Category: Press Pictures

Press Conference & 15-Minute Bus Tour of Illinois Prairie Path in Hillside Asian Media USA © Hillside IL: Voters are outraged that Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Hillside Mayor Joe Tamburino want to spend about $15 million state taxes to make the Illinois Prairie Path more dangerous for bicyclists and pedestrians than it is today!  Instead, voters want far safer and less costly solutions to fix the Path, possibly saving Illinois taxpayers $14 million.  Read the Hillside Neighbors “Prairie Path Plan“ at www.hillsideneighbors.com. Also, voters want Pritzker to build a Prairie Path bridge over Mannheim Rd. at Warren Ave. between Hillside and Bellwood for maximum safety.  Other villages have built bridges like this over busy roads for pathways.  To pay for the bridge, voters want Pritzker to shut down a controversial state project in Hillside that was never built and reassign its $2 million state grant. The Illinois Prairie Path was created in 1963 as the first rails-to-trails conversion in North America.  A recreational path for walking and bicycling, the Path extends 60 miles from Maywood (east) to Geneva (west.)  Where the Path crosses Mannheim Rd. at either the Mannheim Rd./Washington St. or Mannheim Rd./Madison St. intersections, users face dangerous, fast-moving trucks and vehicles turning from all directions. The […]

કોઈ પણ સમાજ કે સંસ્કૃતિનો પડઘો તેના ભાષા અને સાહિત્ય દ્વારા પડતો હોય છે. આજનું સાહિત્ય આવતી કાલનો બહુ મોટો દસ્તાવેજ હોય છે. તેમાંય કવિતા એ હૃદયની ભાષા છે. હૃદયની ઊર્મિઓને વ્યક્ત કરતી વાણી છે. શિકાગો આર્ટ સર્કલ ગુજરાતી ભાષા, સાહિત્ય અને સંગીતનો પ્રચાર-પ્રસાર કરી લોકોના જીવનમાં પોઝિટિવ એટિટ્યૂડ વિકસતો રહે તેવા પ્રયત્નો કરે છે. આ પ્રયત્નના ભાગરૂપે એપ્રિલ 30 2022ના રોજ, શિકાગોના રાના રેગન કમ્યુનિટી હોલમાં એક સુંદર કવિસંમેલનનું આયોજન કરવામાં આવ્યું હતું. આ કવિસંમલેન ખરેખર અનોખું હતું. શીર્ષક પ્રમાણે તેમાં હાજર રહેનાર તમામ શ્રોતાગણ ખરેખર ‘હૃદયથી હૃદય સુધી’ પહોંચ્યા હતા. હૈયે હૈયું દળાય એવી સ્થિતિમાં આખો હૉલ ખીચોખીચ ભર્યો હતો. અમેરિકામાં–શિકાગોમાં પાંચસો કરતાં વધારે શ્રોતા કવિસંમેલન માણવા આવે એ શિકાગોમાં વસતા ગુજરાતીઓનો સાહિત્યપ્રેમ દર્શાવે છે. શિકાગો આર્ટ સર્કલ સંસ્થા 1996થી સતત ગુજરાતી સાહિત્યની સેવા કરી રહી છે. અગાઉ આદિલ મન્સૂરી, મધુરાય અને ચંદ્રકાન્ત શાહ જેવા દિગજ્જ સાહિત્યકારોને લાઇફ ટાઇમ અચિવમેન્ટ એવોર્ડ આપી ચૂકી છે. ત્યારે આ પ્રસંગે કવિ અનિલ ચાવડાને તેમના સાહિત્યિક પ્રદાન માટે — ખાસ કરીને કવિતા માટે સ્પેશ્યલ રેકોગ્નાઇઝેશન એવોર્ડ આપવામાં આવ્યો હતો. આ પ્રસંગે ભારતીય સિનિયર સિટિઝન એસોશિયેશનના સ્થાપક પ્રમુખ શ્રી હરિભાઈ પટેલને તેમની સેવાકીય પ્રવૃત્તિને ધ્યાનમાં રાખીને એવોર્ડ આપીને સન્માનવામાં આવ્યા હતા. છેલ્લા 26 વર્ષોથી શિકાગો આર્ટ સર્કલમાં વોલન્ટિયર તરીકે સેવા આપનાર 87 વર્ષે […]

