Philip Goldberg (Photo: Suzanne Sen)
The first day of the 16th
annual IACA Festival of India
was Sunday, August 19,
2012 at the India American
Cultural Association’s Cultural
and Religious Center
(ICRC) in Smyrna. The varied
activities were fun for
the whole family: a health
fair, cooking demos and
competitions, seminars, a
game show, and a talent
and fashion show. Sanatan
Mandir also presented
a lecture by author Philip
Goldberg, titled “American
Veda: How India Changed Our World,” chronicling
the history of Indian spirituality in this country and the
West, in general, from 1890s to now.
The colors of the Indian flag stood out vividly in the
décor of the Gwinnett Center, making the second day
of celebrations festive. On August 25, a record number
of busy booths offered jewelry, garments, home décor
items, travel information, etc. Children were enthusiastic
participants in an art competition conducted by Global
Arts; more than 100 kids were awarded prizes and certificates
for their participation and creative contributions.
Seminars made a comeback this year, with current hot
topics being discussed: the youth seminar – bridging the
gap between first and second generations (Sarung Tripathi
& Chetan Hebbale); innovation to and from India by
TIE (Moderator C N Madhusudan); Art of Living; Isha
Foundation; taxation (Chugg Firm, Shailesh Patel, Avani
Patel, Kapil Handa); Sahaj Marg; Type 2 Diabetes; holistic
health; and Raksha – involving men in creating peace
at home.
The cultural show was a huge crowd pleaser as
usual. Among the highlights were “The Legends of India”
program which had individuals dressed up as the freedom
fighters of India; the Odissi dance recital; dance performance
by the students of Chandrika Chandran to the
songs by Rabindranath Tagore; a stand-up comedy act by
Tushar Singh; contemporary ballet and hip-hop dances
by the Royal Dance Academy; many Bollywood dances; a
short version of the quiz show “Neelam Ghar” by Aslam
Pervez; and much more. This time, it was also refreshing
to see dances of the Northeastern states of India as
well, such as the lovely Assamese dance presented by
some families.
Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and Honorable Consul General Mr. Ajit Kumar on
stage with organizers and IACA officials at the Festival of India, day two. (Photo: Bharat Kotecha)
The expansive hall was jam-packed by late afternoon
with huge crowds, and festivities continued until
7pm. It was lovely sight to see friends chatting and reconnecting
with each other, children learning about Indian
history and others enjoying a leisurely afternoon
amidst some great entertainment. Comments received
showed that the festival was much enjoyed and that the
team of IACA Executive Committee and BOD members,
headed by FOI Program Director, Lakshmi Vedala, were to
be congratulated.
Padma Rallapalli, Chairperson of IACA, welcomed
special speakers Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and Honorable
Consul General Mr. Ajit Kumar. She highlighted
how the team was working towards making a stronger
future for IACA by taking some aggressive steps: a vision
plan, rewriting the bylaws, revamping the electoral
system, expanding the activities to include youth, and
a more diverse group of volunteers to reach deeper into
the community. Plans for the future include the completion
of Sanatan Mandir and building a new community
center. President Kaushal Tripathi also gave an enthusiastic
speech.
Padma Rallapalli called the past Presidents and
members of the executive committee and boards of IACA
and other associations present to the stage for recognition
of their contributions, and IACA awards were given
to Vasav Mehta, Jag Sheth, and Pran Sood in recognition
of their contributions to the community.
Website Bonus Feature
Video:
Youth Forum Video – lively discussion on Bridging the Gap between 1st and 2nd Generations
http://www.iacaatl.org/youth-forum-video-bridging-the-gap-between-1st-and-generation/
The discussion touched various topics from parenting to career choices and how to bridge the cultural gap between first and second generation Indians. This discussion does not end here. Join this site as a user and as a Youth Member Group and post your comments or articles that are relevant to this topic.
Links:
Program details with participants
http://www.iacaatl.org/festival-of-india-2012-celebrations-â-day-1-at-iaca-grounds/
http://www.iacaatl.org/festival-of-india-2012-celebrations-â-day-2-at-gwinnett-center/