Latest news with #IndianCommunity
Independent Singapore
21 hours ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Founder of Little India's iconic Jothi Store & Flower Shop passes away at age 93
- Advertisement - SINGAPORE: Murugaiah Ramachandran, the founder of the iconic Jothi Store & Flower Shop in Singapore's Little India, has passed away at the age of 93. Born in Tamil Nadu, India, Mr Murugaiah arrived in Singapore in 1948 as a teenager, working first as a compositor at The Straits Times and later as chief librarian at the Singapore Tiger Standard. In the early 1960s, he took a leap into entrepreneurship, opening a humble ottukadai—named 'Jothi Store' in honour of his daughter—to supply flower garlands, betel leaves, and essentials for the devout worshippers in Little India or Tekka as it is known among locals. Under his stewardship, Jothi Store expanded from a small stall to occupy a five-storey building at 1 Campbell Lane. It soon became a cultural mainstay and its reach now extends beyond Singapore, with exports to Malaysia, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe. - Advertisement - In 1986, his son, Rajkumar took the reins and steered the business to new heights—modernising operations while retaining the family's commitment to serving the Singaporean Indian community . For more than six decades, Jothi Store became synonymous with Little India, providing goods for daily worship, Indian festivals, weddings, and community celebrations. It was honoured by the National Heritage Board as part of the 'Street‑Corner Heritage Galleries,' cementing its place in the nation's cultural tapestry . Despite semi-retirement, Mr Murugaiah remained a regular presence behind the counter well into his 90s. Tributes poured in as the Indian Heritage Centre confirmed his passing in a Facebook post on Friday (20 June). Members of the public, long-time customers, and community leaders shared heartfelt messages remembering the entrepreneur's kindness, humility, and lasting impact on Singapore's Indian community. - Advertisement - Many recalled personal interactions with Mr Murugaiah from his early days as a shopkeeper at Campbell Lane. Sowaran Singh, a former customer, recounted, 'I will remember him when he had a semi push cart cum shop in Campbell Lane. He was very kind and soft spoken. I did loads of events using his shop later. I last met him about nine months ago—he still came to the shop for a few hours. God bless his soul.' Fellow netizen, Vickna Anandarajah, described Jothi Store as an essential part of community life: 'Jothi Store became the go-to place to get traditional Indian, especially South Indian and Jaffna cookery and worship items. It became an icon of Tekka. My mum used to reserve Indian calendars from them, making it a yearly trip for her and then me.' Another Facebook user, Mathilda Dsilva, wrote: 'These are the pillars of the Singaporean Indian community, whose support and strong business commitment drive all of us forward. Singaporeans of all races have lost a prominent business role model and icon.' - Advertisement - Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry board director Shobha Tsering Bhalla added: 'We used to buy flowers and other puja essentials directly from him in the early days, 39 years ago, when we made Singapore our home. We have had the privilege of seeing his shop grow into a Singapore landmark.' She added, 'He was an institution. May his noble soul attain Sadgati. Om Shanti.' Mr Murugaiah's family has been moved by the tributes. His son Rajkumar said in a Facebook comment, 'On behalf of Jothi Store & Flower Shop ,we thank each and every one for your condolence on passing of my father, founder of JSFS Mr M Ramachandra. 'Truly appreciate your kind words about my father, a legend, truly a humble person who had built a 65 years old traditional business for the needs of the Indian Community for all religious festivals and Celebrations.'
ABC News
5 days ago
- ABC News
Social media flooded with racist comments after Air India crash, but Indians are speaking out
Warning: This story contains details that some readers may find distressing. In the wake of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed 241 people, social media was flooded with racist comments mocking the victims. Comment sections on news stories about the crash were filled with stereotypes and caricatures about the passengers being Uber drivers, delivering butter chicken and running 7-Elevens. "It was the curry chicken to blame." "The pilot just had some Indian street food." For Pree Shah, in New York City, the racism that confronted her after the plane crash was "shocking" and "difficult to stomach". "One of my family friends went to the medical college where the plane crashed," Ms Shah told the ABC. "It's personal for some of us and hits close to home." The 25-year-old said instead of being sensitive and compassionate, people online were knocking down "an already emotionally hurt community". "There is no acceptable time for racism but this especially feels like a 'read the room' moment," Ms Shah said. Uber, the smell of Indians, Indian food, and Indians being "scammers". Varsha Yajman from Sydney has seen "the same four jokes" play out online time after time. Ms Yajman said she believed an increase in online hostility towards the Indian community was related to the growing intolerance to immigrants in the United States following Donald Trump's re-election. "The US's current ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] method feels like a reflection of what a lot of people across the world want," the 22-year-old said. Both Ms Yajman and Ms Shah said the comments perpetuated harmful stereotypes about Indians. "People are commenting jokes about Indians being scammers, smelly and useless," Ms Shah said. And this, she said, only just scratched the surface. Some of the comments went much further than racist stereotypes and wished actual harm to Indians. "Thank god there will be less immigrants in England. This just in: few houses are up for rent," one user commented on a Facebook post. The sheer volume of racist comments against Indians online is not new. It was an ongoing phenomenon in countries like Australia, the US and Canada, said Sukhmani Khorana, an associate professor in media and migration at the University of New South Wales. Dr Khorana said those posting the comments were "harking back to orientalist and colonial stereotypes". "They are dehumanising Indians by saying the loss of a couple of hundred doesn't matter, given there are so many around the world," she said. Only one passenger on board the London-bound jet survived the crash. And yet, many online mocked his survival, some even questioning if it was all fake. The majority of the racist comments Dr Khorana read were posted on Facebook and X. "They have been reported, but still not taken down," she said. She said this was the result of social media companies failing to put safeguards in place. "We need more transparency around who is deciding what 'community standards' are and how review decisions are made," she said. In January, the Center For The Study Of Organized Hate (CSOH) in Washington DC published a study on anti-Indian hate on X. It found that X, under the ownership of Elon Musk and following the administration of Donald Trump, saw an "unprecedented outpouring of anti-Indian racist hatred against Indians". The ABC contacted Meta and X for comment. Dr Khorana said racism against Indians and South Asians needed more attention from legacy media, social media companies and online safety regulators. "Mainstream media need to do better with article headlines and comment moderation," she said. At the crux of this issue, Dr Khorana said, people must remind one another that "we are all human". "It's important to treat someone as human," she said. "Race is a socio-historical construct, yet racism arises precisely because it is considered a biological and fixed difference which becomes the basis for dehumanisation."
