Mission
Empower Indian Americans politically by raising civic consciousness and increasing participation in community affairs and the mainstream political process.
Objectives
Enhance political awareness, involvement and civic responsibility among Indian Americans.
Promote voter registration and encourage Indian Americans to exercise their rights to vote and to run for public office.
Identify issues of concern to Indian Americans and pursue solutions within the political system.
Facilitate and promote ongoing Indo-U.S. relations.
The Forum has received many commendations from leaders of the United States and India
Since its founding, the Forum has made many achievements, such as:
Established an effective bipartisan liaison with the Democratic and Republican National Committees
Opened communication channels between Indian Americans and the White House and executive agencies, including the U.S. State Department
Met with Presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and Bill Clinton to discuss issues of importance to Indian Americans
Testified before congressional committees to preserve the Second and Fifth Preferences relating to family re-unification issues in the immigration law
Participated in the 1988 Republican and Democratic Conventions and mobilized discussions with the candidates and the Indian American community
Leaders of the Forum were appointed to the LR88 Asian-American Bush/Quayle Transition Outreach Committee
Enhanced India-U.S. relations through Congressional luncheons and Indian Embassy briefings
Sponsored political summer internships for Indian American college students
Facilitates grass-roots participation in local government, election campaigns, etc.
Contacted congressional leaders, federal agencies and the media to raise awareness of issues relating to foreign medical graduates, nurses, engineers, scientists, educators, small businessmen and other Indian American professionals
Encouraged Forum members to participate in presidential and congressional campaigns, and arranged educational dialogue between candidates and Indian American leaders
Conducted nationwide voter registration campaigns among Indian Americans
Sponsored political awareness and civic consciousness seminars on issues affecting Indian Americans
Organized meetings between members of Congress and leaders of the Indian American community
Mobilized a broad platform of support by coordinating activities with other Indian American organizations
Helped to establish the Asian American Voters Coalition, a national umbrella organization representing seven million Americans of Asian descent
Developed close contacts with other minority organizations, including religious, ethnic, racial and women's groups In addition, the Forum's state chapters have been actively involved in local and state political issues, as well as matters of concern to individual members
THE INDIAN AMERICAN FORUM FOR POLITICAL EDUCATION (IAFPE)
Prepared by Joy Cherian - Revised on August 20, 2002
Table of Contents
Introduction: The Origin of IAFPE
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I. IAFPE Springs from a Unique Vision
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II. Major Initiatives and Achievements of the IAFPE
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1. Preservation of Immigrants Rights
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2. White House Recognition of IAFPE
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3. Successful Congressional Contacts
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4. Formation of the Asian American Voters Coalition (AAVC)
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5. Impact Making Voter Registration Drive
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6. IAFPE Speaks for Healthcare Professionals
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7. Building a Network with Other Indian American Associations
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8. Strengthening Indo-US Relations
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a. Working with Indian Government Officials
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b. Working with American Government Officials
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9. Leadership in Asian American Civil Rights Issues
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10. Bipartisan Liaison with Political Parties
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11. Indian Media Support
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III. Annual Meetings of IAFPE
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a. 1984
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b. 1985
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c. 1986
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IV. IAFPE Chapters Around the Nation
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Conclusion: Remarks from the Founder and the First National President
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Introduction: The Origin of IAFPE
The liberalization of U.S. immigration law witnessed an increasing number of Indians migrating to the United States in the late sixties and seventies. Most of them decided to settle in the United States as permanent residents or citizens. They began to establish cultural, linguistic, social, professional, and business organizations to address their needs. However, no national grassroots-level Indian American organizations were in existence to encourage them to become a part of mainstream America through participation in the political process.
On October 11, 1981, the 489th anniversary of Christopher Columbuss arrival in America (Columbus thought he had reached India), a few Americans of Asian Indian origin gathered in Wheaton, Maryland, to discuss how they could develop political awareness among Indian Americans and encourage them to perform their civic responsibilities as residents and citizens of the United States. The meeting laid the foundation for a new movement a civic movement of Indian immigrants and their families, which later became the Indian American Forum for Political Education (IAFPE).
