Category: Press releases

Chicago IL: Human Development Foundation (HDF) Chicago Chapter hosted their 17th Annual Fundraising Dinner on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at Double Tree Hilton in Oakbrook, 1909 Spring Rd., Oak Brook, IL. This successful event was sold out, with over 400 attendees joining to support HDF’s mission in fighting poverty through its Holistic Model of Development in Pakistan. HDF is presently proving vital services to over 800,000 beneficiaries. During Social Hour, attendees mingled and browsed through a selection of unique vendors. A full silent auction table exhibited customized and unique gift certificates; exquisite jewelry; and designer outfits. Program commenced with Quranic recitation by Azhar Ghumra. The Chicago community was welcomed by Humaira Abbasi, HDF’s Chicago Chapter Chair and Dr. Sajjad Asghar, HDF, Board Member. Mrs. Abbasi thanked all the volunteers, supporters, exhibitors, auction sponsors, and event host committee members who made the event a grand success. A special thanks was extended to entertainment sponsor, Bentley Gold Coast Chicago and Henna Raza of Professional Party Planners for coordinating the event. Mrs. Abbasi also welcomed Chief Guest Hon. Faisal Niaz Tirmizi Consul General of Pakistan and Mrs. Haniya Tirmizi; Dr. Zeenat Anwar, Member of the HDF Board of Trustees from Michigan; Dr. Atiya […]

Glenview, IL: It will be a dream come true for many devotees of Hanumanji in Glenview and surrounding suburbs of Chicagoland with Hanuman Mandir Spiritual and Community Center formally conducting a Bhumi Pooja for establishing a Hanuman Temple along with a facility for community and spiritual activities for people of all ages. The Center headed by Dr. Chandra Khurana and a group of Indian Americans diligently searched the north side of Chicago for a site to build the temple and community center and finally found a 4.1-acre land in Glenview where they decided to construct a 37,200 square-foot, two story building at 3623 West Lake Avenue, Glenview, IL. The plan has received the blessings of the Village trustees. The memorable moment marked the beginning of a realization of a noble and long cherished dream of the Indian community residing in the northern suburbs of Chicago. In view of the growing number of the Indian population and their spiritual needs, it was long felt to have a facility that could serve as the source to provide support for the fast aging people. This project will include a Hanuman Mandir and a community center. This will serve the long standing desire of […]

Chicago IL: The Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago (PCS) presented their flagship annual event “Rangla Punjab 2014” to celebrate Vaisakhi festival on Saturday April 19, 2014, at Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. More than 250 participants rendered nearly 30 spectacular variety acts in a talent show attended by more than 1000 guests. It was 20th anniversary of PCS Chicago’s incorporation and 30th year of the event “Rangla Punjab.” Dr. Bhupinder Singh Saini of Advanced Pain Management Clinics in Wisconsin was the chief guest. State of Illinois Governor Pat Quinn proclaimed April 19, 2014 as Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago Day in Illinois. The proclamation was read and presented to the PCS President Pardeep Singh Deol and PCS Chairman Dr. Hargurmukhpal Singh by Ms. Theresa Mah, Senior Public Advisor and Director of Asian American outreach to the office of Governor. The proclamation honored PCS Chicago for its 20th anniversary celebrations and marking the 30th anniversary of “Rangla Punjab” event. State of Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka also issued a similar proclamation honoring PCS Chicago and the proclamation was read and presented to PCS Officials by Thomas Choi, Comptroller’s Public Affairs Manager. Laddi Singh a Democratic Candidate for Illinois State Representative, […]

Chicago IL: Hari Om Mandir celebrated its 27th Anniversary and Baisakhi on 13th of April with great pomp and show. A large number of devotees attended including many founder members and seniors who helped grow the temple. On this occasion our both priests Shastri Yogesh Pandya and Pandit Dinesh Kumar did a Havan for the well being of all members who contributed in many ways towards the growth of the temple. We also did the Shanti Path in the memory of our beloved ones who work hard for the growth of the temple and went to Lord`s feet. Mandir celebrated the Baisakhi with exuberance and gaiety. Pratibha Jairath, Raju Bankapur and other singers sang bhajans and Punjabi songs. Baisakhi is the time when the new spring year begins and the harvesting of the rabi crop ends in various parts of India. The festival is thus filled with enthusiasm, vibrancy and absolute color especially in the northern and many other parts of India. Farmers thank Mother Nature for the bountiful harvest and together pray for the welfare and prosperity in the coming year. Ayodhia Salwan (Chairman) and Indrajit Sarkar (President) greeted everyone on the occasion of Baisakhi and thanked all the […]