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'In shock': British Indians mourn crash victims at London vigil
By Muvija M LONDON (Reuters) -Dozens of members of Britain's Indian community gathered at a Hindu temple in London on Saturday for a vigil mourning the victims of this week's Air India crash, many of whom had personal connections to the temple. Leaders from the Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Muslim, Parsi, Zoroastrian and other communities offered their prayers, as those in attendance, hands folded, recited chants. A representative of Britain's King Charles read out a message from him and offered Christian prayers. Rajrajeshwar Guruji, head of the Siddhashram Hindu temple in Harrow, likened the grief of those who lost family members in the crash of the London-bound flight to the wait for a loved one's return from an endless journey. "They're just waiting and waiting, now they are not going to come back again," he said in an interview. Guruji, who comes from the state of Gujarat where the plane crashed, said the temple had helped family members in Britain get information about their loved ones. "Some of the members ... I have spoken to them, and ... they don't have the words," he said. "They are in shock." Britain has one of the largest Indian communities outside India, with nearly 1.69 million people - or 3.1% of the population - identifying as ethnically Indian. "We believe that everyone who is born has to go one day. But I hope nobody goes the way these ... passengers, as well as the medical students, have gone," said Harrow Mayor Anjana Patel, who lost a family member. Only one of the 242 passengers and crew on board survived the crash, while others were killed when the plane struck a medical college's hostel. Patel told Reuters that the council was offering grief counselling. "We just cannot bear how people must be feeling," she said. Jyotsna Shukla, 66, said her son's childhood friend was on the plane with his wife and three children. "I feel very bad because he was so young," she said, before breaking down into tears. Among those killed was Vijay Rupani, a former chief minister of Gujarat, who had visited the temple.
Reuters
14-06-2025
- General
- Reuters
'In shock': British Indians mourn crash victims at London vigil
LONDON, June 14 (Reuters) - Dozens of members of Britain's Indian community gathered at a Hindu temple in London on Saturday for a vigil mourning the victims of this week's Air India crash, many of whom had personal connections to the temple. Leaders from the Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Muslim, Parsi, Zoroastrian and other communities offered their prayers, as those in attendance, hands folded, recited chants. A representative of Britain's King Charles read out a message from him and offered Christian prayers. Rajrajeshwar Guruji, head of the Siddhashram Hindu temple in Harrow, likened the grief of those who lost family members in the crash of the London-bound flight to the wait for a loved one's return from an endless journey. "They're just waiting and waiting, now they are not going to come back again," he said in an interview. Guruji, who comes from the state of Gujarat where the plane crashed, said the temple had helped family members in Britain get information about their loved ones. "Some of the members ... I have spoken to them, and ... they don't have the words," he said. "They are in shock." Britain has one of the largest Indian communities outside India, with nearly 1.69 million people - or 3.1% of the population - identifying as ethnically Indian. "We believe that everyone who is born has to go one day. But I hope nobody goes the way these ... passengers, as well as the medical students, have gone," said Harrow Mayor Anjana Patel, who lost a family member. Only one of the 242 passengers and crew on board survived the crash, while others were killed when the plane struck a medical college's hostel. Patel told Reuters that the council was offering grief counselling. "We just cannot bear how people must be feeling," she said. Jyotsna Shukla, 66, said her son's childhood friend was on the plane with his wife and three children. "I feel very bad because he was so young," she said, before breaking down into tears. Among those killed was Vijay Rupani, a former chief minister of Gujarat, who had visited the temple.
Malay Mail
14-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Tekun: RM23m in financing disbursed to 879 Indian entrepreneurs as of May 1
IPOH, June 14 — The National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (Tekun Nasional) has disbursed RM23 million in financing to 879 Indian entrepreneurs across the country as of May 1 this year. Senior private secretary to Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister, Datuk B. Anbumani, said the government provided the allocation under the SPUMI (Indian Community Entrepreneur Development Scheme) Goes Big financing scheme, benefiting 137 recipients, adding that another 742 Indian entrepreneurs received funding through the Tekun SPUMI scheme. 'In addition to Tekun financing, many other initiatives under the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry (Kuskop) have been rolled out this year, aimed at boosting the economic development of the Indian community. 'Therefore, the Indian community must make the most of the platforms provided by the government, as their economic well-being is crucial. Kuskop remains committed to supporting Indian entrepreneurs by offering various financing opportunities to help them grow their businesses,' he said. He said this today on behalf of the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Deputy Minister, Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, after the Vanakam Madani engagement session with Perak Indian entrepreneurs here. Anbumani said that these entrepreneurs are selling sarees, providing transportation services, running restaurants or retail outlets, and are involved in online ventures, among other things. — Bernama
