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www.desitalkchicago.com – that’s all you need to know 8 NATIONAL AFFAIRS July 11, 2025 US–India AI Alliance Gains Momentum: Experts Demand Action Over Rhetoric T he virtual event “Harnessing AI for Economic Growth: US and India Collaboration Opportuni- ties” brought together leading voices from government, industry, and academia to chart a path forward for deeper AI collaboration between the United States and India. Organized by the Global Indian Trade and Cultural Council, USA (GITCC) in association with the Consulate General of India, New York, and the Global Indian Diaspora Alliance (Glo-India), the webinar went beyond the usual pleasantries, issuing a bold call for practical, accelerated coop- eration in artificial intelligence. The session opened with Lt. General Anil Kapoor (Retd.), former Director General of DGEME and board member of TIH, IIT Tirupati, who emphasized the transformational nature of AI, likening it to the advent of electricity in the Second Industrial Revolution. He stressed the critical convergence of quantum technol- ogy, semiconductors, sensors, and ad- vanced communications such as 6G, all of which are poised to shape how AI impacts society and the workforce. Mr. Gopal Khanna, Founder and Chair of the Health AI Institute, underscored the urgency of scaling business-to-business (B2B) and government-to-government (G2G) AI frameworks, noting that despite nine existing bilateral agreements, execu- tion remains slow. Khanna called health- care for underserved rural communities a top priority and proposed a “mutually assured survival” doctrine for democra- cies vulnerable to cyber threats. Education and talent development were central themes in remarks fromMr. Tarun Anand, founder of Universal AI University. Anand highlighted India’s im- mense user base for AI tools like ChatGPT, yet cautioned that the nation still lacks critical infrastructure such as chips, data centers, and next-gen cloud platforms. He advocated for U.S.–India collaboration to bridge these gaps and presented live examples of AI-driven solutions his uni- versity is piloting to aid rural populations. Anand also warned of rising threats from deepfakes and cybercrime, urging for joint regulatory frameworks. The pharmaceutical sector emerged as another key arena for AI innovation. Pro- fessor Dulal Panda, Director of NIPER Mo- hali, and Dr. Rajneesh Kumar, Associate Professor at IIT–BHU, demonstrated how AI is rapidly accelerating drug discovery— from five-year timelines to just 18 months. However, data hoarding by private firms was flagged as a major roadblock. Kumar called for federated data-sharing models to unlock life-saving innovation. Adding a corporate perspective, Mr. Biswajit Mitra, Chief Monetary Officer at Cadila Pharmaceuticals, expanded the AI conversation beyond R&D. He stressed the need for AI-driven transformation in marketing, manufacturing, and supply chain operations, especially in India’s vital generic drug sector. Mitra called for direct U.S. involvement to help elevate Indian pharma to global standards. A spirited discussion during the Q&A session addressed the ongoing “brain drain” dilemma. Dr. Saranjit Singh, former professor at NIPER, and Mr. Khanna proposed new government-backed pro- grams that allow Indian experts abroad to remain connected while gaining global exposure before returning to take leader- ship roles. The issue of retaining experi- enced professionals post-retirement was also raised by Prof. Rajeev Mehta, Chair of Glo-India. GITCC Chairman H.S. Panaser pledged advocacy for flexible advisory and contractual roles for seasoned experts, declaring that “wisdom doesn’t expire.” The event concluded with a resounding message: for the US and India to lead in the AI age, they must act decisively. This means closing infrastructure gaps, remov- ing barriers to data sharing, and enabling dynamic public-private partnerships. The opportunity is no longer theoretical—it is a global imperative. By a StaffWriter PHOTOS:Courtesyof Global IndianTradeand Cultural Counci H.S. Panaser, Chairman of GITCC, delivers opening remarks during the high-level webinar on US–India AI collaboration. Participants joined a webinar on US–India AI collaboration hosted by GITCC with the Consulate General of India, NY, and Glo-India. Dr. Tina Shah Announces 2026 Bid For US Congress From New Jersey’s 7th District P racticing physician ofWestfield, NJ, Dr. Tina Shah announced July 1, 2025, that she is launching her campaign to be elected to the US Congress from New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District. She wants “to put insurance companies and career politicians like Republican incumbent Tom Kean Jr. on notice that it is time to fix what is broken in our healthcare system and in Washington,” the Indian American candidate declared. “I’m running for Congress because America is in criti- cal condition and enough is enough,” said Dr. Shah. Congressional District 7 is highly competitive, with several candidates vying for the seat. According to New Jersey Globe, Shah has already put together her campaign team and hired veteran strategist Mollie Binotto, and as her campaign manager Rachel Berlowe, both experi- enced politicos. Back in 2023, Shah had looked into running for Con- gress, but decided not to, the Globe reported. In October 2024, Cook Political Report, rated NJ 7th District as “Lean Republican” and news reports consider it one of the most competitive districts. But Shah’s cam- paign noted that the Center for Politics rated incumbent Republican Tom Kean Jr. as highly vulnerable and District 7 as one of the only “toss-up” congressional races for the 2026 general elections. Additionally, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has included Tom Kean Jr. in their 2026 “Districts in Play” list, notes Shah’s campaign. The New Jersey native draws heavily on her profes- sional experience to define her run. “As a physician I took an oath to first do no harm, but when I go to work in the Intensive Care Unit, I’m up against a system that is designed to make patients broke and sicker, prioritize insurance companies’ profits above all else, and burn out a workforce trying to save lives.” She accused her opponent of doing nothing to lower healthcare costs or expand access to care. “Instead, he’s dodging his constituents while casting the deciding vote to gut Medicaid and attacking access to essential care, including abortion, in New Jersey,” Dr. Shah said. Dr. Shah continued: “Kean Jr. also supports Donald Trump and RFK Jr. who, with no medical training, are actively gutting lifesaving medical research and putting vaccine deniers in charge of our vaccine system.” She went on to add, “If we keep going down this road, there’s only one outcome: people will get hurt. What we do next is critical. I’m running for Congress to fix what is fundamentally broken and stand up for my patients, my neighbors, my community, and New Jersey.” Dr. Shah, who has worked in both the private and pub- lic sector, is triple board-certified in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, and critical care medicine, and has worked at the local and national level on healthcare is- sues. She served as senior advisor to US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy during the Biden administration, and was a White House Fellow and special advisor to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs during the Obama administration. By a StaffWriter PHOTO:@GhazalaforVirginia Virginia Senator Ghazala Hashmi, candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia.