President Joe Biden has nominated an Indian American, Rashad Hussain, as the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, and if approved by the Senate he will be the first Muslim to head US diplomacy for advancing religious liberties
Across Oceans, the Same Light, the Same Spirit -Indian Festivals Without Borders
New York City made Diwali a public school holiday in 2023, acknowledging the festival's importance to a significant section of its population. Deepavali was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2025. These reflect how a festival rooted in India's civilisational traditions has found an increasingly visible place in the global cultural calendar.
They Left for a Better Life, Not to Die in War: Trafficking Bangladeshi Youths into Russia's War Against Ukraine
Fortify Rights and Truth Hounds documented more than 100 Bangladeshis recruited into the Russian military and reported at least 34 deaths in their March 2026 investigation. Separately, Prothom Alo reported on October 21 that at least 54 Bangladeshis had reportedly died after travelling to Russia for work and becoming involved in the war over the preceding three years.
When a Migrant Worker Suffers Injury Abroad: A Shared Information Support System Regionally Will Help Returnees
Regional cooperation could begin with practical comparisons. Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India and other labour-sending countries can exchange working solutions without pretending their systems or bilateral agreements are identical.
The Power, Potential, and Unrealised Promise, of South Asia
South Asia, for all its faults and constraints, is the fastest-growing economic region in the world this year. It is also home to the Commonwealth’s largest three countries in terms of population, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, representing just under two billion citizens, the majority under 30-years old.
More on South Asia Diaspora, Migrant Worker and Global Indians
Veena Reddy is USAID's first Indian-American mission director
Veena Reddy, an Indian American United States Foreign Service officer with the US Agency for International Development has been named USAID India Mission Director
Half a million Nepali citizens rescued since the start of pandemic
Over half a million Nepalis have been rescued from around 60 countries--mostly labor destination countries in the Gulf region--since the start of the Covid pandemic, according to the data released by the country’s Covid-19 Crisis Management Center (CCMC).
Vaidehi Dongre, winner Of Miss India USA 2021, celebrates her South Asian heritage
Twenty-five-year-old Vaidehi Dongre, from Michigan, has been crowned Miss India USA for the year 2021, while Arshi Lalani from Georgia was declared the first runner up
Saudi Arabia releases 63 Pakistani prisoners on Eid-ul Azha
In a goodwill gesture towards a fellow Islamic nation, the Saudi government has released 63 Pakistanis who had been languishing in their jails for petty crimes on the occasion of the festival of Eid-ul Azha
AAPI to be made a premium healthcare leader in the US
Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, the new president of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), which represents the interests of the over 100,000 physicians, including medical students and fellows of Indian origin, in the United States, has vowed to make AAPI a premium healthcare leader
Canadian university announces scholarships to honor Pakistani-Canadian couple killed in racial attack
The Western University of Ontario, Canada, has announced setting up two scholarships in honor of a Pakistani Canadian couple killed along with two other family members in an attack in Ontario province on June 6
US losing out on high-skilled foreign nationals like Indians to Canada due to outdated immigration policy, say experts
High-skilled and talented foreign nationals, like Indians, are now moving to Canada, instead of the United States, in large numbers, because of its outdated H-1B visa policy, immigration and policy experts have told US lawmakers
Indian-origin Justin Narayan wins MasterChef Australia tile; Bangladesh-origin Kishwar Chowdhury among top three
Indian-origin Justin Narayan has won the MasterChef Australia title after defeating the other two finalists, Kishwar Chowdhury, of Bangladesh origin, and Pete Campbell, in the pressure test
Indian American Sirisha Bandla vaults into space, becomes fourth astronaut of Indian descent
Sirisha Bandla, an Indian American astronautical engineer originally from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh in southern India, participated in a 15-minute historic space flight Sunday, becoming the fourth astronaut of Indian descent
12 South Asian migrants killed in bus crash in Turkey
At least 12 people were killed and 26 wounded in Turkey when a bus carrying Afghan, Pakistani and Bangladeshi migrants crashed early on Sunday, media reports said
Biden nominates new envoys to India and Bangladesh
President Joe Biden has nominated Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a close political ally and a former naval intelligence officer with Indo-Pacific experience, to be the new US ambassador to India
Garcetti's nomination for US Ambassador to India signifies the importance of US-India relationship: Indiaspora
Indiaspora, an influential organization of global Indian diaspora leaders, has expressed appreciation and enthusiasm for the Biden administration’s announcement of the nomination of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to the important post of US Ambassador to India
Biden cancels Trump proposal to time-limit student, journalist visas; South Asians to benefit
US President Joe Biden's administration has announced it is cancelling a proposal by his predecessor Donald Trump to limit student visas to a four-year term for scholars from South Asia and most other countries
Amid Covid-19 surge, US asks its nationals to reconsider travel to Sri Lanka
The United States has issued a travel advisory for its nationals, asking them to reconsider traveling to Sri Lanka as the Covid cases continue to remain high in the island nations
