Board of Directors

Dr. Deepak Sachdev	[email protected]
Dr. Harmesh Kumar	[email protected]
Dr. Naresh Sharma	[email protected]
Dr. Ramesh Konda	[email protected]
Dr. Subhash Garg	[email protected]
Mr. Amit Goel	[email protected]
Mr. Jeevan Zutshi	[email protected]
Mr. Rahul Zutshi	[email protected]
Mr. Shashi Sharma	[email protected]
Mr. Sujoy Sarkar	[email protected]

Founder Jeevan Zutshi

Jeevan Zutshi receiving 2018 Community Hero award at a ceremony in India Community Center
on July 12, 2018 from California State Assembly member Kansen Chu

Jeevan is the founding member of California chapter of Kashmiri overseas Association (KOA), founding member of IAKF, FIA of Northern California, GOPIO Silicon Valley and Indian American Friendship Council. Jeevan led two delegations to Jammu camps in the years 1994 and 1996 to visit Kashmiri refugee camps after 350,000 Kashmiri Pandits had to flee from their homes. Meetings were held with the Prime Minister, and several Ministers including relief Commissioners, to address complaints by camp dwellers in Jammu, and increase their allowance. 45 children in the camps were also adopted by Dr. Krishna Reddy, founder of Indian American Friendship Council.

Jeevan has an M.S degree in Civil Engineering from San Jose State University, California. He is owner of a small Real Estate Brokerage and Land development company, a practicing Real Estate Broker and property manager specializing in Residential and Commercial Real Estate in California.

Jeevan is also CEO of Insuranceforvisitors.com, a globalInsurance company providing medical and travel insurance.

Jeevan is the author of a non-fiction The Last Smile – A Fathers love story which was released on December 4, 2009 in Fremont Main Library. The book is about a journey of hope. It was received very well by U.S. State Department, members of the U.S. Congress and Senate at a book signing in January 2011. A feature film has been inspired by the book, produced by Amit Zutshi Foundation.

The independent feature film The Last Smile, receiving numerous awards in various continents, is available on Amazon Prime and some other on-line platforms.

Jeevan Zutshi, founder of the Indo-American Community Federation (IACF-USA), is a man with multiple talents. Community service is his mission.

Jeevan is the founding member of Kashmiri overseas association (KOA), founding member of IAKF, FIA of Northern California, Regional V.P. of NFIA and serves as V.P. of Indian American Friendship Council. Jeevan led two delegations to Jammu camps in 1994 and 1996. Meetings were held with the Prime Minister, and several Ministers including relief Commissioners, to address complaints by camp dwellers in Jammu, and increase their allowance. 45 children in the camps were also adopted by Dr. Krishna Reddy, founder of Indian American Friendship Council.

The first ever fundraiser for Stephen Solarz was organized by Jeevan and his Indo-American friends in California on September 29 1991, to educate him and the Indo-American community about Kashmiri Pandit exodus.

Another fundraiser was initiated by Jeevan for KOA in Fremont in 1990 to raise funds for immediate relief to Jammu camps and yet another fundraiser for KOA was organized with the help of Indian community on January 5, 1991.

He convened an international symposium in Fremont on November 15, 1992, mobilizing the Indian community support and giving a jump start to highlighting the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. Think tank and speakers from India participated. On behalf of Kashmiri Pandits, Jeevan organized meetings and receptions for Senator Sherrod Brown, Members of Congress Frank Pallone, Anna Eshoo, Ed Royce, Gary Ackerman, Mike Honda, Pete Stark and Senator John Edwards, who was the U.S. Presidential candidate in year 2004.

Jeevan was among the 23 Indo-American leaders from the U.S. invited to brief President Clinton on his historic trip to India on April 25, 2000. He has undertaken visits to meet visiting Prime Ministers or other Indian Ministers from India. He also played host to a few visiting dignitaries to California, including the local Consul Generals and an Ambassador.

He convened very powerful international Symposia on Kashmir in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2006 and has been continuously involving the mainstream community to find a peaceful solution to the Kashmir problem.

In October 2003, for the first time, a conference was sponsored by Congressman Frank Pallone on Jeevan’s initiative to brief the State department on the status of kashmiri Pandits in exile.

Again, on June 9, 2009, Capitol Hill Briefing was hosted by Kashmir Task Force – International Kashmir Federation in cooperation with HAF, NFIA, USINPAC, IACF and UHF which highlighted Kashmir situation and briefed the U.S. Administration.

IACF raised some funds for Faridabad Girls hostel and adopted children in Jammu camps, including fundraiser’s to help victims of terrorism in refugee camps of Jammu and Kargil, India.

