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Chicago IL: Delegates representing the National Indian American Public Policy Institute (NIAPPI) joined the DuPage County chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly (RNHA) in hosting a reception for Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Monday, May 13, 2013, at Oak Brook Marriott Hotel. The Senator briefly addressed the group of about 50 and thanked the roomful of Indian and Hispanic Republicans, led by Illinois RNHA Chairman Steve Orlando and Dupage County RNHA Chairwoman, Evelyn Pacino Sanguinetti, for being so involved before taking time to meet and pose for photos. Present at the reception were State Senators Kirk Dillard and Bill Brady. Cruz then delivered the keynote address at the DuPage Lincoln Day Dinner, sponsored by the DuPage County Republican Central Committee where over 600 Republicans were assembled. Shalabh (Shalli) Kumar, who led the NIAPPI delegation, also addressed the assembly and sought to underline the unique Indian American demographics and the growing importance of their vote. Presenting himself under the banner of Ronal Reagan as Chairman of Indian Americans for Freedom, Kumar emphasized his organization’s commitment to individual liberty, self-reliance, fiscal discipline, free enterprise, and strong national defense. He insisted on a strategy to convert the one million Indian American voters […]

Naperville, IL: Bollywood Rhythms celebrated their 5th Annual Recital with students and their families, friends and prominent leaders of our community on Sunday, May 12, 2013 at Metea High School. Students of Bollywood Rhythms, ranging in ages from 3 to 50 yrs, adorned in colorful costumes, dazzled the audience of about 400 – 500 art lovers of Naperville area. It was 3.5 hours of pure entertainment that consisted of Bollywood/ Folk as well as Semi Classical dances which were presented by close to 200 students. The theme of this year’s show was ” An Evening in Bollywood”, Bollywood Rhythms very creatively narrated simple stories through their dance routines . Our show was dedicated to all the mothers and the evening could not have been any better than watching their kids entertain them on that special day.The event marked the sheer celebration of Indian heritage, culture, dance and music. The students, the Artistic Director, Bhagya Nagesh, and all those who were involved in the presentation of the show deserve esteem. Bollywood Rhythms students dressed in colorful costumes and gorgeous make up presented a beautiful medley of about 22 dances. The program opened with “ Ganesh Vandana” and soon picked up the […]

Chicago IL: Padmashree Sudha Ragunathan thrilled both connoisseurs of Carnatic music and those keen on experimental fusion by leading an ensemble that took liberties with traditional compositions. Singing at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago (HTGC) in Lemont, Ill., on Sunday, May 5, 2013, Ragunathan was accompanied by Amit Heri (lead guitar), B. Raghavendra Rao (violin), Tiruvarur Vaidyanathan (mridangam), Guruprasad (ghatam), Arun Kumar (drums), and Keith Peters. Heri, who holds a scholarship from Berklee College of Music in Boston, has performed in many international festivals, including WOMAD, London, Montreux, and Berlin Jazz Festivals, Rome World Music Festival, and World Social Forum. Having received Carnatic percussion training under S. V. Giridhar, Kumar advanced under Anoor Ananthakrishna Sharma, and now learns jazz drumming under Ranjit Barot. Guruprasad studied from an early age with ghatam maestro T.H. Vikku Vinayakram, then with V. Suresh from whom he learned Kodhandarama Iyer’s fingering technique, and finally under Madurai T. Srinivasan. Chennai-based Keith Peters continues to work as A.R. Rahman’s ever-dependable bass guitarist, arguably the best in India. Initiated into music at age five by his father, Rao is disciple of violin maestro T.N. Krishnan. Vaidyanathan, who hails from a family of percussionists, runs an ensemble band […]

Chicago IL: Co-hosted by Saahil Exclusive, L.A. Tan “Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Live in Concert” is a collective effort of Bhavesh Patel, Babubhai Patel, Mayur and Nick Patel. The legendary singer Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan rocked Sears Center Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Pkwy, Hoffman Estates, IL on 8:30 PM, Friday, May 17, 2013 with yet another unforgettable concert. Chicago saw one of the finest concerts of all times. Khan mesmerizes the enthusiastic crowd of more than 5000 listeners for about 4 hours. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan sang hits from various Bollywood films which rocked the crowd. He was received by the audience with standing ovation and sang hits from various Bollywood films which rocked the crowd and kept the audience spellbound. This was undoubtedly one of the finest performances by Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan of ALL time; and why not? Since this was his 50th Concert Celebration Night. Khan Sahab made it very clear in the beginning of the concert, as soon as he arrived on stage, that tonight it’s not just going to be a concert; it will be a celebration and he wanted all his fans and every member in the audience to be part of […]

Chicago: About 300 Indians from 20 cities in the US gathered today in Chicago for a day long convention organized by US supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Members of the Aam Aadmi Party national executive Arvind Kejriwal, Yogendra Yadav and Kumar Vishwas, who is also a noted poet, were the keynote speakers. The morning began with a vigorous speech by Dr Kumar Vishwas, who combined poetry and prose with good effect to enthrall the audience. His verses emphasized the need for otherwise indifferent but educated citizens and well-wishers of India to contribute to democracy through political participation. He also used the occasion to recite his latest couplet titled “Tiranga” that he has coined reflecting on the current political situation in India. Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP’s national convener addressed the gathering live from the AAP Headquarters in Ghaziabad, near Delhi. He spoke about AAP’s role in India’s growth and the role that NRIs can play in furthering this cause. Arvind remains optimistic about India’s future and believes that the AAP could be the catalyst that can bring change in the country by redefining the rules of politics. He further stressed on the importance of decentralization in governance which would […]

