Kolkata, West Bengal, Jun. 28 2019 With the support of the US Consulate Kolkata, the AUTM Foundation is excited to partner with APIOiX to host the US – India Symposium on Intellectual Property Rights. The Symposium will consist of two workshops taking place on June 28th-29th and July 1st-2nd at the Westin Kolkata Rajarhat. The …

Kolkata – U.S. Consul General in Kolkata, Craig Hall, along with Brigadier General David E. Brigham, Defense Attaché, U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, are visiting Siliguri, Darjeeling, Guwahati and Shillong this week.  The Brigadier General is on his first familiarization trip to the region; after a stopover in Darjeeling, the gateway to the Northeast, he …

KOLKATA – The U.S. Consulate General Kolkata in partnership with New Delhi based NGO Shakti Vahini is hosting the seventh edition of the anti-trafficking in persons conclave (TIP conclave 7) at the American Center in Kolkata from April 27-28, 2018.  It is bringing together a group of anti-TIP leaders at the local, regional, national and …

Global India Fund in partnership with Samhita Social Ventures and Girl Rising and supported by the U.S. Embassy, New Delhi and its four Consulates in India, organised a workshop on “Effective Communication Strategies to Counter and Prevent Gender-Based Violence (GBV),” in Ranchi from April 12-14. This was the fourth in a series of five pan India workshops.  The first …

Ranchi – The U.S. Consulate General Kolkata in collaboration with the social enterprise Contact Base, is launching a youth entrepreneurship initiative – Y4BIZ (Youth for Business) in four cities in East India (Guwahati, Patna, Ranchi and Kolkata). The program in Ranchi is being organized in association with the Jharkhand Government. The Y4BIZ program aims to …

Patna:  The U.S. Consulate General – Kolkata and NGO Shakti Vahini will host the sixth annual anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Conclave in Patna from May 12-13, 2017.  The conclave will be inaugurated on March 12th by U.S. Consul General Craig Hall, Bihar State Minister for Labor Vijay Prakash and Bihar State Minister for Women and …

Kolkata: The U.S. Consulate General Kolkata, in association with CUTS International think tank, East West Center in Washington D.C. and Indian Chamber of Commerce, hosted the “Indo-Asia Connectivity for Shared Prosperity” conference in Kolkata. Several U.S. government officials and government officials, businessmen, policymakers from the India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Japan emphasized the …

U.S. Consul General Craig Hall visited Jamshedpur for the first time on January 14-15.  During his tour, he highlighted several key elements of the U.S. – India strategic relationship, with special emphasis on trade, commerce, and mutual business opportunities. Consul General Hall visited a number of industries including Tata Steel, Tata Timken, Tata Cummins and JUSCO.  …

U.S. Consul General Craig Hall visited Meghalaya for the first time September 12 – 14.  During his familiarization tour he highlighted several key elements of the U.S. – India strategic relationship, with special emphasis on regional economic integration and cross border trade. Mr. Hall visited the Dawki -Tamabil border where he met with government officials …

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s SelectUSA program will hold its first-ever India Road Show October 13-16 in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.  The Kolkata Road Show stop on Friday, October 16 at the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry will feature a half-day seminar with sessions by American professionals on investment visas, legal and financial issues, …

The United States Ambassador to India, Richard Verma, visited Assam as part of his familiarization tour of India.  During his first visit to the state, the Ambassador drew attention to several key aspects of the now re-energized U.S. – India partnership. Ambassador Verma paid a courtesy call on Governor P.B Acharya and had positive discussions …

Reflecting the close ties between the U.S. and Indian democracies as outlined in the January 25, 2015, Delhi Declaration of Friendship, U.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to establish secure phone lines to further discuss their commitment to a long-term partnership for prosperity and peace for the global community.  The …

Craig L. Hall took up his assignment as U.S. Consul General in Kolkata on August 19.  Immediately before coming to Kolkata, he served as the Deputy Political Counselor in U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia.  Craig has also served in Seoul, Korea; Mosul, Iraq; Canberra, Australia; and Surabaya, Indonesia. Soon after his arrival, Craig remarked, “I …

The United States Embassy celebrated America’s 239th Independence Day with a baseball-themed event at the Taj Palace Hotel today.  India’s Minister of State for External Affairs General V.K. Singh was the Chief Guest, with over 1200 dignitaries from government, business, the diplomatic corps, and civil society in attendance.  Each year, the United States celebrates its …

As part of President Obama and Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to strengthening and expanding the U.S.-India Partnership to Advance Clean Energy (PACE), U.S. Ambassador Richard Verma and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Secretary Upendra Tripathy today signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing the “PACEsetter Fund,” a new joint 50 crore rupee ($7.9 million) fund …

In an effort to scale up India’s renewable energy capacity, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with IIFCL Asset Management Company Ltd. (IAMCL) to provide technical assistance for increasing investment in renewable energy in the country by $665 million. The MOU was signed by Manpreet Anand, Deputy …

