INFOSHARE 
Haimanti Banerjee speaks to Neena Gulati, who hails from Delhi and is the founder-director of the Triveni School of Dance in Boston area for many decades, on how she has been sustaining her decades-long guru-shishya parampara.
When did you come to the US?
In 1963 on a scholarship as an exchange student from Lady Irwin College, New Delhi, to Briarcliff College in New York
Showman Subhash Ghai is not merely a reputed filmmaker. He surely has a way with songs too. Nearly all his movies starting from Karz to Taal etc have catch- lines embedded in lead songs that have made a tremendous impact – both in India and the world over. The latest being the world acclaimed Jai Ho!
In a free-wheeling chat with Chandran Iyer on the sidelines of GOPIO meet in Jaipur, its President Ashook Ramsaran says PBD should focus more on global issues
International President of Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin ( GOPIO) Ashook Ramsaran is a well- known name among the Indian diaspora. He was honoured last year at the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas ( PBD) for his remarkable work towards the benefit of the Indian community in the US. Guyanese-born Ashook is also the President and CEO of Ramex Inc, an electronics manufacturing enterprise in College Point, New York. His company remained listed among the Top 100 Indian Owned Businesses in the USA for 10 consecutive years.
An ardent advocate of universal human rights, he was given special recognition by St. John's University and a scholarship has also been set up in his name for Caribbean and Latin America studies.
Ramsaran has worked hard and long to bring about recognition by the Government of India for those who left India from 1834 – 1920 as indentured laborers. He spearheaded the Kolkota Memorial project which was inaugurated soon after the Pravasi convention ended. He was also honoured a an "Outstanding Immigrant" by New York City Council. He was previously GOPIO's Executive Vice President and Secretary General. He was unanimously elected President of GOPIO International on Nove 19,2011 at GOPIO's Convention 2011. He has written extensively on issues of interest concerning PIO's in the global Indian diaspora.
Indian coal consumption is mainly being driven by the power sector and the demand is outstripping the supply. There is a fear that with more power plants coming in the next decade it could deplete the coal reserves of India. What is your opinion?
With the current production level of around 550 million tonnes our coal reserves are expected to last over 100 years and there should not be any fear of depletion of reserves due to installation of more number of power plants in future.
Many power sectors have partially shut down for want of coal, the Coal ministry is often blamed for this. Is it justified?
The blame is unjustified. Power is a priority sector and as per the annual contracted quantity (ACQ)/ allocation, coal is being supplied to power plants. However, due to production constraints, Coal India Limited/Singareni Collieries Co. Ltd. is not able to meet 100% of the normative requirement. Hence, coal is imported to bridge the gap between demand and supply.
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