The wife of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was shot dead in an apparent hate crime by a Navy veteran at a bar in Olathe city, has said that she had her doubts about staying in the US but was assured by her husband that "good things happen in America".

Speaking at a news conference organised by GPS-maker Garmin where Srinivas worked, Sunayana Dumala said reports of bias in the US make minorities afraid as she questioned "do we belong here".

She said she now wonders what will the US government do to stop hate crimes against minorities.

Dumala said she was concerned about shootings incidents in America and had doubted whether they should stay in the country, but her husband said that assured her saying that "good things happen in America." 

Consul General of India in Houston Anupam Ray is supervising the current situation and providing all possible help for the grieving family and the community in Olathe area of Kansas.

"Immediately when the incident occurred, Consulate rushed Deputy Consul R D Joshi and Vice Consul H Singh to Kansas to be with the family of Srinivas at this trying moment," Ray told PTI.

Ever since, they have been with the family of Srinivas and have assured Sunayna of all possible support and help at this grieving moment, he said.

Consul Joshi also met the shocked and frightened Indian community in Olathe and Alok Madasani injured in the shooting on Wednesday night.

Madasani is now stable and has been discharged from the hospital.

A third person, an American man identified as Ian Grillot, 24, who tried to intervene also received injuries in the firing at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe in Kansas City in the US state of Missouri.

A University of Kansas Hospital spokeswoman said he is in fair condition.

The incident evoked outrage from in the US and India with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj expressing shock over the incident.

"I am shocked at the shooting incident in Kansas in which Srinivas Kuchibhotla has been killed. My heartfelt condolences to bereaved family," she said in a tweet yesterday.

The shooter, Adam Purinton, reportedly got into an argument with the victims in the terms of racism, and shouted "get out of my country", "terrorist" before shooting them.

He reportedly provoked them into an argument asking about their presence and work in his country, and how they are better than him.

The wife of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was shot dead in an apparent hate crime by a Navy veteran at a bar in Olathe city, has said that she had her doubts about staying in the US but was assured by her husband that "good things happen in America".

Speaking at a news conference organised by GPS-maker Garmin where Srinivas worked, Sunayana Dumala said reports of bias in the US make minorities afraid as she questioned "do we belong here".

She said she now wonders what will the US government do to stop hate crimes against minorities.

Dumala said she was concerned about shootings incidents in America and had doubted whether they should stay in the country, but her husband said that assured her saying that "good things happen in America." 

Consul General of India in Houston Anupam Ray is supervising the current situation and providing all possible help for the grieving family and the community in Olathe area of Kansas.

"Immediately when the incident occurred, Consulate rushed Deputy Consul R D Joshi and Vice Consul H Singh to Kansas to be with the family of Srinivas at this trying moment," Ray told PTI.

Ever since, they have been with the family of Srinivas and have assured Sunayna of all possible support and help at this grieving moment, he said.

Consul Joshi also met the shocked and frightened Indian community in Olathe and Alok Madasani injured in the shooting on Wednesday night.

Madasani is now stable and has been discharged from the hospital.

A third person, an American man identified as Ian Grillot, 24, who tried to intervene also received injuries in the firing at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe in Kansas City in the US state of Missouri.

A University of Kansas Hospital spokeswoman said he is in fair condition.

The incident evoked outrage from in the US and India with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj expressing shock over the incident.

"I am shocked at the shooting incident in Kansas in which Srinivas Kuchibhotla has been killed. My heartfelt condolences to bereaved family," she said in a tweet yesterday.

The shooter, Adam Purinton, reportedly got into an argument with the victims in the terms of racism, and shouted "get out of my country", "terrorist" before shooting them.

He reportedly provoked them into an argument asking about their presence and work in his country, and how they are better than him.

Six cartons of liquor were seized from near a boundary wall connecting a school and gurdwara in Vivek Vihar in Shahdara area here, police said on Saturday.

Police suspected that the liquor had been kept there to spoil the prospects of one of the candidates contesting in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee (DSGMC) polls on Sunday.

The area is a secluded one and police do not have much video evidence to nail the accused, a senior police officer said.

However, there is a bank situated nearby and police will scan the CCTV footage from that bank to gain any clues that might lead them to the accused, said the officer.

Police has stepped up security in the area to ensure peace.

Six cartons of liquor were seized from near a boundary wall connecting a school and gurdwara in Vivek Vihar in Shahdara area here, police said on Saturday.

Police suspected that the liquor had been kept there to spoil the prospects of one of the candidates contesting in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee (DSGMC) polls on Sunday.

The area is a secluded one and police do not have much video evidence to nail the accused, a senior police officer said.

However, there is a bank situated nearby and police will scan the CCTV footage from that bank to gain any clues that might lead them to the accused, said the officer.

Police has stepped up security in the area to ensure peace.

Officials of the Indian Consulate General in Houston are in touch with the wife of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, an Indian engineer who was killed in a shooting incident in US' Kansas state, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Friday.

"I have received a report from Mr Anupam Ray CGI Houston," Sushma Swaraj tweeted late Friday evening.

"Our mission staff hv met with Sunayna Kuchibhotla. Indian Government is with her in this hour of grief. We assure her of all our support," she said.

The Minister also said that Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna was also in touch with her and was her keeping her updated.

Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed and Alok Madasani was injured when Adam W. Purinton, a white who earlier served in the US Navy, shot them at the Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas, on Wednesday night.

Purinton reportedly got into an argument with the victims and hurled racial slurs. He yelled "get out of my country", "terrorist" before shooting them.

Purinton, according to reports, provoked them into argument asking their presence and work in his country, and how they are better than him.

To avoid unwanted scuffle, the bar management asked him to leave the place, only to find him back at the bar later with gun when he fired at the Indians.

Ian Grillot, 24, an American who tried to save the Indians, was also shot at, media reports quoted police as saying. Grillot was recovering in a hospital while Madasani was discharged.

The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) called it a hate crime.

Police said Purinton, 51, fired multiple rounds and fled the bar. He was arrested on Thursday morning in Clinton city in neighbouring Missouri state when a bartender told police that he had bragged about killing "two Middle Eastern men", The Kansas City Star reported.

The US "strongly" condemned the shooting and said it has reached out to Indian consular officials to offer support.

The US Embassy in New Delhi expressed full faith in the US authorities investigating the matter. "We have full faith that US legal authorities will bring the case to justice," the statement said.

Purinton has been charged with first-degree murder.

"It was a tragic and senseless act of violence," Olathe Police Chief Steven Menke said.

Kuchibhotla hailed from Hyderabad while Madasani is from Warangal town in Telangana. They were aviation programme managers at Garmin, an electronics manufacturer.
 

Officials of the Indian Consulate General in Houston are in touch with the wife of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, an Indian engineer who was killed in a shooting incident in US' Kansas state, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Friday.

"I have received a report from Mr Anupam Ray CGI Houston," Sushma Swaraj tweeted late Friday evening.

"Our mission staff hv met with Sunayna Kuchibhotla. Indian Government is with her in this hour of grief. We assure her of all our support," she said.

The Minister also said that Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna was also in touch with her and was her keeping her updated.

Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed and Alok Madasani was injured when Adam W. Purinton, a white who earlier served in the US Navy, shot them at the Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas, on Wednesday night.

Purinton reportedly got into an argument with the victims and hurled racial slurs. He yelled "get out of my country", "terrorist" before shooting them.

Purinton, according to reports, provoked them into argument asking their presence and work in his country, and how they are better than him.

To avoid unwanted scuffle, the bar management asked him to leave the place, only to find him back at the bar later with gun when he fired at the Indians.

Ian Grillot, 24, an American who tried to save the Indians, was also shot at, media reports quoted police as saying. Grillot was recovering in a hospital while Madasani was discharged.

The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) called it a hate crime.

Police said Purinton, 51, fired multiple rounds and fled the bar. He was arrested on Thursday morning in Clinton city in neighbouring Missouri state when a bartender told police that he had bragged about killing "two Middle Eastern men", The Kansas City Star reported.

The US "strongly" condemned the shooting and said it has reached out to Indian consular officials to offer support.

The US Embassy in New Delhi expressed full faith in the US authorities investigating the matter. "We have full faith that US legal authorities will bring the case to justice," the statement said.

Purinton has been charged with first-degree murder.

