HAF Diwali Webinar
2020-10-27 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Getting a Diwail resolution passed is a community effort, and HAF is here to help!
HAF’s Dr. Shereen Bhalla and Taniel Koushakjian show how you can bring our soon-to-be-released Diwali Toolkit to your children’s teachers and how to get a Diwali resolution passed in your local city council. We walk you through a drafting resolution, how to approach your city council, and how to follow up.

Hinduism and Climate Protection: Faith in Action
2020-11-17 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
November 17 | 6-7pm ET | Online, anywhere
Hinduism and Climate Action: What does Hinduism teach us about environmental stewardship?
Hinduism contains numerous references to the worship of the divine in nature in its Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, Sutras and its other sacred texts. Millions of Hindus recite Sanskrit mantras daily to revere their rivers, mountains, trees, animals and the earth. Hinduism is a remarkably diverse religious and cultural phenomenon, with many local and regional manifestations.Gandhi exemplified many of these teachings, and his example continues to inspire contemporary social, religious and environmental leaders in their efforts to protect the planet.
Join us for a discussion with panelists from Hindu Temple of Delaware, Hindu American Foundation, and Bhumi Global to learn the teachings of Hinduism and its urgent call to action for Hindus to take the lead in combating global warming!
Panelists
Pramod Mathur Board of Trustees; Hindu Temple of Delaware
Mat McDermott Senior Director, Communications; Hindu American Foundation
Gopal Patel Co-Founder and Director; Bhumi Global
Moderator
Shweta Arya Outreach Director, Delaware Interfaith Power and Light This event is a co-production of Delaware Interfaith Power and Light, Hindu American Foundation, and Bhumi Global

HAF's Year End Gala: Unconventional Paths to Hinduism
2020-12-06 13:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
We all come to Hinduism in different ways. Many of us are born into it. Others discover it through unconventional paths.
On December 6, we present you with exactly that. Fred Stella was born and raised a Catholic. Drishti Mae was born and raised a Muslim. Both found their way to Hinduism through unique journeys.
Often, those of us born into the tradition overlook the profoundness of its philosophy. It can take someone who has journeyed from another tradition to remind us of all that Hinduism has to offer us and the world. Join Fred and Drishti for an insightful conversation about how and why they came to Hinduism.
You will also enjoy a spectacular performance by speed painting artist, Vilas Nayak, who will commission two pieces just for HAF. Fred Stella is a member of HAF’s National Leadership Council and the Pracharak for the West Michigan Hindu Temple. He began his study of Hindu Dharma at age 15. In his early 30s he took diksha into his particular sampradaya. He was ordained Pracharak of his local mandir, The West Michigan Hindu Temple. Fred is the president of Interfaith Dialogue Association and hosts its weekly radio program on Religion and Spirituality, Common Threads on local NPR affiliate, WGVU-FM. Drishti Mae is the President of the National Hindu Students Forum (UK), the largest Hindu student movement outside of India. Founded 29 years ago, NHSF (UK) is active in almost half of all universities in the UK and reaches over 10,000 students annually through its activities. A graduate of Chemistry from the University of York, and the Unilever Future Leaders’ programme, Drishti now works in technology at Unilever in the UK. Vilas Nayak is a self-taught artist from India who started painting at the age of 3. A finalist of India’s Got Talent season 3, he is currently one of the most sought after speed painting artists. His performance on Asia’s Got Talent has caught the attention of millions.He has performed at the United Nations General Assembly, Asia’s Got Talent, and the NBA halftime show.

HAF Dharma Advocates: Federal Policy Update & Advocacy Training Webinar
2020-12-10 21:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Thursday, December 10, 2020 | Time: 9:00 – 10:00 pm ET / 6:00 – 9:00 pm PT | Training level: Beginner | Online, anywhere

Join the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) Managing Director Samir Kalra, Esq. and Director of Public Policy Taniel Koushakjian for an introductory and interactive advocacy training webinar with Hindu Americans from across the U.S. In this 60-minute webinar, you will learn:

How Washington, DC works during the COVID-19 crisis;

Hindu American domestic and foreign policy priorities headed into 2021 & review of 2020;

How to effectively advocate for Hindu American issues; and

How to use HAF tools and resources to execute grassroots strategies that will have an impact in your community.

This is your chance to hear directly from HAF’s advocacy experts and public policy influencers who represent the interests of the Hindu American community in our nation’s capital.
Space is limited (50 max) and registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the meeting.
Samir Kalra, Esq., HAF Managing Director, based in the Bay Area, CA, holds a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law. Mr. Kalra leads the Foundation’s human rights and public policy advocacy efforts and has led human rights fact finding missions, served as a panelist at multiple Congressional briefings, and authored formal testimony for Congressional Hearings on human rights, foreign policy, hate crimes, and immigration. He has also led HAF’s textbook reform and Don’t Erase India education campaigns in California, and has testified at California State Assembly and Senate Committee Hearings on Education and Hate Crimes. He previously served on Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA) Immigration Advisory Committee. Taniel S. Koushakjian is HAF’s Director of Public Policy, based in Washington, D.C. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University, a M.A. in Political Management from The George Washington University, and a Graduate Certificate in PACs & Political Management from The George Washington University. Prior to joining HAF, Taniel worked as a political consultant and was a candidate for the Palm Beach County Commission. He previously worked as the Grassroots Director and Communications Director of the Armenian Assembly of America where he successfully advocated on a wide array of human rights, international religious freedom, U.S. foreign policy, and appropriations issues. Taniel was selected as a 2018-2019 Fellow with the Anti-Defamation League Glass Leadership Institute, as well as a 2019 Fellow with the James Madison Institute.

HAF Dharma Advocates: Federal Policy Update & Advocacy Training Webinar
2021-02-04 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Thursday, February 4, 2021 | Time: 8:00 – 9:00 pm ET / 5:00 – 6:00 pm PT | Training level: Beginner | Online, anywhere

Join the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) Managing Director Samir Kalra, Esq. and Director of Public Policy Taniel Koushakjian for an introductory and interactive advocacy training webinar with Hindu Americans from across the U.S. In this 60-minute webinar, you will learn:

How Washington, DC is working during the COVID-19 crisis and a Presidential transition while a new Congress begins;

Hindu American domestic and foreign policy priorities in 2021 & Review of 2020;

How to effectively advocate for Hindu American issues; and,

How to use HAF tools and resources to execute grassroots strategies that will have an impact in your community.

This is your chance to hear directly from HAF’s advocacy experts and public policy influencers who represent the interests of the Hindu American community in our nation’s capital.
Space is limited (50 max) and registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing the login information.
Samir Kalra, Esq., HAF Managing Director, based in the Bay Area, CA, holds a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law. Mr. Kalra leads the Foundation’s human rights and public policy advocacy efforts and has led human rights fact finding missions, served as a panelist at multiple Congressional briefings, and authored formal testimony for Congressional Hearings on human rights, foreign policy, hate crimes, and immigration. He has also led HAF’s textbook reform and Don’t Erase India education campaigns in California, and has testified at California State Assembly and Senate Committee Hearings on Education and Hate Crimes. He previously served on Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA) Immigration Advisory Committee. Taniel S. Koushakjian is HAF’s Director of Public Policy, based in Washington, D.C. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University, a M.A. in Political Management from The George Washington University, and a Graduate Certificate in PACs & Political Management from The George Washington University. Prior to joining HAF, Taniel worked as a political consultant and was a candidate for the Palm Beach County Commission. He previously worked as the Grassroots Director and Communications Director of the Armenian Assembly of America where he successfully advocated on a wide array of human rights, international religious freedom, U.S. foreign policy, and appropriations issues. Taniel was selected as a 2018-2019 Fellow with the Anti-Defamation League Glass Leadership Institute, as well as a 2019 Fellow with the James Madison Institute.

