About Us

Indo-American Community Federation (IACF-USA), a nonprofit public benefit corporation organized under the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Laws of California for charitable purposes. Jeevan Zutshi of Fremont, California founded the organization in 1993 because he saw a dire need for Indo-Americans to get involved in mainstream America to work on issues affecting them in their adopted land. The purpose of the non-profit is to bring entire diversity together to address serious issues facing the community at large; promote understanding and positive relations through seminars and conventions; provide financial assistance to needy and deserving individuals.

IACF-USA is committed to serve the entire community by promoting Unity in Diversity by celebrating diversity through its Annual Unity Dinner events.

Tax ID Number: 94-3304171

Mission Statement:

To promote involvement of Indo-Americans in the mainstream by understanding issues facing the community at large through meetings, cultural exchanges and educational seminars while offering a rich resource center for human services.

Encourage understanding and unity amongst different ethnicities by holding Unity Dinners to bring the entire diverse leadership and policy makers together.

Goals and Objectives:

To Improve Community involvement, education, health and understanding of different cultures.

Major IACF Accomplishments since its Inception in 1993:

1. Recognize and celebrate California's diversity by holding UNITY DINNER 2002, which became an annual event after 9/11 due to its concept and acceptance.

2. Fundraiser for the benefit of youth associated with Indo-American Community Service Center in 1998.

3. Fundraisers to help victims of terrorism in refugee camps of Jammu and Kargil, India in 1998.

4. Held International seminars on terrorism in Indian State of Kashmir in 1992, 2003, 2004, 2006.

5. Assist in the Study of Gang problems amongst Indo-Americans to help Gang Task Force of Alameda County.

6. Fundraiser for an orphanage in India in year 1999, which helped the formation of Home of Hope by its founder.

7. Promote, support and enhance a positive business environment and thus increase participation of Indo-Americans in various activities through Fremont Chamber of Commerce.

8. Benefit youth and education through active participation of Indo-Americans in Ohlone College Foundation.

9. Identify homeless in Fremont and support raise awareness through Tri-City Homeless Coalition.

10. Formulation of the recommendations in the Attorney General's Civil Rights' Commission on Hate Crime Reporting to improve the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents occurring in schools and improve the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents by law enforcement agencies. By undertaking this directive, commissioners visited nearly two dozen diverse communities in small and large cities throughout California and the voices heard included those of students, seniors, people with disabilities, parents and working families. A Final report that reports on the Hate Crimes in California was released in March 2001.

11. Held town hall type meetings and community receptions for public officials in California including national level policy makers.

12. Assisting its members seeking appointments on local and state commissions, voluntary committees and non-profit boards.

13. Help build Indo-US relations through educating lawmakers on various important issues and leading delegations to India to open and promote channel of communication.

14. Attended oval office briefing with President Clinton related to his historic trip to India in year 2000.

15. Engage in meeting the Government of India senior Ministers and other officials, visiting the US to discuss issues affecting Indo-US relations.

16. Co-ordinate educational scholarship program through California based Foundation for Excellence to benefit destitute children in India.

17. Extensive Interaction with media to serve as a resource on important worldwide humanitarian issues.

18. Participated in a major effort by the City of Fremont's Census 2000 Complete Count Committee.

19. Congressional briefing on Kashmiri Pandits on Oct. 30, 2003.

20. Congressman Pallone Hosts Hearing on Plight of Kashmiri Pandits on Nov. 14, 2003

21. Town Hall meeting with Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi of State of California, to discuss health care issues on August 19, 2005

22. Congressman Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio discusses plight of Kashmiri Pandits and Nuclear agreement between India and the U.S on June 11, 2006 in Fremont, California.

23. NFIA Convention in Los Angeles and seminar on the plight of Kashmiri Pandits in October 2006

24. Sunnyvale meet discusses rehabilitation of Kashmir refugees on September 27, 2006

25. NFIA Convention in 2008 discussing the situation in Kashmir with Government of India officials and members of Congress

26. Capitol Hill Kashmir Briefing on June 9, 2009 to highlight talibanization and terrorism across the globe.

27. Meetings on January 21-22 with the U.S. State Department and a dozen Members of the Congress and Senate discussing measures to bring peace in Northern State of Kashmir and finding a solution to the problems associated with 350,000 Kashmiris, who had to flee for their lives abandoning their homes in Kashmir thus becoming refugees in India, their own country, two decades ago.

Board of Directors

Jeevan Zutshi, Founder/Chairman

Dr Naresh Sharma, President

Shashi Sharma, President (2004-2008)

Dr Subash Garg

Keshav Ayare

Dr. Deepak Sachdev

Jerry K. Ahuja

Sheetal Ohri

IACF COUNCIL OF ADVISORS

Nina Moore nmoore@earthlink.net

John Weed jhweed@aol.com