Chicago IL: True mark of a successful artist is when their work touches your soul. That is the impression students of Bharatam, under the tutelage of Guru Vanitha Veeravalli, were able to exude through their performances at the ‘Bharatam Dance Showcase 2014’ at Oswego East High School Auditorium on March 22, 2014. It was a dazzling display of Bharatanatyam by over 120 dancers from beginners to those of high professional calibre, witnessed by an audience of over 900. In her introductory remarks, Vanitha Veeravalli reiterated that art of Bharatanatyam is a rich continuum and living tradition of India. It was apparent from the performances that this art is alive and thriving in the US. This was a testimony to Guru Vanitha, who has trained these dancers imparting the cherished art with care and diligence. Her commitment to the art of Bharatnatyam is a testimony that for her, dance is a way of life. The emcee for the evening, Ranjani Rajan, welcomed the audience and introduced each piece. The program began with Nrittanjali, a dance offering with pure classical dance elements, by Annu Mutholam and Sutikshna Veeravalli, both Bharatamanis, graduates of Bharatam. Next, dancers in different age groups rendered different compositions, […]

Chicago IL: In planning a wedding, significant amount of effort, creativity and preparation is required. It includes groundwork for managing timelines and checklists, coordinating wedding day activities and putting them all together. This can be quite an overwhelming process especially when you intend for it to be a major occasion with different number of elements and thousands of minute details. With a view to get an amicable solution and make life easier for anxious and apprehensive parents of future bride and groom, 3rd annual Bridal Expo was organized by the Pritesh Gandhi the owners of Waterford Banquet & Conference Center on Sunday, April 13 2014 at Waterford Banquet, 933 S. Riverside Dr, Elmhurst, IL 60126. The annual Bridal Expo has been Chicago’s premiere show for many years. There were more than 500 guests who flocked to this event. It was planned and co-ordinate to accommodate every aspect of planning a dream wedding with various stalls specializing in all wedding services. It also featured about 180 different international food and liquid refreshments items to include Gujarati, Kathiawadi, Punjabi, Mexican items. The evening was also full of Education, Entertainment. Fashion Shows, Dances, Music, Trivia, Comedy, Food and Fun!! 70 different vendors from […]

Chicago IL: On Friday, March 21, 2014 Indian Dance School started by Gauri Jog staged a dance drama Krishna Leela at Prairie Center for the Arts in Schaumburg, Illinois. Dance is an integral part of our culture and it is a great way for Indian youth in America to stay connected with their roots, Gauri Jog said at the event. In order to raise awareness of Indian culture in the US and promote education through the arts, Gauri Jog formed Indian Dance School 15 years ago and has now developed it as a reputable non-profit dance institute in Chicago area offering classes in Indian Classical dance, Bollywood and Yoga. There group has staged more than 230 shows since 1999 including much admired dance dramas such as Kathak Yatra, Shakuntala, Queen of Jhansi, Fire the Fiery tale, East meets West, Ramayana among others. From dancing at countless multicultural shows to performing in Daley Plaza downtown for the mayor of Chicago, to presenting a piece at the 2016 Chicago Olympic Bid, our group are challenged and introduced to a wide variety of exciting venues to perform at every year, a senior student of Gauri Jog said. Gauri Jog also teaches Kathak online […]

Chicago IL: Hari Om Mandir celebrated Chaitra Navratre Devi Jagran on 5th of April with great devotion. A large number of devotees attended the Devi Jagran. Chaitra Navratri, also popular as Chait Navratras, is the nine-day festival observed in the month of Chaitra. Chaitra Navratri is one of the most important festival of Hindus. Devotees worship Maa Shakti, Goddess of cosmic power, during this time and wish to be bestowed by divine benediction from Goddess. Fasting and praying mark the Navratri celebrations. Goddess Shakti manifests herself in three different dimensions as Goddess Laxmi, Saraswati and Durga. Navratri is divided into sets of three days to adore three different aspects of the supreme goddess or goddesses. On the first three days Durga or Goddess of Energy is worshipped.The next three days are devoted to Lakshmi or Goddess of Wealth and the last three days for Saraswati or Goddess of Knowledge. On the eighth and ninth day, Yagna (sacrifice offered to the fire) is performed to honor Durga Mata and bid her farewell. On these days Kanya Puja is performed. Devi Jagran as always an occasion to gather plentiful blessings of Maa Bhagwati. This became a special occasion with the presence of […]