Asian Media USA © Chicago IL: Indian American Business Council [IABC] hosted a rousing reception in honor of distinguished visiting Member of Parliament & Former Central Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu at a ceremony held in Downer’s grove, Illinois on April 20, 2022. The reception attracted a great host of community’s prominent organizational leaders who paid glowing tributes to Suresh Prabhu for his exemplary services as the former central minister and as a renowned Indian parliamentarian who leaves behind indelible footprints for his sterling reputation as a man of impeccable integrity. Ajeet Singh, IABC President & principal host – welcoming the gathering of the distinguished guests – heaped a generous measure of praise on Suresh Prabhu for his illustrious record of accomplishment of remarkable distinction and the honor with which he served the government of India spanning decades with spotless integrity coupled with unwavering devotion to the principles of honesty.  Dr. Sreenivas Reddy, Chair of the Illinois Medical Board – in his remarks – extolled the yeoman leadership of Suresh Prabhu and described him as a highly admired Indian statesman who played significant role serving as the Indian Emissary and Sherpa at the G20 & G7 Summit. Dr. Sreenivas Reddy added […]

Asian Media USA © Chicago IL: The members of the Illinois Chapter of the Association of Indians in America in a recently held election elected the Executive Committee of the chapter for the year 2022-2023 consisting of the following members: President – Hina Trivedi; Vice President – Lucy Pandey & Shaheen Sayeed; Treasurer: Sujata Sharma; Secretary: Nilabh Dubey; Joint Secretary: Shabana Rahman; Members at Large: Ram Bhaskaran, Chandani Duvvuri, Praveen Konduru, Akshay Patel, Malla Reddy, Pandey Sahai, and Nipa Shah. The inaugural function of the chapter was held in Shikara Restaurant in Downers Grove, Illinois on March 20, 2022. The Chair of the Election Committee, Dr. Ghanshyam Pandey introduced the newly elected members of the Executive Committee, as a new committee is elected every other year. He congratulated the members for their commitment to AIA and work for the progress of the association and the chapter. The incoming president, Miss Hina Trivedi then took over the proceedings of the chapter and discussed the programs and activities of the Illinois Chapter for the coming year. She said that AIA has been conducting at least three major programs every year which include Youth Talent Show, a youth dance competition program, the Independence […]

Asian Media USA © For Garba, the members were adorned with beautiful and traditional attire, Chaniya-Choli and Kurta-pajama. The whirling dancers, clapping hands, distinct sound of wooden ‘Dandia’ striking together, toe tapping music and people wearing vibrant colorful clothes marked the Navratri celebrations at the Garba & Dandiya Raas, Chicago IL: First time in Chicago Aarush Entertainment and Manav Seva Mandir present Chaitra Navratri Garba by Midwest Garba Queen Bharti Desai on Saturday – April 09, 2022 at Manav Seva Mandir, 101 S Church Rd, Bensenville, IL. This auspicious event was celebrated by family, friends, and well-wishers. Chaitra Navratri is nine days festivity which starts on the first day of Hindu Luni-Solar calendar and falls in the month of March or April. Chaitra is the first month of Hindu lunar calendar and because of it this Navratri is known as Chaitra Navratri. Chaitra Navratri is also known as Vasanta Navratri. This year, the Navratri celebration was organized by President of Aarush Entertainment Manoj Rathod.  The Aarti table was beautifully decorated in the center of the hall with flowers, fruits and candle lamps around the pictures of Amba Mata and Modheshwari Mata by Manoj Rathod and his wife Rajkumari Rathod. To begin the […]