Jeevan served as the national coordinator for Foundation for Excellence helping several Kashmiri boys and girls to be considered for sizable scholarships in professional colleges of India. He worked with All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS) to identify the recipients from years 1996 to 2000.

Jeevan has helped organize the Festival of India since 1993 and always promoted Kashmir through a Float, as part of the Parade, attended by more than 30,000 people in the City of Fremont.

He founded a non-profit organization named Indo-American Community Federation (IACF-US) in 1993 to help assimilate with mainstream community and started an annual Unity Dinner event in 2002 in the aftermath of 9/11. The Unity Dinner, Jeevan’s dream, has become one of the most popular events in California.

The organization strives to fight hate crime, disinformation, and promotes unity amongst diverse cultures.

The organization and Jeevan were honored by California legislature for providing leadership to promote diversity in year 2005, and again in 2013 and 2014. California legislature declared March 24, 2014 as the Unity Day in California.

Jeevan was honored by KOA in 1996 for dedication and service to Kashmiri Pandit community; he was honored by U.S Congressman Pallone for serving the cause of Pandits in 2003 and by Pete Stark for promoting diversity and understanding of Indian culture in 2004.

He was also appointed by Attorney General to serve on his Civil Rights’ Commission on Hate Crime Reporting to improve the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents occurring in schools and improve the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents by law enforcement agencies.

Jeevan served as the member board of Directors of Abode, Fremont Chamber of Commerce and Ohlone College Foundation.

Jeevan started Argus Consulting Services in 1983 to serve the high technology sector and successfully served several Silicon Valley leaders like Bechtel Corp., General Dynamics, NASA, Lockheed, Westinghouse, National Semi Conductors, Advanced Micro device and many more, with finest professionals in Engineering and Business. Delivering projects that enable business growth and aligning IT strategies to business goals are key priorities for CIO’s today.

Jeevan has worked in designing and building land development projects and providing Construction management services on very large Civil Engineering Projects in USA since 1972. He represented a major construction company to work in Saudi Arabia on the largest Civil Engineering Project in the world in early 80’s. Jeevan is a graduate civil Engineer and was appointed by the California House speaker to serve as a Member of Departmental Transportation Advisory Committee for a 4 year term overseeing the legislative highway projects of the California Department of transportation.

Jeevan was appointed by Board of Supervisors to perform an Availability Study to analyze the Alameda County’s use of local, small emerging, minority and women business enterprises on County construction, architecture and engineering, professional services, and goods and other services contracts.

He was assisted by an eleven-member Community Task Force members conducting outreach to the County’s ethnic businesses.

Jeevan is a graduate Civil Engineer, a practicing Realtor and property manager, expert in Commercial Real Estate and lending. He owns a Real Estate firm in California. Jeevan is also an Insurance broker specializing in health and visitors insurance.

Jeevan is the author of a non-fiction The Last Smile – A Fathers love story which was released on December 4, 2009 in Fremont Main Library. The book is about a journey of hope. It was received very well by U.S. State Department, members of the U.S. Congress and Senate at a book signing in January 2011. A feature film has been inspired by the book, produced by Amit Zutshi Foundation with the help of IACF. It is currently in post production.

Jeevan lives with his family in Fremont, California.

Jeevan has always been fascinated by the following quote:

“They alone live, who live for the welfare of others, the others are more dead than alive. Give and take is the policy of ordinary people but there are a rare few who always serve others. They forget themselves in the service of others.” -Swami Vivekananda

Major IACF-USA Accomplishments since its Inception in 1993:

1. Recognize and celebrate California’s diversity by holding UNITY DINNER 2002, after 9/11. It became an annual event due to its concept and acceptance.
2. Fundraiser for the benefit of youth associated with Indo-American Community Service Center in 1998, before India Community Center came to existence.
3. Fundraisers to help victims of terrorism in refugee camps of Jammu and Kargil, India in 1998.
4. Held International seminars on terrorism in Indian State of Kashmir in the years 1992, 2003, 2004, 2006.
5. Assist in the Study of Gang problems amongst Indo-Americans to help Gang Task Force of Alameda County.
6. First Fundraiser for an orphanage in India in the year 1999, which helped the Creation of Home of Hope, Inc. by its esteemed founder.
7. Promote, support and enhance a positive business environment and thus increase participation of Indo-Americans in various activities through Fremont Chamber of Commerce.
8. Benefit youth and education through active participation of Indo-Americans in Ohlone Community College Foundation.
9. Identify homeless in Fremont and support raise awareness through Tri-City Homeless Coalition.
10. Formulation of the recommendations in the Attorney General’s Civil Rights’ Commission on Hate Crime Reporting to improve the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents occurring in schools and improve the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents by law enforcement agencies. By undertaking this directive, commissioners visited nearly two dozen diverse communities in small and large cities throughout California and the voices heard included those of students, seniors, people with disabilities, parents and working families. A Final report that reports on the Hate Crimes in California was released in March 2001.
11. Held town hall type meetings and community receptions for public officials in California including national level policy makers.
12. Assisting the members seeking appointments on local and state commissions, voluntary committees and non-profit boards.
13. Help build Indo-US relations through educating lawmakers on various important issues and leading delegations to India to open and promote channel of communication.
14. Attended oval office briefing with President Clinton related to his historic trip to India in year 2000.
15. Engage in meeting the Government of India senior Ministers and other officials, visiting the U.S to discuss issues affecting Indo-US relations.
16. Co-ordinate educational scholarship program through California based Foundation for Excellence, to benefit destitute youth in India seeking Professional education.
17. Extensive Interaction with media to serve as a resource on important worldwide humanitarian issues.
18. Participated in a major effort by the City of Fremont’s Census 2000 Complete Count Committee.
19. Initiated Congressional briefing on Kashmiri Pandits on Oct. 30, 2003
20. Initiated Hearing on Plight of Kashmiri Pandits by Congressman Pallone of Ohio On Nov. 14, 2003.
21. Hosted a Town Hall meeting with Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi of State of California, to discuss health care issues on August 19, 2005
22. Hosted a community meeting with Congressman Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio to discuss plight of Kashmiri Pandits and also nuclear agreement between India and the U.S on June 11, 2006 in Fremont, California.
23. NFIA Convention in Los Angeles and seminar on the plight of Kashmiri Pandits in October 2006.
24. Sunnyvale meeting to discuss rehabilitation of Kashmir refugees on September 27, 2006.
25. NFIA Convention in 2008 discussing the situation in Kashmir with Government of India officials and members of Congress.
26. Capitol Hill Kashmir Briefing on June 9, 2009 to highlight Talibanization and terrorism across the globe.
27. Capitol Hill Briefing on September 2, 2015 to discuss situation in Kashmir, India.
28. On-going meetings with the U.S. State Department and Members of the Congress discussing measures to promote Indo-US relations and address global
    terrorism.
29. Screening of the movie “The Last Smile” and discussion on dangerous over-the-counter supplements at the U.S. Department of State – Hosted by
    Congressman Mike Honda in September 2016.
30. Town Hall Meetings with Think Tank and Public officials continue.
31. Celebration of 25th Anniversary on March 22, 2019 coinciding with 18th Annual Unity Dinner event, held at ICC Milpitas, CA. Keynote Speaker Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, CA-18; Honored Guest speakers Congressman Ro Khanna, CA-17 and Consul General and Ambassador of India, Sanjay Panda. A panel discussion on Women’s history led by Anjali S. Zutshi with panelists District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, Dr. Connie Wun, Police Chief of Fremont Kim Petersen, Reshma Inamdar.
32. The Indo-American Community Federation hosted, in conjunction with the Kashmiri Overseas Association and the U.S.-India Political Action Committee, Oct. 16, 2019 a congressional briefing at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to address human rights issues of Kashmiri Pandits living in India.
33. Held Unity dinner on Zoom during Pandemic in the year 2020 and 2021
34. Held Unity dinner 2022 at Fremont Downtown Event Center with Honored Guest Speaker Attorney General of California Rob Bonta and Congressman Ro Khanna as Keynote Speaker.
35. Celebration of Festival of lights at the U.S. State Department in October 2022 led by Rahul Zutshi, Anjali Shaykher Zutshi and Shyla Zutshi.
36. Held Unity dinner 2022 and a Conference on Gun Violence and mental illness Panelists: Alameda County District Attorney Nancy E. O’Malley, Ohlone College
    President; Dr. Eric Bishop, City of Fremont Police Chief Sean Washington, Jasleen Khanuja, TV Anchor/ Producer.
37. Held Unity Dinner 2023 and a Panel Discussion on Mental health of youth and Gun Violence

Panelists: Jeff Rosen, Santa Clara County District Attorney; Fish Stark, Ever

Scouts; Desrie Campbell, City of Fremont Council member; Ragini Vecham, Parent

Activist; Dr. Harmesh Kumar, Psychologist – Moderated by: Anjali Shaykher Zutshi, Esq

1. Panel Discussion on Gender Equity and Modern Solutions July 23, 2023

Panelists:

Jeevan Zutshi, Sheryl Brinkley, MBA – Women’s Exec and Leadership Coach at ITM Coaching Next Level, Ruth Yong, Ph.D. – Executive Director at Palm Academy; Connie LaScola, MBA – Finance Professional at Codexis; Ramesh Konda, Ph.D. – Vice President at FloData; Dr. Harmesh Kumar – Psychologist and a Community leader