Inder Singh (Community Activist)
Inder Singh has been involved with The INDIAN community since his university days. His involvement in the community issues and concerns have continued along with his professional advancement. He has also actively participated in socio-political activities of the Asian and American communities for many years.
Mr. Singh regularly writes AbOUT the Indian Diaspora and particularly on Indian American Diaspora. His articles have been published in Indian newspapers in the USA and in magazines in India. He is also invited to speak at conferences in universities and other events on various aspects of global Indian Diaspora. (check Indian-Diaspora.com)
Mr. Singh is the only Indian American who has chaired reception committees to officially and publicly host serving presidents of two countries; the president of India, Giani Zail Singh and the president of the United States, George Bush, once in 1989 and then in 1991. No other Indian American has such distinct honor to date. He also facilitated a reception at Los Angeles city hall for Prime Minister Indra Gandhi.
Involvement with the Indian community at local, national and global level
Mr. Singh has been serving as the president of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (www.GOPIO.net), an international body of NRIs/PIOs serving the interests of the globally spread Indian Diaspora, since 2004. He was president-elect from 2000-2003.
Mr. Singh, as president of GOPIO, inherited fewer than ten chapters and now the number has increased to more than fifty worldwide. GOPIO used to hold a convention once in three years but during the last five years, eleven international conferences have been organized. The most recent was one on June 9, 2009 at Nehru Center, London, where Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the former President of India delivered a keynote address titled “Is a New Global Order Emerging? The Potential Role of India.” A major convention, GOPIO’s 20th anniversary celebration is being planned for August 2009 in New York. In addition, GOPIO News has now become a regular monthly feature which reaches over 50,000 people worldwide.
For the last five years, GOPIO has widened its outreach and increased its activities manifold. The long list of accompolishments includes, but is not limited to:
PIO Card and Creation of Ministry for Overseas Indians
Relentlessly pursued reduction of fee for PIO card and succeeded. After passing a resolution for the creation of NRI/PIO ministry, led a delegation to meet with Prime Minister Vajpayee and other leaders.
Uniform Admission Fee for Visiting Historical Monuments in India
GOPIO has been pursuing with Government of India to charge NRIs/PIOs the same admission fee as charged from local people in India. In January 2006, GOPIO officials met Minister George Fernandes and Minister Prithviraj Chavan for the establishment of uniform rate for all. Although GOI has agreed, but we are still waiting for its full implementation.
Peace March against Attack on Indians in Germany
Directed a silent Peace March in Berlin to protest against the racist attack on Indians at a community fair in Mügeln in Eastern Germany in August 2007. The Peace marchers carried flowers as a symbol of peace, respect, love and harmony instead of posters, banners, drums, or loudspeakers.
US-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement
The US-India civil nuclear cooperation deal required approval of the US Congress. Worked actively with pro-India members of the US Congress and Indian American community activists for the passage of the landmark civilian nuclear agreement.
In 1986, Mr. Singh in his capacity as the convener of the 4th National Biennial Convention of National Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA), organized a highly successful meeting in Los Angeles where the cabinet minister N.D. Tiwari, the U.S. Ambassador to India, John Dean, India’s Ambassador P.N. Kaul and San Francisco based Consul General of India participated during all the three days of the convention. U.S. Senator Garry Hart, two congressmen and local elected officials also addressed the convention. It was a major undertaking to bring so many dignitaries and delegates together and to mobilize over 2000 Indian Americans to attend the national convention. It was also the first on the West coast of the United States.
Mr. Singh, while serving as vice president (1986-88), president (1988-92) and chairman (1992-96) of the NFIA, the largest national body of people of Indian origin in USA, lobbied extensively for many issues dear to the Indian American community. He was responsible for two national and seven regional conventions of Indian Americans in various parts of the US. These meetings helped mobilize the community for various issues of that time.
Mr. Singh successfully piloted a nation-wide campaign against the supply of highly sophisticated military hardware, including AWACS to Pakistan, paraded the halls and corridors of the US Congress, and convinced many US lawmakers about the potential danger of AWACS in the hands of Pakistan. It was victory for the community to see Pakistan’s failed attempt to get the desired military hardware.
In 1986, Senator Kennedy proposed drastic reduction in the immigration quota for Family Reunification provisions of the U.S. Immigration laws. Joining hands with other Asian national organizations, Mr. Singh as the president of NFIA mobilized the Indian American community against the proposed reduction and convinced many U.S. lawmakers to keep the then family reunification quota intact. After a long and hard struggle spanning over five years, the new Immigration Act retained the original quota of the Family Reunification provisions of the original law.
Mr. Singh actively worked with the elected officials and Indian Embassy about many India specific concerns and against India bashing bills that used to be introduced in the Congress in the 1980s and 1990s.
