With the new Trump administration now in power, we are littered with interesting headlines daily. Reports suggest Donald Trump is focusing on global relationships while the price of eggs and gasoline skyrockets. No worries though because Elon Musk’s DOGE will come to the rescue with federal spending cuts. Suddenly, many social benefit programs, research funding, public service jobs, and student aid are at risk of losing funding. Once again, America is being dominated by the interest of its billionaires. 

I am reminded of the Netflix series – “House of Cards.” The Underwoods always had their self-interest and protected their power through any means necessary. The question is who is the real Underwood in the Trump administration? Is it Donald Trump, Elon Musk, or Melania? Clearly there is more behind the shadows of the apparent chaos.

We promise that the two paragraphs on top will be the only political commentary throughout this edition of Siliconeer. We have a more noteworthy nucleus to discuss – the South Asian community. 

Coming from humble beginnings as new hires on H1-B visas, the South Asian community now holds prominence in different vectors – be it tech, finance, automotive, arts, science…you name it. The community also carries strong representation in government.

In the last 25 years, Siliconeer has been fortunate to be a part of the evolutionary ride driven by the South Asian community. Celebrating achievements for 25 years, we reflect on the journey to South Asian excellence.

Janam Gupta and Vansh Gupta reflect on the 25 years of  hard work, passion, and love from the community driving what you hold in your hands today. A grandiose collective vision is shared for the next 25 years.

Staying true to our promise of the next generation’s dialogue, we have Gen-Z student Aashi Shinde discuss cringe culture and its rising popularity in pop culture.

The reflections continue with Dr. Saloni Agarwal sharing her journey from India to pursuing a PhD in Germany.

Getting real about work, Gen-Alpha student, Dharani Purushotham grapples with the challenges of procrastination and battling strategies. Recognizing and addressing procrastination is the crucial first step.

With the ongoing stress of the college admissions process in high school, college admissions consultant, Sowmya Athreya, advises on the steps to take for a smooth and successful college application journey.

Speaking of smooth and successful, Vansh Gupta shares his thoughts on the 2025 Kia K4, which has elevated the game with a blend of style, modern technology, and affordability. 

Moving away from reflections and commentary, we bring the South Asian community to the limelight.

India celebrates its military might, traditions, and cultural significance during the 76th Republic Day celebration at the Kartavya Path Parade. India also hosted the largest human gathering with the once-in-a-century Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. With spiritual and cultural significance, many notable figures have taken a dip in the ‘Triveni Sangam,’ to cleanse the soul.

In Silicon Valley, the South Asian community celebrates its might a little differently. Bollywood spirit takes center stage at the Chase Center during a Golden State Warriors game. Silicon Valley South Asians flex their supercar collection in an auto show hosted by a Silicon Valley automotive performance garage. Lastly, South Asian scientists, investors, and innovators come together at a longevity symposium at Stanford University.

Other adventures include a trip through the fairytale world of Scotland. Driving through the picturesque Scottish Highlands and Isle of Skye, Chandini J. shares her enchanted journey with hints of Harry Potter and magic.

We are thankful that the South Asian community has constantly kept us on our toes. We are constantly evolving to ride with the South Asian community. Eager to hear the next big thing, South Asians have been aspirational on many fronts.

Reflecting on the last 25 years, we have ridden many waves together, but we stuck true to our commitment. Our promise for the next 25 years is to continue keeping this magazine fun, accessible, easy, and simple. With loads of style. We promise to continuously drive the South Asian Gen-Z Dialogue. We promise to stay ‘contrary to the mainstream.’ Lastly, we will continue to be inspired by the community that embraced us since the beginning.

Jai Hind!