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    Newsmakers of the Week                                                   JUNE 26, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 33

                                      TEAM USA                                                        DR TARA SHAJAN

             Side Placed Among World’s Top 10                                        NY State names Chief Nursing

                 at the Yogasana Championship                                             Officer of Mental Health

                                                                                      lbany, NY:  The New York
                                                                                      State Office of Mental Health
                                                                                A(OMH) has appointed Tara
                                                                                Shajan, MSN, MBA, RN, PMH-BC,
                                                                                PhD, as Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)
                                                                                of a New York State Psychiatric Cen-
                                                                                ter. The appointment recognizes her
                                                                                extensive leadership experience, clin-
                                                                                ical expertise, and commitment to
                                                                                excellence in psychiatric nursing and
                                                                                healthcare administration.
                                                                                    As  Chief  Nursing  Officer  and
                                                                                a member of the hospital’s execu-
                                                                                tive leadership cabinet, Dr Shajan
                                                                                will oversee the strategic direction
                                                                                of nursing services,  advancing  evi-
                                                                                dence-based practice, patient safety,
                                                                                quality outcomes, workforce devel-
                  hmedabad: Team USA delivered an outstanding performance at the   opment, and standards of care across the organization.
                  inaugural World Yogasana Championship 2026, held June 4–8 at EKA
            AArena in Ahmedabad, India, earning a place among the world’s Top 10    Dr. Shajan brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in behav-
            nations and bringing home five medals.                              ioral health and nursing administration. She has held senior roles at major
                                                                                healthcare systems, including Northwell Health, Montefiore Health, Catholic
                Representing the United States under the banner of the United States
            Yogasana Sports Federation (USYSF), led by Founder and President Mr.   Health, NYC Health + Hospitals, and other leading organizations, with exper-
                                                                                tise spanning nursing operations, quality improvement, regulatory compliance,
            Balwinder Singh, the 10-member team competed alongside 522 athletes from   staff engagement, patient-centered care, and organizational transformation.
            79 countries in one of the largest international Yogasana events ever held.  In her new role, she will lead efforts to strengthen professional nursing
                The U.S. delegation secured one Gold Medal and four Bronze Medals.
            Kemi Blake earned Gold in the Senior B Back Bend category, while Sanjay   practice, clinical excellence, nursing education, leadership development, and
                                                                                recovery-oriented mental health services. She will collaborate with executive
            Attada won two Bronze Medals. Patrick Fletcher and Kimani Blake each add-  leaders, physicians, interdisciplinary teams, and community partners to im-
            ed a Bronze Medal to Team USA’s impressive medal count.             prove healthcare outcomes and advance OMH’s mission.
                “At 45 years, I hope this Gold reminds people that some of our greatest
                                                                                    Dr. Shajan is also recognized for her contributions to the nursing profes-
            achievements are still waiting for us,” Kemi Blake, gold medal athlete from   sion through national and international leadership roles. She currently serves
            Las Vegas said.                                                     as Vice President of the National Association of Indian Nurses of America
                Other team athletes, Elena Kangavari, Jeremy Fields, Olga Mysse, Priti
            Dhariwal, Tejal Joshi, and Veronica Vega also represented the nation with dis-  (NAINA), supporting nursing leadership, mentorship, professional develop-
                                                                                ment, and advocacy initiatives.
            tinction, demonstrating skill, dedication, and sportsmanship on the world stage.  Reflecting on her appointment, Dr. Shajan stated:
                “I never imagined I would stand on the world stage as an athlete repre-
                                                                                    “I am deeply honored to serve as Chief Nursing Officer for the New York
            senting Team USA. It was a truly rewarding experience, and I am proud to   State Office of Mental Health. This opportunity represents both a privilege
            be part of this historic championship. My sincere thanks to World Yogasana,   and a responsibility to support our dedicated nursing workforce, advance pro-
            Yogasana Bharat, and especially USYSF for this incredible opportunity.” said   fessional practice, and ensure the highest standards of safe, compassionate,
            New Jersey Athlete Priti Dhariwal, competed in Women’s Senior C Category  and person-centered care for the individuals and families we serve. I look
                Hosted by Yogasana Bharat, World Yogasana, and the Indian Olympic
            Association, the championship marked a historic step forward for Yogasana   forward to working alongside our talented teams to strengthen nursing excel-
                                                                                lence and continue improving the quality of behavioral healthcare.”
            as a global competitive sport. Team USA’s strong showing highlights the grow-  This appointment reflects Dr. Shajan’s dedication to nursing leadership
            ing momentum of Yogasana in the United States and reflects the hard work   and her commitment to empowering nurses, advancing innovation, and im-
            of its athletes, coaches, and supporters.                           proving mental healthcare outcomes across New York State.
                “This is a proud moment for the United States of America. Our athletes
            worked extremely hard for months and performed with passion and commit-
            ment, traveling to India and competing on the world stage for the first time!”,   To read more about Indian diaspora and Global Indians, log on to and follow
            Balwinder Singh from Connecticut quoted. “                                            our website www.TheIndianEYE.com

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