June 2024
IAGB Community Conversation
Qs.: What was your experience having participated in the IAGB New England Seniors Expo & Cultural Exchange 2024?
Answer from Ekta Jain, Ekta School of Dance:
It was a gratifying experience for the students of Ekta Dance Academy to perform for New England Senior Expo & Cultural exchange 2024. Students of EDA were able to showcase their rich cultural heritage of India in front of the Indo-American community, with the support of the welcome Town of Billerica. What a wonderful opportunity to build bridges between cultures and to allow our students to show off their talents! We also visited various booths and thoroughly enjoyed henna tattoos, jwelery, Indian food etc. We look forward to perform again next year.
Qs.: What was your experience having participated in the IAGB New England Seniors Expo & Cultural Exchange 2024?
Answer from Geeta Vallecha, Yoga Expert
I recently had the lovely opportunity to lead a yoga session at a senior expo, where I met many seniors and people of all ages who joined my session. The event was impressively organized, and I learned a great deal about the unique resources available for seniors.
It was heartwarming to see so many participants join the yoga session in an open field. We all enjoyed the warm weather and sunlight, creating a perfect setting for practicing yoga. I loved sharing my favorite topic: the incredible benefits of yoga at any age. The participants were very receptive to my message, and it was a joy to see their enthusiasm.
Yoga offers numerous benefits for seniors, including enhanced flexibility, balance, and strength, which are essential for maintaining mobility and preventing falls. It also improves joint health and alleviates symptoms of chronic conditions like arthritis. Mentally, yoga promotes relaxation, reduces stress, and enhances overall well-being and mental clarity.
I cherish teaching yoga online, as it allows people from any town or location to join my sessions and experience the many benefits of yoga. Connecting with such a diverse group at the expo was a delightful reminder of how yoga can bring people together and enrich lives at any age.
Thank you IAGB for the most informative and well executed expo for Seniors.
Qs.: What was your experience having participated in the IAGB New England Seniors Expo & Cultural Exchange 2024?
Answer from Moumita Banerjee, Tarana School of Kathank:
Thanks to IAGB for another successful event filled with innovation, insights, and invaluable connections. It has been a wonderful experience for me to be a part of Senior Expo. I have met so many seniors, caregivers and members of the community at the events. enjoyed music, dancing and networking at the IAGB 2024 Senior Expo. I learned how the team came to develop such an amazing project to make the Expo experience one remember. had an amazing experience.
Qs.: What was your experience having participated in the IAGB New England Seniors Expo & Cultural Exchange 2024?
Answer from Shikha Vashishtha, Studio Bollywood:
IAGB once again showed its true community spirit. This time it was the Senior Expo. A very well organized and smoothly run event. There were many quality vendors and various options to explore on health and wellness, food, clothing and the like. The expo offered something for everyone. I had a great time conducting the flash mob dance at the event and it was wonderful having people of all ages join me and dance to tune of Bollywood beats ! I wish IAGB the very best and look forward to the senior expo next year.
Qs.: What was your experience having participated in the IAGB New England Seniors Expo & Cultural Exchange 2024?
Answer from Swasti Bhargava – founder, Swasti School of Dance:
The New England Senior Expo, organized by IAGB in collaboration with the Town of Billerica, was a fantastic event that brought the community together and showcased our culture on a global stage. I had the privilege of leading a flash mob as the grand finale, getting not only the entire gathered community to dance but also the enthusiastic IAGB committee members.
Qs.: What was your experience having participated in the IAGB New England Seniors Expo & Cultural Exchange 2024?
Answer from Swati Athale, Art Expert:
I had a fantastic time at the New England Seniors Expo & Cultural Exchange 2024, organized by IAGB. I contributed to the Rangoli festival art for the town of Billerica and IAGB, which was a fulfilling experience. The expo aimed to connect seniors with the broader community and promote cultural exchange through diverse programs and booths such as Entertainment, Food trucks, and Health Workshops. It showcased the importance of embracing our cultural roots while engaging with the wider community, and I’m proud to have been a part of it.
