Prominent Indian-Americans bid farewell to Ambassador Sandhu

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More than 200 prominent Indian-Americans participated in a virtual farewell ceremony for Indian Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Sandhu, on January 20, 2024.

Sandhu, who will be retiring this month after 35 years of an illustrious career in the Indian Foreign Service, told the virtual gathering, “You must ensure that your children remain invested in India; they travel to India. Like so many other communities here in the United States, you can ensure through your associations, through your groups, because all of you can afford them going to India.”

He noted, “If there’s any issue regarding the security of the children, I can assure you the embassy and the consulates will help you out. We’ll organize that so that it’s foolproof. They have support when they go. But do send them, because tomorrow they will be in a unique position.

He further said that if they possess a deep understanding of India, they are likely to be sought after by numerous international companies planning to establish a presence in the country.

Chairman & CEO of Parikh Worldwide Media and ITV Gold, Padma Shri recipient Dr. Sudhir Parikh wished Ambassador Sandhu on behalf of the Indian American community, and Parikh Worldwide Media.

“I would like to express best wishes on your retirement. We wish you success on all your future endeavors. I worked with you during the Madison Square Garden program, as well as on different occasions to strengthen the US-India relations. You are a great leader and under your guidance, the US-India relations have achieved great heights,” said Dr. Parikh.

President & CEO of the International Development Foundation, Inc., KV Kumar said he has known Ambassador Sandhu, for over two decades during which Sandhu served in four different capacities at the Indian Embassy and Permanent Mission of India to the UN.

“You are the only one with such exceptional credentials and background to represent India. Mr. Ambassador, I worked with 21 Indian Ambassadors and have never seen one who has done so much for India-US relations,” Kumar added. “Shortly after your arrival in Washington DC, COVID exploded. And during the pandemic when everything was slowed down you showed your extraordinary wisdom and strength in handling situations, which I’ve personally witnessed on many occasions.”

Smita Shah from Chicago said, “I’m personally so grateful because not always do people remember, not just the senior members of the community, but the women, the other young members, and you always make everyone feel connected.”

“His tenure has been characterized by diplomacy at its finest, and a testament of his leadership and dedication to fostering international harmony. Ambassador Sandhu, you will be sincerely missed, and your legacy of friendship and collaboration will endure. We extend our best wishes for your future endeavors, confident that your contributions will continue to shape relations between our two nations USA and India,” said Raju Chintala from Indiana.

“In a simple one sentence, I can say that you defined us as an Indian American. You defined us as who we are. You defined us as where we stand as an Indian American. And when we walk in the USA, we can say that we get the respect we never used to get as an Indian American,” said Dhaval Vaishnav from Detroit.

“I would also like to say that on behalf of the entire Michigan community and business leaders, we are extremely proud to have you and we’ll miss you because your service was unparalleled and you have given us something and you have set your bar so high that it would be really, really hard to fill,” Vaishnav added.

Ajay Bhutoria from California said, “Ambassador Sandhu, you are not just a skilled diplomat; you are a visionary who has significantly shaped the trajectory of the 21st-century bilateral relationship between the United States and India,” he said.