Saving Our Symbols: Fighting NY's Swastika Legislation
2021-03-07 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Please join us for an update on legislation in NY that would require public schools to teach about the swastika as only a symbol of hate.
New York’s proposed bill to make teaching of the swastika singularly as a symbol of hate has sent ripples of concern across the Hindu community in the state. The bill’s unintended consequences could be disastrous for hundreds of thousands of young Hindu students in New York’s public schools who use the swastika as part of their faith as a positive religious symbol.
Learn about the current status of the bill, what’s involved in the process, concerns of Jewish organizational partners, and what we can do together to stop the bill in its current form in order to secure the safety and well-being of Hindu American students in New York. Suhag Shukla, Esq. is HAF Executive Director and a co-founder of the Foundation. Ms. Shukla has helped steer the Foundation to being recognized as a leading voice for civil rights, human rights, and religious freedom. She is actively involved with Chinmaya Mission, serves on the board of the Bhutanese American Organization of Philadelphia, and is a thought partner for the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia’s Paths to Understanding Public Art Initiative. Shukla is a member of the board for the National Museum of American Religion and serves on religious advisory committees for the Council on Foreign Relations, the Humane Society of the United States, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Subcommittee for the Prevention of Targeted Violence Against Faith–Based Communities and is a member of the First Amendment Center’s Committee on Religious Liberty and the United Nations Women’s Gender Equality and Religion platform. Shukla was named one of twelve “faith leaders to watch in 2017” by the Center for American Progress. Taniel Koushakjian is HAF’s Director of Public Policy, based in Washington, D.C. He earned a B.A. from Florida Atlantic University, and a M.A. from The George Washington University. For the last 15 years, he has successfully advocated on Capitol Hill on a wide array of human rights, international religious freedom, U.S. foreign policy, and appropriations issues. Mr. Koushakjian was selected as a 2018-2019 Fellow with the Anti-Defamation League Glass Leadership Institute, a 2019 Fellow with the James Madison Institute, and is the Chairman of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable’s South Asia Working Group.

Bengali Hindu Genocide Dharma Advocates Training
2021-03-16 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Tuesday, March 16, 2021 | Time: 8:00 – 9:00 pm ET / 5:00 – 6:00 pm PT | Training level: Beginner | Online, anywhere

Join Hindu American Foundation Managing Director Samir Kalra, Esq. and Director of Public Policy Taniel Koushakjian for a special interactive advocacy training webinar.
HAF’s Special Bengali Hindu Genocide training will introduce emerging and veteran activists to the events of 1971 in East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh), how the Bengali Hindu population was specifically targeted by the Pakistan military, and why it fits the definition of genocide. In this 60-minute webinar, you will learn:

What happened in East Pakistan (Bangladesh) during the 1971 Bengali Hindu Genocide and why it meets the legal definition of genocide;

About HAF’s campaign to get the U.S. and others to recognize the 1971 Bengali Hindu Genocide;

How to use HAF’s advocacy tools, education materials, and outreach strategies so that you can play a major role in your community in raising public awareness and securing affirmation of one of the greatest crimes against humanity of the 21st century.

This is your chance to hear directly from HAF’s advocacy experts and public policy influencers who represent the interests of the Hindu American community in our nation’s capital.
Space is limited (100 max) and registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing the login information.
Samir Kalra, Esq., HAF Managing Director, based in the Bay Area, CA, holds a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law. Mr. Kalra leads the Foundation’s human rights and public policy advocacy efforts and has led human rights fact finding missions, served as a panelist at multiple Congressional briefings, and authored formal testimony for Congressional Hearings on human rights, foreign policy, hate crimes, and immigration. He has also led HAF’s textbook reform and Don’t Erase India education campaigns in California, and has testified at California State Assembly and Senate Committee Hearings on Education and Hate Crimes. He previously served on Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA) Immigration Advisory Committee. Taniel Koushakjian is HAF’s Director of Public Policy, based in Washington, D.C. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University, a M.A. in Political Management from The George Washington University, and a Graduate Certificate in PACs & Political Management from The George Washington University. Prior to joining HAF, Taniel worked as a political consultant and was a candidate for the Palm Beach County Commission. He previously worked as the Grassroots Director and Communications Director of the Armenian Assembly of America where he successfully advocated on a wide array of human rights, international religious freedom, U.S. foreign policy, and appropriations issues. Taniel was selected as a 2018-2019 Fellow with the Anti-Defamation League Glass Leadership Institute, as well as a 2019 Fellow with the James Madison Institute. He is the Chairman of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable’s South Asia Working Group.

1971 Bengali Hindu Genocide: Remembering the Lost – Celebrating Survival
2021-03-23 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2021 | Time: 8:00 – 9:00 pm ET / 5:00 – 6:00 pm PT | Online, anywhere

HAF 1971 Bengali Hindu Genocide Virtual Commemoration Event: Remembering the Lost, Celebrate Survival
Join the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) for a solemn commemoration of the 200,000-400,000 raped, 2-3 million killed, and over 10 million displaced during the 1971 Bengali Hindu genocide. This event will feature a virtual vigil and a Bengali musical performance to honor those lost, along with messages from community and government leaders. Learn about the historical context of the genocide and why its still important today, as we celebrate the survival and continued vibrancy of the Hindu community in Bangladesh.

Shalom Bollywood: The untold story of Indian cinema
2021-03-30 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Tuesday, March 30, 2021 | Time: 8:00pm ET / 5:00 PT | Online, anywhere

Indo-Judaic Ties: Ancient cultures, common challenges, modern miracles
2021-04-12 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Monday, April 12, 2021 | Time: 8:00pm ET / 5:00 PT | Online, anywhere

HAF Dharma Advocates Training
2021-04-15 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Thursday, April 15, 2021 | Time: 8:00 – 9:00 pm ET / 5:00 – 6:00 pm PT | Training level: Beginner | Online, anywhere

Join the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) Managing Director Samir Kalra, Esq. and Director of Public Policy Taniel Koushakjian for an introductory and interactive advocacy training webinar with Hindu Americans from across the U.S. In this 60-minute webinar, you will learn:

How Washington, DC is functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic with a new Administration and a new Congress;

Hindu American domestic and foreign policy priorities in 2021;

How to effectively advocate for Hindu American issues; and

How to use HAF tools and resources to execute grassroots strategies that will have a positive impact in your community.

