NATA Trying for Fund to Help Tri-Valley Students

Princeton, NJ: North American Telugu Association (NATA) is trying to set up fund to provide assistance to some Tri-Valley students, said NATA president AVN Reddy.

NATA is a leading non-profit cultural organization serving the Telugu community in the US and Canada. Created under the stewardship of prominent Telugu leaders, Dr. Prem Reddy, Dr. Pailla Malla Reddy, and other members, NATA is involved in community affairs, social service, student assistance, and promotion of Telugu language and heritage.

Many students of Telugu origin are affected by the Tri-Valley University (TVU) in California, which has been closed due to massive immigration irregularities under investigation by government authorities. This has created serious legal issues to hundreds of Indian students who are facing uncertainty regarding their status and academic future. Members of NATA expressed shock at the news of hundreds of students being impacted by the closure of TVU.

NATA is working for the past two weeks in assisting students of Telugu community for their safety and other needs. The NATA President has set up a task force under the leadership of Mahender Musuku, a Board of Director and prominent member of Telugu community in the Northwestern region.

On January 30, NATA has arranged teleconference with the expert immigration attorney Rajiv S. Khanna (www.immigration.com) for providing legal and immigrating guidance to students affected by the TVU situation. In response to NATA call, an estimated 300 students participated in the conference and discussed legal and academic immigration matters with attorney Rajiv Khanna. Students have narrated their horrific personal stories and the hurdles they are going through due to closure of the university. Attorney Patrick Papallia, a specialist on civil litigation and business matters, is also helping students in need of guidance on specific legal issues.

'We are helping half-dozen students every day since the conference' said Mahender Musuku. With a team of legal and immigration attorney headed by Rajiv Khanna, NATA coordinators are facilitating continued communication and needed guidance to deserving Telugu students. NATA leadership team is making all efforts by contacting officials at Indian Embassy in Washington, DC, and various Indian consulates, and also urging US senators and congressmen for providing justice to students with valid visas.

Many students are facing severe financial crisis due to expenses involved in legal and immigration matters. Regional Vice-presidents, Council members, and the entire 29 member board of directors of NATA are compassionate in helping the distressed Telugu students. The NATA team is raising 'Tri-Valley student fund' to partially help paying such expenses, said AVN Reddy. Given hundreds of students and scope of their cases, it is beyond a single organization to help every student, but we would like to use this fund to help few genuine students for their legitimate needs according to the circumstances, entirely on a case-by-case basis, said AVN Reddy.

NATA team urged students who need help can contact NATA at via e-mail natacommunityservice@gmail.com, said task coordinator Mahender Mususku. NATA is providing moral support to all Indian students in the US and advising for proper utilization of educational opportunities. Students coming from India are advised to take maximum precautions checking the accreditation status, reputation of institution, and strictly adhere to safety and legal requirements of the educational program, advised media coordinator Samba Reddy.

For further information, visit NATA website www.nataus.org.