Consul General Amit Kumar addressed the Illinois General Assembly at the Capitol in Springfield on 05 April 2022 at the invitation of Hon’ble Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch. CG Kumar spoke on the India growth story, priorities in the vitally important India-US Strategic Partnership, and immense synergies in India-US ties including those with Illinois. CG Kumar separately met Speaker Welch, House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, Senate President Don Herman and Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie along with their leadership teams. Representative Seth Lewis also joined a few meetings.  Members of the Indian American community, who over the years made significant contributions in advancing the India-US partnership, also joined the event. Chicago 06 April 2022

Asian Media USA © Chicago IL: Federation of Indian Associations [FIA] Chicago, status 501(c)(3), a premier community umbrella organization — hosted a spectacular, vibrant and colorful Holi celebrations marked by festive gaiety interspersed with beautifully decorated stage & premises, filled with music, dance and singing that was awash with the vibrancy of colors and gallant exuberance at the Mall of India in Naperville, Illinois on Sunday Apr 03, 2022. The event kicked off with an Opening Welcome by Mistress of ceremonies Richa Chand, along with the warm introductions by co-emcees Vinita Gulabani and Pratibha Jairath & Neelam Jai , who all charmed the audience throughout the festive celebration with their captivating eloquence marked by impromptu quips in between. Beginning the auspicious Holi celebrations, the Devotional Prayer Song by Mrs Rita Shah served as a great reminder to all that we must cherish each moment in life and be thankful to the almighty for being so generous to us. Chairman & Founder President Mr. Sunil Shah was invited for a Welcome address, followed by President Mr Hitesh Gandhi and Past President and Founder Mr. Onkar Sangha.  Presiding over the Holi celebrations, Sunil Shah, FIA’s Chairman, Founder & Visionary welcomed the large […]

Asian Media USA © Chicago IL: Festival of colors organized by Manoj Rathod (CEO of Aarush Entertainment) and UR Group was one of the biggest Holi and Indian cultural events which took place on Saturday, March 19, 2022 at Candela, 8526 W Golf Rd, Niles, IL 60714. This event touched the hearts as well as the dreams of Indian immigrants and natives simultaneously. The event was house full, enjoyed the vibrant colors, dazzling music, enthralling dances and award to Women Empowerment Icon The special guest was Mannara Chopra (Actress plus model from Bollywood and Sunil Shah Chairman, Founders of FIA. Prachi Jaitly & Bharti Desai were Master of ceremony of this event. Women Empowerment Icon awardees were Prachi Jaitly, Bharti Desai, Rita Shah, Uma Avadhuta, Usha Bhaskar, Sweety Raheja, Sonya Gupta, Rebecca Bodony and Vibha Rajput. The main highlight of the event came when participants picked up colored powder and chased each other, tossing colors into the air and covering friends and strangers alike. They joy and excitement filled the air and created a memorable experience for all.  “Today we are here to celebrate the Holi festival. The festival of colors, fun, happiness, friendship and love. May the colors spread […]

Author: By Richa Chand  Chicago, IL, March 15, 2022 – USOGC (Uttarakhand Samaj of Greater Chicago), a 501c3 status charitable organization, hosted Kumaoni style Baithaki Holi on March 12th 2022, 12pm to 4pm at Hoffman Estates, IL, with full josh and fervor with Uttarakhandi family & friends. In Uttarakhand, there’s a unique tradition to celebrate Holi, in the Kumaon region and now the entire state has adopted this tradition of Baithaki Holi (बैठकी होली), (literally Sitting Holi), which is a form of musical gathering starting from the day of Basant Panchmi held all across Kumaon till the Dulhendi (or the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna). It was a  bright and beautiful day, and guests came from near and far to celebrate Holi together, dressed in their traditional pahari attire. The ladies were seen wearing ethnic clothing in white and red traditional Holi colors and men in Pahadi kurtas and topis. Beautiful colorful Holi decorations adorned the walls of the Banquet Hall. The guests were greeted and welcomed with a Holi Teeka and splash of colors. In any Baithak, gutka, raita and chai are a must, and so keeping up with the Pahadi traditional ‘Gutka’ dish (made […]