News India Times

www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know South Asian Coalition Hosts Jack Ciattarelli Meet & Greet T he South Asian Coalition show- cased its growing influence in New Jersey politics with a highly successful Meet & Greet event fea- turing gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciat- tarelli. Held in Pennington and hosted by Pavan Kuchana, the gathering drew over 300 attendees, including independent voters, community leaders, and coalition members, underscoring the strength of South Asian grassroots mobilization. The program began with a welcome ad- dress by Sridhar Chillara, Chairman of the South Asian Coalition, who emphasized the power of grassroots participation and the responsibility of South Asians to make their voices heard. Executive Direc- tor Pavan Kuchana highlighted the low voter turnout within the community and stressed the need for collective action to shape New Jersey’s future. All executive leaders of the South Asian Coalition — including Dharmesh Patel, Sarvesh Dharayan, Subrahmanyam Osuru, Yuva GkPathm, Sunita Krosuri, Kulraj Anand, Anura Rupasinghe, Piyush Patel, Nimesh Patel, Niranjan Reddy,Vinay Mahajan, Palaniappan Subramanian, Ajay Mehra, Anjan Karnati, Samiksha Sharma, Balaji Veernala, Srikanth Aitharaju, and Murthy Valluri — stood united, sharing inspiring messages that reinforced the Co- alition’s vision of inclusivity and strength. A highlight of the evening was the formal announcement of the Sri Lankan Coali- tion leadership, further expanding South Asian representation under the Coalition’s umbrella. Candidate Jack Ciattarelli, joined by Anita Kothari, received an enthusiastic welcome from the crowd. He outlined his policy priorities and plans for administra- tion, focusing on initiatives that would benefit South Asians and strengthen New Jersey as a whole. His remarks were met with repeated applause and chants of support. The event also featured a lively Q&A session, with independent voters directly engaging the candidate on key issues. This dialogue, marked by transparency and candid responses, strengthened confidence in the campaign’s grassroots connection. “This gathering reflects the energy and enthusiasm of our community, and the strong voter turnout we expect,” said Chairman Sridhar Chillara. “The South Asian Coalition has been setting the pace with meet-and-greets, fundraisers, and grassroots initiatives across the state. The momentum we are witnessing is historic — built by the actions and passion of our community.” With several fundraisers and gatherings already held, the Coalition’s initiatives continue to build unstoppable momen- tum heading into November, uniting South Asian voices in unprecedented ways. By a StaffWriter PHOTO:South Asian Coalition Jack Ciattarelli with South Asian Coalition leaders, reinforcing grassroots unity and engagement. Sridhar Chillara, Chairman of the South Asian Coalition, addressing the audience alongside executive leaders. Over 300 community members gathered in Pennington for the South Asian Coalition’s major political event. NY State Police Investigate Bus Crash Upstate; Two Of Indian Origin Among Those Killed N ewYork State troopers reported August 23 afternoon, that steps were being taken to find the cause of a fatal bus crash in Genesee County. They released a list of fatalities which include at least two people of Indian origin, going by the names. The five people killed as a result of the collision were: - Shankar Kumar Jha, 65 of Madhu Bani, India - Pinki Changrani, 60 of East Brunswick NJ - Xie Hongzhuo, 22 of Beijing, China a Columbia University Student in NYC - Zhang Xiaolan, 55 of Jersey City, NJ -Jian Mingli, 56 of Jersey City, NJ According to the state police, on August 22, 2025, shortly after noon, they responded to a tour bus rollover colli- sion on Interstate 90, eastbound between exits 48A and 49 in the town of Pembroke, Genesee County. A 2005 VanWool Bus and Coach tour bus owned by M&Y Tour Inc out of Staten Island, NY was traveling east bound on the I-90 from Niagara Falls, NY to NewYork City. The bus exited the roadway into the median then abruptly corrected causing the bus to overturn and roll off the I-90 on the south embankment. Multiple passengers were ejected, trapped with 5 who died at the scene. Multiple individuals were taken to Erie County Medical Center, Strong Memorial Hospital, Millard Fillmore Suburban and UMMR in Batavia. Mercy Flight and numerous EMS and first responders assisted at the scene. The bus had a total of 54 occupants. The cause of the collision is still under in- vestigation, the State police said. However, the operator, Bin Shao, 55 of Flushing, NY, had no signs of impairment and the tour bus had no mechanical failure. This is still and active investigation, po- lice said. They provided details on what to do and who to contact if anyone needed to do so: The Red Cross Family Assistance Cen- ter for the victims at the Amherst Senior Center, 370 John James Audubon Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14228 is SHUTTING DOWN, as all family have made contact with the passengers. For any personal belongings that need to be recovered contact SP Batavia at 585- 344-6200. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has dash cam footage is asked to contact State Police at SP Batavia at (585) 344-6200. The Collision Reconstruction Unit, Forensic Identification Unit, Commer- cial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, Bureau of Criminal Investigation Unit, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, The Office of Homeland Security, NYS Thruway Author- ity, Erie County Emergency Management, Genesee County Emergency Manage- ment, Newstead Emergency Manage- ment, Genesee County District Attorney’s Office, National Traffic Safety Board and numerous EMS and Fire Companies in the area assisted in this incident. By a StaffWriter PHOTO:TROOPERS.NY.GOV New York State Troopers on the scene investigating the bus crash in Genesee County August 22, 1025. Community News India Times (August 30, 2025 - September 5, 2025) September 5, 2025 9