IAFPE

The Indian American Forum for Political Education Involvement

Dr. Parikh has been personally responsible for Congressman Elliot Engel (D-N.Y.), Rush Holt (D-N.J.) and Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) joining the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans. Among the U.S. lawmakers whom Dr. Parikh has supported and won over to the Indian cause are Republican Senators Larry Pressler and Bill Frist, and Democratic Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton. Among Representatives who are close to Dr. Parikh are: Benjamin Gilman, Bob Menendez, Frank Pallone, Gary Ackerman, Rush Holt and Anthony Weiner. Former New Jersey Governor, Christine Todd Whitman, the Head of the Environmental Protection Agency, is a personal friend of Dr. Parikh and he has been her consistent political supporter. Dr. Parikh was among the few Indian Americans who served on the Host Committee for the election of George W. Bush as President.

In March 2000, Dr. Parikh was invited by the White House to join President Clinton on his historic visit to India to represent the Indian-American community. In 2001, Dr. Parikh was again requested to join former President Clinton on a trip to India during the relief effort for earthquake victims in Gujarat. During the visit, Dr. Parikh was part of the delegation of the American India Foundation, which he actively supports. This Foundation provides long-term rehabilitation for Gujarat earthquake victims and aims to provide technological, managerial and financial resources to benefit other area all across India. AIF has already distributed a half million dollars toward the Gujarat relief effort.

He currently serves as President Elect of the Indian American Forum for Political Education. Dr. Parikh is a member of the Board of Directors of the Indian American National Foundation a conglomeration of all major Indian American organizations

Philanthropic and Charitable Contributions To The Indian American Community

  1. Dr. Sudhir Parikh has personally donated $151,000 to the Vraj Shrinalhajee Temple in the U.S.A.
  2. Dr. Sudhir Parikh was presented with the National Excellence Award by the former Indian Prime Minister, PV Narashima Rao in Washington, DC at the annual meeting of Indian American Friendship Council.
  3. The Gujarat Cancer Society in Ahmedabad, India honored Dr. Parikh. He assisted in raising over $150,000 from the B.J. Medical Alumni Association in the U.S.A.
  4. Share and Care Foundation a non-profit organization helping the poorest of the poor in India, similar to the Salvation Army in the United States, honored Dr. Parikh on four occasions as Grand Sponsor of Charitable Events in the past eighteen years.
  5. From 1995 through 2005, Dr. Parikh funded a scholarship which provides undergraduate studies in Indian communities in the United States, through the Share and Care Foundation.
  6. The Nargis Dutt Foundation has honored Dr. Parikh as Grand Sponsor. This is a premier charitable foundation helping cancer patients in India.
  7. Dr. Parikh was honored by the Federation of Indian Associates (FIA) as Grand Sponsor for his philanthropic work to preserve and propagate Indian culture in the United States by sponsoring India Day Parade.
  8. Dr. Parikh was honored by the National Federation of Indian Associates for his outstanding community services.
  9. In 1999, Dr. Parikh received an award for Professional Achievement for his contributions to the medical community by the Asian Heritage Council in New Jersey.
  10. Dr. Parikh has received honors for his philanthropic work from various American and Indian American community organizations including: State of New Jersey Senate, Gujarati Samaj of New York City, Vishva Gujarati Samaj, Indian Cultural Association of New Jersey, Federation of AAPI, Indian American Forum for Political Education and Association of Indians in America.
  11. Dr. Parikh is the President Elect of the Indian American Forum for Political Education, the premier organization working toward political empowerment of the Indian American community. He was instrumental in starting a Congressional Internship Program for second generation Indian Americans in the U.S. Congress.
  12. Dr. Parikh was Co-Chairman of the Reception Committee of the Indian American community for Prime Minister Vajpaee’s visit to the U.S. in both 1998 and 2000. The Prime Minister honored Dr. Parikh during the New York public reception for his grass roots activism and philanthropic activities.
  13. New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, appointed Dr. Parikh in 1995 as a member of the State Board of Medical Examiners (a medical licensing board). This was the first time this honor had been bestowed upon an Indian American physician in the history of NJ.
  14. In November 1996 Congressman Bob Frank, a Republican of New Jersey presented him with a special American Flag that had flown over Capital Hill in Washington, D.C. in his honor. Representative Frank stated that the honor was bestowed on him because of his contributions in the field of medicine and in particular working on a measure to protect Indian American Physicians from deselection in the House Medicare-Managed care bill as well as his contributions to Politics and Community service.
  15. In March 1999, Dr. Parikh was appointed as a member of the National Leadership Advisory Committee of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans by the Chairman of the Indian Caucus, U.S. Congressman Gary L. Ackerman, the Democrat from New York. The role of the committee is to help provide the Indian Caucus the needed counsel and guidance regarding all issues affecting South Asia, especially India.
  16. Dr. Parikh has worked with Prime Minister Vajpayee’s office to develop Trauma Centers in India.
  17. Trustee for the National Federation of Indian Associations – this is an umbrella organization representing over 200 different Indian organizations.
  18. Board of Director for the Indian American National Foundation, which is an umbrella organization of: American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin AAPI, Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), National Federation Indian American Associations (NFIA) and Indian American Forum for Political Education (AFPE).

Professional Accomplishments

  • Dr. Parikh is a Diplomat of the American Board of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, as well as a Fellow of the American College of Allergy and Immunology. He was appointed as Clinical Assistant Professor at the NY Medical College in 1980. Dr. Parikh is currently a Clinical Associate Professor at UMDNJ-Rutgers Medical School.
  • Dr. Parikh serves as a Consulting Allergist at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and other teaching hospitals throughout New Jersey. He is a member of the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology.
  • Trustee of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin.
  • Recipient of most distinguished services to AAPI award during the 19th Annual Convention in Washington, D.C.
  • Recipient of Presidential Award of AAPI in the year 2000 for his contributions to AAPI.
  • Co-Chairman of AAPI National Convention in 2000 in NYC, which raised over $2,000,000 and netted a profit of over $700,000 to AAPI. Dr. Parikh raised the money personally.
  • Patron Trustee of AAPI Charitable Foundation. Dr. Parikh has been raising funds for this foundation actively since 1996.
  • He was the first President of the AAPI Federation of NY/NJ/PA, which has over 6,000 Physicians of Indian Origin in the Tri-State area. During his tenure he made the outfit dynamic by serving the professional needs of the membership.
  • Dr. Parikh was the Regional Director of the Mid-Atlantic AAPI from 1995 until 1996.
  • Member of the prestigious New Jersey Licensing Board for physicians. Contributed significantly to protect the interests of Physicians in the State of New Jersey. He was a prominent Board member helping resolve the Pre-Medical deficit issue in NJ for Indian American Physicians, which resulted in a large number of Foreign Medical Graduates receiving their licenses in the State of New Jersey.
  • As a member of AAPI-PAC, he motivated the powerful Chairman Emeritus of the House International Relations Committee, Congressman Benjamin Gilman, the New York Republican and other members of the U.S. Congress; including Frank Pallone the Democrat of New Jersey, to address issues affecting Indian Physicians at various conventions.
  • As Past President of B.J. Medical Alumni Association, he was instrumental in helping the Alumni raise over $100,000 to ensure better quality care in Ahmedabad. The Association is the largest Alumni Association of Indian Physicians in the United States.
  • 1997 Dr. Parikh was appointed a Member of the New Jersey Task force to formulate Tele-Medicine Licensing by the State Board of Medical Examiners.
  • 1998 Dr. Parikh was appointed to represent the IMG section in the New Jersey Medical Society.