India’s Deputy Chief of Mission hosted in D.C. by community organizations

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Fairfax, Virginia: The National Council of Asian Indian Associations (NCAIA) along with a number of Indian community organizations hosted a reception to welcome the Deputy Chief of Mission of Embassy of India, Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan, on October 21, 2022, at the University of North America.

President of NCAIA, Nayna Desai welcomed Ranganathan and her husband Mukund Santhanam on behalf of the audience and wished her success in her new position. Administrative Director, Maryland Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives, Christina Poy, and CEO of the US-India SME Council, Elisha Pulivarti presented a citation from Maryland Governor Larry Hogan congratulating Ranganathan.

Welcoming Ranganathan, former State Senator of Virginia, Dick Black, underscored the importance of U.S.-India relations since independence. He also congratulated the diaspora for helping make Diwali a state holiday in Virginia.

Ambassador Ranganathan, who is now two months into her new role, thanked community members for the reception, and discussed the importance of the U.S.-India relationship, and significance of recent visits by Indian ministers for bilateral engagements.

“That tells us something about the depth and the intensity of this relationship. Friends if there is one aspect of our relationship that is absolutely reassuring, heartwarming, and critical that is the strength and connections of the Indian diaspora,” adding that the unique strength of India is its diversity which was well represented in the audience..

Ranganathan also stressed the need for community engagement in general and to empower women through networks, resources, and knowledge, and most important, building awareness among men.“My father has been a huge inspiration for me, and my husband has been a big strength. And I think my daughter has been an even bigger strength.”

National Chairman, Dr. Shambhu Bainik praised Ranganathan for taking a vow to empower women and promote women leaders, one of the objectives of NCAIA.

Chairman NCAIA Sunil Singh noted that during his last meeting with Ranganathan she emphasized that the community needs to work together to form a safety net for the vulnerable members of the diaspora. As such, Singh introduced Aditya Patel, an attorney with a mission to provide free legal advice for the diaspora women in distress.

Congratulating Ranganathan, Executive Director of the American Hindu Coalition, Alok Srivastava said India plays a vital role in the global security and will soon be in the top three economies of the world. Puja Khanna, who is contesting for the Dulles District Supervisor, welcomed Ranganathan and asked for the community’s support in electing her.

Hemapriya Ponnuvel of the Tamil Sangam, Member of Sikhs of USA, Gurcharan Singh, NCAIA members, Gopinath Durgaiyanaidu, Kripa Singh, and coordinators of the event, Rajaram Srinivasan, and Satya Manne also spoke at the event.