“Sikhs are a part of the fabric of this country”-Attorney General of NJ, Gurbir Grewal
“Sikhs need to unite for humanity”- Ravi Singh, Khalsa Aid
Date: October 13, 2018
The Sikh American Chamber of Commerce (SACC) organized its 7th Annual Gala on October 13, 2018. With over 400 accomplished Sikh-American business members and professionals, the event was standing room only at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City. Every year, the SACC Annual Gala brings together top-notch speakers from the Sikh-American community who reflect on their personal and professional milestones to inspire and motivate others to succeed. To embody this year’s theme –Breaking Barriers– the SACC brought together an impressive lineup of speakers:
Gurbir Grewal, Attorney General, New Jersey
Jaideep Bajaj, Chairman, ZS Associates
Ravi Bhalla, Mayor, Hoboken
Ravi Singh, CEO, Khalsa Aid International
The Hon’ble Gurbir S. Grewal said:
“In every position that I have held in the past and even as Attorney General now, I have attempted to promote understanding and acceptance through my service to show everyone through my work that Sikhs are a part of the fabric of this country (and) that we are doing our part to keep all of us in this country safe.”
Ravi Bhalla, Mayor, Hoboken, said:
“Organizations like SACC have a growing importance where businesses can come together to find meaningful value into their existence and join hands to positively affect people’s lives. It is great to see this platform nourishing the aspiring youth with innovative ideas from the role models in the community.”
Speaking at the event, Ravi Singh, CEO of Khalsa Aid International, stressed on the importance of Sikhs uniting for humanity and passed on his message on faith, hope and Sewa. He said,
“Open your doors and open your heart to those who need you today, without judging them about their faith, race or color.”
Jaideep Bajaj, Chairman, ZS Associates shared his secret sauce for success: “
The word ‘Sikh’ means willing to learn and we have to continue to reinvest in ourselves and learn all the time and that’s going to be a key driver of your success.”
Sunny Kaila, President, SACC, said:
“We are proud of the achievements of the already established Sikh-American Community in the United States. The Gala is not just a showcase of these triumphs but also a realization of the fact that the road to success is filled with obstacles. The speakers this year are an epitome of the resilience and hard work that one has to do before tasting success. With that, I also announce the date for next year Gala on September 21st, 2019.”
Apart from the renowned speakers, the SACC was proud to recognize Dr. Narinder Kapany, known as Father of Fiber Optics and Founder of Sikh Foundation with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Kapany sent his message for the budding entrepreneurs of the community: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_rZiOJAgCc
The SACC also recognized the work of other well-known and respected individuals and organizations:
Gagan Singh, Chief Investment Officer, PNC Financial Services Group
The Annual Gala is the highlight event of the Sikh American business community in the United States. It is a showcase of successful Sikh entrepreneurs coming together for mutual prosperity. The Gala provides the community with an opportunity to meet successful entrepreneurs and professionals from different verticals in an engaging atmosphere where they can network and learn ways to progress their career and business.
The Sikh American Chamber of Commerce (SACC) is a non-profit organization comprised of a cross section of Sikh American professionals, businesses and students. Established in 2011, with a vision to bring together Sikh American businesses and professionals in the spirit of enterprise, our goal is to provide a forum for effective business networking, promote entrepreneurship within the community and assist other Sikh American professionals in the continued growth of their business and career.
For more Information on our programs and us, visit our website:
The Indian American business community came together at the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey Oct. 7, for the annual gala of the Sikh American Chamber of Commerce.. This year’s gala was the biggest yet, organizers said, with more than 500 entrepreneurs in attendance. The speakers focused on emerging business opportunities in both the United States and India.
The guest speakers at the 6th annual gala included Kanwal Rekhi, managing director of Inventus Capital Partners and first Indian-American founder and CEO to take his company public on NASDAQ; Reshma Saujani, founder of the non-profit Girls Who Code; and Vijay Chattha, founder and CEO of VSC and Wareness Studio.
This year’s theme was “Dream Bigger” and, according to organizers, the three guest speakers “embody this mantra.”
The Gala is meant to showcase successful Sikh entrepreneurs coming together to promote mutual prosperity, according to the organization’s website.
“I’m honored to contribute to this event and share my journey in hopes that it may inspire others to become change agents,” Saujani is quoted saying at the event, according to a press release from SACC. Rekhi discussed raising millions of dollars for startups in the U.S. and India and his work on regulatory reform in India.
“It is organizations such as the SACC and TiE, which I co-founded, that will help drive the entrepreneurial spirit in US and India that is needed in order to foster the right economic climate for Indian prosperity,” Rekhi is quoted saying. Chattha said galas like that organized by SACC were a great opportunity for the community to “find inspiration and think and dream bigger.”
Contact:
Kam Kaila – Director of Communication, The Sikh American Chamber of Commerce (SACC)
732 379 6180 or info@sikhamericanchamber.org
CEOs Beware When Doing Business in India: Your Intellectual Properties are at Risk!
In light of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Washington DC on June 23rd, the Sikh American Chamber of Commerce (SACC) would like to shine a light on a persistent problem affecting American CEOs in regards to their continued investments in India with our global membership expressing major concerns about the lack of protection by the Indian government.
During a previous visit by the Indian delegation, under the Obama administration, American CEOs collectively expressed their concerns with the lack of protection provided to entrepreneurs with regards to their Intellectual Property, Product Patents, Copyright infringement and much more. Since that delegations visit, members of the SACC have seen little relief to these continued concerns. Members of the SACC have been robbed of intellectual property and their customer contacts are being poached. The intellectual properties our members have spent a lifetime building are being stolen with no injunctive relief or recourse from the Indian government.
The SACC has consistently promoted giving back to our roots; helping to build up India. Our question to Prime Minister Modi, how can we continue to promote and support India, when India is not supporting or protecting us? What recourse does a CEO have when their customer lists are stolen? Or their patent is copied and sold cheaper? What protections are being offered from the central and local governments?
The greater concern is that the cost of doing business in India is becoming a liability for businesses. Until further protections and assurances are given, Western CEOs should proceed with caution when considering their growth strategies and developing investments in India.
On behalf of our members and our community, the SACC welcomes an open dialogue to discuss these challenges to better understand what the Indian government will do to assist in effectively protecting their investments. Until then- beware.
About SACC
The Sikh American Chamber of Commerce (SACC) is a non-profit organization established with the unique vision to join Sikh businesses and professionals in the spirit of enterprise. Their goals are to provide a forum for effective business networking, promote entrepreneurship with the community, and assist other Sikh professionals in the continued growth of their businesses and their careers. Over the past 7 years, SACC has successfully coordinated a number of industry specific training workshops, networking events, career fairs, leadership summits, internship programs and an annual gala.