This is your chance to hear directly from HAF’s advocacy experts and public policy influencers who advance the interests of the Hindu American community on Capitol Hill and in State Capitals across the United States.
Space is limited (50 max) and registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing the login information.
Samir Kalra, Esq., HAF Managing Director, based in the Bay Area, CA, holds a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law. Mr. Kalra leads the Foundation’s human rights and public policy advocacy efforts and has led human rights fact finding missions, served as a panelist at multiple Congressional briefings, and authored formal testimony for Congressional Hearings on human rights, foreign policy, hate crimes, and immigration. He has also led HAF’s textbook reform and Don’t Erase India education campaigns in California, and has testified at California State Assembly and Senate Committee Hearings on Education and Hate Crimes. He previously served on Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA) Immigration Advisory Committee. Taniel Koushakjian is HAF’s Director of Public Policy, based in Washington, D.C. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University, a M.A. in Political Management from The George Washington University, and a Graduate Certificate in PACs & Political Management from The George Washington University. Prior to joining HAF, Taniel worked as a political consultant and was a candidate for the Palm Beach County Commission. He previously worked as the Grassroots Director and Communications Director of the Armenian Assembly of America where he successfully advocated on a wide array of human rights, international religious freedom, U.S. foreign policy, and appropriations issues. Taniel was selected as a 2018-2019 Fellow with the Anti-Defamation League Glass Leadership Institute, as well as a 2019 Fellow with the James Madison Institute. He is the Chairman of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable’s South Asia Working Group.

HAF's Spring Gala: Growing up Hindu in America
2021-05-20 19:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Hinduism is both complex and simple, personal and universal, colorful and austere. Its teachings are timely and timeless. These polarities are often met with confusion, leading to misunderstanding and stereotyping, especially in the West.
Growing up Hindu in America can be challenging. From idol worshipper or dot head to Apu, we’ve heard it all. And just when you’ve made it through the ‘caste, cow, and karma’ stereotypes in high school world history, you end up at a university with professors presenting warped interpretations of Hindu scripture and epics in class and on social media under the guise of ‘academic freedom’.
But in the seemingly rough landscape, you see your path ahead. It’s one that’s inspired by ancient Hindu teachings. It’s the same inspiration that other Hindu Americans have used to forge their own path in America. They’ve gone on to break barriers in American politics and entertainment, not in spite of their Hindu traditions, but because of them. And it’s the same inspiration that HAF draws from in our advocacy work to make it easier to be Hindu in America.
Join us on Thursday, May 20 for HAF’s Spring Gala: Growing up Hindu in America. Hear from New York State Assemblymember, Jenifer Rajkumar, on the challenges she faced while running for office earlier this year, and how she succeeded to become the first South Asian-American woman to be elected to office in the state of New York. In addition, we’ll peek into some of the first hand experiences from today’s students who have experienced Hinduphobia, and talk about what inspires them to push through those obstacles.
And to cap off the night, we’re thrilled to have comedic actor Omi Vaidya join us for an evening of laughter. You may recognize him from 3 Idiots or The Office! Suhag Shukla, Esq. is HAF Executive Director and a co-founder of the Foundation. Ms. Shukla has helped steer the Foundation to being recognized as a leading voice for civil rights, human rights, and religious freedom. She is actively involved with Chinmaya Mission, serves on the board of the Bhutanese American Organization of Philadelphia, and is a thought partner for the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia’s Paths to Understanding Public Art Initiative. Shukla is a member of the board for the National Museum of American Religion and serves on religious advisory committees for the Council on Foreign Relations, the Humane Society of the United States, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Subcommittee for the Prevention of Targeted Violence Against Faith–Based Communities and is a member of the First Amendment Center’s Committee on Religious Liberty and the United Nations Women’s Gender Equality and Religion platform. Shukla was named one of twelve “faith leaders to watch in 2017” by the Center for American Progress. In 2020, Jenifer Rajkumar made history as the first South Asian woman, and the first Hindu-American, to be elected to the legislature in New York State. In a victory many thought impossible, she defeated an 11 year incumbent by 27 percentage points, the largest win margin of any challenger in the state that cycle. Assemblywoman Rajkumar has dedicated her life to serving the vulnerable at both the national and local levels. She is a civil rights lawyer who has litigated class action cases focusing on gender equality and worker’s rights. She was formerly the Director of Immigration Affairs for the State of New York. She served as a Professor at CUNY, the public university of the City of New York. She is a graduate of Stanford Law School and the University of Pennsylvania. Omi Vaidya is one of the few comedic actors who works in both Hollywood & Bollywood therefore has a lot of frequent flyer miles. His work in front of the camera includes memorable characters on TV shows like The Office, Brown Nation, and Metro Park. Omi made his mark in Bollywood in 3 Idiots, which became one of the biggest Indian box offices successes of all time. Omi writes short films, parody music videos and practices his stand-up comedy as an MC at non-profit galas and events.

HAF Dharma Advocates: Federal Policy Update & Advocacy Training Webinar
2021-06-10 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Thursday, June 10, 2021 | Time: 8:00 – 9:00 pm ET / 5:00 – 6:00 pm PT | Training level: Beginner | Online, anywhere

Join the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) Managing Director Samir Kalra, Esq. and Director of Public Policy Taniel Koushakjian for an introductory and interactive advocacy training webinar with Hindu Americans from across the U.S. In this 60-minute webinar, you will learn:

How Washington, DC is functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic with a new Administration and a new Congress;

Hindu American domestic and foreign policy priorities in 2021;

How to effectively advocate for Hindu American issues; and

How to use HAF tools and resources to execute grassroots strategies that will have a positive impact in your community.

This is your chance to hear directly from HAF’s advocacy experts and public policy influencers who advance the interests of the Hindu American community on Capitol Hill and in State Capitals across the United States.
Space is limited (50 max) and registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing the login information.
HAF’s Dharma Advocates Training is for US residents only.
Samir Kalra, Esq., HAF Managing Director, based in the Bay Area, CA, holds a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law. Mr. Kalra leads the Foundation’s human rights and public policy advocacy efforts and has led human rights fact finding missions, served as a panelist at multiple Congressional briefings, and authored formal testimony for Congressional Hearings on human rights, foreign policy, hate crimes, and immigration. He has also led HAF’s textbook reform and Don’t Erase India education campaigns in California, and has testified at California State Assembly and Senate Committee Hearings on Education and Hate Crimes. He previously served on Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA) Immigration Advisory Committee. Taniel Koushakjian is HAF’s Director of Public Policy, based in Washington, D.C. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University, a M.A. in Political Management from The George Washington University, and a Graduate Certificate in PACs & Political Management from The George Washington University. Prior to joining HAF, Taniel worked as a political consultant and was a candidate for the Palm Beach County Commission. He previously worked as the Grassroots Director and Communications Director of the Armenian Assembly of America where he successfully advocated on a wide array of human rights, international religious freedom, U.S. foreign policy, and appropriations issues. Taniel was selected as a 2018-2019 Fellow with the Anti-Defamation League Glass Leadership Institute, as well as a 2019 Fellow with the James Madison Institute. He is the Chairman of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable’s South Asia Working Group.

