Community
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INDIA IN NEW YORK FEBRUARY 14, 2014
A CORRESPONDENT
A
shok Varadhan has been appointed co-head of
Goldman Sachs’ securities division. This is the
largest and most profitable of the New York
headquartered global investment bank’s four units.
The 41 year old was the head of macro trading in the
Securities Division. In an internal memo Goldman’s
CEO Lloyd Blankfein noted that in his long tenure in
this unit Varadhan ‘demonstrated dedication to our
clients and a deep understanding of our business.’
Varadhan had also been an ‘effective voice on a number of firm wide, regional and divisional committees,’
which included the management committee, growth
markets operating committee and firmwide risk committee, Blankfein added.
Varadhan — the son of eminent Abel Laureate
Srinivasa Varadhan, a Chennai native who is Professor
of Mathematics at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University — brings stellar records to the table.
He is a Duke University graduate who joined
Goldman Sachs in 1998 in Swaps Trading. He went on
to head the dollar derivative trading, run the North
American interest rate products, become managing
director in 2000, partner in 2002 and global head of
foreign exchange in 2007.
He will join Isabelle Ealet and Pablo Salame as coheads of the Securities Division and focus on building
the client franchise across Goldman’s fixed income, currency and commodities and equities businesses.
People who have co-headed the unit previously have
gone on to assume top-ranking positions at the
Goldman.
Filmmaker Jagdish
Sidana passes on
A CORRESPONDENT
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agdish L Sidana, a filmmaker
who had won India’s National
Award, died in New Jersey,
February 5. He was 76.
Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh-born
and raised Sidana joined the film
industry in Mumbai in the early
1970s, after graduating from the
Film and Television Institute of
India in Pune.
He started as an associate director, and went on to become codirector, editor, director and producer.
He was associated with movies
like Dastak, Phagun, Uphaar, and
Saudagar, and worked with legends like Dilip Kumar, Sanjeev
Jagdish L Sidana
Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan,
dancer wife Padma Khanna in
Dharmendra, Naseeruddin Shah,
Iselin, New Jersey.
Utpal Dutt, Shashi Kapoor and
Khanna acted in more than 400
Rishi Kapoor.
movies in different languages in
Sidana was close to actor Kadar
India. She also acted in many teleKhan, with whom he did a number
vision serials including Ramayan, in
of stage plays.
Sidana moved to the US in 1996
which she played Kaikeyi.
and founded the Indianica
Sidana is survived by his wife, his
Academy, which teaches Kathak
daughters Sushma Kataria and
and other dances, with his actressNeha Sidana Puniani, and son
Akshar Sidana.
The funeral services were performed February 7 at Franklin
Memorial Park in North Brunswick
and a prayer meeting was held at
Royal Albert’s Palace in Fords,
February 8. It was organized by Dr
Navin C Mehta, Girish Soni, Kenny
Desai, H R Shah, Albert Jasani, Dr
Sudhanshu Prasad and others.
Long Island physician,
community leader
Shakir Mukhi dies
A CORRESPONDENT
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ommunity leader and physician Dr Shakir Mukhi, a
former president of the American Federation of
Muslims of Indian Origin, died in Long Island, New
York, February 7.
He was also a founding member of the Nargis Dutt
Foundation and served as its vice president under its president, the late Indian actor Sunil Dutt.
Dr Mukhi was involved in the AFMI’s educational mission
as well as other charitable and community activities.
He served as vice
president of the
Indian National
Overseas Congress,
and as board member of the American
Association of
Physicians of Indian
origin.
He was a human
rights commissioner
for Nassau County
since 2001.
A graduate of MP
Shah Medical
College, Jamnagar,
Gujarat, he completed his residency
training from
Catholic Medical
Center Hospital in
Family Medicine,
Queens.
“Dr Shakir Mukhi
was an important
Dr Shakir Mukhi
member of our
organization who
was always concerned with the plight of underprivileged
masses in India,” said Dr A R Nakadar, the AFMI’s founding
trustee. “His contributions are many and he will sorely be
missed by one and all.”
A service was held in Queens; the funeral was held in
Orlando, Florida.
“In the New York area whenever we launched a campaign
for justice or development in India or conducted a program
for the same, he participated in it fully,” said Dr Shaik Obaid
of the Coalition Against Genocide.
“He was a great symbol of harmony in our often polarized
world,” said George Abraham, chair, Indian National
Overseas Congress (I), “bringing disparate people of faith,
region and languages together. He loved hosting some of
the grandest parties at his home and it always resembled an
interfaith forum.”
“He was an eternal optimist at heart and motivated others
to engage with the community and do positive things in
their lives. He will be sorely missed.”
Even though Dr Mukhi was suffering from a terminal illness — which few people knew about — he was involved in
programs to pay tribute to his late colleague in the AFMI,
Dr Najma Sultana.
MOHAMMED JAFFER-SNAPSINDIA
Ashok Vardhan appointed
co-head of Goldman Sachs
securities