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Washington, D.C. (April 6, 2006) –
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) Board of Directors retained
Ms. Ishani Chowdhury of Washington D.C. as its first full-time
Executive Director last week. Leaving her previous employment
as a Lead Project Manager at a Washington, D.C. based software
firm, Chowdhury takes over most major administrative, public
relations and fundraising coordination tasks at HAF. In addition,
she will utilize management experience to shepherd various
ongoing long-term projects at HAF.
“HAF has fulfilled one of its long-term
goals—to bring on a talented, articulate and creative
individual—who has the potential to take HAF into the
top tier of human rights and faith-based organizations,”
said Mihir Meghani, M.D., President of HAF and member of the
HAF Board. “HAF has taken its first steps towards establishing
a permanent presence in this nation’s capital with an
executive director devoted to HAF’s goal of putting
forth a professional and credible voice for Hindu Americans.”
Beyond supervising various ongoing human rights projects,
media outreach efforts and database management Chowdhury’s
tasks will include bringing a consistent Hindu American
voice to Capitol Hill, the White House and non-governmental
organizations in Washington, D.C. She will attend
relevant hearings on the Hill, interact with congressional
offices and oversee communications with such groups
as the United States Commission on International Religious
Freedom. Plans are on to open the first full-time
office dedicated to Hindu American affairs in Washington,
D.C. later this year.
“I had come to admire HAF’s rapid rise
on the political and educational scene in a span of
just three years, and was searching for ways to contribute
to the foundation,” said Chowdhury. “This
opportunity will allow me to bring the skills I acquired
as a programmer, analyst and project manager—and
my passion for this cause and movement—to HAF.”
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HAF's Executive
Director,
Ishani Chowdhury |
Chowdhury received a Bachelor’s degree
in Computer Information Systems from Baruch College in New
York City and will earn an M.B.A. from the University of Maryland
in the fall of this year. Chowdhury has written and spoken
extensively on issues relevant to Hindu Americans and human
rights atrocities against Bangladeshi Hindus. She has written
frequently for Hinduism Today and served as a Hinduism school
teacher at the Sri Beenapani Vedic School in Brooklyn, New
York.
The Hindu American Foundation is a non-profit
501(c)(3), non-partisan organization, promoting the Hindu
and American ideals of understanding, tolerance and pluralism.
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