I. IAFPE Springs from a Unique Vision
The IAFPE was inspired by a dream to protect the future interests of Indian Americans. When IAFPE was founded, its members knew of the existence of a leadership vacuum among Indian Americans as they emerged as an increasingly successful immigrant group in the United States. The IAFPE leaders foresaw several difficulties for future generations of this ethnic community even as they became successfully established in various walks of American life.
This concern arose from contemplation and discussion of the known experience of people of Indian origin who had established new homes in other lands far from their ancestral surroundings. Among Asian Indian immigrant communities in different parts of the world where community members were apathetic toward the political mainstream of their adopted society and derelict in their civic duties, certain dangerous and unpleasant situations arose in succeeding generations.
The founders of IAFPE did not want to repeat the unfortunate lessons of their counterparts who suffered in other countries, but were determined to be instructed and soberly inspired by those lessons. They wanted Indian Americans to become fully responsible inhabitants of the United States by educating themselves on issues affecting their communities and by teaching elected governmental officials about their concerns. To achieve this goal, IAFPEs founding leaders worked with existing national Indian ethnic associations, not competing with them but complementing them and supplementing their activities.
II. Major Initiatives and Achievements of the IAFPE
1. Preservation of Immigrants Rights
In the early 1980s, several legislative proposals surfaced in the U.S. Congress to restrict the immigration of close relatives of U.S. citizens and permanent residents to the United States. IAFPE sensed the potential danger of these legislative proposals as harmful to the family interests of legally admitted immigrants. On February 25, 1983, Dr. George Zachariah, Dr. Natwar Gandhi and Dr. T.V. George of IAFPE testified against the proposed amendments to the second and fifth preferences under the immigration law before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Refugee Policy. This testimony attracted the attention of the Indian American community across the nation and many Indian American organizations began to support the IAFPE and its activities.
IAFPE leaders worked hard and brought together several national and local Indian associations to raise their voices jointly against anti-immigrant family reunification provisions in the then pending Simpson-Mazzoli bill. The leaders organized seminars around the country and mobilized public opinion against those controversial provisions through letter-writing campaigns to members of the U.S. Congress. Initially, several Senate and House Judiciary Committee members did not want to remove these amendments from the bill. On April 27 and 28, 1983, Indian community leaders under the leadership of IAFPE visited several prominent Senators and Congressmen in the U.S. Capitol and mobilized an office-to-office campaign at Congressional buildings in support of retaining the family reunification provisions in the immigration and nationalization law.
In May 1983, to the surprise and dismay of Indian Americans, the Senate passed the immigration bill curtailing certain rights of close family members of immigrants who wished to migrate to the United States. However, in June 1983, the House passed its version of the bill, which retained immigrant rights. The question arose as to how the Senate and House versions of the bill could be brought together to preserve immigrant family rights.
At this point, the IAFPE national leadership urged Indian Americans across the nation to observe August 1, 1983 as Family Unification Day. August 1 was designated by the U.S. Congress as Helsinki Human Rights Day in order to create awareness of the declaration of the Helsinki Convention for family reunification. The Helsinki Convention called for the Soviet Union and other Eastern European Communist countries to facilitate the migration of relatives of U.S. citizens and immigrants. IAFPE leadership thought that since the U.S. Congress encouraged other countries to allow close family members of U.S. residents to come to the U.S., Congress ought also to preserve the rights of Americans of Indian origin to bring their close family members from India.
As a result of these efforts, Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Representative Peter Rodino (D-NJ) came forward in support of preserving immigrant rights. It was an historic achievement of IAFPE when those Congressional leaders defeated controversial provisions of the Senate bill at the Conference Committee on September 17, 1984, at the urging of the Indian American community. The IAFPE is thankful to Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY), Senator Kennedy, and Representative Peter Rodino for their cooperation and understanding. In the September 21, 1984 Chicago edition of India Abroad, Mr. Lynn Hudson, a prominent journalist who was closely monitoring immigration legislation stated, In what is being viewed as a major victory for the Indian community, United States Senate conferees have agreed to the wishes of the conference chairman, Representative Peter W. Rodino, and make no changes in family reunification regulations. New immigrants who came to the United States from this point forward have appreciated the hard work of IAFPE leaders in cooperation with the leaders of the Association of Indians in America (AIA), the National Federation of Indian-American Associations (NFIA), and all other participating organizations for their courage, cooperation, and unity, which helped the community achieve its goal of retaining immigrant rights. IAFPE is also thankful to the Indian American media and other ethnic American groups for their support in the success of these efforts.
