FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Businessman Shalabh “Shalli” Kumar, founder of AVG Group of Companies, honored on his 70th birthday for his work on behalf of the Hindu and Indian-Americans and the Republican Party.
Mr. Shalabh “Shalli” Kumar is the distinguished Chairman of the Indian American Advisory Council of the House Republican Conference of the US Congress and is the founding Chairman of the Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC) alongside Former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich. Kumar was the single largest financial contributor to the 2016 Trump election campaign, along with family, they spent over $4MM. Established in 2015 the RHC was modeled after the highly successful Republican Jewish Coalition. Kumar’s objective was to facilitate a bridge between the Hindu-American community, Republican policymakers and Republican leaders. Of the 5 Million Hindu Americans in the United States, there are 2.2 Million registered to vote (84% of which traditionally vote Democrat). Through the efforts of Kumar and his RHC, in 2016 he was able to flip the script, solidifying 65% of Hindu American vote for the Republican party, according to Zee News Poll.
Additional contributions to the Republican party was Kumar’s Ad campaign “Ab Ki Baar Trump Sarkar” launched in his capacity as the Chairman of Indian American Advisory Council of Trump. It was part of the official Trump campaign and was declared best ad of 2016, reaching over 1.2 Billion people worldwide.
In total, 250 friends, family and colleagues gathered at the Rana Reagan Community Center (named after two champions of freedom Mr. Kumar reveres, Maharana Pratap and President Ronald Reagan) on December 23rd to celebrate the 70th Birthday of Kumar. Emphasized throughout the evening was a key and fundamental guiding principle of Kumar’s life, deeply rooted in the Hindu Rajput culture.
“Raghukul reet sada chali Ayee, Pran jayen par vachan na jayee”
This simply translates to “Promises made, promises kept.” Not only has this been instrumental to Kumar’s life, but it is a message he has equally impacted messaging at the White House. Central to the Trump presidency, time and time again he has mentioned “Promises made, promises kept.” https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1050788995377049601.
Many of his family and friends including Sharda Sharma, his elder Soul sister, who tied the band of protection on his hand when he was just 12 years old and herself a 13 year old, told everyone the story of how he kept his promise of finding a right mate for him at the age of 12 even when he migrated to US 8 years later. She has been married to Manny Sharma for 48 years, now have a Sharma clan of almost 100 people in Chicago. Sharda and Manny married to each other just on Mr. Kumar’s word. They did not meet or even see each other’s picture or talk to each other until just three days before their marriage.
Another one of the common themes among the speakers was description of Mr. Kumar’s dedication to work, and that they all have experienced his ability to carry one with very limited sleep each day, for weeks, sometimes months at a time. They all did show a concern about his health and begged him to slow down a bit as he is now 70 years old. We shall see!
Mr. Kumar told the crowd that he does not like to celebrate his own Birthday, but his Sole daughter Manasvi Kumar, Miss India 2010, was determined to do this party no matter what. The entire biological and extended family including his son Vikram, daughter-in-law Pooja, a former Miss India and today a practicing surgeon in Chicago, Arjun, his biological daughter Anjali and Mr. Kumar’s grandchildren, and community leaders from 20 different organizations were at hand to celebrate the birthday of this “great man”.
Paying tribute to Mr. Kumar were Former Speaker of the House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Senator Rob Portman, Congressmen Roger Marshall, Rodney Davis, Democrat Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois district 8, John Sandy, Chief of Staff of Senator James Risch, incoming Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Dick Morris, Chief Advisor to President Clinton, congratulating Kumar on his 70th Birthday. They were all appreciative of his public service in raising issues important to the Hindu and Indian American community.
“There has been no one who has done more to elevate Indo-American relations than Shalli Kumar.”
-Newt Gingrich
Guests for the evening were treated to an evening of Bollywood and Bhangra with entertainment provided by Signature, winner of Britain’s Got Talent, and known worldwide for his Michael Jackson dance routines. “Elvis of India” pop musician Daler Mehndi, along with Bollywood entertainment Rex Dsouza and Arya Academy were also on hand.