Guyanese elected chief of diaspora body

TIMES INT'L

Guyanese-born U.S. resident Ashook Ramsaran has been elected the international president of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), the largest umbrella organisation of overseas Indians.

Sunny Kulathakal (Bahrain) was elected executive vice president; Piyush Agrawal (U.S.) senior vice president; and Inder Singh re-elected as chairman during GOPIO’s biennial convention in Iselin, New Jersey.

The November 18-20 convention on the theme; “Issues and Concerns of the Indian Diaspora” discussed several critical issues of interest and concern that confront persons of Indian origin living in more than 150 countries all over the world, according to a GOPIO release.

Among other things, the conference examined issues of consular services, property, taxation, foreign accounts disclosures, how to leverage the diaspora networks to jump start new ventures, opportunities for political empowerment and successful adaptation in adopted countries.

GOPIO is playing a vital role in creating awareness and promoting understanding of issues of concern of the Indian diaspora, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, said in a message to the convention.

Messages of good wishes also came from India’s ambassador to the U.S. Nirupama Rao, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Deputy Speaker of New Jersey Assembly Upendra Chivukula, and former prime minister and leader of Fiji Labour Party, Mahendra Chaudhry.

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