SPECIAL ISSUE


India Tribune completes 31 years,

sets new objectives, goals

Dear Readers:

India Tribune, your favorite newspaper, completed 31 years of publishing excellence on April 30, 2008. Many thanks to you -- our faithful readers -- for subscribing to India Tribune year after year, enabling us to inform, educate and entertain you and your families. We also thank our committed advertisers, who place their confidence in India Tribune and support it by placing their advertisements. We thank our well-wishers and patrons, who have been extending their staunch support, and encouraging us to strengthen our confidence. We thank our community organizations, who have welcomed us all these years with open arms and appreciated our stand even when we have criticized them. We thank our bankers who have been whole-heartedly supporting us in times of need. We salute all these people who have been helping us throughout 31 years of our publishing journey. We have been enjoying each and every moment of our journey.

During these 31 years of our publishing career, we have maintained our journalistic independence, and we promise to do so in future. We have never tried to cross the line of ethics and never ever tried to misuse the power of pen. All these years we have maintained our reputation clean and without any blemishes.

Now it is time for me to step aside as the publisher and editor of India Tribune and let others lead it with their new, innovative and creative ideas. I’m proud to introduce my son Eric Shah as the publisher of India Tribune. J.V. Lakshmana Rao, who has been the managing editor of India Tribune for the past 14 years, is now the editor-in-chief. Along with Eric and Lakshmana Rao, five diligent, influential and committed community activists — Dr. Virendra Bisla, Dr. Satya Ahuja, Amrish Mahajan, Narendra Patel and Dinesh Gandhi — are joining the newly-constituted Board of Directors of India Tribune.

Eric Shah, a 24-year-old upcoming and ambitious young man, has committed himself to take this newspaper to new heights to reach its golden jubilee and go beyond. He is also going to focus on the young generation. Lakshmana Rao, who has distinguished himself as an objective, fair and fearless professional, with his over 40 years of experience in journalism, will make this newspaper more interesting and informative.

Dr. Virendra Bisla, a most reputable medical practitioner, who in eighties and early nineties established a strong rapport with Congressmen and Senators, has created a strong political base for the betterment of the community. Dr. Bisla selflessly focuses on the issues critically important to the community and takes them to politicians to redress them. He is a born fighter against any kind of discrimination.

Dr. Satya Ahuja, a very likable and humble person, is the former president of AAPI. He has always been deeply involved in several community activities. He is very committed to use all his energies and resources to help the community.

Those, who know Amrish Mahajan, are proud of his friendship. He is a friend in need. As the president and CEO of Mutual Bank, Amrish Mahajan has steered it to a great success within a short period of time. The bank now has 12 branches and many more are planned. He has helped thousand of Indians in times of their need, and is well-known for his commitment and community services.

Narendra Patel, a successful businessman, is well known to all for his philanthropic work. He is also the president of Association of Indians in America (Chicago chapter). He was the president of Care and Share USA. He is very much involved in many other charity organizations.

Dinesh Gandhi, one of the founders of India Tribune and a successful banker, is well known for his public relations. He is a person, who never loses his cool, and makes friends even with strangers within seconds.

All these eminent personalities as members of the Board of Directors are committed to work with India Tribune to use their resources and experience to help the community. Under their leadership and guidance, India Tribune, in addition to its main objective, is going to organize health camps for our seniors and for those who don’t have health insurance. They will also hold leadership and educational seminars for the benefit of our youth by inviting well-known speakers from all over the US and abroad. They will also organize town hall meetings to find solutions to the issues faced by the community.

With these community activists, India Tribune is all set to create a new platform to help our community, guide our youth, and join hands with NGOs like Indicop, Pratham, Ekal Vidhyalay, and Shankara Eye Foundation to create awareness of their projects and help our fellow Indians back home.

It is a new chapter opening up for India Tribune. It may bring tough challenges to the new team. But this is all an effort to make India Tribune a 100 percent community service-oriented newspaper. And I’m sure they will succeed.

Sincerely,


Prashant Shah
Outgoing Publisher & Editor