"It was a tragic and senseless act of violence," Olathe Police Chief Steven Menke said.

Kuchibhotla hailed from Hyderabad while Madasani is from Warangal town in Telangana. They were aviation programme managers at Garmin, an electronics manufacturer.
 

Turkish Derya Can has broken a Guinness World Record with a 120-metre horizontal apnea dive under ice.

Accompanied by her husband and coach, Can on Friday completed swimming 120 metres in 1 minute 47 seconds under the 35-centimetre ice-coated Weissensee lake in Austria, Xinhua news agency reported.

With her dive, Can shattered French Aurore Asso's record of 112.3 metres.

Can in December 2016 set her new record by performing a 111-metre dive in the variable weight with fins category in Antalya province, surpassing another Turkish female free diver Sahika Ercumen's record of 110 metres.

She had also broken the world record in the variable weight apnea without fins category, by reaching a depth of 94 metres.

Turkish Derya Can has broken a Guinness World Record with a 120-metre horizontal apnea dive under ice.

Accompanied by her husband and coach, Can on Friday completed swimming 120 metres in 1 minute 47 seconds under the 35-centimetre ice-coated Weissensee lake in Austria, Xinhua news agency reported.

With her dive, Can shattered French Aurore Asso's record of 112.3 metres.

Can in December 2016 set her new record by performing a 111-metre dive in the variable weight with fins category in Antalya province, surpassing another Turkish female free diver Sahika Ercumen's record of 110 metres.

She had also broken the world record in the variable weight apnea without fins category, by reaching a depth of 94 metres.

Tension prevailed on the campus of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) here this evening after activists of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Students' Federation of India clashed.

"Both the groups came to the police station and registration of cross-complaints was underway," said a duty officer at Chatushringi police station.

Pradip Gavade, an ABVP activist, alleged that SFI members were putting up posters which said `ABVP Murdabad' in the campus.

"When our members objected, they started intimidating us and attacked us," said Gavade, speaking to PTI.

"In the morning, ABVP had staged a protest on the campus to condemn the invitation to JNU student Umar Khalid at Ramjas College in Delhi. To counter that the activists from SFI were putting up posters," he added.

"We did not beat them, we were beaten up by SFI activists," he alleged.

However, SFI activist Mao Chavan, who was not a part of the melee, said that to protest against Solapur MLC Prashant Paricharak's insulting remarks about soldiers and the violence at Rajmas College in Delhi, SFI had organised a protest on the SPPU campus this evening.

"When the protest was going on, all of a sudden activists of ABVP arrived and attacked SFI activists," Chavan alleged.

Tension prevailed on the campus of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) here this evening after activists of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Students' Federation of India clashed.

"Both the groups came to the police station and registration of cross-complaints was underway," said a duty officer at Chatushringi police station.

Pradip Gavade, an ABVP activist, alleged that SFI members were putting up posters which said `ABVP Murdabad' in the campus.

"When our members objected, they started intimidating us and attacked us," said Gavade, speaking to PTI.

"In the morning, ABVP had staged a protest on the campus to condemn the invitation to JNU student Umar Khalid at Ramjas College in Delhi. To counter that the activists from SFI were putting up posters," he added.

"We did not beat them, we were beaten up by SFI activists," he alleged.

However, SFI activist Mao Chavan, who was not a part of the melee, said that to protest against Solapur MLC Prashant Paricharak's insulting remarks about soldiers and the violence at Rajmas College in Delhi, SFI had organised a protest on the SPPU campus this evening.

"When the protest was going on, all of a sudden activists of ABVP arrived and attacked SFI activists," Chavan alleged.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to cut regulations that were "punishing companies".

The order 'Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda', directed on Friday that each government agency shall establish a regulation reform officer and a task force within 60 days to carry out regulatory reforms.

"This executive order is one of many ways we're going to get real results when it comes to removing job-killing regulations and unleashing economic opportunity," Xinhua news agency quoted Trump as saying after signing the document.

"We will stop punishing companies for doing business in the US. It's going to be absolutely just the opposite," he said.

Trump ran on a platform that called for deregulating the market.

He earlier took an executive action that requested two old regulations be scrapped for every new rule put into place.

Trump has so far signed 13 executive actions, many of which are about shedding government regulations or boosting national security.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to cut regulations that were "punishing companies".

