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GOPIO DELEGATION TO INDIA GARNERS SUPPORT FOR DIASPORALos Angeles, Aug. 22, 2012 As part of the continuing effort to promote and address the interests and concerns of the Indian Diaspora, a delegation of the Global Organization of Indian Origin (GOPIO Int'l) executives held substantive and productive meetings with several prominent officials of the Government of India, as well as associated agencies in India. In addition, GOPIO garnered extensive support for its Gadar Centennial Commemoration among government officials, universities, and descendants of Gadar heroes, historians and interested individuals in India. The delegation included GOPIO Chairman Inder Singh, GOPIO President Ashook Ramsaran, accompanied by Munish Gupta, GOPIO Regional Coordinator (Africa), as well as K. N. Gupta, Director, GOPIO Liaison to Government of India. The meetings were held in New Delhi, Chandigarh and Ludhiana starting on August 2 and concluded on August 9, 2012 in New Delhi. The delegation met with Mr. T K A Nair, Special Assistant to Hon. Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India and discussed plans for GOPIO's Gadar Centennial Commemoration (GCC) worldwide, as well as in collaboration with Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2013 in Kochi, India. GOPIO delegation meeting with Dr Karan Singh, President of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) was helpful in the promotion of GCC programs worldwide. This meeting was followed by detailed discussions and proposals to Dr Suresh Goel, Director General of ICCR. GOPIO meeting with Punjab Governor HE Shivraj Patil provided support for a GCC program in Chandigarh on January 13, 2012. Also attending that meeting was Gadar hero descendant Surinder Pal Singh, a Gadar researcher and writer. Prof. Arun Grover, Vice Chancellor of Punjab University has agreed to hold a GCC seminar or lecture series in 2013, and made several worthwhile proposals and recommendation for Indian Diaspora engagement with academia in India. Prof. Harish Puri, a Gadar researcher and writer of several books offered substantial support for GCC, including use of books and materials for a planned GCC exhibit at the PBD in Kochi, India. In Delhi, the GOPIO delegation met with Prof. Chaman Lal of Jawaharlal Nehru University and Gadar hero descendant Dr Savitri Sawhney who also wrote of her father's history in the Gadar Freedom Movement. Prof. Nisha Dube, Vice Chancellor of Barkatullah University in Bhopal, also plans on GCC seminar or lecture series in 2013, as well other programs to commemorate India's freedom movement. Barkatullah University was named after Maulvi Barkatullah, a Gadar hero. Minister of State for External Affairs, Hon. Preneet Kaur, expressed support for GCC and other GOPIO projects. At a meeting with Ranjan Mathai, Foreign Secretary of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), it was agreed that GCC would be substantially promoted. Each of India's foreign missions will be directed to mark the Gadar Centennial in the same manner as other significant historic events, such as the birthday of Rabindranath Tagore. MEA Additional Secretary, B. K. Gupta, also met with the GOPIO delegation and expressed support for GCC. A meeting with MP Dr Shashi Tharoor was very productive for GCC.
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