Governor, Mayor meet Indian American delegation

Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin with IABC Directors (L to R) Poonam Gupta, Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, Dr.Sanhita Agnihotri, Ajay Misra and Deepak Tiwari
Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin with IABC Directors (L to R) Poonam Gupta, Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, Dr.Sanhita Agnihotri, Ajay Misra and Deepak Tiwari

LOUISVILLE, KY: Kentucky Governor Mathew Griswold [Matt] Bevin and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer met with Chicago’s Indian American Business Council [IABC] leading directors and Indo American Friends Group business delegation from India at the Hilary Conference Center in the sprawling Bellarmine University campus in Louisville, Kentucky.

Governor Kentucky Matt Bevin and Mayor Greg Fischer sat down for an extensive round table discussion in advancing and building bridges of business partnerships between India and the commonwealth of Kentucky. They expressed enthusiastic appreciation for this opportunity for a significant dialogue seeking to enhance business opportunities between Kentucky and India.

Governor Matt Bevin urged them to submit summarized briefs to identify ways that can advance business opportunities. Only eight Indian American business companies are currently doing business in Kentucky and Governor Matt Bevin urged the Indian American Business Council to submit ideas, models and plans that seek to rapidly expand and add more Indian American businesses in Kentucky and urged the IABC to be emissaries to help build bridges of business ties between India and Kentucky.

Poonam Gupta-Krishnan, Founder Director of IABC presiding over the formal conference set the tone with her overview remarks outlining India’s phenomenal growing economic power including the ‘Make in India’ initiative of Prime Minister Modi and the burgeoning opportunities for business to be developed between India and Kentucky. Poonam Gupta who is also the founder of Govt Technology Foundation [GTF] – in her power point presentation – highlighted the ripe opportunities to foster trade exchange between India and Kentucky through small and medium scale enterprises, joint ventures, technology transfer, investment opportunities and export/import prospects.

Harish Kolasani, President IABC welcomed Governor Matt Bevin and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and thanked the prominent attendees from Louisville and business delegation for making the trip to Kentucky

Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, Principal Director IABC, in his presentation highlighted the painfully looming budget deficits in cities and states across the United States and articulated to Governor Bevin that IABC could potentially play an effective role in helping the administration in identifying and employing innovative technological solutions that would address ways to reduce inefficiencies and redundancies in the administrative machinery and thus help contribute to a small extent in reducing the looming budget imbalances.

Deepak Tiwari, Kentucky’s largest Indian American businesses owner, in his presentation outlined the growing opportunities that are readily available in the state of Kentucky. He urged an ongoing dialogue to bring about active trade exchanges.

Dr. Sanhita Agnihotri, IABC Strategic Advisor, added that both United States and India can benefit from flourishing business prospects. Dr. Ajai Prakash Misra, Chairman of the Indo American Friends Group and the Leader of the India business delegation assured the group’s support to build robust trade ties.

Earlier, Zachary Scott of World Trade Center Kentucky and Ali Crain of Kentucky Chamber of Commerce welcomed the Chicago representatives and delegates from India. The Indian business delegation visiting Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio includes Ms. Hema Virani, Raj Kumar Sharma, Jitender Vyas, Tapan Jain, Dr Saransh Jain and Dr. Tanupriya Jain.

Surendra Ullal