The order 'Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda', directed on Friday that each government agency shall establish a regulation reform officer and a task force within 60 days to carry out regulatory reforms.

"This executive order is one of many ways we're going to get real results when it comes to removing job-killing regulations and unleashing economic opportunity," Xinhua news agency quoted Trump as saying after signing the document.

"We will stop punishing companies for doing business in the US. It's going to be absolutely just the opposite," he said.

Trump ran on a platform that called for deregulating the market.

He earlier took an executive action that requested two old regulations be scrapped for every new rule put into place.

Trump has so far signed 13 executive actions, many of which are about shedding government regulations or boosting national security.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has constituted a search-cum-selection committee for appointing a new chairman for the University Grants Commission, the regulator for higher educational institutions and universities. The committee is tasked with seeking nominations for selection of the new chairman of UGC.

According to a notice issued by UGC, eminent persons with substantial experience in academics, governance and professional management with proven track record of dynamic, idea-centric leadership in institution-building can be nominated for the post.

The government is reportedly unhappy over the performance of the UGC and is keen on appointing a new UGC chairman soon after the incumbent, Ved Prakash, completes his tenure on 23 April 2017.

Prakash was appointed on 18 January 2013, as UGC chairman with a condition that his tenure would be for five years or till he attained 65 years, whichever was earlier.

India has 759 universities which include 239 private, 47 Central universities, 350 state universities and 123 deemed-to-be universities.

For private universities, the UGC approves courses but does not have direct control of its institutes, while for Central universities, the UGC funds and approves courses. State universities get central assistance through the UGC, for which the Commission also sets rules and approves courses.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has constituted a search-cum-selection committee for appointing a new chairman for the University Grants Commission, the regulator for higher educational institutions and universities. The committee is tasked with seeking nominations for selection of the new chairman of UGC.

According to a notice issued by UGC, eminent persons with substantial experience in academics, governance and professional management with proven track record of dynamic, idea-centric leadership in institution-building can be nominated for the post.

The government is reportedly unhappy over the performance of the UGC and is keen on appointing a new UGC chairman soon after the incumbent, Ved Prakash, completes his tenure on 23 April 2017.

Prakash was appointed on 18 January 2013, as UGC chairman with a condition that his tenure would be for five years or till he attained 65 years, whichever was earlier.

India has 759 universities which include 239 private, 47 Central universities, 350 state universities and 123 deemed-to-be universities.

For private universities, the UGC approves courses but does not have direct control of its institutes, while for Central universities, the UGC funds and approves courses. State universities get central assistance through the UGC, for which the Commission also sets rules and approves courses.

Earlier this month, newly elected US President Donald Trump put forward three bills seeking to reform the H-1B Visa. His policy of “buy American and hire American” can adversely affect the Indian IT professionals working in abroad as the bill seeks to double the minimum salaries of the visa holders.

The H-1B Visa allows US firms to hire foreign workers at a lesser cost than their American counterparts. However, this bill would limit the entry of highly-skilled foreign workers into the country to stop companies replacing American workers.

Here are few of the facts how H-1B visas work and the benefits enjoyed by the holder.

An employer offering the job should apply to the US immigration department for the H-1B visa on behalf of the candidate. The company should put forward the bill to hire the candidate.

The H-1B visa allows specialty occupation workers to work in US for a maximum period of six years. It is initially issued for a period of three years, but may be extended to another additional period of three years.

An H1-B holder can seek permanent residency in the US and has the ability to buy or sell property in the country.

 H-1B visa allows the holder to work for more than one US employer.

H-1B visa holders are allowed to take long unpaid leaves without having their status affected.

The H1-B visa limit is currently 65,000 and additional 20,000 are granted to employees attaining master degree from American Universities.

An H1-B visa holder is allowed to attend school either part time or full time without an F-1 visa.

The programme for the foreign workers to work in US in the various fields of research, software programming and engineering was introduced by then President George Bush in 1990.

Indians receive more H1-B visas than any other country as 253,377 Indians were either given new H-IB visa or their previous H-IB visa was extended in 2015.

Continuing his battle with mainstream media outlets, US President Donald Trump slammed "fake news" and said journalists should not be allowed to publish stories based on anonymous sources.

