All stories by Ritu Jha
Indian-origin Gurbaksh Chahal beats girlfriend, fired from firm
Rediff.com28 Apr 2014Earlier,Chahal was arrested in August last year after police responded to his girlfriend's 911 domestic violence call at his San Francisco penthouse apartment.
US prison seeks Sikh leader's help to end Indians' hunger strike
Rediff.com16 Apr 2014In an attempt to end the hunger strike initiated by 38 Indian detainees since last Thursday, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have reached out to Sikh leaders. Ritu Jha speaks to the detainees and reports about their conditions.
Founder of 'sham' Tri Valley University found guilty on 31 counts
Rediff.com26 Mar 2014A federal jury on Monday convicted Susan Xiao-Ping Su, the founder of California-based Tri Valley University.
Trial of 'sham' US varsity enters decisive phase
Rediff.com21 Mar 2014The criminal jury trail of Susan Su, founder of the Tri Valley University in California that harboured thousands of Indian students, entered a crucial phase on Wednesday with closing statements by both the plaintiff and defence lawyers.
Just wanted to run a good school, says Tri-Valley Univ owner as trial begins
Rediff.com12 Mar 2014The jury trial of Susan Xiao Ping Su, the president and owner of the now shutdown Tri-Valley University in California, began on March 3.
70 Indian passports stolen from San Francisco
Rediff.com11 Mar 2014About 70 Indian passports have reportedly been stolen from BLS International, a private company in San Francisco, to which the Indian consulate has outsourced various visa and passport related services.
Trial of 'sham' Tri-Valley University president kicks off
Rediff.com6 Mar 2014The trial of Susan Xiao Ping Su, the president and owner of the fraud-ridden Tri-Valley University, started on Tuesday.
Vince Chhabria to be first Indian-origin federal judge in California
Rediff.com6 Mar 2014The United State senate has confirmed Indian-American Vince Girdhari Chhabria as the federal judge of the US district court for the northern district of California.
California's first woman Attorney General Kamala Harris seeks re-election
Rediff.com28 Feb 2014California Attorney General Kamala D Harris announced on February 12 that she would be seeking re-election to the post.
'Don't take a woman's financial, emotional independence for granted'
Rediff.com24 Feb 2014Maitri, which provides free and confidential services to South Asian-American families facing domestic violence, at its 23rd annual gala raised half a million dollars. Ritu Jha reports
US: Indian Embassy invites bids for visa outsourcing
Rediff.com9 Feb 2014Unsatisfied with BLS International Services, a visa outsourcing company, the Indian Embassy in the United States has announced for a new bid on February 5.
AAP's stand on FDI makes Silicon Valley jittery
Rediff.com5 Feb 2014"AAP has done a fabulous job highlighting corruption and governance issues and have a good platform for that, but their economic platform is very scary," Venktesh Shukla, president, The Indus Entrepreneurs Silicon Valley, the largest TiE chapter, told Rediff.com. "Valley investors are watching India minutely; the next few months are very crucial for Silicon Valley investors."
Sikh community question police action in death of Iraq war veteran
Rediff.com2 Feb 2014About 200 people from various interfaith groups joined the memorial and candle light vigil held in honour of Parminder Singh Shergill, an Iraq war veteran, who was shot dead by local police on January 25 at Lodi, California.
Raised entry fee, visa issues to mar Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2014?
Rediff.com6 Jan 2014All we want from the government is to give us visa and they can't even deliver that, says Inder Singh, chairman of Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin International
ICA gala honors activist from rural Maharashtra
Rediff.com27 Dec 2013At its 45th annual award gala, Indians for Collective Action, one of the oldest community nonprofits in the Bay Area, honored Indian rural activist Neelima Mishra with the ICA's Social Innovator Award in Santa Clara, California, November 17.
Yuba City: Kash Gill sworn in for second mayoral term
Rediff.com27 Dec 2013Kash Gill, who began his political career in 2006 and was first elected as mayor in 2009, was sworn in as the Yuba City mayor on December 3 for the second time.
Why NRIs from California supported the AAP
Rediff.com26 Dec 2013'I know of at least one techie who quit his job to join the AAP in Delhi. Many others traveled to India to volunteer during the election. If you ask these volunteers why they were doing it when they can't even vote in India, they say, "We want a corruption-free India".' Ritu Jha looks back on the year that was; it was party time, she says, for news junkies like her.
'Diplomats taking advantage of domestic helps is nothing new'
Rediff.com21 Dec 2013Protestors outside the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, California, tell Rediff.com's Ritu Jha that they are outraged because nobody is speaking for the rights of Sangeeta Richard, the former domestic help of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade
LGBTQ organisations hold candlelight vigil protesting Section 377 verdict
Rediff.com14 Dec 2013Several United States-based South Asian LGBTQ organisations, as well as community organisations united in solidarity against Section 377 and hosted a candle light vigil on Friday.
Indian-American student charged with carrying gun on campus
Rediff.com5 Dec 2013Manas Moole Reddy, a University of California, Irvine student was arrested November 18, for possessing a loaded firearm on campus. Reddy, 28, was charged with one felony count each of possessing a loaded firearm on a college campus, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.