Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 6 CITY VIEWS April 10, 2026 NRIs Rally Behind UDF At ‘Kudumba Sangamam’ In Kerala N on-Resident Indians (NRIs) from across the globe gathered at the residence of Mahadevan Vazhasseril in Kayamkulam for a vibrant Kudumba Sangamam, reflect- ing their growing presence in Kerala to support the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the ongoing election campaign. The gathering was marked by a palpable sense of optimism, unity, and determina- tion among participants, many of whom have returned from overseas with a shared commitment to bring about political change in the state. The mood at the meeting underscored a collective resolve to challenge what several speakers described as the authori- tarian and corrupt governance of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Attendees expressed confidence that the current political momentum, com- bined with grassroots engagement and diaspora support, could significantly influence the electoral outcome. PHOTOS:COURTESY IOC-USA Scenes from the NRI rally in Kerala. Press Release by George Abraham, Vice-Chair IOCUSA, IOC Global IT & SM Coordinator DIASPORA Healthcare Heroes To Be Honored At Terrace On The Park N eela Mukherjee Lockel and Dr. Anitha Srinivasan, have been recognized by Schneps Media as Healthcare Heroes for their dedication and contributions of healthcare professionals in NewYork City. The honor will be presented in May at a special ceremony in Queens. These recognitions bring together leading figures from across the healthcare community to honor their service, share achievements, and build professional connections, underscoring Schneps Me- dia’s role in NewYork’s neighborhoods. Neela Mukherjee Lockel, MSW, MPA, is the President and CEO of EAC Network. She leads significant growth at this lead- ing human services nonprofits, oversees more than 100 programs that support tens of thousands of vulnerable residents each year. With a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from NYU Wagner School of Public Service, Mukher- jee Lockel has been a lifelong advocate for equity and second chances. She brings more than 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience to her role at EAC Network which delivers critical services to children and families, older adults, people involved in the criminal justice system, and those in need of behavioral health care or workforce training. EAC serves over 65,000 people across Long Island and NewYork City, provid- ing resources such as meals, healthcare, and child protection services. Her career at EAC involves frontline clinical work, higher education administration, and large-scale crisis response. Mukherjee Lockels was named to the 2024 Long Island Power 100 list and is regarded as a prominent voice in the re- gion’s nonprofit sector. In media appear- ances, including the “PowerWomen with Victoria Schneps” podcast, she frequently addresses social work, human trafficking, community resilience, and the evolving role of nonprofits in strengthening Long Island communities. Mukherjee Lockel remains deeply engaged in regional policy and advocacy. She serves on the board of the Long Island Association and sits on the LIPA Com- munity Advisory Board, helping to shape conversations around economic develop- ment, infrastructure, and quality of life. Dr. Anitha Srinivasan, MD, MPH, FACS is the first woman to be Chief Medical Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metro- politan. She is currently one of only two female chief medical officers across the 11 hospitals in the NYC Health + Hospitals system and the only woman of color serv- ing in that role. Srinivasan is a career surgeon who began her tenure in the city’s public hos- pital system in the 1990s. She later joined Metropolitan as an attending surgeon and associate professor of surgery at NewYork Medical College, where she has remained for more than two decades. She founded the Metropolitan Breast Cancer Center and has directed it since 2017. She has held several key leader- ship positions, including Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Director of Perioperative Services since 2020. Under her leadership, the East Harlem hospital has performed more than 500 robotic surgeries. Srinivasan has been credited with advancing clinical excellence, equitable care, and community health in East Har- lem’s diverse neighborhoods. Daughter of two physicians, Srinivasan credits her mother as the driving force behind her commitment to serve indigent and un- derserved patients. Srinivasan firmly be- lieves in creating a fiscally self-sustaining health facility, as stated in her biosketch on NYCH+H. Metropolitan is a 338-bed hospital in East Harlem, serving more than 350,000 clinic patients and over 50,000 emergency room patients each year. Metropolitan is the nation’s oldest hospital–medical school affiliation through its longstanding partnership with NewYork Medical Col- lege. It is part of NYC Health + Hospitals, the country’s largest municipal health system, which includes 11 hospitals, more than 70 patient care locations across the five boroughs, and over 43,000 employees. Schneps Media publishes a wide port- folio of outlets, including amNY Metro, The Queens Courier, Bayside Times, Flushing Times, Brooklyn Graphic, Bay News, Park Slope Courier, Bay Ridge Cou- rier, Brooklyn Paper, Bronx Times, Long Island Press and Dan’s Papers. By Archana Adalja PHOTO:COURTESY MUKHERJEE’S PROFILE ON LINKEDIN.COM PHOTO:COURTESY SRINIVASANS PROFILE ON NYCH+H Neela Mukherjee Lockel, MSW, MPA, is the CEO of EAC Network, a nonprofit in NYC. Dr. Anitha Srinivasan, Chief Medical Officer at NYC Health+Hospitals / Metropolitan. - Continued On Page 7