2. White House Recognition of IAFPE
The success of IAFPE leadership in bringing together many ethnic American groups for preserving family reunification drew the attention of the Reagan White House. The White House senior staff appreciated the strong stance that IAFPE took to preserve certain family values of immigrant Americans. At the request of IAFPE, the White House opened its doors for an historic briefing, which was held on June 24, 1983. The Honorable William P. Clark, the National Security Council Advisor, led a group of senior Reagan Administration officials to talk to nearly one hundred Indian American leaders from across the nation. This meeting addressed several issues affecting Indian Americans, including immigration, education, employment, and Indo-US relations. This meeting opened opportunities not only for Indian Americans, but also for other Asian American groups for several White House meetings pertaining to their specific community issues.
On February 23, 1984, President Ronald Reagan invited several dozen Asian American leaders, including prominent Indian Americans, to a White House meeting. The President personally renewed his promise on his governments commitment to fight against all forms of discrimination affecting Asian Americans.
On May 10, 1985, under the leadership of the Honorable Linas Kojelis of the White House Office of Public Liaison, the senior White House staff arranged a special briefing for Indian Americans at the White House. The Honorable Robert A. Peck, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near East and South Asian Affairs, briefed Indian American community members about U.S. foreign policy toward India. At another White House briefing for Asian Americans on November 7, 1985, Vice President George Bush reiterated the Reagan Administrations commitment to equal treatment for all Americans in the employment, business, and professional sectors. On August 23, 1986, Mr. Krishna Srinivasa, a small businessman and National Treasurer of the IAFPE was elected by small businessmen in the state of Georgia to represent the state at a White House conference on Small Business. IAFPE always advocated the rights of small businessmen.
On January 9, 1986, President Ronald Reagan met with 12 Asian American national leaders, including two Indian American representatives, in the Cabinet Room of the White House. It was another historic milestone for IAFPE and Indian Americans. At the meeting, President Reagan assured the participants that he would look into the possibility of appointing a qualified Asian American to a senior-level position in his Administration. This promise later led to the appointment of one of IAFPEs leaders to a Commissioner position with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This sub-cabinet-level position required U.S. Senate confirmation.
The IAFPE played a major role in influencing the White House to hold all of the above-mentioned briefings and meetings.
3. Successful Congressional Contacts
During the 1982-1986 period, the IAFPE made efforts to rejuvenate and increase the Indian American communitys contacts with U.S. Senate and House members. On September 18, 1984, the IAFPE organized an historic Congressional luncheon in the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol Building. Several Senators, Congressmen, and official representatives of the White House, Democratic Party, and Republican Party attended this Meet Your Congressional Leaders program. Senator Alan K. Simpson remarked about IAFPEs successful efforts in preserving immigrant family rights, You may be small in number, but you sure are persistent.
On October 2, 1985, IAFPE organized another Congressional reception and luncheon in the Mike Mansfield Room on the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol. Several Congressmen and Senators attended the program, and promised their support for issues close to the hearts of Indian Americans, including the need to promote better Indo-US relations. Over two hundred Indian Americans from various parts of the country attended this function.
The Congressional receptions and luncheons opened the doors for the Indian American communitys direct contacts with leaders of the U.S. Congress.