EducationUSA Kolkata, a part of the worldwide program administered by the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) hosted its annual Pre-Departure Orientation program for U.S. bound undergraduate and post graduate students in the American Center, Lincoln Room on Friday, June 26, 2015. The day-long program offered the students an opportunity to interact with U.S. Consul General …

The Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs is currently experiencing technical problems with our overseas passport and visa systems.  This issue is not specific to any particular country, citizenship document, or visa category.  We apologize for the inconvenience and are working urgently to correct the problem and restore full operability.  This issue is affecting …

The U.S. Embassy in Delhi, and Consulates General in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai, opened their doors on May 28 to over 4,000 Indian students who applied for visas to pursue education in the United States.  U.S. Ambassador Richard R. Verma in Delhi and Consuls General throughout India congratulated the day’s applicants as they joined …

The U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata in collaboration with Kennesaw State University, the South Asian Forum for Environment (SAFE) & National Council on Climate Change and Sustainable Development (NCCSD) organized an international symposium on combating the impacts of climate change in urban settings to present an opportunity for Indian cities to develop unified city-level goals …

The U.S. Consulate General – Kolkata and NGO Shakti Vahini will host the Fourth Annual Anti-Trafficking in Persons Conclave in Ranchi from March 27-28, 2015.  The Conclave will be inaugurated on March 27th by U.S. Consul General Helen LaFave, Minister Louis Marandi, Department of Welfare (including Minority Welfare), Social Welfare, Women and Child Development, and Minister …

Black History Month, celebrated in February each year, commemorates the heritage of African Americans and their contributions to U.S. society.  The theme for Black History Month this year is “A Century of Black Life, History and Culture” and chronicles the important contributions by African-Americans to art, literature, sports and pop culture. During the month long …

Today, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his delegation completed a historic two-day visit to the biennial Vibrant Gujarat Summit.  While in Gujarat, the Secretary discussed the importance of the U.S.-India strategic partnership, and how U.S. technology and innovation can enhance sustainable economic growth throughout the Indo-Pacific region. The Secretary’s high-level delegation to Vibrant …

The U.S. Mission to India announces the arrival of Ambassador Richard Verma on January 2, 2015 in New Delhi.  He will continue the U.S. Mission’s work in advancing the U.S.-India strategic partnership. Upon arrival, Ambassador Verma said, “I am honored to serve as U.S. Ambassador to India at such an exciting time in our bilateral …

U.S. Consul General Helen LaFave visited Nagaland for the second time this year from November 30 – December 3, to attend and participate in the opening ceremony of the Hornbill Festival.  This is in keeping with her socio-economic familiarization trips throughout the Northeast underscoring key elements of the U.S. – India strategic relationship. At the …

With the aim at encouraging young students to pursue higher education in the United States, the Education USA Alumni Roadshow is travelling to four cities – Guwahati, Kolkata, Patna and Ranchi from November 4 to December 9, 2014. The program kick-started with the Guwahati leg where the Director of the American Center-Kolkata Joanne (JJ) Joria …

India and the United States today signed the Statement of Guiding Principles on Triangular Cooperation for Global Development.  The Statement was signed by Kumar Tuhin, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs of India and John A. Beed, Mission Director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in India. Pursuant to the fifth U.S.-India …

Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Kathleen Stephens extended her deepest sympathies on behalf of the American people to the people of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha who have been affected by recent Cyclone Hudhud, especially the dozens of families who have lost their loved ones. Ambassador Stephens, in coordination with central and state authorities, announced that the United …

After seven years, a Kolkata organization, “Banglanatak dot com”, won a prestigious grant from the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2014 for their project “Documentation of Bengal Folk Music Genres Bhawaiya, Bhatiali, and Bangla Qawwali.”  This was announced at a press conference presided and moderated by Director Joanne Joria at the American Center Kolkata …

U.S. Consul General Helen LaFave visited Meghalaya for the first time September 15 – 18, highlighting several key elements of the U.S. – India strategic relationship, including educational exchanges and English language teaching collaboration, business opportunities, and developmental agenda. She met with a wide range of Meghalaya society members including government officials, civil society stalwarts, …

On behalf of the American people, Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Kathleen Stephens today extended her deepest sympathies to the people of Jammu and Kashmir who have been affected by the recent flooding, especially the hundreds of families who have lost loved ones. In coordination with central and state authorities, Ambassador Stephens announced that the United States …

Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally, Executive Director of SelectUSA, will partake in a five-city tour of India from September 18-24, 2014, to encourage Indian investment into the United States and raise awareness of U.S. services available to Indian companies. Ambassador Thummalapally will visit New Delhi, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Mumbai, and Bangalore to meet with business leaders, prospective investors, …

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) India Country Director Ken Earhart and senior officials from the Government of India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) convened today in New Delhi to celebrate the collaboration between the U.S. CDC and the Government of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s India …

