Day: 13 June 2013

Chicago IL: Eye on India Festival (EIF) 2013 kicked off on Friday, June 7 with a warm reception from the Desi community for actress Shabana Azmi and her husband-partner, scriptwriter, lyricist, and poet Javed Akhtar at the Primitive Gallery in downtown Chicago. EIF President Anuradha Behari announced the lineup of events scheduled over the next five weeks and encouraged everyone to attend, promote, and support the festival. Introducing the artiste-couple, Teamworks Productions President Sanjoy Roy underlined the importance of appreciating the tolerant side of Islam, which is otherwise receiving so much bad press in this deteriorating global climate. Azmi performs in film, television, and theatre. An alumna of Film and Television Institute of India (Pune), she made her film debut in 1974 and soon became a leading actress of the Indian New Wave movement known for its serious content and neo-realism. Versatile Azmi has earned her a record of five wins of the National Film Award for Best Actress, four Filmfare Awards, and international honors. She has appeared in over 120 Hindi films, in both mainstream and independent cinema, and since 1988 she has acted in several foreign projects. Azmi is a social and women’s rights activist, Goodwill Ambassador of […]

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Chicago IL: Internationally recognized humanitarian Her Holiness Amma Sri Karunamayi, was honored by both Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon at their downtown offices in the James R. Thompson Center, this Wednesday evening, June 5th 2013. Upon arrival, former Deputy Treasurer of Illinois, Mr. Raja Krishnamoorthi, and renowned pulmonologist Dr. Krishna Sunkara from Chicago, greeted Amma and her party, including Her Holiness’s personal assistants Ms. Vijaya Sindhuri Pulipati and Mr. Michael Stasko. Amma and the Lieutenant Governor shared heartfelt exchanges in a loving first meeting sealed with an embrace from Amma. Lt. Gov. Simon was joined by her husband, Mr. Perry Knop, and Chief of Staff, Ms. Kati Phillips. Her Holiness spoke on the importance of charity in our world and shared some of the details surrounding her many humanitarian projects, which include free housing programs, free schools, a 100-bed free hospital, water treatment projects, disaster relief programs, free food and clothing distributions, leprosy care, remote medical care, women’s welfare programs and numerous peace initiatives. Lt. Gov. Simon then honored Amma by presenting Her Holiness with the “Woman of the Year 2013” Award, in recognition of her selfless service to humanity and her inspirational life dedicated to […]

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