Chicago IL: Chicago community came in large numbers to support a very worthy cause- “The Gift of Education” for the underprivileged Children of rural and tribal villages of India. A Musical Evening was held on Saturday, April 05, 2014 at Schaumburg High School Auditorium 1100 W Schaumburg Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60194. Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation Chicago Chapter organized this charity fundraiser event to provide free education to Rural & Tribal villages of India . The program started with Dinner between 5-30 to 6-30 pm. Harish Doshi served as the MC for the entire program. On behalf of Ekal Chicago chapter he thanked all for supporting “ Ekal Vidyalaya’s “ initiative to provide free education to RURAL & TRIBAL villages of India. Ekal is existing in almost every state of India with 57,502 schools and serving more then 16,21,396 ( 16.2 M ) children’s educational needs . Each year ‘Ekal-USA collects around $4 Millions (40 Lakhs Dollars or 20 Crores Rupees) through their Fund-Raising Concerts. In the last few years, “Ekal” has received Numerous Prestigious Awards and Grants, including ‘Best NGO’, for its transparency of operation and outstanding administration. Ekal is a transparent organization where 10 % of funding is used for […]

Chicago IL: Live 2U hosted the celebrated Indian singers Mohit Chauhan and Mamta Sharma at Copernicus Center, located at 5216 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60630 on Friday – March 28, 2014. Show was completely blast, house full and audience enjoyed live concert. A large number of music lovers of South Asian origin attended the event. The two visiting singers from India provided a very enthralling music experience for the Chicago audience that attended the show. This show was organized by Live 2U, a reputed Entertainment Powerhouse known for its Successful National Tours throughout USA and CANADA with popular Celebrities of Bollywood. After the Grand Success of Adnan Sami Concert in 2013 and back to back Sold out New Year Eve parties for the past 3 Years, Live2U presented Mohit Chauhan and Mamta Sharma for the very first time in USA. Mohit Chauhan is an Indian singer, known for his work as a playback singer for Bollywood movies as well as the former front-man of the Indi pop band Silk Route. He is a two-time recipient of the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer as well as several other awards. He never received formal training in music, but sings […]

Chicago IL: Tufaan 2014 is one of the longest standing Filmi/Fusion dance competitions in the Midwest! Tufaan Entertainment is a student-led non-profit entertainment company aiming to raise awareness of South Asian culture in the US and promote education through the arts abroad. Dance is an integral part of South Asian culture and it is a great way for South Asian youth in America to connect with their roots. Tufaan 2014 showcased the talent of such youth to inspire an interest in the South Asian arts in a wide audience. Education in the arts, such as dance, is essential for a child’s holistic development, which is why Tufaan Entertainment supports Shanti Bhavan, a K-12 school in rural India providing a world-class liberal arts education for socioeconomically disadvantaged children. The winner of Tufaan 2014 received a bid to compete in Bollywood America, another national competition that is comprised of teams who have won other bid competitions. The event coordinators were Natasha Ramanujam and Aditi Kothari – both are Co-Executive Officers of Tufaan Entertainment. A large audience of 850 attended this event at Cahn Auditorium, located in Northwestern University, Evanston, IL on March 22nd, 2014. Shivam Patel and Anandu Dileep were the MC’s […]