The U.S. Consulate Kolkata hosted American social news consultant and digital media trainer Mandy Jenkins in Kolkata from September 2-4. Mandy Jenkins started her first India tour in Kolkata where she conducted a number of social media workshops at the American Center.  Her first engagement was with high school, college and university students and teachers …

During her first visit to Assam, August 28-29, American Center Director Joanne “JJ” Joria visited and toured the American Corner in Guwahati which is the American Library Kolkata’s northeast resource center.  This information center jointly set up by the U.S. Consulate, Kolkata and Darwin School of Business was inaugurated on February 25, 2012 by Ambassador …

During her first visit to Kolkata on August 12 – 14, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Ambassador Kathleen Stephens highlighted several key elements of the U.S. – India strategic relationship, including our economic partnership, development agenda, and educational opportunities.  Commenting on the potential of our strategic partnership, she emphasized that, “Our partnership has never been so …

PATNA – During his first visit to Bihar on June 15 – 17th, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Michael Pelletier highlighted several key elements of the U.S.-India strategic relationship, including our economic partnership, development cooperation, and educational opportunities.  He was accompanied by the U.S. Consul General Kolkata, Helen LaFave. On his visit to one of the projects …

Patna: U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim, Michael Pelletier, and Consul General in Kolkata, Ms. Helen LaFave, commended the important work our two countries are doing to help farmers in Bihar improve agriculture productivity and cope with climate stresses. On their visit today to one of the projects supported by the Cereal Systems Initiative for South …

To celebrate World Health Day, the American Center Kolkata, in collaboration with Prayasam, screened the India premiere of The Revolutionary Optimists.  Shot over a period of three and a half years, the internationally acclaimed documentary film, traces the inspiring journeys of four disadvantaged children from Kolkata’s Rishi Aurobindo Colony.  These young crusaders battled poverty to …

New Delhi — The U.S. Embassy in India today inaugurated its Hindi website. Chairperson of Prasar Bharati Mrinal Pande was Chief Guest at the event, which featured remarks by U.S. Ambassador Nancy J. Powell and interactive displays highlighting the Embassy’s Hindi website and the Span Hindi Magazine web portal ( http://span.state.gov/hi ). The launch of the U.S. Embassy’s website …

(As prepared for delivery) The relationship between the United States and India, which are the two oldest and the largest democracies in the world, is very strategic.  Our two nations are committed to fighting terrorism and working to make life safe for all.  I am delighted to give Explosive Incident Countermeasures equipment worth $300,000 to …

The United States and India came together today to explore opportunities to collaborate on Corporate Social Responsibility to achieve a greater social impact.  The U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata, The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCC&I), and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) held a symposium on “Corporate Social Responsibility – Bringing the Stakeholders …

U.S. Ambassador to India Nancy J. Powell announced in a U.S. Mission Town Hall meeting March 31 that she has submitted her resignation to President Obama and, as planned for some time, will retire to her home in Delaware before the end of May.  She is ending a thirty-seven year career that has included postings …

Beginning March 19, the American Center will host a free course on entrepreneurship with online lectures from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm )  and edX ( https://www.edx.org/ ) and in-person discussions with American and local experts on business and entrepreneurship.  In order to participate, applicants need to simply sign up to audit the course at …

The United States and India launched a reading initiative to improve the reading skills of millions of primary school-aged children in India.  The READ (Read-Engage-Achieve-Dream) Alliance is a $3.2 million partnership between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Indian Center for Knowledge Societies (CKS). Announcing the first call for proposals under READ’s …

The U.S.-India Energy Dialogue met in New Delhi on March 5-11. Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia hosted the government-to-government portion of the Dialogue meeting on March 11 with United States Department of Energy Secretary Dr. Ernest Moniz.  The U.S. delegation included the Department of Energy, U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), the U.S. …

The U.S. Consulate Kolkata hosted scientist James McLurkin with his 12 robots for two days March 6-7 in Kolkata.  McLurkin is Assistant Professor at Rice University’s Computer Science Department. In Kolkata, he conducted a special workshop cum presentation with a live robot demonstration for the city’s science enthusiasts, high school and college students at Birla …

Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal will travel March 4-6 to Bangalore and New Delhi.  During her visit, Assistant Secretary Biswal will seek to further broaden and deepen the U.S.-India relationship, which President Obama has called “one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century.” On March 4, Assistant Secretary Biswal …

The United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) announces the opening of its annual competition for Fulbright-Nehru and other Fulbright fellowships.  Such exchanges have, over the years, helped bring the people of India and the United States closer together.  The Fulbright program offers opportunities in the United States that will enrich one’s academic, research, teaching, and professional …

U.S. Ambassador Nancy J. Powell today met with Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Gandhinagar.  This meeting was part of the U.S. Mission’s outreach to senior leaders of India’s major political parties in advance of the upcoming national elections.  During her visit to Gujarat, Ambassador Powell will meet with representatives from non-governmental organizations and U.S. and …