NYC Mayor names Indian-American to racial advisory board
Darpan News Desk IANS, 24 Apr, 2023 11:31 AM
New York, April 24 (IANS) New York City Mayor Eric Adams has appointed Indian-American Udai Tambar to a newly-formed advisory board on implementation of the Racial Justice Charter Amendments.
The 15-member advisory board will help ensure the city continues to lead the nation in innovative, racial equity work and carries out the city's newly enshrined charter changes.
Tambar most recently served as Vice President of Community Health at Northwell Health and is currently the President and CEO of New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) -- the largest non-profit youth tennis and education program in the country, serving 85,000 K-12 NYC youth.
"I am excited to partner with the new advisory board to represent NYC's most resilient communities," Tambar said in a statement released by Mayor Adams' office.
"A majority of the families we serve at NYJTL are BIPOC New Yorkers, and it is crucial that this new racial equity infrastructure ensures that they live in a society where they can flourish and achieve their fullest potential," he added.
Tambar has devoted much of his career to serving the youth, including serving as Chief of Staff and Director of Youth & Children Services for the NYC Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, and as the Executive Director for South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!).
He graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts and received a Masters in Public Affairs from Princeton University.
"Our city has come a long way in the fight for racial justice, but there is still much more work to do to end systemic inequity," Mayor Adams said in a statement.
"We are proud to announce the launch of this advisory board, which will help us apply the critical actions needed to these important initiatives. We are fully committed to advancing equity for New Yorkers from all backgrounds and walks of life," he added.
The advisory board will bring together 15 diverse leaders with significant experience successfully implementing large-scale change within government and with a proven commitment to racial equity, a release from Mayor Adams' office said.
In collaboration with the Mayor's Office of Equity, these leaders will tackle the structure, design, and development of the new, forthcoming office and commission, as well as the citywide racial equity plans and the true cost of living measure.
Seen as a "natural fit" for the task force, Bendapudi, who is the president of the Pennsylvania State University, comes with a 30-year career as a leader in higher education and business, a Pennsylvania State University release said.
He secured an MSc in Mathematics at Andhra University in 1941, an M.A. in statistics from Calcutta University in 1943 and a PhD degree at King's College in Cambridge University in 1948. Cambridge University awarded him the prestigious Sc.D. degree in 1965, and he has received 31 Honorary Doctoral degrees from universities in 18 countries.
Subramaniam is an Air and Space Operations Manager, whose service in the last 15 years has predominantly been in the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS), Missile Warning (MW), Space Domain Awareness (SDA), and Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) field.
Viraj Patel, a second-year doctoral student in the University's School of Communication, was recognised for his "exemplary skill and dedication". Patel has always been heavily involved in public speaking and communication, which became his way of defining himself, according to a University statement.
Pramila Jayapal won her Congressional election bid and became the first Indian-American woman in the House of Representatives in 2017. Before entering the House of Representatives, Jayapal served in the Washington State Senate from 2015 to January 2017. e
In his new role, Verma will be responsible for directing, coordinating, and supervising State Department operations such as foreign assistance. Verma previously served as US Ambassador to India (2015-17) during the Obama Administration, becoming the first person of Indian descent to hold that position.