Chicago IL: What is leadership? Society ascribes leadership in politics, religion, communities, sports, etc. based on actions, achievement, and at times, popularity. Typically, we limit our view of “leaders” to people in position of power: CEOs, politicians, athletes, and perhaps community leaders. There are leaders who have a strong work ethic and who win and accomplish major tasks; but are they life’s leaders? Are their characters worth emulating? True leadership is rooted in a person’s character, in their actions, and in the examples they set. But are those the only leaders? Everyone has the potential to be a leader in his or her own right. What about people who give their best everyday to care for their communities, schools, and homes? Are they not leaders as well? In fact, do we recognize ourselves as leaders? Should we? To recognize the unparalleled leaders we know and admire, to acknowledge the leaders amongst us, and to enrich the leaders within us, BAPS hosted a Women’s Conference themed “Lead from Within” at 10 centers across North America. On March 22nd, 2014, over 450 women gathered at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett, IL to participate in this annual event, now observing its […]

Chicago IL: On Saturday, March 8th, the Indian Student Association at Waubonsie Valley High School hosted its 6th annual talent competition for students from Waubonsie, Neuqua, and Metea Valley High Schools in District 204 which covers the cities of Naperville, Aurora and Bolingbrook. . The format of the show is parallel to Indian Idol in which three judges decided a winner for dancing and singing performances. The executive board and the members of the ISA at Waubonsie organized an amazing show which can be compared to the popular Bollywood reality talent shows. The executive board includes co-presidents, Vidya Velayutham and Katyayni Gupta, secretary, Akshara Sreedhar, public relations, Rohan Shah, senior respresentative, Sriram Katragadda, junior representative, Paveena Bhugra, sophomore representative, Pal Shah, and freshman representative, Sunita Kavthekar. The Indian Student Association is sponsored by Waubonsie Valley math teacher, Kinjal Marfatia. The students displayed an extraordinary array of talent in both dancing and singing categories. Their performances showed that the students had spent a great deal of time rehearsing and preparing for the show. The judges which included Bhagya Nagesh, Mukesh Shah, and Vaishali Nagoree had a difficult time determining the winner for both dancing and singing. With approximately 400 people in […]

Share a Smile’s Mission Statement: “We value the vision that no activity or amount is too small, by providing the community a platform to bring their resources together to make a difference.” Chicago IL: Share a Smile is a registered 501C, charitable non-profit organization with a unique global vision to share and give back to seniors and the less privileged, by identifying those who are most vulnerable and underserved, first within the community and then reaching out to India and other parts of the world. In the preceding years their fundraisers have contributed to a senior home in India, to welfare projects in Africa, to an international eye care foundation in India, educare.org and flood relief in Haiti. For the last 3 years they have identified a senior care home called Sukhdam on the out-skirts of New Delhi as the principal beneficiary of their fundraisers. Locally, Share-a-Smile Chicago members volunteer at BACOA (Barrington Area Council for Old Age) to deliver a hot and nutritious meal to support home-bound seniors and people with disabilities, allowing them to live independently in their own homes, with dignity and self-respect. In 2014, their Annual Fund Raiser was held at India House Banquet Hall on […]

Chicago IL: International Women’s Day celebrations were organized by TAGC & ATA on March 15th 2014 at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, Carol Stream, IL. TAGC is a non-profit organization devoted to the awareness and promotion of Telugu Heritage and Culture in the mid-west region headquartered in Chicago. The Association was originally founded in 1971 and incorporated as a non-profit organization by the year 1978. What was once a brain child of small group of individuals, TAGC has grown to be one of the oldest and largest Indo-American organizations in the United States. ATA (American Telugu Association) is a non-profit national organization and was founded in 1990, head quartered in Chicago. The main purpose of the organization is to assist and promote literary, cultural, educational, religious, social, economic, health and community activities of the people of Telugu origin as well as to promote exchange programs for students, scientists, and professionals of Telugu origin between the United States of America, Canada and India and other countries. Over 250 women of Telugu origin participated in this unique event which raised awareness about important issues such as Women’s Mental Health, Nutrition and Diet, Indian Women in American Politics, STEM Education and Women’s […]

