Indian American Business Association Proves Valuable Ally to India Center

Community partners play a pivotal role in advancing the mission of the India Center at UCF, including the Indian-American Business Association and Chamber (IABA).

IABA President Prashant “Peter” Patel said expanding public knowledge and scholarship of India are just two of the shared goals between his organization and the India Center. More recently, though, IABA’s mission has shifted to hosting virtual forums to increase community health knowledge and helping Indian American business owners pivot their businesses to survive the shutdown.

“We’ve been working hard to help out business owners and others understand the available resources like disaster loans and local, state and federal government resources” Patel said.

IABA functions like a typical chamber of commerce, but with an emphasis on the Indian American community. Building bridges between the world’s fifth-largest economy and Central Florida’s booming workforce is one section of what they do. Patel said the current Indian government administration is focused on clearing red tape to make it easier for local entrepreneurs, corporates and business owners to do business in Florida and vice versa.

“The call center and IT sector is obviously big in India, but there’s much more depth and talent than that,” Patel said.

Closer to home, the not-for-profit’s mission of spreading awareness of Indian culture takes shape in ways like hosting sporting events, including Indian national pastime cricket. And, of course, teaming up with higher education to amplify their message.

IABA is a valued partner of the India Center, and Patel has shared his insights as a member of the UCF Indian Center steering committee since 2017. As one of the fastest-growing universities in the U.S., there is tremendous opportunity for collaboration with UCF, Patel said.

“We want to be a voice and support system for everyone,” Patel said.

You can find IABA on Facebook @IABAofUSA or online at www.IABAusa.com. The website is a place for businesses and professionals to connect, promote and build business relationships.