Qs.: What was your experience having participated in the IAGB New England Seniors Expo & Cultural Exchange 2024?
Answer from Viral Dave, GuruKool Enrichment Center:
My students had a great time performing at the New England Senior Expo. They ranged from ages 4 to 14 and thoroughly enjoyed the event along with their family and friends. They danced to rhythmic Bollywood beats and we could clearly see the audience enjoying this cultural treat along with a variety of other activities and culinary delights that were planned for the day. It was a superbly organized event by IAGB and I look forward to being a part of it next year ! Kudos to the team for the amazing collaboration with the Town of Bllerica !
IAGB Community Spotlight
Jasmine Shah, founder, Aangikam Dance Academy
Jasmine Shah, the founder of Aangikam Dance Academy, has dedicated her life to promoting Indian culture through various dance styles in the New England area.
It all began in 1982 when Jasmine, a visionary and proficient dancer and theater artist, decided to create a platform where youngsters could learn about India’s culture through dances. This initiative led to the formation of Aangikam Dance Academy, which has grown from a handful of children to over 200 students at multiple locations in the New England area. Jasmine has remained true to her traditional beliefs, promoting Indian heritage through Bharat Natyam, Manipuri, Folk dances, and, due to popular demand, Bollywood dances have been added as well.
Jasmine’s illustrious list of alumni comprises of her lifelong supporters. She has been their guide and mentor, playing a significant role in shaping their future. Many of her students have gone on to start their own dance schools.
Jasmine is multitalented. She performs, directs, choreographs, and judges many dance competitions. She has organized many theme-based dance dramas that delve into Indian mythology, and both she and her students have choreographed and performed for not only IAGB but for various other organizations including ISW, IANH, GURJAR, VHP, UIA, and so on.
Beyond her creative endeavors, Jasmine has also organized numerous fundraisers for local community organizations such as Shishu Bharati, Satsang Center, Gurjar (India Earthquake relief fund), CRY Sankara Foundation, and many more.
Jean Shaheen, NH governor, nominated Jasmine for the New Hampshire Art Council as an art counselor, and she has been serving in this capacity for over 25 years. In 2016, India New England honored her for her contribution to the field of dance and dramas by presenting her with a lifetime achievement award.
Throughout the years, Jasmine has choreographed and produced many dance dramas, including Ramayana, Krishna Leela, Meerabai, Shakuntala, and “www.Millanium.Com”, to name a few.
Jasmine Shah has been a solid supporter of IAGB for over 2 decades, presenting timeless and innumerable dance performances during IAGB’s iconic events Republic Day and India Day year after year. She has always shown up with great vigor and enthusiasm cheering team IAGB’s continuous endeavor to raise the bar in quality and thoughtful, theme related performances.
This time around, Jasmine Shah stepped up in her support for IAGB and its educational charter. She was instrumental in enthralling the audience by preparing captivating dance presentations and narrations at the “Nritya-Kala, Dances of India” segment of IAGB’s Discover India Series at the Woburn Public Library. Attendees were fascinated by the intricate details of classical dance forms, the diverse array of costumes, and the meanings behind various gestures. Her lively discussions centered around various folk dances, her vibrant choreographies enabled her students to fill the hall with energy and passion for the art of dance! To quote the audiences, it was a delightful experience to learn and participate in Garba and Bhangra dance narrations. Thanks to Jasmine Shah’s brilliance in her art, and her undaunted passion for the art, Nritya Kala stole the show as the most popular presentation in the DIS series at the Woburn Public Library.
IAGB says “BRAVO” to the multi-talented, decorated Dance Guru Jasmine Shah, who operates out of passion to excel and love for her most loved art form of dance!
IAGB Events Recap
IAGB 5K Run/Walk
2 / 6 – Winter Coat Drive & Drop Off Q1
IAGB Seniors’ Expo & Cultural Exchange 2024
Seniors Expo & Cultural Expo 2024 Thank you note from the President
Our dearest Community at Large, the Town of Billerica and our wonderful Indian American community of Greater Boston,
I still remember when IAGB ideated and initiated this event amidst the peak of Covid, for Seniors 4 years ago which was led by the then President Sanjay Gowda and yours truly. It grew bigger & better with every passing year.