Chicago IL: Pratham Chicago hosted an evening reception on Thursday, April 25, 2013 in honor of Pratham CEO and Co-Founder Dr. Madhav Chavan at the Best Western Plus Hotel, 1725 E. Algonquin Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173. He had stopped over to en route to the Pratham Houston Gala on Saturday. Chavan, who is the 2012 recipient of the WISE Prize, a prestigious award considered to be the “Nobel Prize” in education, gave an impromptu talk on Pratham’s various initiatives, several of which the Indian government has been assiduously studying and even trying to emulate in view of their very tangible and demonstrable results. A recurring theme behind the case studies he recounted was how outmoded our current age-based assembly line system of education, geared to the bygone needs of the industrial revolution, had become. Instead of being pumped with facts, learners need their creativity to be unleashed. Pratham Chicago Chairman Raj Rajaram introduced the Founder-CEO as having “transformed” education. Pratham is a non-profit organization that reaches millions of primary school age children in India. After obtaining his PhD in Chemistry in the USA followed by post-doctoral research, Chavan returned to India in 1986. In 1989, while teaching at the University […]

Chicago IL: The fifth annual three-day Veena festival curated by Sri Annamacharya Project of North America (SAPNA) over the weekend from April 26–28 had “Thillana” for its theme this year, and was dedicated to the memory of Padmabhushan Sangeeta Kalanidhi Sripada Pinakapani and legendary violinist Lalgudi Jayaraman. Between Chitravina Ravikiran’s inauguration concert (Friday evening) and Balamurali Krishna’s grand finale (Sunday evening) both held at the Lemont Hindu temple, the whole weekend resounded with veena concerts at the Sri Venkateshwara Swami (SVS), popularly known as Balaji, temple in Aurora, Ill. Saturday’s highlight was the award of the title ‘Srikala Purna’ to Sangitacharya Malladi Suri Babu, father of the famous vocalists Malladi Brothers, Sriram Prasad and Ravi Kumar, followed by their evening vocal concert. With their stentorian voices, Malladi Brothers took the audience by storm and sang their way into the hearts of connoisseurs. As a fitting tribute to maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman, they began the concert with Suri Babu’s brief but imposing delineation of the ragam Asaveri through Lalgudi’s set composition (varnam) Jalajaksha Neepadame Gati. Setting a stately pace for the entire concert with Parameshwara Jagadeeshwara in ragam Nattai, Malladi Brothers then sang Thyagaraja’s Manasu Nilpa in ragam Abhogi. The sparkling alapana […]

Chicago IL: Padma Vibhushan Dr. Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna (BMK), who began singing at the age of six, was conferred a lifetime achievement award at the ripe age of 82 by the Sri Annamacharya Project of North America (SAPNA) at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago (HTGC) in Lemont, Ill., on Sunday, April 28, 2013. Having inaugurated SAPNA’s first year, he was here now to celebrate its 25th anniversary. His full-house concert was the culmination of the Fifth annual three-day Veena festival, and was also the occasion for SAPNA to honor several media personalities. Consul General of India Mukta Dutta Tomar joined in personally conferring the awards. Tomar and BMK joined SAPNA founders Sriram Sonty and Saradapurna Sonty in lighting the auspicious lamp before the veena-wielding goddess of music, Saraswathi. Balamurali, who typically signs off his own compositions with the name of the “flute-playing child” (bala-murali) Krishna, received honors worthy of a god. Not only was the stage scattered with petals to soften his tread, he received full-length prostrations while seated regally listening to the Sanskrit panegyric composed in his honor and recited at the podium by Prof. Vedala Srinivasacharyulu. Music is divine, and Balamurali had become one with his music! […]

Chicago IL: The youth group of Hari Om mandir celebrated Mothers Day on Sunday, May 12, 2013 at the temple. Mandir’s priest Shastri Yogesh Pandya and Pt. Dinesh kumar did a havan and puja for the well being of all mothers. Tushar Sharma president of the youth group started the program by saying “A mother is the greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If we only comprehend a 10th of what our mothers do for us, and how they would literally die for us if needed, we would realize that one day is not sufficient. This relationship is sacred let us honor our mothers. A mother who always cares, a mother who’s always there, a mother who always prays, a mother who always stays, when things get rough, when life gets tough.” Followed with a dhun ‘Jai Ambe Maa Sherawalee’ played on keyboard and vocals by Babu Sarkar and Divya Maheshwari. Ansh and Anoushka Salwan recited a few chaupaies of Hanuman Chalissa. Hari Om Mandir’s Balvikas kids (Manav, Navansh, Vanshika and others) sang the prayer, ‘Daya kar Dan bhakti ka humey parmatma dena.”. Divya Maheshwari recited a poem on mother. Chaitanya Kharat played keyboard and sang the […]

Chicago IL: Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago organized its annual Health Fair on May 5 and May 12, 2013. On May 5, many people benefited from free services offered by JSMC with help from Doctors, Specialists, Microbiologist, Phlebotomists, Lab Technicians, and Nurses. Blood tests included blood count, blood sugar, cholesterol, vitamin D check, and PSA Summary. In addition to Blood tests, EKG, Carotid, Doppler, Echocardiogram, and Bone Density tests were offered to all the participants at no cost. Total of 270 registration were received through online application form. 216 people received all the above tests/screenings. Lab work was conducted by Medstar Laboratories at much discounted rate. Overall management provided an excellent experience to all the participants. EKG, Echocardiogram, Carotid tests were conducted in closed curtain booth to maintain the privacy of the patient. Delicious breakfast with freshly squeezed orange Juice was setup for all the participants, volunteers, Doctors, and Lab Technicians. Two large screen projectors were showing constant updates, instructions as well as recognizing sponsors, Doctors, and all volunteers. On May 12, the health fair started at 9 am. All the participants from Day one( May 5th), along with few others (walk-ins) took benefit of free consultation services from top […]