The Indian American community of the tri-state area came together Thursday, March 20 evening to bid farewell to , Deputy Consul General of India in New York Dr. Varun Jeph, who is concluding his diplomatic tenure. The reception, held at the Moghul Ballroom in Edison, New Jersey, drew more than 200 members of the Indian American community.

The evening’s program began with a viewing of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s podcast interview with Lex Fridman, which continued after Dr. Jeph’s arrival. The formal farewell ceremony featured presentations highlighting the achievements and milestones of Dr. Jeph’s tenure, particularly noting his adept handling of complex situations and challenges during his service.

Ankur Vaidya, Chairman of the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), praised Dr. Jeph’s contributions. “He is our man who knows the community like the back of his hands. His experience in navigating complex situations has been invaluable,” said Vaidya. He further expressed gratitude for Dr. Jeph’s role in maintaining strong connections between India and its diaspora.

FIA President Saurin Parikh commended Dr. Jeph’s exceptional management skills, attention to detail, and efforts to unify various Indian community organizations. He highlighted Dr. Jeph’s success in bringing diverse community groups together, creating a more cohesive diaspora.

Several prominent community leaders took the stage to extend their best wishes, including Anil Dosa, Kenny Desai,  Sreekanth Akkapalli, Dr. Sudhir Parikh, and Mohammad Farooqi, among others. Dr. Parikh reflected on Dr. Jeph’s good nature and easy accessibility and deep trust in the Indian American community. He also praised his deep knowledge of Indian culture and tradition.

The event also featured a special tribute video honoring Dr. Jeph’s service.

In his farewell speech, Dr. Jeph reminisced about his arrival in New York amid Cyclone Ida, which had flooded the city streets. He described his tenure as “remarkable,” noting the privilege of serving the largest Indian American diaspora community. Dr. Jeph recalled meaningful experiences, from witnessing community members gathering at 2-3 AM to listen to PM Modi’s “Mann Ki Baat” addresses to cultural events like “Dance Pe Chance.”

Dr. Jeph expressed gratitude to FIA and other organizations for demonstrating unity far from their homeland and making his diplomatic work more effective. He shared fond memories of the India Day Parade and the Unity March organized by Kenny Desai.

Before concluding, Dr. Jeph made a heartfelt appeal to support the approximately 300,000 Indian students in America, emphasizing the consulate’s commitment to assist every Indian. He assured the community of his continued availability for anyone visiting Delhi from the diaspora and thanked all organizations and his wife for supporting his journey.

The farewell was attended by representatives from numerous community organizations, including TAK Group, Bansal Foundation, TV9, Parikh Worldwide Media, TV Asia, Print Early, BJANA, Siddhivinayak Temple, MOCCAPI, Brahman Samaj of USA, Namaste Global, Maheshwari Mahasabha of North America, SKN Foundation, and the Rajasthani Organization of American Residences (ROAR).

Also present were Pallavi Jeph, and Vishal J. Harsh. Priti Ray-Patel delivered the vote of thanks, bringing the memorable evening to a close.

(Used with permission from NIT)

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