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    Newsmakers of the Week                                             FEBRUARY 06, 2026       |  The Indian Eye 34

                             NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK

                       Selected stories about Indian diaspora from our website www.theindianeye.com

               Prerak Shah Appointed to Florida                                 cymakers, global philanthropies, Rotary and Lions leadership, clinicians, cor-
                                                                                porate leaders, and youth advocates. The focus will be on accelerating scal-
                        A&M University Board                                    able solutions to eliminate preventable childhood blindness worldwide.
                                                                                    In his address, Chatterjee is expected to emphasize the need for inte-
                                                                                grated public health systems, outcomes-driven investment, and cross-sector
                                                                                partnerships. His participation reflects growing international consensus that
                  allahassee, FL: Florida Gover-                                protecting a child’s vision is foundational to learning, human capital develop-
                  nor Ron DeSantis has appoint-
            Ted Prerak “Pre” Shah to the                                        ment, and inclusive growth.
                                                                                    Since 1977, EFA has led community-based programs across India and Af-
            Florida A&M University (FAMU)                                       rica, delivering neonatal eye screening, pediatric care, and capacity-building
            Board of Trustees, strengthening the                                initiatives. Its work has helped restore or protect sight for millions of children,
            institution’s leadership with exten-                                demonstrating that early detection and timely intervention can transform
            sive legal and public service exper-                                lives.
            tise. Shah’s term begins in January                                     Observed  annually  on  January  31,  the  International  Day  for  a  World
            2026 and runs through January 2031.                                 Without Childhood Blindness mobilizes governments, civil society, and the
            He was appointed on December                                        private sector to institutionalize prevention within national health systems.
            12, 2025, alongside three other new                                     “A world without childhood blindness is not an aspiration—it is achiev-
            trustees.                                                           able,” Chatterjee said. “When we protect a child’s sight, we protect education,
                Shah is a partner at Gibson,
            Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Houston, where he advises corporations and se-  dignity, and the future of nations.”
            nior executives on complex state, federal, and congressional investigations.
            His practice also includes high-stakes civil litigation at the intersection of law,   Indian Envoy Reviews Counter-
            public policy, and politics, reflecting deep experience in navigating regulatory
            and governance challenges.                                               Narcotics Cooperation with US
                Previously, Shah served as Acting United States Attorney for the North-
            ern District of Texas, overseeing more than 120 federal prosecutors and acting   ashington,  DC:  Indian
            as chief law enforcement officer for a region serving over eight million peo-  Ambassador to the United
            ple. During his tenure, he led major prosecutions involving securities fraud,   WStates Vinay Mohan Kwa-
            domestic terrorism, and violent crime. His public service record also includes   tra delivered opening remarks at the
            roles as Chief of Staff and Chief Counsel to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and Senior   India–US Drug Policy Framework
            Counsel to the Attorney General of Texas.                           Executive  Group  meeting,  reaffirm-
                Shah earned his Juris Doctor with honors from the University of Chicago
            Law School and clerked for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.  ing bilateral commitment to count-
                                                                                er-narcotics cooperation and efforts
                Welcoming the new trustees, FAMU President Marva B. Johnson, J.D.,
            said their diverse backgrounds would enhance the board’s collective leader-  to curb illicit drug trafficking.
                                                                                    The meeting, attended by Sara
            ship. “Their outstanding experience in law, business, and healthcare will bring   Carter,  Director  of  the  U.S.  Office
            added value as we work together to lead FAMU forward,” she said.
                                                                                of National Drug Control Policy, re-
                                                                                viewed progress in addressing drug
                 Siddharth Chatterjee Speaks at                                 trafficking  networks  and  the  diver-
                                                                                sion of precursor chemicals. Discus-
                     Childhood Blindness Event                                  sions emphasized targeted enforce-
                                                                                ment and active coordination between Indian and U.S. agencies.
                                                                                    In a post on X, the Indian Embassy noted that both sides underscored the
                  ondon: The House of Lords                                     importance of effective and focused enforcement mechanisms to disrupt illicit
                  will host a landmark global                                   flows and strengthen shared responses to emerging narcotics threats.
            Lcommemoration of the Inter-                                            Beyond counter-narcotics engagement, Ambassador Kwatra has inten-
            national Day for a World Without                                    sified diplomatic outreach on Capitol Hill. Earlier this month, he hosted 12
            Childhood Blindness on January 31,                                  members of the U.S. House of Representatives at India House, highlighting
            2026,  marking  nearly  five  decades                               bipartisan congressional support for deepening India–US ties across trade,
            of impact by the Eye Foundation of                                  technology, defense, and counterterrorism.
            America  (EFA)  in  preventing  and                                     Kwatra also met U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, thanking him for
            treating childhood blindness.                                       continued support for strengthening bilateral relations. During the meeting,
                Adding global significance to the                               he expressed appreciation for U.S. solidarity with India following the April
            event,  Siddharth Chatterjee,  Unit-                                2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reiterated India’s firm stance against
            ed Nations Resident Coordinator in                                  terrorism.
            China, will deliver the keynote ad-                                     The discussions covered key areas of partnership, including defense and
            dress, underscoring childhood blind-                                security, oil and gas trade, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies.
            ness as a solvable development challenge linked to health, education, equity,   Kwatra noted that India’s projected economic growth of over 7 percent fur-
            and economic productivity.                                          ther  strengthens  the  shared  vision  of  prosperity  and  security  between  the
                The high-level gathering will bring together UN leaders, diplomats, poli-  world’s two largest democracies.  Continued on next page... >>

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