This past Sunday, I felt that I have come a full circle as IAGB as the proven trailblazer that it has always been, hosted a unique endeavor with the Town of Billerica with a mission as heartening as it could get: “working together to build a strong community”!!!
If I am not wrong, this is IAGB’s “first ever” collaboration with the mainstream to host an event!!!
New England Seniors Expo & Cultural Exchange 2024, in collaboration with the Town of Billerica, was envisioned as an event not only dedicated to the seniors in the community and beyond, but also to foster cultural exchange with the mainstream.
And that’s what we did, this past Sunday, May 19, 11 am – 4 pm.
An Expo that had:
- Entertainment: unique performances by local Indian dancers/dance groups.
- Food truck/vendors: Indian food and more!
- Booths providing a wealth of information designed to help senior citizens & aspiring seniors, their caregivers, and families.
- Health Workshops by experts.
- Booths offering engaging essence of India such as clothing, jewelry, accessories, henna tattoos, spices, easy ways of Indian cooking and so on.
- Booths with prepared foods, farms, artisans & crafters.
My heart is full as we celebrate the Roaring Success of the IAGB New England Seniors Expo & Cultural Exchange 2024, the first of its kind Expo attended by 34 vendors, 4 Health/Wellness Experts, 4 talented Artists, 5 Dance groups & Dance Experts and over 250 people!
It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.
So here’s a HEARTENING SHOUT OUT and a heart-felt DHANYAVAAD (Thank You) to:
We couldn’t have done it without you – we owe our success to you!
**THE TOWN OF BILLERICA
**JEAN BUSHNELL – DIRECTOR – BILLERICA COUNCIL ON AGEING
**ROBERT MAYNARD – ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER – BILLERICA
**MIKE RILEY – SELECTBOARD MEMBER – BILLERICA
OUR GRAND SPONSOR!
UNITED HEALTH CARE
OUR FOOD PARTNER:
The Treasury: Indian & Greek Kitchen
OUR VENDORS!!!
- Anokh
- Vyasa Bros. Inc
- Interactive Indian Folk Art
- Science Cardinal
- eternalHealth
- Mayin Arts LLC
- Alzheimer’s Association MA/NH Chapter
- MindGym Initiative
- United Healthcare
- IAGB
- Indian Circle for Caring USA Inc. (ICC)
- Raji collections
- Billerica Council on Ageing
- Billerica Board of Health
- Imaginations Art & Craft Center
- Sutanuti Sajghor
- Indian Medical Association of New England
- AgeSpan MA SMP
- Minuteman Senior Services
- Traditional Threads by Nikita Gupta
- SD Real Estate
- New York Life Insurance
- Henna Art
- MealMantra / Bhalla homes
- Zashnncreations
- Rehab Health 360 LLC
- Life Care Center of Merrimack Valley
- Indo-American Grocery
- Off-Kendrik Theatre Group
- Vaisakhi Weaves
- KalpTree Financial Services
- FISCO
- Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line
- Billerica Community Pantry
—Our Rangoli experts Swati Athale & Dipa Agrawal for beautifying the Town Hall garden with festive art.
—Yoga Expert Geeta Vallecha for her Yoga and Pranayam (practice of breath regulation) session with all
—Nicole McGurin – Alzheimer’s Association MA/NH Chapter for the workshop on The Impact of Alzheimer’s in our Community
—Meditation Expert Dr. Bindu Vyas for her workshop on Ways of Meditation.
—Dr. Sarju Ganatra, MD,FACC, Cardiologist for the workshop on Best Practices to prevent Heart Disease.
OUR PERFORMANCE GROUPS WHO ENTERTAINED EVERYONE AT THE EXPO!
