The Consulate General of India in New York hosted a meet-and-greet between visiting Indian Members of Parliament, and Indian American community leaders, on November 7, 2024.
The delegation of Indian MPs included Rajeev Shukla, Tiruchi Siva, K.T.S. Tulsi, Dr. Sudhanshu Trivedi, Dr. Amar Singh, Dr. Sasmit Patra, Indu Goswami, Kavita Patidar, Swati Maliwal, Sambit Patra, and Uday Srinivas Tangella.
Consul General of India, in New York Binaya Srikant Pradhan, and other consulate officials were present at the event.
The Indian American community leaders who met with the MPs included Padma Shri recipient and Chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media/ITV Gold, Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Chairman of Federation of Indian Associations of tri-state Ankur Vaidya, New York State Senator Kevin Thomas, Michelin Star Chef Vikas Khanna, Entrepreneur/Philanthropist Deepak Raj, Mohan Nannapaneni, Dr. Raj Bhayani, Chintu Patel, Sanjay Chaubey, and Prashant Tripathy, among others.
The discussions between lawmakers and community leaders revolved around the US-India relationship. The Indian MPs appreciated the positive contributions of the Indian diaspora to the multicultural fabric of United States, while preserving their Indian cultural heritage. They also praised Indian Americans for their role in strengthening the US-India partnership.
The MPs also attended meetings at the United Nations organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations (PMI). They participated in a signature event of the India – UN Development Partnership Fund. With projects spread across 57 countries focusing on SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs, the Fund testifies to India’s firm commitment to the development needs of the Global South.
A publication capturing highlights of the Fund was also released at the annual event, where diplomats, senior officials of UN and several others participated. They also had a comprehensive briefing at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on India-UNDP partnership, spanning decades.
Additionally, the MPs exchanged ideas with experts from the Crisis Group on various geopolitical issues, including conflicts around the world.
They met the Under Secretary-General (USG) for Peacekeeping Keeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and were briefed on UN peacekeeping operations. The USG applauded India for its diverse contributions to peacekeeping, including the initiative to build a memorial wall for the fallen peacekeepers.
PMI also organized a reception for the MPs where senior diplomats, UN officials, and members of the Indian diaspora attended.
