The popular columnist Joel Stein's satirical piece in Time magazine this past week, titled "My Own Private India," was a hark back to his past, of his youth in Edison, NJ and his troubled bewilderment to the invasion of his town by "less bright" and "damn poor" Indians, since the immigration floodgates opened in 1965. more>

To address continued bullying in schools, the DOE provided principals with additional guidance in creating rigorous anti-bullying plans, and new measures will hold them accountable for enforcing those plans. For example, for the first time, efforts to combat bullying and harassment will factor into a school's Quality Review. more>

Beck, a comedian-turned anchor, went on a tirade on medical care in India in a weak attempt to damage the healthcare reform bill on Capitol Hill and, likely, also to disparage the recent foreign policy success of the Obama administration at courting India. more>

The hunky dory life for the Premi family began to go awry when a different kind of trouble started brewing for Jagmohan in school this past winter. A boy – who Pritpal says was an “Arabi,” meaning of Middle Eastern descent – started bullying his son mercilessly, teasing him and physically accosting him at every opportunity. more>

According to Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott, N.Y.C. graduation rates jumped from 47 percent in 1986 to 60 percent in 2006. Yet, lots of works still need to be done. more>

“For centuries, the American Dream has called millions to our nation’s shores. Unfortunately, at present, the dream is fading for too many because they lack the skills needed to succeed in our country,” said Republican Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX). more>

With hopes of earning good wages and getting permanent residency in the United States, they came from Kerala to rehabilitate the Gulf Coast areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. Instead, the 500 workers, mostly pipe-fitters and welders, were put to physical and psychological strain. Forced to share cramped quarters for which they had to pay an exorbitant sum, these workers were threatened with deportation when they protested against their condition. more>

After she tried to reform the practices of her mosque in West Virginia, and conducted a mixed-gender congregation in a mosque in Manhattan, Mumbai-born writer and the voice of the Islamic feminist movement, Asra Nomani, 40, said: I very much watch my back, look for danger in the shadows and always carry my cell phone, fully charged. more>

After a two-year effort and great cost, Manufacturing & Technologies News obtained an “elusive” unpublished Department of Commerce report that the Bush administration stifled. The 336-page report spells out corporate America’s hiring practices abroad. more>

Last week’s rallies were described by immigration advocates as the biggest social movement of Hispanics since the United Farm Workers of Cesar Chavez. The plans for protests, vigils, and marches also included a less visible tier of people stirred to action over U.S. immigration policy: non-Latinos. more>

That Indian worker hauling crates on a truck at Sabzi Mandi in Jackson Heights in New York, or the busboy in a restaurant in Cerritos area in California, or even a professional worker who flits back and forth between home in India and the United States on a tourist visa to earn some extra money, are part of a million illegal immigrants who live and work in the United States, according to a new report by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) based in Washington, D.C. more>

A class lawsuit was filed against one of the oldest Hindu temples in North America for the violation of federal and labor laws. Cooks and priests at the temple claimed that they were routinely compelled to work more than 65 hours a week without overtime pay. more>

The events that stacked against Modi started with a massive Internet protest launched by the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG); the group’s founder, the Indian Muslim Council, has been lobbying against Modi since the 2002 riots in Gujarat. Both the Indian and the U.S. governments were caught off guard when the visa issue surfaced. more>

Labor union leaders from India are on a nine-city month-long tour to meet with their American counterparts. Their mission: to speak out against the practice of outsourcing to India and other countries, which, they claim, is a "race to the bottom" for the workers, rampant with exploitation and massive layoffs in the public sector. more>

South Asian American Voting Youth (SAAVY), founded last year by one college grad with a dream, aims to reach half of the South Asian population in the United States, which is under 30 years of age. She has organized on campuses nationwide to register students and raise voter awareness. more>

Over the past few years, Sikhs have carried out a vigorous public relations campaign to make mainstream America more aware of the Sikh religion and stem hate crimes against their community. With the appointment of Manmohan Singh, a Sikh, they hope to see a change in attitude. more>

After building a life of affluence in the United States, Yaskhi decided to heed to his call for service to the people of his state and roots. He relocated to India with his wife and family earlier this year and decided he would give up his green card if he won the Lok Sabha elections. more>

Bollywood mega shows—events that showcase big Indian singing and dancing stars—have become big business in the New York area. But the big payoffs come with big risks. more>

There are around 156,000 restaurant workers in New York City, including all the five boroughs. South Asian workers comprise around 2.5 percent of that workforce; some 3845 persons from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh work as busboys, servers, cart waiters, cleaners, chefs and sometimes all at once in a single day. This is their story. more>

Representatives from New York, Texas and elsewhere are asking the Homeland Security Department to probe the mistreatment of a Canadian citizen passing through O’Hare on her way home from India. Customs officials defaced Berna Cruz’s passport and deported her to India after threatening her with arrest. more>

Johannesburg was the neutral venue for the volatile India-Pakistan cricket match, but nothing beat seeing the match live through the night at a small venue that labels itself as ‘India-Pakistan-Bangladesh’ in Manhattan, with a sizeable crowd from all the three countries wildly cheering the teams. more>

Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, affirmed that the United States is increasing its tilt towards India—from economic to security matters. more>

According to unofficial figures, there are fewer than 20 Indian police officers in the New York Police Department and not a single Indian works as a firefighter. Here are recollections of two Indian NYPD officers working in Manhattan on September 11. more>

Indian Americans often complain that their community does not participate enough in the political process in this country. But last week’s instance in Georgia when incumbent Rep. Cynthia McKinney lost the primary, shows that Indian Americans can make a difference. more>

In a startling disclosure of allegedly insidious lobbying, the self-styled president of the exiled Council of Khalistan for 16 years, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, has been accused by several Congressional aides of tricking them and in turn the Representatives into signing letters to support his cause. more>

He insisted on retaining his turban and beard for religious reasons. And for that, 25-year-old Amric Singh Rathour, a rookie Sikh cop, had to pay with his job last year. Now, the Sikh Coalition is petitioning Mayor Michael Bloomberg for his reinstatement. more>

Roger Chugh appointed Assistant Secretary of State in New Jersey, Seema Singh named Public Advocate. Their appointments mark the growing influence of the South Asian community in a state that is fast overtaking New York as America’s “salad bowl.” more>