4. Formation of the Asian American Voters Coalition (AAVC)
Traditionally, Asian American community members worked within their own ethnic national groups and associations. Each sub-ethnic group such as Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Indians, and Koreans had several national associations for various specific purposes. The IAFPE worked with several Asian American ethnic groups and helped organize the Asian American Voters Coalition (AAVC). The AAVC helped bring several key Indian American issues to the attention of the federal, state, and local governments as well as both the Democratic and Republican parties. On January 26, 1984, IAFPE took a leading role in helping AAVC to hold a national banquet, which was attended by over 600 Asian Americans. Several Congressional leaders, White House officials, and representatives of other ethnic American groups spoke at the banquet. There was at that time a general perception among some White House staff, Congressional members, senior staff of the federal departments, state government officials, and mass media, that the term Asian American meant only descendants of people from the Far Eastern and South East Asian countries and were not from South Asian countries (the Indian subcontinent). The IAFPE played a major role in changing this perception and popularized the fact that Indian Americans are also part of the Asian American group. IAFPE is thankful to prominent Asian American leaders for assisting in the achievement of this goal. On November 9, 1985, IAFPEs founder and then President was unanimously elected as the Chairman-elect of AAVC and later he served as the Chairman of that organization.
5. Impact Making Voter Registration Drive
During the mid-1980s, IAFPE members organized and assisted several voter registration drives across the nation through its chapters for the benefit of Indian American citizens. In order to facilitate voter registration, IAFPE chapters prepared and distributed information packets. Although IAFPE recognized that Indian Americans were limited in number and in the number of votes that they could cast in national and state elections, IAFPE believed that by voting as a bloc with similarly-minded ethnic Americans (e.g., other Asian Americans) and other minorities it could make an impact. Even though several prominent Indian Americans believed that fundraising was the only way the Indian American community could influence the political system, the IAFPE believed that Indian Americans could make a difference through grassroots-level political participation by building coalitions for casting bloc votes. Election experience in later years vindicated this IAFPE belief.
6. IAFPE Speaks for Healthcare Professionals
At the end of 1985, the U.S. Congress had several proposals to reduce direct education funding for hospitals as part of the medicare program. These proposals were incorporated into a bill, The Deficit Reduction Amendments of 1985. The proposals were designed to cut certain costs. Such a cut would create financial problems for future foreign medical graduates (FMGs) during their residency training. The IAFPE Task Force on Medical Professionals fought very hard against these proposals by contacting and educating Congressmen and Senators on the consequences of adopting such proposals. Finally, in April 1986, the IAFPE task force succeeded in persuading Congressional leaders to remove the proposals to cut medicare funding for the FMG residency training program. Many ethnic medical professionals praised the role of the IAFPE task force, headed by Dr. Biswamay Ray, for its leadership role. IAFPE was also involved with several state discrimination issues affecting FMGs in various parts of the United States. Dr. Shailendra Kumar of Maryland played a major role in assisting the IAFPE to bring issues confronting Indian American physicians to the attention of government authorities.
Another ad hoc advocacy group, the IAFPE Task Force of Indian American Nurses, actively participated in education programs promoting professional interests of foreign nurses. This task force, headed by Mrs. Marykutty Kuriakose of Chicago, was designed to give Indian American nurses political power to protect their basic rights relating to their professional practice.
7. Building a National Network with Other Indian American Associations
From its inception, the IAFPE leadership was keen to work with other national and local associations rather than compete with them or duplicate their programs. This was an exception to the rule practiced by other many ethnic associations in the United States at the time. One of the historic contributions of IAFPE was this inclusion policy of bringing together association leaders to join in activities such as immigration dialogues, White House meetings, and Congressional contacts. On April 27, 1983, IAFPE hosted a meeting of leaders of several organizations to discuss future action plans on federal legislative proposals affecting the Indian American community. IAFPEs national leadership is thankful to Dr. Thomas Abraham, the founder and former President of NFIA, and the late Dr. Surendra Saxena, the former President of AIA, for their cooperation and support of IAFPE activities.
IAFPE took a leading role in enhancing awareness among Indian Americans on certain important issues affecting the community. Some of these issues included: educational opportunities, racial prejudice and violence, immigration visas, small and minority business contracts, employment discrimination, and access to government jobs. In addition, IAFPEs quarterly newsletter, The Indian American, short articles publicized in the Indian media, and periodical press releases from the IAFPE office were helpful to reach out to Indian Americans across the country. IAFPE is thankful to the late Charles R. Norberg, Esq. for his assistance in maintaining IAFPEs national office from its inception at the Federal Bar Building in Washington, D.C.