HAF Virtual Town Hall: Combating Hate & Bias Targeting the Hindu Community
2021-06-17 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Thursday, June 17, 2021 | Time: 7:00 – 8:00 pm ET / 4:00 – 5:00 pm PT | Online, anywhere

Join the Hindu American Foundation for a virtual town hall (webinar) focused on the role of federal law enforcement and the Department of Justice in combating hate and bias targeting the Hindu American community. This event will feature a panel discussion with federal partners to address Hindu American community concerns regarding bullying, hate speech, community safety, and hate crimes.

HAF Virtual Event: A conversation with The Pew Research Center
2021-06-30 20:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2021 | Time: 8:30 – 9:30 pm ET / 5:30 – 6:30 pm PT | Facebook Live
Join us on Facebook Live as the authors from The Pew Research Center discuss findings from their newly released survey on Indians.
The survey reached almost 30,000 Indians in 17 different languages. It focused on:

their religious experience, examining several broad themes, such as observances and beliefs
how they define their religious and national identities
how religious groups view each other
their attitudes toward pluralism and diversity
the connection between economic development and religious observance

Find out the key takeaways and what they mean for the Hindu American community. You’ll also have an opportunity to have your questions answered.
We will be live streaming this conversation on Facebook Live (@hinduamerican). Registration no longer required. Neha Sahgal is associate director of research at Pew Research Center, specializing in international polling on religion. Sahgal is involved in all aspects of survey research, including designing the questionnaire, monitoring field work, evaluating data quality and analyzing results.
Sahgal has been invited to speak about the project’s research at universities, religious organizations and government agencies such as the U.S. Department of State and the European Union. She also talks about the Center’s findings in international print and broadcast media.
Before joining the Pew Research Center, Sahgal worked at The Asia Foundation in San Francisco. She received her doctorate in government and politics, with a concentration in the comparative politics of the Middle East and South Asia, from The University of Maryland in 2008. Jonathan Evans is a research associate at Pew Research Center, where he contributes to international polling projects focused on religion and national identity. Jonathan received his master’s degree from Georgetown University and holds a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. He is a contributing author to Pew Research Center reports including “Being Christian in Western Europe” and “Religious Belief and National Belonging in Central and Eastern Europe”. Suhag Shukla, Esq. is HAF Executive Director and a co-founder of the Foundation. Ms. Shukla has helped steer the Foundation to being recognized as a leading voice for civil rights, human rights, and religious freedom. She is actively involved with Chinmaya Mission, serves on the board of the Bhutanese American Organization of Philadelphia, and is a thought partner for the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia’s Paths to Understanding Public Art Initiative. Shukla is a member of the board for the National Museum of American Religion and serves on religious advisory committees for the Council on Foreign Relations, the Humane Society of the United States, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Subcommittee for the Prevention of Targeted Violence Against Faith–Based Communities and is a member of the First Amendment Center’s Committee on Religious Liberty and the United Nations Women’s Gender Equality and Religion platform. Shukla was named one of twelve “faith leaders to watch in 2017” by the Center for American Progress.

Religious Freedom in Bangladesh 1971-2021
2021-07-15 15:15 - 16:15 (America/New_York) | Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert St NW, Washington, DC, 20008, United States
Date: Thursday, July 15, 2021 | Time: 3:15-4:15 pm ET / 12:15-01:15 pm PT | Where: Omni Shoreham Hotel, Congressional Room, 2500 Calvert St NW, Washington DC, 20008 + online, anywhere
Guests will hear from an expert panel of speakers who will discuss the 1971 genocide and its ramifications today, how Bangladesh turned away from its secular constitution in 1988 and declared Islam its official state religion, and the status of Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and other religious minorities in Bangladesh today.
This event is being held as part of the International Religious Freedom Summit taking place in Washington, DC July 13-15, 2021.
This event will be held in person and will be webcast via Zoom and on the HAF YouTube Channel. Participants who register and attend via Zoom will be able to participate in the live Q&A.
Deepali Kulkarni
Director of Human Rights, Hindu American Foundation
Deepali Kulkarni holds an MA from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, an MSt from Oxford University, and an MPhil from Syracuse University. She was a 2018 recipient of the Fulbright-Nehru student research award, with which she studied gendered religious practice in India extensively.
Dr. Richard Benkin
Author
Dr. Richard Benkin is one of the foremost activist-scholars currently working to save Bangladesh’s declining Hindu population. His on-the-ground research and activism in religious freedom and defending persecuted minorities in Bangladesh has led him to testify and present his findings before Congress and relevant US government agencies over the years. He is distinguished writer and author of “A Quiet Case of Ethnic Cleansing: the Murder of Bangladesh’s Hindus,” which provides verified evidence of anti-Hindu atrocities in Bangladesh, the government’s complicity in them, and the rest of the world’s deliberate silence. Dr. Benkin holds a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and has held a number of faculty and business positions. He sits on several boards and committees, and regularly serves as an expert witness in US asylum cases involving South Asian refugees before the US government.
Dr. Sachi Dastidar
Chairman, Board of Directors, Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project (ISPaD Project)
Dr. Sachi G. Dastidar is a Distinguished Professor of the State University of NY and the Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Indian Subcontinent Partition Documentation Project. He comes from a refugee family from Pakistan/Bangladesh, and has devoted his life’s studies to the partition of India, and subsequent changes in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. He now helps 33 schools for the poor and orphaned in Bangladesh and India, and has built 14 schools and dorms there. He is the author and editor of over 22 books and journals, several of which cover the 1947 and 1971 partitions, and has authored over 150 articles and lectured in three partitioned nations. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Calcutta University, India, M.C.P. (City Planning), Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India, and a Ph.D. from Florida State University.
Taniel Koushakjian (Moderator)
Director of Public Policy, Hindu American Foundation
Taniel Koushakjian is the Director of Public Policy for the Hindu American Foundation and currently serves as the Chairman of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable’s South Asia Working Group. Prior to joining HAF, Taniel worked as a political consultant and was a candidate for the Palm Beach County Commission. He spent over a decade successfully advocating on Capitol Hill on a wide array of human rights, international religious freedom, US foreign policy, and appropriations issues. Taniel was selected as a 2018-2019 Fellow with the Anti-Defamation League Glass Leadership Institute, as well as a 2019 Fellow with the James Madison Institute. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University, as well as an M.A. in Political Management and a Graduate Certificate in PACs & Political Management both from The George Washington University.

HAF Dharma Advocates: Designating October as Hindu American Awareness & Appreciation Month (HAAAM)
2021-08-26 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Thursday, August 26, 2021 | Time: 8:00 – 9:00 pm ET / 5:00 – 6:00 pm PT | Training level: Beginner | Online, anywhere

Join the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) for a special edition of our signature Dharma Advocates interactive training program on designating October as Hindu American Awareness & Appreciation Month. The program features Dr. Shereen Bhalla, HAF Director of Education, and Taniel Koushakjian, HAF Director of Public Policy.
In this 60-minute webinar we will show you:

How you can bring a HAAAM proclamation to to your children’s school board/district;

How to get a HAAAM resolution passed in your city council or state legislature;

How to promote the draft HAAAM resolution and the best practices to approaching your local government officials and education administrators.

