Indian-American doctor, mother of 5, dies in Houston car crash
Darpan News Desk IANS, 13 Dec, 2022 02:52 PM
New York, Dec 13 (IANS) An Indian-American doctor, dancer, and a mother of five children died on the spot after her car was hit by a speeding motorcycle in Houston city of Texas, media reports said.
Mini Vettical, 52, a native of Ramamangalam in Kerala, was on her way home from work when she died in a crash in southeast Houston at around 4 pm on December 7, KHOU 11, a Houston-based TV channel, reported.
She was a faculty member at Baylor University and worked primarily at Harris Health clinics.
"Dr Vettical was devoted to caring for the underprivileged and underserved in Harris County at multiple health centers. The Baylor Family Medicine community is in shock and disbelief. Her beloved personality will be tremendously missed by faculty and staff. She leaves a gap that is hard to fill among her colleagues and patients," a Baylor University statement read.
In addition to medically helping underserved populations throughout Houston, Vettical was actively involved in organisations like Pratham Houston and the Houston Area Women's Center. She was also a class volunteer and involved in the church and dancing theatre.
Vettical is survived by her husband and five children.
Pooja Vettical, the eldest of the five kids, told KHOU 11 that no matter how much Vettical had on her plate, "she always made time for her most important job of all - being a mom".
According to her obituary posted on the Dignity Memorial website, Vettical was born in Kuwait in 1970, and received her medical degree from the University of Texas. She specialised in Internal Medicine.
Her funeral was held on Monday at Houston's St Anne Catholic Church.
With a population of more than 4.5 million, Indian-Americans make up 1.4% of the US population and are the largest group of South Asian-Americans. Biden, along with First Lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, thanked the South Asian community across America for their optimism, courage, and empathy.
Fashion Designer Prabal Gurung was one of the hosts of Diwali New York, a glitzy soiree held Saturday at The Pierre, fittingly a Taj Hotel. The party, now in its third year, highlights Diwali by bringing together high-powered South Asians with other New York luminaries — people who “the world saw as leaders and role models,” said host Anita Chatterjee, CEO of A-Game Public Relations.
Foreign Office spokesman Asim Iftikhar said Pakistan's High Commission in Kenya were ascertaining information from the authorities, Dawn news reported. Condolences poured in from politicians and colleagues on the journalist's death.
It was another former Prime Minister Boris Johnson who gave Sunak his first major government role when he first appointed him as the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in 2019, and as the Chancellor in 2020. Sunak won popularity during the early weeks of the pandemic when he unveiled an extensive support plan for those unable to work during lockdown.
Diwali will be a public school holiday in New York City starting next year, Mayor Eric Adams announced at a press conference on Thursday with state assembly woman Jenifer Rajkumar. They were joined by Department of Education chancellor David Banks. The announcement comes two days before the festival of lights, which falls on October 24.
In effect, Britain will have an incredible and unprecedented third Prime Minister in three and a half months. Truss added she had agreed with Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee - the body that conducts internal elections in the Conservative party - that the leadership election will be completed within a week.