Chicago IL : Yeh Cheez Entertainment & Music Melody Entertainment presented, on Saturday, March 8th, 2014 from 6-30 pm onwards ‘Khan Show’ Desi Winter Bash at India House Banquets, 521 W Schaumburg Rd, Schaumburg, IL. All celebrated the End of winter with Desi Winter Bash! – Where everyone enjoyed and cherished the best of Chicago LIVE!!! Noman Khan, President Yeh Cheez Entertainment and Captain of Yeh Cheez Group; along with Tariq Khan, President Music Melody Entertainment showcased Chicago’s finest dance groups, singers, models and designers all under one roof. They left no stones unturned in promoting the youth and ‘Aam Aadmi’ of Chicago. This wouldn’t have had happened without the help of their grand sponsors, Dr. Harjinder Khaira, Lake Street Dental; Ravi Rawat, Owner India House Banquets and Ahmed Khan, Taaza2u.com Sponsors-Supporters included: India House; Chandni Exclusive; Print Point; Hiba Khan, Asian Media; Waterford Banquet; Shalini Saxena’s Fiery Tiger; Masti Grill; Suga Builders; Paegert Den The people of Chicago witnessed one of the biggest variety shows of the year. The Night was full of Entertainment. Fashion Shows, Dances, Music, Trivia, Comedy, Food and Fun!! An astounding evening was created to entertain the audience. Noman Khan as the program director led […]

Chicago IL: Dhwani Entertainment (Promoters of Local Talent) presented “Fabulous Six- Tribute to Legendary Singers of Bollywood” at Elgin Community College, Art Center Building, H, 1709 Sparten Dr., Elgin IL. on Saturday, March 8, 2014 starting from 3:00 pm. It was a breathtaking on stage show. Fabulous Six Legendary Singers of Bollywood are Kishor, Manna Dey, Rafi, Mukesh, Asha and Lataji. There were talented artists with Live Orchestra by M3 Group of Chicago- Amit Kumar on Key Board; Ken D’Souza on Guitar; Sudhir Krishnan on Drums; Puranlal Vyas on Tabla/Dholak and Dances were performed by Tarana Kathak Dance Academy by girls under guidance of Shital Dhanani. They presented various Dances along with songs compiled by Legendary Music Directors. Shaurin Thakkar was MC of the program. One after another Melodious Songs close to our hearts for every mood, Happy, Sad, Romantic, Masti, remembering Six eternal Bollywood Legendary Six Singers- Lata Mangeashkar, Asha Bhonsle, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Mannadey were vocalized by Chicago’s very best singers like Shaila Khedkar Rajesh Chalam and Padmini Rao. Other presenters were voice of ‘Manna Day’, Mr. Virendra Kothariji and another very popular Versatile Singer Sreepathyji, and Nipa Shah. Joining the chorus were Chicago’s very own […]

Chicago IL: Married to my childhood sweetheart, Usha 41 years ago. The person I love the most, my wife is my strength and inspiration. Love, tenderness, sympathy, empathy, came from my mother Shantaben, hard work discipline, strong will power came from my father Natverlal and spiritual wisdom Pandurang Shastriji Athavale. We are very spiritual and family oriented. With the blessing of God, we are very healthy and have a joyful family life with three beautiful daughters, Meena, Paru and Rita. We are also blessed with 3 amazing grandchildren, the eldest is 16 years old. We would like to take a few minutes to convey “Thanks” to our extended family which is the people who work for Asian Media USA. They are the pillars of this organization. We reverence them for their dedication and hard work. They burn lots of night oil. I would also like to give a special thanks to all our supporters and general audiences.

Chicago IL: In spite of the inclemency of the arctic weather, the exquisite welcome reception for His Excellency Dr. Subramanyam Jaishankar, Indian Ambassador to U.S. hosted by Chicago Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed was profoundly warmed by the presence of Chicago’s stellar leadership echelon who collectively exhibited a spirited rousing welcome to the new Ambassador at the Union League Club in downtown Chicago on February 27, 2014. In glowing terms, host Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Chicago’s Consul General of India welcomed Ambassador Dr. Jaishankar and defined Ambassador as a brilliant diplomat enriched with three decades of shining international diplomatic experience. Dr. Ausaf Sayeed eloquently outlined Ambassador’s luminous credentials replete with milestone accomplishments that evoked goodwill applause from the guests. This finely elegant reception assumed a greater significance as Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar took charge as the Ambassador at a challenging time in the Indo-US relations strained by the Indian diplomat episode in New York. In his address His Excellency Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar heaped praises on the Indian American community as a ‘model community’ for their remarkable achievements. He that ‘romance phase of courtship’ has ended, and hard work is ahead. Speaking in sub-zero temperatures outside and against the backdrop of cooling of […]