This is your chance to hear directly from HAF’s education experts and public policy influencers who advance the interests of the Hindu American community on Capitol Hill and in State Capitals across the United States.
Space is limited (50 max) and registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the meeting.
HAF’s Dharma Advocates Training is for US residents only.
Dr. Shereen Bhalla is HAF’s Director of Education based in the Bay Area, CA. Dr. Bhalla holds a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from Drake University, an MA in International Relations from St. Mary’s University, and a PhD in Culture, Literacy, and Language from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Prior to joining HAF, she was the Online Education Manager for the Center for Applied Linguistics. An advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse students, Dr. Bhalla has over ten years of experience teaching both English learners as well as pre-and in-service educators on how to best meet the needs of their students. Dr. Bhalla has taught for UTSA, George Washington University, the Inter-Development Bank and Johns Hopkins University. Taniel Koushakjian is HAF’s Director of Public Policy, based in Washington, D.C. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University, a M.A. in Political Management from The George Washington University, and a Graduate Certificate in PACs & Political Management from The George Washington University. Prior to joining HAF, Taniel worked as a political consultant and was a candidate for the Palm Beach County Commission. He previously worked as the Grassroots Director and Communications Director of the Armenian Assembly of America where he successfully advocated on a wide array of human rights, international religious freedom, U.S. foreign policy, and appropriations issues. Taniel was selected as a 2018-2019 Fellow with the Anti-Defamation League Glass Leadership Institute, as well as a 2019 Fellow with the James Madison Institute. He is the Chairman of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable’s South Asia Working Group.

HAF Virtual Event: Dismantling Global Hinduphobia
2021-08-31 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Tuesday, August 31, 2021 | Time: 8:00 – 9:00 pm ET / 5:00 – 6:00 pm PT | Online, anywhere

Join the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) for a virtual event exploring the growing phenomenon of Hinduphobia, its global roots, and its impact on Hindu Americans. Learn more about how you can take action and fight back against increasing attacks on Hinduism and attempts to silence the Hindu American voice.
Registration is required. You will receive an email with the link once your registration has been approved.
Rashmi Samant, a graduate from the University of Oxford. She made international headlines when she was elected as the first Indian woman President of the Oxford University Students Union. She made headlines again, when days after being elected, Rashmi resigned after being on the receiving end of a vicious cyber-mob attack by far-left and anti-Hindu activists who targeted not only Rashmi, but her parents. The Thames Valley police confirmed that it was investigating the event as a hate incident and Oxford recently completed its own investigation to which both Rashmi and her attorney expressed vindication.
Rashmi completed her studies at Oxford in Climate Science this year and is now engaged with the British Parliamentary as a staff member. She is a fierce advocate of both human rights and Climate Sciences. You can follow her on Twitter at @RashmiDVS. Dr. Lavanya Vemsani is a multi-award-winning scholar and Distinguished University Professor of History at Shawnee State University in the Department of Social Sciences. Lavanya is also the Honorary Visiting Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She holds two doctorates in the subjects of Religious Studies (McMaster University) and History (University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India) respectively. Her research and teaching interests are interdisciplinary and multifold and include ancient history and religions as well as the current history of India. She’s published several books, including Feminine Journeys of the Mahabharata and numerous articles onhistory and religions of India. She’s the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Indic Religions (2020-2023) and associate editor of Canadian Journal of History and The Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs, served as President of Ohio Academy of History, and as if that’s not enough, is active on Twitter where you can follow her at @ProfVemsani.

HAF Advocacy Forum 2021
2021-09-21 11:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Tuesday, September 21, 2021 | Time: 11:00am – 5:00 pm ET / 8:00 am – 2:00 pm PT | Online, anywhere

HAF’s flagship advocacy event is back for 2021, with panels on human rights and religious freedom in Pakistan, and what can be done to fix the US immigration system.

HAF Year End Event: The Power of Law
2021-12-02 20:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Our country’s legal system can be a powerful tool in the face of defamation, Hinduphobia, and religious liberty violations. But you have to know how to use it smartly. On December 2, join us for an engaging discussion with our in-house legal team, Suhag Shukla, Esq. and Samir Kalra, Esq., about the legal tools we as Americans have on hand to protect ourselves.
We promise, this will NOT be boring lawyer talk.
We’ll be talking about not only what we can do in the face of Hinduphobia, but what we cannot do. We can’t just sue folks because they say malicious things about Hindus or Hinduism. So when do we have grounds for legal action? We’ll discuss the legal merits of our defamation case, our legal action against UPenn in the aftermath of the DGH conference, and more…
Registration is required.
WE WILL RESERVE TIME FOR Q&A AT THE END. PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE WHEN REGISTERING. HAF Executive Director and Co-Founder HAF Managing Director

What Moves Us: Inspiration and Perseverance of Hindu and Jewish Women
2022-03-08 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Join HAF and Stand With Us for an empowering discussion with two prominent women advocates, Suhag Shukla and Peggy Shapiro, as they discuss the ancient women and ancient teachings that inspire them and how they face modern day challenges of media misrepresentations, and passing on spiritual legacies to the next generation. Special remarks by Jenifer Rajkumar, NY Assembly District 38, and Mazi Melesa Pilip, NY County Legislator District 10. This conversation is moderated by Carly Gammill, Director of the Stand With Us Center for Combating Antisemitism.

Shifting Perspectives
2022-05-03 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Your kids grew up attending Balvihar classes. Your family visited the temple regularly and celebrated Holi, Diwali, and Hindu festivals in a grand way. You sent your children off to college with a foundation in Hinduism.
But each time they come home, you notice they question their Hindu upbringing more and more. And tensions in the household arise. Your children are citing their progressive professors who discuss Hinduism as an hierarchical caste-based tradition, their college newspaper that runs a piece denying the tragedy of Kashmiri Pandit experience, and their classmates that share ill-sourced, but compelling Instagram posts which portray Hindus as oppressors in India.
Your attempts to dialog with them are seemingly futile. And you ask yourself, “How did this 180 degree change happen? How do I get through to them?”
Join me for an engaging conversation with three young adults as we take a deeper dive to what really happens on college campuses, why Hindu American kids are doing a 180, and how we, as parents, can have a real conversation with our children.
Registration is required.
WE WILL RESERVE TIME FOR Q&A AT THE END. PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE WHEN REGISTERING. Roshni graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and a minor in Biology. She is the national youth co-director of the Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA), an organization that preserves Kashmiri Hindu heritage. Sachin is a 4th-year undergraduate at UC Berkeley, studying Political Economy and Immunology. Sandhya attended the University of Maryland, College Park, and went to medical school in Chicago. She is currently completing her family medicine residency in East Texas. HAF Executive Director and Co-Founder

HAF Dharma Advocates Training: Advocacy for Kashmiri Hindus
2022-05-11 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2022 | Time: 8:00-9:00 pm ET / 5:00 am – 6:00 pm PT | Online, anywhere

The purpose of the Hindu American Foundation Dharma Advocates Training Program is to train Hindu Americans to become better, more effective, and influential advocates for the Hindu American cause.
In this interactive advocacy training webinar, participants will learn how they can advocate for Kashmiri Hindus.