8. Strengthening Indo-US Relations
a. Working with Indian Government Officials
The IAFPE was instrumental in opening a dialogue with the Embassy of India on several issues affecting Indian Americans in India. Under the leadership of Ambassador K.R. Narayanan (later the President of India) and Ambassador K.S. Bajpai, Indian Embassy officials worked with IAFPE to handle several issues such as the property rights of Indian Americans in India, their travel-related problems, certain concerns for their families interests in India, educational programs, and business-related matters. On September 17, 1984, forty representatives of IAFPE from various states attended the first national briefing hosted by the Indian Embassy to discuss issues of common interest. Hon. Peter Sinai, Deputy Chief of Mission, was very helpful in advancing IAFPEs dialogue with the Indian officials. He addressed IAFPEs state chapter meetings on September 20, 1983, in Florida and on December 17, 1984, in Maryland.
b. Working With American Government Officials
During the 1982 1986 period, IAFPEs national leadership had several occasions to bring issues affecting Indian Americans in the United States and their family members in India to the attention of the U.S. State Department. One such occasion was when the terrible Bhopal tragedy occurred in December 1984 due to the gas leak from Union Carbides plant controlled by an American company in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh State, India. Relief efforts from the United States were moving too slowly to afford necessary relief for survivors. As a result, the IAFPE asked the White House to organize a briefing on the Bhopal tragedy and U.S. relief effort plans. In turn, the White House asked the U.S. State Department, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the Agency for International Development to participate in a briefing for the information of Indian Americans. According to India Abroad (December 28, 1984, pg. 5), This briefing was the first time the Administration had invited Indians in the United States to tell them exclusively of the Administrations response to a specific incident in India. There have been general routine briefings, but here was a specific incident being addressed.
IAFPE was also able to bring several hardship cases relating to non-immigrant and immigrant visa applications of Indian American family members to the attention of the State Department and U.S. Embassy and Consulate offices in India. In many instances, favorable decisions were made. IAFPE was proud to take initiatives through White House briefings and other discussions to improve and strengthen Indo-U.S. relations. On March 17, 1985, while addressing an IAFPE meeting in Houston, Texas, the IAFPE President urged Indian American associations in the state of Texas to request the House Majority Leader, Representative Jim Wright (D-TX), to invite Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to address a joint session of U.S. Congress (refer to India Tribune, March 30, 1985, p. 13). This initiative was a great success, and it was one of the reasons that the White House extended an invitation to the IAFPE President to attend a White House State Dinner in honor of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on June 12, 1985.
9. Leadership in Asian American Civil Rights Issues
From its inception, IAFPE was sensitive to civil rights issues affecting Indian Americans and other Asian Americans, especially those matters relating to national origin, such as accent, ancestry, and appearance. IAFPE leadership addressed several meetings around the country and called on the community to be active in the civil rights arena. On October 2, 1983, IAFPE observed Gandhi Jayanthi (birthday of Mahatma Gandhi) in Atlanta in cooperation with the Martin Luther King Center. In this regard, IAFPE can proudly claim that because of its united efforts with other prominent Asian American ethnic associations, on February 29, 1984, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights decided to conduct a study on certain civil rights problems faced by Asian American communities, including the Indian American community. On August 4, 1984, the IAFPE Illinois Chapter, under the leadership of its chairman Mr. Mathew Olickal, organized a major seminar in Chicago on discrimination based on foreign accent. On August 25, IAFPEs Pennsylvania Chapter, under the leadership of its chairman, Mr. Charly Chirayath, held a meeting at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia to mobilize support for the Civil Rights Act of 1984. On October 20, the IAFPE Tennessee Chapter, under the leadership of its chairman Mr. Hari Puranik, organized a seminar on employment rights of U.S. permanent residents in Johnson City, Tennessee. On December 1, the IAFPEs national President addressed a meeting in San Antonio, Texas, on employment and professional discrimination issues affecting Indian Americans.
