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GOPIO kicks-off webinar series with session on immigration issues
It dealt with challenges faced by Indian students and immigrants.
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Staff Reporter - Sat, 19, Jul 2025
- 02:43 EDT
- 14
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The panel featured experts of immigration laws from various countries / Courtesy photo
The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) inaugurated its international webinar series on July 12.
The first webinar of the series, titled, 'Indian Diaspora and Immigration Upheavals – Path Forward' featured Lord Bhikhu Parekh, a member of the House of Lords in London as the Chief Guest.
The event also featured leading immigration attorneys, policymakers, and community thought leaders to examine the shifting landscape of immigration policy across the US, Canada, and the UK.
The webinar started with a welcome by Webinar Series chair, Sunil Vuppala, who is also GOPIO’s Associate Secretary. This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Maya Chadda, professor emeritus at William Paterson University.
ALSO READ: GOPIO to host webinar on immigration, first of the virtual series
The webinar dealt with challenges faced by Indian students and immigrants, ranging from visa backlogs and restrictive reforms to evolving international student work policies in the USA, Canada and UK.
GOPIO’s Founder and Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham, outlined the need for the webinar series and said, "Our goal is to create a global platform that not only informs but equips the Indian diaspora to navigate complex immigration landscapes with clarity and purpose. Through these webinars, GOPIO remains a catalyst for connection, advocacy, and community resilience."
GOPIO President Prakash Shah echoed similar sentiments and said, "This series is more than information—it’s a lifeline. We are committed to amplifying the concerns of our communities across borders and shaping a proactive response to immigration challenges with expert insights and collaborative solutions. In addition, we want to galvanize the Indian Diaspora for a greater contribution to reshape the future of global migration."
Addressing the viewers who had tuned in from various parts of the globe, Parekh said, “Migration out of India had been quite common, in pre-Aristotelian times in 3rd and 4th Century BC, people usually moved from Gujarat to various parts of Greece, Rome and South-East Asia. Then it remained static and picked up again, when slavery was abolished and it was replaced by indentured labourers scattered across 42 countries.”
The panel included David Nachman, the managing attorney of the New Jersey Offices of the NPZ law group; Stephanie Dy, an attorney with the Parikh Law Group in Chicago; Dr. Sudhir Mohanlal Shah, Advocate with the Mumbai based law firm M/s. Sudhir Shah & Associates; Shaima Ammal, Solicitor Advocate (England & Wales) and Advocate (Kerala High Court) and Barrister & Solicitor Gagan Mundra, managing partner of Canadian law firm, Visaserve Immigration Law.
ALSO READ: GOPIO to host webinar series to keep diaspora informed
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