Know Your Rights! A program for concerned parents of Hindu & Jewish students
2022-06-22 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Join Hindu American Foundation and Stand With Us for an in-depth look at current legal issues impacting Hindu and Jewish students, faculty, and community members in the United States. This presentation aims to empower college and high school students and their parents to identify and enforce their legal rights as Jews or Hindus.
Moderated by Samir Kalra, HAF Managing Director, and Yael Lerman, Director StandWithUs Saidoff Legal Department

HAF Webinar: Implications and Strategic Responses to H.Res. 1196
2022-07-27 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) invites you to join us for a conversation with Tiger Hill Partners, a leading government relations firm on Capitol Hill, on H.Res. 1196 and its implications for Hindu-Americans and US – India relations.
Last month, Rep. Omar introduced H.Res. 1196 condemning “human rights violations and violations of international religious freedom in India, including those targeting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Adivasis, and other religious and cultural minorities.” During this webinar, Samir Kalra, HAF’s Managing Director, and Milan Dalal, Founder and Managing Partner of Tiger Partners, will discuss strategic approaches towards these types of resolutions and the differences between resolutions and bills.
Tiger Hill Partners represents HAF on Capitol Hill Samir Kalra, Esq., HAF Managing Director, based in the Bay Area, CA, holds a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law. Mr. Kalra leads the Foundation’s human rights and public policy advocacy efforts and has led human rights fact finding missions, served as a panelist at multiple Congressional briefings, and authored formal testimony for Congressional Hearings on human rights, foreign policy, hate crimes, and immigration. He has also led HAF’s textbook reform and Don’t Erase India education campaigns in California, and has testified at California State Assembly and Senate Committee Hearings on Education and Hate Crimes. He previously served on Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA) Immigration Advisory Committee. Milan Dalal is Founder and Managing Partner of Tiger Hill Partners LLC, a Washington, DC-based consulting firm focused on government relations and public affairs. He specializes in advising clients on complex legislative, regulatory, and political issues.
Milan enjoys teaching and has presented on “Strategies for the Economic Reconstruction of Iraq” at the U.S. Naval Academy. He has been a guest lecturer at Boston University School of Law, New York University and American University. Milan is a member of the Atlantic Council, is a Truman National Security Partner, and serves as a President-elect of the Democratic Business Council of Northern Virginia.

HAF Webinar: The Swastika & CA AB2282 - HAF in conversation with the Anti-Defamation League
2022-08-10 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
The Hindu American Foundation and the Anti-Defamation League invite you to an interfaith discussion on the use and abuse of the swastika, and the historic implications of CA AB 2282 on the Dharmic (Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist) and Jewish faith communities of California. Samir Kalra, Esq., HAF Managing Director, based in the Bay Area, CA, holds a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law. Mr. Kalra leads the Foundation’s human rights and public policy advocacy efforts and has led human rights fact finding missions, served as a panelist at multiple Congressional briefings, and authored formal testimony for Congressional Hearings on human rights, foreign policy, hate crimes, and immigration. He has also led HAF’s textbook reform and Don’t Erase India education campaigns in California, and has testified at California State Assembly and Senate Committee Hearings on Education and Hate Crimes. He previously served on Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA) Immigration Advisory Committee. Kendall Kosai is the Director of Policy for the Anti-Defamation League western division, overseeing advocacy and policy for ten states. ADL is a national civil rights organization dedicated toward combating hate and anti-Semitism, promoting equity, and securing justice and fair treatment for all. His portfolio includes leading a comprehensive legislative advocacy strategy, supporting regions in various local issues, and strengthening the division’s civic engagement efforts. Kendall was also formerly the ADL Pacific Northwest’s Associate Regional Director. Prior to coming to the ADL, Kendall was the Deputy Director for OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, a national membership-driven organization of community advocates dedicated toward the social, political, and economic well-being of the over 20 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the United States

A Conversation with HAF's Co-Founders
2022-09-17 18:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | The Cotillion, 440 Jericho Turnpike, Jericho, New York, 11753
For the past 19 years, HAF has been at the forefront of major issues impacting the Hindu American community from the textbook reform in California to the Take Back Yoga campaign, from educating policymakers about the significance of the Swastika in Hinduism to providing voices to the voiceless with our human rights campaigns. And now we’re up against college professors disguising anti-Hindu rhetoric as academic freedom, and states passing caste-based discrimination laws…what can we do about it?
Join us in-person for a dynamic evening with two of HAF’s Co-Founders, Suhag Shukla and Mihir Meghani. We’ll talk about current hot issues impacting the community, and what we need to do together to empower the next generations of Hindu Americans. This will be moderated by Swami Venkataraman, HAF Board of Directors.
HOST COMMITTEE:
Urmila Shivaram: urmilaa@gmail.com
Rakesh Shreedhar: rakesh901om@gmail.com
Rajendra Modi: rmodimd@gmail.com
Jaya Kunnel: jayakunnel@gmail.com
Vijaypal Arya: varyamd@yahoo.com
Mohan Wanchoo: mwanchoo@hotmail.com INTERESTED IN ATTENDING? Save your seat by registering below.
There is no cost to attend, however donations are welcome. COVID PROTOCOL:
In order to protect the health of our staff and guests, we require attendees to be fully vaccinated. Please follow all relevant local county, state, and CDC requirements and protocols. In addition, follow all protocols established by event sites. Suhag Shukla, Esq., Executive Director, is a co-founder of HAF. She holds a BA in Religion and JD from the University of Florida. Ms. Shukla has helped steer the Foundation to being recognized as a leading voice for civil rights, human rights, and religious freedom. She’s been instrumental in the development of a broad range of educational materials and position papers and blogs for a variety of platforms. Ms. Shukla has served on the Boards of the Nirvana Center, Main Line Indian Association, and YWCA of Minneapolis. She was also a member of the Department of Homeland Security Faith-Based Security and Communications Subcommittee. Ms. Shukla is actively involved with Chinmaya Mission, serves on the board of the Bhutanese American Organization of Philadelphia, and is a thought partner for the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia’s Paths to Understanding Public Art Initiative. Shukla is a member of the board for the National Museum of American Religion and serves on religious advisory committees for the Council on Foreign Relations, the Humane Society of the United States, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Subcommittee for the Prevention of Targeted Violence Against Faith-Based Communities and is a member of the First Amendment Center’s Committee on Religious Liberty and the United Nations Women’s Gender Equality and Religion platform. Shukla was named one of twelve “faith leaders to watch in 2017” by the Center for American Progress. Mihir Meghani is a Co-Founder and Board Member of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF). His roles in HAF include Chairman of the Board and Convenor of HAF’s Advisory Committee, and he focuses on capacity building and strategic relations. He is also an Emergency Physician in Northern California. A relative of Mahatma Gandhi, he continued his self-sacrificing traditions from a young age, providing medical care in India after the 2001 earthquake, with the U.S. government team in NY after 9/11, and in Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami with his medical group. As a member of the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Disaster Medical Assistance Team, he was also involved in disaster planning with US medical and military personnel and personnel of former Soviet republics. He is a former member of the East Bay Regional Parks Advisory Committee, the city of Fremont’s Green Task Force, and of a group called Carry The Vision that promotes non-violence, yoga & meditation in the community. He is a Board Member of the Silicon Valley Interreligious Council. He has received numerous awards for his community service.