10. Bipartisan Liaison with Political Parties
On July 30, 1984, the IAFPE officially established an effective bipartisan liaison with the national committee offices of the Democratic and Republican parties. IAFPE encouraged its members to cooperate with educational and ethnic community outreach programs of their own parties on national, state, and local levels. IAFPE was interested in educating political party leaders about Indian American community issues. Both political parties were impressed with the IAFPE voter registration drive and sent their representatives to IAFPE seminars and annual meetings. Additionally, IAFPE leaders were invited to attend the National Conventions of both parties in 1984.
11. Indian Media Support
IAFPE developed a good working relationship with the Indian American media as well as with journalists representing major Indian newspapers and other news services, which traditionally focused only on Indo-US relations and India-based stories. And from the time IAFPE began to make an impact in the American political scene, the Indian press began to give more attention to Indian American issues, such as educational opportunities, employment discrimination, professional licensing, small business matters, immigration problems, social life, economic success, and political activities.
In 1984, for the first time, three Indian American ethnic media representatives were invited to a Presidential luncheon organized for selected ethnic American publishers by the White House Office of Public Liaison. These invitations were extended from the White House after consulting with the IAFPE leadership. Two of the Indian American editors were able to attend this special program hosted by President Ronald Reagan himself.
IAFPE has appreciated the support of several Indian American publications, including India Abroad, India-West, News-India, Voice of Asia, and India Tribune. Among Indian media journalists, IAFPE is grateful for the assistance of Mr. T.V. Parasuram (PTI), Mr. R. Chakrapani (The Hindu), Mr. J.N. Parimoo (The Times of India), and Mr. Warren Unna (The Statesman). IAFPE leadership is also thankful to Indian American journalists such as Mr. Rajan Devadas, Mr. Aziz Haniffa, Mr. Arthur Pais, Mr. Hasmukh Shah, Ms. Nita Shah, and several others. IAFPEs national President is thankful to Mr. Gopal Raju of India Abroad Publications, Inc. and Mr. & Mrs. Ramesh Murarka of India-West Publications for their generous and courageous support for IAFPE activities since the IAFPEs inception.
III. Annual Meetings of IAFPE
a. 1984
Until May 1984, the IAFPE was led by its founder, Dr. Joy Cherian, who held the title Coordinator, and Mrs. Achamma Chandersekaran as an interim Secretary. After completing formal state Chapter elections, IAFPEs first National Assembly met on May 27, 1984, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Crystal City, Virginia, and unanimously elected its new officers for a two-year period. They were: Dr. Joy Cherian of Maryland (National President), Dr. Gopal Basisht of Florida (Vice President), Mrs. Achamma Chandersekaran of Maryland (Secretary), Mr. Krishna Srinivasa of Georgia (Treasurer), and Dr. Monoranjan Bezboruah of Washington, DC (Associate Secretary). The Honorable Richard Davis, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Virginia, presided over the National Assembly of IAFPE delegates and acted as the election officer. The day before the National Assembly meeting, the IAFPE organized the First Indian American Political Leadership Conference in cooperation with the NFIA. The theme of the conference was Asian Indians in North America: A Contributing Community. The Honorable Lyn Nofziger, former Assistant to President Ronald Reagan; Mr. William B. Lacy, Director of Political Operations for the Republican National Committee; and Ms. Ann F. Lewis, Political Director of the Democratic National Committee, spoke at the conference. The IAFPE President warned the Indian American attendees, If we do not recognize and respect each other, if we do not help each other, if we do not unite with each other, the basic lesson in political education tells us that we have no political clout.
b. 1985
The 1985 Annual Convention of IAFPE was held on May 11, 1985, in Rockville, Maryland. It was an historic annual meeting. Over two hundred Indian American political activists came from various parts of the country. Several discussion sessions were held on topics close to the heart of the Indian American community. The Honorable Stephen Sachs, Attorney General of the State of Maryland, was the keynote speaker. The Honorable Mervyn Dymally (D-California), Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, advised the IAFPE to build a coalition with like-minded groups in order to gain political strength. Ms. Betty Baca, Director of Outreach from the Democratic National Committee, and Mr. John Zagame, Director of Government Relations of the Republican National Committee, urged Indian Americans to actively participate in the political process. The Honorable Linas Kojelis, White House Associate Director for Public Liaison was honored by IAFPE with the presentation of the first Indian American Political Education Award. Mr. Kojelis was instrumental in opening the White House door for Indian Americans in 1983 for their future contacts. Under the leadership of Mr. John (Sunny) Wycliffe of Maryland, the accomplishments of the IAFPE were recorded and published.