In 1989, under the NFIA banner, Mr. Singh as president oversaw the organization of the first Global Convention of People of Indian Origin. The five-day convention attracted delegates from 22 countries, including many community and political stalwarts of Indian origin settled in various countries. At the end the convention, GOPIO was formed to help network the overseas Indian community.
In 1981, Mr. Singh founded the Federation of Indian American Associations of Southern California, to celebrate India Independence Day and Republic Day on a large scale. The celebration of these two events has now become an annual tradition in greater Los Angeles area. He also co-founded the India Association of San Fernando Valley and supported the formation of the India Association of Inland Empire. The latter two organizations continue to celebrate India’s national events, India Independence Day and India Republic Day, on a large scale in their respective regions.
Mr. Singh, as chairman/president of the Indian American Heritage Foundation (IAHF), has been organizing India Heritage Awards function since 1987 to recognize and reward the talented Indian American high school graduates. Starting with eight scholarships totaling $3500, the number of scholarships and amount has been increased steadily. For the last few years, eighteen scholarships ranging from $250 to $2000 and totaling $12000 are given out annually.
In 2002, Mr. Singh with the support of some committed community activists in Southern California, organized a highly successful tribute event for late Dalip Singh Saund, the first Indian American elected to the U.S. Congress. It also recognized the contributions of Indian pioneers to their new homeland. The event attracted many Indian “firsts” from North America; the first state senator, Satveer Chaudhary of Minnesota, the first state assemblyman, Kumar Barve of Maryland, the first highest ranking presidential appointee, Dr. Joy Cherian, of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the first premier of a state in North America, Ujjal Dosanjh. In 2003, he organized a tribute to “Pioneers, Patriots and Heroes of Gadar (India Independence) Movement” at the 90th anniversary of Gadar movement in San Jose for which former President K.R. Narayana came to USA for Valedictory address.
As a result of effective awareness created by the publicity about the Saund commemoration event, Congressman Joe Wilson (R-South Carolina) introduced a bill which called for the placement of a portrait of former Congressman Dalip Singh Saund in a Congressional office building. Also, a post office in Temecula, Riverside County in California, has been named the 'Dalip Singh Saund Post Office Building'. The government of India recognized Saund by naming one of the conference halls as “Dalip Singh Saund Hall” at the first Pravasi Bhartiya Divas in New Delhi in 2003. At the state level in California, Assemblyman Rudy Bermudez moved resolution AJR 1 calling for an annual day of recognition to honor the late Dalip Singh Saund on Sept. 20, his birthday, for his outstanding achievement as the first native of Asia to be elected to the US Congress. Resolution AJR 1 officially became law when it was chaptered on July 6, 2005 by California Secretary of State.
Involvement with the Asian and American communities
Mr. Inder Singh has held leadership positions in many Asian community organizations. He co-founded the Asian & Pacific American Republicans Coalition which became an officially chartered organ of the California Republican Party.
In 1991, Mr. Singh became member of the Asian Advisory Board of the Republican National Committee. He also served as National Co-Chairman for Asian Americans for Bush/Quayle ’92, National Honorary Chairman for Asian Americans for Bush/Quayle ’88 and National Vice Chairman for Asian Americans for Reagan/Bush ’84, and Co-chairman of Asian Americans for Simon for California Governor, 2002.
As a Co-Chairman, Reception committees of Asian American Coalition, officially hosted serving US president George Bush, once in 1989 and then again in 1991. The 1989 event, according to Los Angeles Times, had attendance of over 40,000 Asian Americans. In the President’s official address, he recognized, “Inder Singh, [as the] leader of the Asian community.”
Mr. Singh also served as a Board Member from 1995 to 2001 and Vice Chair from 1998 to 1999 of the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging, a national body of Asian Americans with offices in most of the states in the US, catering to the needs of Asian seniors.
Mr. Singh has been involved with some other activities such as:
The organization of annual Summer Youth Camp in Southern California from 1979-1981, to teach Indian history, heritage & culture to Indian children. The organization of first field Hockey tournament in Los Angeles in 1979. Six teams, four of Indians and two of Americans participated in the event. The tournament, since then has become an annual event in Los Angeles area and attracts many teams. Advisor to UNICEF for the promotion of “Gandhi” movie. Weblo leader for Cub scouts for two years.
Personal & Professional
Mr. Singh came to the USA in 1968 and obtained an M.S. in Management Science. He started working as a computer programmer analyst from 1969 and rose through the ranks to the position of an MIS Director and then Vice President of Information Technology. In 1989, he started DIS Computer Systems – a systems development and networking consulting company. Sinxw 1999, Mr. Singh has become a full time volunteer for NGO(s).
Mr. Singh became US Citizen in 1976.