HAF Advocacy Forum 2022
2022-09-20 12:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Online, Anywhere
Register for the Hindu American Foundation’s marquee annual event, Advocacy Forum 2022. Join us for a one-day policy webinar featuring panels discussing a wide range of issues that impact our community. More details below. What does Hindutva actually mean? Translated literally, Hindutva means “Hindu essence”, which proponents have long interpreted as living a life in accordance with Hindu teachings. In Western media, Hindutva is synonymous with “Hindu nationalism” or even “fascism.” So which definition is correct? Join us for a fireside chat with renowned author Dr. Vikram Sampath as he dissects the history, politicalization, misappropriation and weaponization of Hindutva, offering his views on what Hindutva means today. Dr. Vikram Sampath is a Bangalore-based historian and historical author of eight acclaimed books, including Splendours of Royal Mysore: the Untold Story of the Wodeyars; “My Name Is Gauhar Jaan: The Life and Times of a Musician”, “Voice of the Veena: S Balachander, A Biography”, “Women of the Records”, “Indian Classical Music and the Gramophone: 1900-1930” and “Bravehearts of Bharat.” His two-volume biography—“Savarkar: Echoes from a Forgotten Past” and “Savarkar: A Contested Legacy” went on to become National Best Sellers and were acclaimed by Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. In 2021 Dr. Sampath was conferred the honour of being elected as a Fellow of UK’s prestigious Royal Historical Society. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi’s first Yuva Puraskar in English literature and the ARSC International Award for Excellence in Historical research in New York for his book on Gauhar Jaan. The book has also been adapted to theatre as a play “Gauhar” by Lillette Dubey and is being adapted to a Bollywood film by Ashutosh Gowariker. Dr. Sampath was among the 4 writers and artists to be selected as a Writer-in-Residence at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in 2015. He has a Doctorate in history & music from the University of Queensland, Australia and was a Senior Research Fellow at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi. He is also an Aspen Global Leadership Fellow and an Eisenhower Global Fellow 2021 and is an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the Monash University, Australia. An Engineer/mathematician from BITS-Pilani and an MBA in Finance from S. P. Jain, Mumbai, Dr. Sampath is also a trained Carnatic vocalist. He has established the Archive of Indian Music, India’s first digital sound archive for vintage recordings, is the Founder-Director of the Bangalore Literature Festival, Indic Thoughts Festival and ‘ARTH-A Culture Fest’. Samir Kalra, Esq. is the Managing Director for HAF. Based in the Bay Area, CA, he holds a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law. Mr. Kalra leads the Foundation’s human rights and public policy advocacy efforts and has led human rights fact finding missions, served as a panelist at multiple Congressional briefings, and authored formal testimony for Congressional Hearings on human rights, foreign policy, hate crimes, and immigration. He has also led HAF’s textbook reform and Don’t Erase India education campaigns in California, and has testified at California State Assembly and Senate Committee Hearings on Education and Hate Crimes. He previously served on Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA) Immigration Advisory Committee.” “Hindus aren’t victims!” “Hinduphobia isn’t real!” Hindus are often gaslighted about our community’s storied oppression, and the horrors we have faced are routinely diminished and denied. This phenomenon is not unique to the Hindu community, and we invite you to learn alongside us how other faith communities have countered similar denial campaigns. Join us for an interfaith panel discussion as leading advocates share how their communities employ “active remembrance” to combat denial about human tragedies like the Holocaust, Armenian genocide, Bengali-Hindu genocide, and Kashmiri ethnic cleansing. Peggy Shapiro is the National Directors of Special Projects for StandWithUs, an international educational organization. A child of teenage Holocaust survivors, Peggy was born in a displaced persons’ camp in Landsberg, Germany. She immigrated to the United States as a young child and was raised in Chicago and its suburbs. She was one of the founding members and past president of the Association of Children of Holocaust Survivors in Chicago and the co-founder of the International Second Generation Association, which was formed in 1982. In cooperation with Yad Vashem Memorial, Peggy collected and documented over 4,000 pages of testimony for Chicago-area residents who had lost families in the Holocaust. The Book of Remembrance, which resulted from these documents, is displayed in its own room in the Illinois Holocaust Museum. She was appointed as special advisor to the President of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. She retired from the City Colleges of Chicago, where she was a professor and chairperson for 31 years. She was then awarded the City of Chicago’s Kathy Osterman prize for excellence in teaching and honored as a “Distinguished Professor” of the City Colleges. Under Peggy’s leadership, StandWithUs presented hundreds of in-person Israel education programs to tens of thousands of community members of diverse denominations, races, and ethnicities. She works closely with HAF to bring greater understanding and stronger alliances between the Hindu and Jewish communities. Aram Hamparian is the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). In this role he serves as this national advocacy organization’s point-person with the Administration, Congress, the media, and the Washington, DC foreign policy community. In cooperation with regional offices, more than 60 local chapters, dozens of coalition partners, hundreds of community affiliates, and thousands of grassroots activists, he works daily on a broad range of legislative, policy, research, political, campaign, media, coalition, and community-related concerns. He has testified before Congress, lectured at the National Defense University, the Foreign Service Institute, and USAID, been quoted by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, AP, and Reuters, and appeared on CNN, BBC, RT, Al Jazeera, and many other media outlets. Dr. Richard Benkin is a human rights activist who burst onto the human rights scene in 2003 with a one-man campaign that freed a Bangladeshi journalist imprisoned and tortured for opposing radical Islam’s rise and encouraging relations with Israel. He since has helped people escape terrorist violence, stopped an anti-Israel seminar in Australia, and worked with Pashtuns and other nationalities facing Pakistani oppression, among other things. He goes wherever needed, in large cities and remote villages, to comfort victims, confront miscreants and complicit officials, and gather evidence of human rights abuses. For over a decade and a half, Benkin has been fighting to save Bangladesh’s Hindus, helping to break international indifference about their plight. He calls that work his dharma. He is currently focused on stopping anti-Hindu pogroms and other violence during Durga Puja. Dr. Benkin also is helping to get former Afghan allies out of Afghanistan to safety, many of whom face Taliban and Pakistani ISI hit squads. Dr. Benkin holds a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, and regularly serves as an expert witness in asylum cases. He is the author of A Quiet Case of Ethnic Cleansing: the Murder of Bangladesh’s Hindus. Sunanda Vashisht is a writer, political commentator and a columnist. She writes for several news portals and has been a columnist for Daily News and Analysis (DNA), India based newspaper published from Mumbai, India. Her bylines have appeared in Houston Chronicle, Denver Post, Indian Express, Economic Times, Swarajya, MyIndMakers and many others. Her area of focus has been conflict ridden state of Jammu and Kashmir and she has written extensively covering all aspects of conflict that is considered the most volatile region of South Asia. In 2015, she co-founded MyIndMakers- a new age media company that enables the exchange of global ideas and solutions. In 2019, she represented the Kashmiri Pandit voice and addressed the human rights situation in Kashmir at the US Congress’ Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. In a testimony that went viral, she was the first to talk about Kashmiri Pandits and their genocide in US Congress. Sunanda Vashisht travels extensively around the world speaking about Kashmiri pandits and their plight. Dr. Rajiv Pandit is a native of Kashmir active in the leadership of numerous organizations that advocate for Kashmiris, including serving as a board member of the Indo-American Kashmir Forum and the Hindu American Foundation. He has led multiple briefings for the US House and Senate, and in 2019 he co-led a delegation of Kashmiris to meet Prime Minister Modi during his US visit. As Medical Director of the Kashmiri Overseas Association, he was recognized for leading his organization’s efforts to reduce the impact of covid 19 in Jammu and Kashmir. Where are women’s voices? In the many narratives about India and Hindus, women are often sidelined or absent altogether, particularly in discussions about human rights. But women’s rights are fundamental human rights. Join our panelists as they discuss the progress and continued challenges of Hindu and Muslim women in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as well as vulnerable Hindu girls in Pakistan. Yana Mir is Editor-in-Chief of The Real Kashmir News, Born in Anantnag, Kashmir, she then moved to Mumbai, where she obtained her MBA in 2015. Yana then returned to Kashmir where she is Editor in Chief of The Real Kashmir News, which is one of only a few media houses based in the Kashmir valley and has a reach of millions. A few years ago, her uncle, who was elected to the position of Sarpanch, or head of his local village, was shot dead by militants. She overcame this tragedy to become Vice President of the All J&K Youth Society. And last year, she organized the first of its kind fashion show, to showcase the design and modeling talent present in the valley. She has also worked in rural villages to educate and empower women. Manu Khajuria is an author and activist from Jammu Kashmir. A native of Jammu Region and proudly tracing her roots to Bumnal a small village in Bishnah Tehsil of Jammu District, her focus is the Region, it’s history, culture and current issues. Her first book has recently been published – Mountain Goddesses – which looks at Dharmic Femininity and alternative female role models, digging deep into the rich tapestry of folk lores & traditions of Jammu Region. She is Founding Director of Voice of Dogras, a community organization which espouses the rights of the Jammu Region and aims to preserve and promote its unique history and cultural identity. She has presented many papers and been a TV Panelist in India and abroad showcasing the historical legacy of the Dogras and giving voice to the aspirations of the people of Jammu Region. She has curated many seminars and through her organization Voice of Dogras created a body of audio-visual content on Jammu & Kashmir, including a Documentary titled “October 26th” on the Accession of Jammu & Kashmir to India in collaboration with the Hari Tara Charitable Trust, Jammu. She was the Director of the Jammu Kashmir Festival which was the first such cultural festival on Jammu & Kashmir to be curated in London in 2016. She is the General Secretary of Friends of India Society International UK, an organization which has been strengthening relationship between UK and India since 1975. She was awarded the prestigious Maharaja Gulab Singh Memorial Annual Award 2019 by the Trustees of Maharaja Gulab Singh Trust under the Chairmanship of Dr Karan Singh for her outstanding contribution in the promotion of Dogra culture, history and legacy. She was felicitated by the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Twitter India & Breakthrough India with Web Wonder Women award in 2019. She graduated with honours in Sociology from Lady ShriRam College, Delhi University and has a Maters Degree in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Suhag Shukla, Esq. is Executive Director and a co-founder of HAF. She holds a BA in Religion and JD from the University of Florida. Ms. Shukla has helped steer the Foundation to being recognized as a leading voice for civil rights, human rights, and religious freedom. She’s been instrumental in the development of a broad range of educational materials and position papers and blogs for a variety of platforms. Ms. Shukla has served on the Boards of the Nirvana Center, Main Line Indian Association, and YWCA of Minneapolis. She was also a member of the Department of Homeland Security Faith-Based Security and Communications Subcommittee. Ms. Shukla is actively involved with Chinmaya Mission, serves on the board of the Bhutanese American Organization of Philadelphia, and is a thought partner for the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia’s Paths to Understanding Public Art Initiative. Shukla is a member of the board for the National Museum of American Religion and serves on religious advisory committees for the Council on Foreign Relations, the Humane Society of the United States, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Subcommittee for the Prevention of Targeted Violence Against Faith-Based Communities and is a member of the First Amendment Center’s Committee on Religious Liberty and the United Nations Women’s Gender Equality and Religion platform. Shukla was named one of twelve “faith leaders to watch in 2017” by the Center for American Progress.