"A few days ago I called the fake news the enemy of the people, and they are – they are the enemy of the people," USA Today quoted Trump as saying at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference here.

Trump claimed that "the fake news media doesn't tell the truth", adding that reporters should not be allowed to use anonymous sources, and "we're going to do something about it".

He also said major media outlets made up polls during the campaign to give the impression that he had no chance.

"Take a look at some of these polls. That were so bad, so inaccurate. And what that does is it creates a false narrative. It creates this narrative that it's just like we're not going to win," the President added.

Confronted with a string of inanities, the viewer can only be relieved when a film leaves a sensible impression and is handled with a measure of competence. Most Bengali films that are now offered raise some curiosity about the credentials of their makers. There are no regrets when many of these productions sink or don’t manage to reach the theatres or multiplexes. They were misconceived to begin with. But there are mild surprises like 61 Garpar Lane in the sense that there has been some thinking done about the subject and a definite purpose behind the effort.

The film based on the future of old mansions in Kolkata may well be seen as digging up stock emotions and talking about disappearing life patterns in a rapidly changing city. But somewhere in the familiar picture of a crumbling reality in an old part of Kolkata that witnesses the contradictory waves of sorrow and survival, despair and dreams, there emerges a sense of nostalgia that makes it more meaningful than other films in the same category.

The crew, it would seem, consists mainly of first-timers but the cast is quite strong. But the inclusion of seasoned performers wouldn’t have mattered had the fundamentals been weak. That is what distinguishes this effort that revolves the uncertain future of families crammed in a dilapidated building that cries out for some kind of attention if it has to be preserved. The social climate points in the reverse direction. Old buildings are being torn down to make way for malls, multiplexes and high-rises. The trend that began many years ago in the south of the city where space was available or could be negotiated with some resourcefulness has now penetrated the old localities in the north which have a different complexion. The makers of the film have apparently studied the realities in some detail and have come up with a credible screenplay. It is steeped in the hassles that have become part of the lives of families in that address. But it is also sustained by human touches that make the people want to share each other’s suffering.

The desperate effort by developers to grab the old structures that would bring them a windfall has been turned into a cliché on the screen. This could well have gone in the same direction had it not been for a conscious effort to change the focus. The film with its restrained tone and treatment extends the subject to several related issues. The old landlord, played with conviction as usual by Soumitra Chatterjee, is a bundle of mixed emotions that remain faithful to ground realities. He cannot survive on the meagre rents that he collects from the motley group of quarrelling tenants with whom he has struck a bond that compensates for the emotional distance with his own kin. Apart from another source of livelihood, the house not only holds memories but, more important, the means of survival in a climate of warmth, caring and togetherness — from the child with whom he spends some wonderful moments to others he helps in their distress. Through all this, the film cannot follow a linear structure but each character or family seems to become an integral part of a cultural identity that is threatened by the new realities. The cameos are strung together with conviction largely because of the competent cast. Manoj Mitra, Kharaj Mukherjee and Chitra Sen resemble a breed of tenants who have survived the inconveniences of their daily rituals and have acquired the warmth of living together. There are touches of painful reality that are not blown out of proportion. Nor are there concessions to popular taste.

That doesn’t mean that the film can resist the power of wish-fulfilment. The emotional drama takes predictable turns when the landlord’s kin arrives to negotiate on behalf of the developer. While the tensions are examined with a clear leaning towards popular expectations, the script looks at individuals with diverse connections and interests who contribute to the overall structure. Somehow the film looks compact and convincing even though the final outcome — pleasing as it appears to all the inhabitants — would seem to have been contrived. That people change in tune with the mood of the film has long been a cliché. The difference here is that the experience is pleasing with a theme song that sustains the tone.

61 Garpar Lane is not likely to be remembered as something that marks a departure from convention. But it offers a sense of nostalgia that is quite touching. The interiors of the mansion are quite real and the incidents, disjointed as they are, flow into one another to make it a gentle web of happy memories.

The film also has a modest look and revives old-fashioned drama with the difference that it also seeks to make a statement with a contemporary relevance. The fact that the screenplay is original and the treatment is assured and sensitive enough to suggest that the team has a future with projects that may not always aim too high.