- Moumita Banerjee – Tarana School of Kathak for her dance group’s dances ‘Kathak meets Lavni’ and Jhumur (Santal) Folk Dance.
- Shikha Vashishtha’s foot tapping Flash Mob/Dance Along.
- Ekta Jain – Ekta Dance Academy for her group dances showing Festivities & Celebrations.
- Viral Dave – GuruKool Enrichment Center for their Bollywood Dance Medley – Rising RockStars.
- Swasti Bhargava – Swasti School of Dance for her exciting Grand Finale Flash Mob/Dance Along.
The first of its kind in the New England area, this Expo stands as a brilliant example of what can happen when we work together -so let’s continue advocating human values such as respect, acceptance, empathy, and love towards other human beings.
Let’s have an open mind to “give and take, mingle and mingled in ”, with the larger mainstream society we are living in at the current time.
Let this Expo be a testimony of how to stay rooted to our cultures of diverse regions with oneness in mind, embrace our surrounding cultures and work together to build a strong community!
Thank You Letter from the Town of Billerica
Dear Tanu,
On behalf of my colleague Robert Maynard and myself, I wish to congratulate the IAGB team for its novel and successful approach to community cohesion on May 19th. Working closely with the town you, Deepak Garg, Nilesh Agrawal and Manish Bhowmick exceled at your communications, cooperation and innovative thinking. We have no doubt that this is the start of an annual Senior Expo and Cultural Exchange!
Despite the rain, the cool temperature and overcast skies, we mobilized beyond these barriers to share with the Billerica community the willingness of the IAGB diaspora to reach out, connect and learn from each other. Communities are built from mutual respect and a search for ways to effectively engage collectively to strengthen ties and bond with pride and authenticity.
Thanks for reaching out to the town of Billerica to join forces in this endeavor. We thank you for the partnership and hope that you will seek us out as more creative opportunities arise for us to exchange stories, notes and cultural elements as citizens of the town.
Kind regards
Jean A. Bushnell
IAGB DIS – Discover India Series Woburn Library
India Unveiled by Alkesh Shah
Alkesh Shah delivered the inaugural presentation in the series, focusing on India’s rich culture and heritage. He shared unique insights that aren’t readily available online. Additionally, Alkeshji discussed cultural, architectural, and historical experiences accessible to all, along with theme-based travel tips. The audience left impressed, gaining a deeper understanding of India’s diversity and what to anticipate when exploring different regions.
Prachin Kala-Ancient Arts by Swati Athale
Swati Athale’s presentation introduced the ancient art of Warli, which employs geometric shapes to convey expressive symbolism. She then showcased the intricate designs and patterns of Madhubani painting. Following that, attendees participated in a hands-on workshop to create their own Madhubani paintings. The time flew by as attendees immersed in the Prachin Art of Madhubani, and the beautiful greeting cards they took home as souvenir will be cherished memories for a long time!
Nritya Kala - Dances of India by Jasmine Shah
Jasmine Shah’s captivating dance presentations enthralled the audience. Attendees were fascinated by the intricate details of classical dance forms, the diverse array of costumes, and the meanings behind various gestures. Following the classical dance demonstration, lively discussions centered around various folk dances. The energy and vibrant moves of the dancers filled the hall, making it a delightful experience to learn and participate in Garba and Bhangra. Undoubtedly, this became the most popular presentation in the series!
Sur Sangeet - Music of India by Deepali, Anish, Yogesh
The final presentation in our series featured a captivating ensemble performance by the trio of musicians: Deepali Khanzode, Anish Khanzode, and Yogesh Kurhale. The session commenced with an explanation of Hindustani and Carnatic music, covering fundamental aspects such as taal, lay, and tarana, as well as the correlation between ragas and the time of day. Anish then delivered a vocal performance in the raag ‘Yaman.’ Deepali followed by introducing the sitar, a mesmerizing string instrument, and showcased its brilliance. Accompanied by Yogesh Karale on the tabla, the performance reached its peak with an enthralling tabla and sitar jugalbandi, leaving the audience in awe.