HAF's Annual NorCal Gala: Masquerade Ball
2022-10-30 16:00 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | India Community Center, 525 Los Coches Street, Milpitas, CA, 95035, United States
It’s been over three years since we’ve met, so we’re looking forward to reconnecting in person at our Annual Chapter Gala. This year’s theme is Masquerade Ball. In addition to dancing and dining, we’ll fill you in on all that has been happening here in our own backyard in California. From caste based discrimination laws to the rise of hate crimes to the decriminalization of the swastika to professors disguising anti-Hindu rhetoric as academic freedom, we’ll discuss how it impacts you and the broader community. Find out what HAF has been doing to protect your rights and what we can do together to empower Hindu Americans for years to come.
Come dressed in your best, get ready to dance to your favorite bollywood classics, and catch up with new and old friends. This will be a fun night for the whole family – child care and pizza are available for 12 and under.
Get your tickets today because we can’t wait to catch up with you!

General Admission: $200
Table of 8: $1,500
Child (12 and under): $50

Born ‘Incidentally’, when 6 musicians with varied musical sensibilities met over a jam in 2015, The Incident! blends the sounds and music of India with contrasting styles of world music, ranging from Jazz to Rock, and Pop to Bollywood. Check out their music.

Is this your normal fundraising event you had before the pandemic? YES! We just have a cool theme this year, Masquerade Ball. We’ll still talk about our advocacy efforts and what we’ve been up to, and there will be plenty of time for us to catch up and mingle.
What is the dress code? Indian festive or western dressy. You don’t need to rent out a black tux for this. There will be dancing so be sure to wear your comfy dancing shoes!
Do I need to bring a masquerade mask? If you have one, bring it. If not, we’ll have one for you!
Will there be a bar? Yes, we will have a cash bar.
Are children allowed? Yes, children are allowed. Tickets for children 12 and under are $50.
Will child care be available? Yes, while purchasing your tickets online, there is a section for you to select child care. Pizza will be provided for children in child care.
Where can I specify my food allergies? While purchasing your tickets online, you can specify any food allergies you may have. We will try our absolute best to accommodate your needs.

If you have any other questions, please reach out to us at ncal@hinduamerican.org. INTERESTED IN SPONSORING?
Download the flyer to find out more about sponsorship opportunities.

HAF & Department of Justice Hate Crime Forum
2022-11-17 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA, United States
With hate crimes on the rise, hear from the Hindu American Foundation and the US Department of Justice on what community members and organizations can do to remain safe.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Federal Hate Crimes Laws, Enforcement, and Prosecution
Federal Hate Crime Investigations
Local Law Enforcement Hate Crime Prosecution
Local Hate Crime Reporting and Personal Safety Tips
Physical Security and Protecting Places of Worship
Overview of CRS Services

PRESENTERS FROM

US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California
Federal Bureau of Investigation
US Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency
Alameda County District Attorney’s Office
Fremont Police Department
Hindu American Foundation
