Australia)
Conclusion:
Dr Rajeev Mehta (President, GOPIO of Central New Jersey,
USA)
5:00pm
- 6:00pm Session IV: The Global Indian
Diaspora: The Family Unit including Women and
Inter-Generational Issues
Faculty
Chairperson:
Prof. Runi Mukerji-Ratnam (Chair,
Dept of Psychology, State University of
New York, Old
Westbury, New York USA)
Co-Chair:
J. Nami
Kaur (Marketing & Media Consultant, New York,
USA)
Speaker:
Dr V. Rambihar (Consultant Cardiologist, Scarborough Hosp, Canada) Speaker: Aysha
Latib (Socioligist, Researcher, Author, South Africa)
Summary
Reports: Sessions of Living Pioneers & The Next
Generation
Conclusion:
Dr Renuka Mishra (Medical Researcher, Pres, GOPIO Washington, DC, USA)
REGISTRATIONS
TO THE THE LIVING PIONEERS AND THE NEXT GENERATION NETWORKING
SESSIONS ARE FREE. Must register to attend. Please
register by sending your name, address, tel. no. and e-mail
address to:
GopioConv09@gmail.com
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