On the west coast of Florida, Tampa boasts a substantial Indian-American population of approximately 30,000, making them an integral part of the city's demographic makeup and multicultural fabric.
Among Tampa's Indian population, the cultural and social contributions of the Gujarati community have played a pivotal role in enriching Tampa's cultural landscape. There are a number of prominent organizations such as the Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay that are actively involved in preserving and promoting Gujarati culture, language, and traditions. They organize a diverse range of cultural events such as Navratri, Diwali celebrations, and Gujarati folk dance performances.
In addition to community-specific organizations like the Gujarati Samaj, broader Indian cultural associations also exist in Tampa. These include the Federation of Indian Associations of Tampa Bay (FIATB) and the India Cultural Center (ICC). These associations are dedicated to promoting Indian culture and traditions through various events such as Holi and India festivals, cultural programs, and educational workshops. They also support community development initiatives, youth programs, and charitable activities. Tampa also serves as the host city for the annual India International Film Festival (IIFF) of Tampa Bay.
Bhuvan Unhelkar is a distinguished professional with an expansive career in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). He currently holds prominent roles at several educational institutions, including being a full professor at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM), adjunct professor at Western Sydney University, Australia, and an honorary professor at Amity University, India.
Dr. Unhelkar is a founder and consultant at MethodScience and PlatiFi, specializing in a range of industrial research interests such as AI and Machine Learning in business optimization, Big Data, and business analysis in Agile contexts. His multifaceted expertise includes Big Data strategies, AI & business optimization, Agile processes, business analysis, software engineering, quality assurance & testing, and mobile business and Green IT, among others.
Having significant industry experience in banking, finance, insurance, government, and telecommunications, Dr. Unhelkar develops and applies industry-specific process maps and transformation approaches. He is an accomplished author with 25 books and numerous executive reports and journal articles to his credit. Dr. Unhelkar is also passionate about mentoring and training professionals, and creating assessment frameworks to support corporate change initiatives.
Recognized for his engaging presentations and workshops, Dr. Unhelkar delivers training courses worldwide that combine real-life examples with interactive Q&A sessions. He has been the recipient of several industry awards, including the IT Writer Award (2010), Consensus IT Professional Award (2006), and Computerworld Object Developer Award (1995).
Dr. Unhelkar earned his PhD in "object orientation" from the University of Technology, Sydney. He has had a fulfilling teaching career, designing and delivering a range of courses across multiple continents. He has also successfully supervised several PhD candidates and published research papers and case studies.
His professional affiliations include fellowships and memberships with prestigious organizations like the Australian Computer Society, IEEE Senior Member, Tampa Chapter, USA, and life memberships with the Computer Society of India and Baroda Management Association. In addition to his academic and professional pursuits, Dr. Unhelkar is involved in several volunteer and mentorship roles.