c. 1986
The 1986 Annual Meeting was held on May 3, 1986, in Chicago under the leadership of Mr. Mathew Olickal, Chairman of the IAFPEs Chicago Chapter. Several discussion sessions on political issues were held. Dr. Joy Cherian stepped down from the National Presidency of the IAFPE and the National Assembly delegates unanimously elected Mrs. Achamma Chandersekaran as the new National President. Dr. Gopal Basisht was elected as the President-Elect. The National Assembly of the IAFPE appointed a committee headed by Mrs. Chandersekaran to oversee the commission of a Mahatma Gandhi statue in Washington, D.C. The outgoing national President expressed his heartfelt appreciation and thanks to all of the national and state officers of the IAFPE especially Mrs. Chandersekaran, Mr. Krishna Srinivasa and Dr. Gopal Basisht for their support for the success of IAFPE in making an indelible impact in the American political society during the period 1982 1986. The Honorable Senator Paul Simon (D-IL); the Honorable Jim Edgar, Secretary of the State of Illinois (later Governor of Illinois); the Honorable Judy Baar Topinka, State Senator (later Illinois State Treasurer); and the Honorable P.A. Nazareth, Counsel General of India, spoke at the banquet. In his farewell address, the outgoing National President, Dr. Joy Cherian, urged all people of Indian origin to use the term Indian American without a hyphen in order to give a new identity to the people of Indian origin in the United States of America. This convention was a great success.
IV. IAFPE Chapters around the Nation
At the end of April 1986, the IAFPE had twenty-seven chapters around the country. The names of state chapters and the chapter chairmen are given below:
State Chapter Chairperson
Arkansas Mr. Raju Ressalam
California Mr. Inder Singh
Colorado Dr. Anant Jain
Florida Dr. Gopal K. Basisht
Georgia Mr. Krishna Srinivasa
Illinois Mr. Mathew Olickal
Iowa Mr. Gary Nagaraj
Kansas Mr. Suraj Arora
Louisiana Dr. Gouri Thattil
Maine Prof. V. K. Balakrishnan
Maryland Dr. Shailendra Kumar
Michigan Mr. Jacob S. Chazhikattu
Nebraska Dr. Mahesh D. Jha
Nevada Mr. Pramod K. Bhatnagar
New Jersey Mr. Kamal Kumar
New York Mr. E. M. Stephen
North Carolina Mr. Pradeep Patnaik
Ohio Prof. Shiv K. Gupta
Oklahoma Mr. C. C. Theophine
Oregon Mr. Kamal A. Kamadoli
Pennsylvania Mr. Charly Chirayath
South Carolina Ms. Mala Karkhanis
Tennessee Mr. Hari K. Puranik
Texas Mr. Jyothi Bhatia
Virginia Dr. (Late) Oliver H. Wilson
Virgin Islands Mr. Nick Hemarajani
Washington, DC Dr. Manoranjan Bezboruah
These leaders were helpful in creating a strong national network for IAFPEs activities across the country.
Conclusion: Remarks from the Founder and the First National President
The four years from 1982 to 1986 were very significant in the political life of people of Indian origin in America. During this period, the IAFPE helped to bring together Indian American leaders to a common platform and assisted them in identifying Indian American community issues for the review and understanding of the White House, the U.S. Congress, state-level governments, the Democratic National Committee, and Republican National Committee. It is a gratifying fact for all of IAFPEs founding members that the term Indian American has been generally accepted in America and abroad to identify a person of Indian origin in the United States. In addition, IAFPE drew the attention of the leaders of the Government of India as a growing political force in America that want to strengthen mutually respectful Indo-U.S. relations. Finally, IAFPE established a strong foundation on which future generations of Indian Americans can stand up and speak out about the feelings close to their hearts that will be echoed across the United States of America and beyond.
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