Fiscal cliff: Barack Obama invites Indra Nooyi, Neera Tandon, Deepak Bhargava

US President Barack Obama has invited at least three Indian-Americans, including PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, as part of his wider consultations with leaders from business, labour, civic community and Congress on the current economic crisis.

Neera Tandon, president of the Centre for American Progress, an eminent US think-tank based in Washington and Deepak Bhargava from the Centre for Community Change are the other Indian-Americans to have been invited by Obama for consultations, a White House official said.

The US President this week will meet leaders from the business, labour, progressive and civic community, as well as Congressional leadership, to have discussion about the best ways to move the economy forward and find a balanced approach to reduce the deficit, the official said.

"On Tuesday Obama will attend a meeting with labour and progressive leaders. On Wednesday, the President will meet with leaders from the business community," the official said.

Neera Tandon and Deepak Bhargava have been invited to attend the White House meeting with Obama today.

Others attending the meeting are Kay Henry from Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Lee Saunders, from American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Dennis Van Roekel from National Education

Association (NEA), Rich Trumka from American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations (AFL¿CIO).

The list also includes John Podesta from Centre for American Progress; Bob Greenstein, Centre for Budget and Policy Priorities; Laura Burton Capps, Common Purpose Project; Max Richtman, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare and Justin Ruben from MoveOn.

"The President and the Vice President will attend a meeting with leaders from the labour community and other progressive leaders to discuss the actions we need to take to keep our economy growing and find a balanced approach to reduce our deficit," the White House said yesterday.

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