Press Release
March 13, 2013
The Honorable Consul General of India, Mr. Parvathaneni Harish, visited northern New Mexico on March 11th - 13th. He was greeted at the airport by Bhai Sahib Satpal Singh Kohli, Pawan Singh Dhinsda, MSS Hari Singh Khalsa and Marshall Katz, the Chief of Aviation Police. During his visit, the Counsel General met with dignitaries from the State of the New Mexico, as well as members from the Sikh and Indian communities.
Albuquerque Airport :
Left to Right: Bhai Sahib Satpal Singh, Counsel General Mr. Harish, Governor Susana Martinez, Pawan Singh Dhindsa, Mr. Keval Dhindsa
On March 12th, Counsel General Harish met with New Mexico State Governor Susana Martinez and Lt. Governor John A. Sanchez, along with Satpal Singh Kohli and Pawan Singh Dhindsa. They also met with the New Mexico Secretary of Tourism Monique Jacobson. During their meeting, Counsel General Harish discussed bilateral trade and creating a cultural exchange with New Mexico. He discussed various ways to increasing trade between New Mexico and India in the areas of imports and exports, increasing Indian foreign student participation at University of New Mexico and in the area of film making in New Mexico. There were also conversations about alternative healthcare and energy projects. Counsel General Harish apprised the Governor of the excellent relationship between India and the U.S.A. Governor Martinez expressed keen interest in developing further relations between New Mexico and India and assured the Counsel General her support and cooperation for stronger ties.
Left to Right: Bhai Sahib Satpal Singh, Counsel General Mr. Harish, Governor Susana Martinez, Pawan Singh Dhindsa, Mr. Keval Dhindsa
Left to Right: Bhai Sahib Satpal, Lt. Governor John Sanchez, CG Mr. Harish, Pawan Singh Dhindsa
In the evening, a special dinner was hosted for the Counsel General at India House. Counsel General Harish was joined at dinner by other New Mexico leaders, including Attorney General Gary King, State Treasurer James Lewis, State Auditor Hector Balderas, and Mayor of Santa Fe David Coss. During the dinner the Counsel General discussed trade development between India and New Mexico. He offered the possibility of developing a sister-city relationship between Santa Fe and Albuquerque with Amritsar or Chandigarh in India. All the leaders gave short speeches welcoming the Counsel General and said they will cooperate to strength the bond between New Mexico and India.
Members of the Sikh community also attended the dinner. These included Bhai Sahib Satpal Singh Kohli and Pawan Singh Dhinsda, who organized and hosted the Counsel General's visit to New Mexico; MSS Hari Jiwan Singh Khalsa, Chief of Protocol for Sikh Dharma, his wife Sat Bachan Kaur Khalsa and Guru Simran Kaur Khalsa. Other community members were in attendance for the dinner. Pawan Singh Dhindsa in his speech thanked the various dignitaries for attending the dinner reception in honor of the Counsel General. Satpal Singh Kohli introduced the Counsel General to the audience and thanked him for coming to New Mexico and meeting the community members. Hari Jiwan Singh Khalsa welcomed the Counsel General on behalf of Sikh Dharma and invited him and his family to visit again and spend more time in New Mexico.
Left to Right: Hector Balderas, Bhai Sahib Satpal, Mayor David Coss, Carol Coss, CG Mr. Harish, Hari Jiwan Singh,
Attorney General Gary King, James Lewis, Pawan Singh Dhindsa, Mr. K. Dhindsa
The Sikh community in New Mexico has long maintained a positive connection with the Indian Counsel General's Office in the United States. Bhai Sahib Satpal Singh Kohli is the son-in-law of the late Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji. Yogiji established a Sikh community in the Espanola Valley over 40 years. That community still thrives today. Kohli escorted Counsel General Harish on a tour of the community founded by his father-in-law during the morning of March 12th.
During the tour, the Counsel General met with leaders of the various organizations established through the inspiration of Yogiji. These include Amrit Singh Khalsa, an executive with Akal Security; Nirvair Singh Khalsa, CEO of the Kundalini Research Institute - which trains people to become teachers of Kundalini Yoga; Guruka Singh Khalsa and Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa, CEO and Director of sikhnet.com, the largest Sikh website in the world; Jaap Kaur Khalsa, General Manager for the 3HO Foundation, which hosts yoga intensives in New Mexico each summer; Guruka Kaur Khalsa, who directs the International Kundalini Yoga Teacher's Association; and other members of the Sikh Dharma community including Gobind Kaur Khalsa who oversees property management for the ashram, MSS Hari Jiwan Singh Khalsa, SatSundri Kaur Khalsa, Mukta Kaur Khalsa, Guruneil Singh Khalsa, Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa and others. The Counsel General enjoyed learning about the Sikh Dharma community in New Mexico, its history and its impact.
Espanola, New Mexico Sikh Dharma Community Members
In the evening of March 12th, Pawan Singh Dhinsda hosted a tea for the Counsel General at his home. The following morning, on March 13th, Mayor David Coss joined the Counsel General, Satpal Singh and Pawan Singh for breakfast. After that he left for Albuquerque for some more meetings, including with Dr. Vasant Ladd.
Counsel General Harish thoroughly enjoyed his visit to New Mexico, and said he would like to come again for a longer visit. He expressed to the leaders of New Mexico an interest in solar energy, oil and natural gas. He invited various official to organize trade delegations to India, and offered the full support and cooperation of the Indian government.