As our communities are growing and expanding, we see the need to understand other cultures and appreciate them. For the diversity and equality path on our conquest, we feel removing information barriers and misinformation is the key. To aid that IAGB is very excited to bring Discover India series- a virtual series to our communities. We have collaborated with Shishubharti and Burlington Public Libraries to feature Discover India Series at many of our neighborhood libraries. With this series we hope to excite and ignite the community and bring awareness in an engaging manner about India.
‘Life is full of possibilities’, we often say. And Girish Mehta is a person who is supremely interested in finding out possibilities and converting them into opportunity. He is also an organizer who brings together people and institutions to deliver services to meet crucial and yet sometimes unrecognized needs of the community.
IAGB does have a longstanding relationship with Girishji and Indian Circle for Caring USA, Inc., the organization he helped establish. In fact, the announcement of the establishment of this organization came during IAGB’s India Day celebrations in 2007. ICC and Girishji have been recognized for community service by IAGB in 2015 and 2018.
Today ICC’s work is spread across 17 states within the US and the organization is predominantly known for its ‘Family Support Services’ – the help with urgent and emergency needs. Although that is not all that ICC does. Over the years they also have gone a step ahead and created resources and programs to help people prepare for critical life events. . As part of this initiative, nearly 100 workshops throughout the USA and thousands of ‘Five Wishes™’ documents have been provided to community members which serve as a Health Care Proxy and Living Will. At this juncture the ICC team identified a new possibility – making the community members aware of the inherent risks to their health and helping them avert these challenges to make their lives better!
Evidence has shown that South Asians including Indians are at three times the risk of heart disease than the larger community within the US and 50% of heart attacks are experienced before the age of 55. Also, they are four more times likely to be diagnosed with diabetes compared to other ethnic and racial groups. This led ICC to join hands with California based South Asian Heart Center to offer a proven structured program with documented results to the South Asian community over the past 15 years. The ‘AIM to Prevent™’ program recognizes the inherent higher risk of diabetes and heart disease as epidemics and attempts to manage these through sustainable lifestyle changes. Once participants enroll for the program they are offered comprehensive screening and risk analysis, personalized recommendations, and education and coaching from lifestyle experts. Through ICC’s efforts over 15 prominent experts have joined hands to educate and provide deeper understanding to the risks and ways to mitigate them. ICC is providing additional guidance in improving lifestyle through four pillars – reducing stress through meditation, exercise, nutritious diet, and good quality restorative sleep! To date, over 120 participants have joined and are receiving measurable benefits for better health. Girish Mehta and his team are working relentlessly to increase the number of participants in the lifestyle program through the wide network of organizational relationships they have built over the years. SEWA International helped take their ‘Family Support Services’ across the nation and South Asian Heart Center helped them bring the ‘Lifestyle Program’ home in New England states. Finding out new avenues of service has apparently become a habit more than a chance.
An integral part of India’s legacy and heritage (dharohar) are its cities, towns, and villages. History awaits at every corner of India, whether it’s a lost legend, a well-preserved palace, or a village bazaar. Through our ‘Dharohar’ section we will bring to you some of India’s treasured places.
This month we showcase Rishikesh, a city in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India, it is known as the ‘Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas’ and ‘Yoga Capital of the World’.
Month of January is typically busy in Thiruvananthapuram due to the “Nishagandhi Dance Festival”, and “Swathi Sangeethotsavam”. Nishagandhi Festival runs for seven evenings with each dedicated to a different genre of dance. Swathi Music Festival pays tribute to the compositions of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal, who was the king of Travancore in the early 19th century. The entire festival is devoted to his compositions and attracts eminent musicians from all over India.
There are different legends to how the city got its name. One legend says the name comes from “Hrishikesh – Lord of Senses”. Others say the name comes from the words Rishi (sages, prophets, holy hermits) and Kesh (dreadlocks). As you traverse through Rishikesh, there are many places to visit. A famous landmark place, Lakshman Jhula is an iron suspension bridge over the holy river Ganga. It connects Tehri and Pauri districts of Uttarakhand, and offers a panoramic view of river Ganga and Rishikesh city. The Lakshman Jhula is well-known amongst tourists because it is believed that Lord Lakshman, the younger brother of Lord Rama, had crossed the river Ganga at this same site. Situated on the banks of the holy river Ganga, Triveni Ghat is the biggest ghat in Rishikesh, and plays an essential role in Hindu mythology and is also mentioned in the epics Ramayan and Mahabharat. Triveni Ghat is where the famous Ganga Aarti takes place every evening. Other places to visit is The Beatles Ashram, also known as Chaurasi Kuti. It is located on a cliff in the Swarashram area of Rishikesh and is the ashram where The Beatles lived in 1968 and wrote dozens of songs and meditated. Neer Garh waterfall is a beautiful narrow stream of cool water cascading down a rocky terrain in the midst of a dense green forest. Rishikesh is also home to many adventurous sports including rafting, cliff jumping, and camping. Rafting in Rishikesh particularly is hands down the best, one could endeavor in India. From the gifted natural circumstances to the top professional assistance, the place has just the best to offer. Cliff jumping is another one of the exciting activities in Rishikesh. The activity can be done down in the river, swimming or rafting or just taking a dip. The opulence of the majestic Himalayas, the clear waters of the Ganga and the mesmerizing beauty of the adjoining forests make Rishikesh the ideal spot for adventure sports like camping and rafting. Rishikesh is easily accessible by air, by train, or by road. Jolly Grant airport at Dehradun is the nearest airport to Rishikesh. By train, the closest train stations are – Rishikesh Railway Station, Haridwar Railway Station. Driving up to Rishikesh is also an option as it is connected to other major cities. Tranquilizing beauty, architectural marvels, grand temples, and a never-ending list of adventure sports – Rishikesh is a platterful of two opposite worlds – be it a rejuvenating session of meditation, glorious Ganga aarti or an adventurous river rafting.
Cryptocurrencies and NFTs have become increasingly popular as technology evolves. But what are these new concepts, and how are they changing the creative world?
A cryptocurrency is a form of digital money that is traded on the blockchain system. It works by putting a few transactions into a list called a block, then linking the hash, the unique identifier, of each block to other blocks. This means if someone changed the content of a block, the hash would change and no longer match the next blocks, signaling that it had been hacked. This strategy renders the blockchain impervious to fraud and ensures that everyone is safe.
We can grasp NFTs now that you know what cryptocurrencies are. NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are data elements kept on the blockchain. They can be traded for a variety of cryptocurrencies and their value changes over time. The blockchain contributes to this by confirming the authenticity of an NFT.
The world of digital art has always had problems with piracy and plagiarism. The problems can now be solved thanks to NFTs. Art theft or unauthorized reproduction is based on the fact that no one possesses a permanent record of the art’s owners. When artists sell their work as NFTs, the blockchain keeps track of each owner as well as the original creator. This offers digital artists the recognition they deserve while also encouraging them to create more work and not to forget, avenues to make money from their creations.
NFTs are simple, enabling artists across the world to build a digital gallery in a matter of days; all that’s required is access to the internet! It gives those who don’t have lots of resources the opportunity to bring out their creativity, have it recognized and appreciated. The Amazons of the NFT marketplace such as opensea.io and sandbox.game make it easy for artists to create their own digital world with a simple interface, and access to “crypto customers”.
NFTs are the future of digital art, revolutionizing fraud prevention and helping everyone to get the recognition they deserve.
~ Pritha Anand, IAGB Youth Team Member
* Art credits to Pritha Anand
IAGB Youth Opportunities Column and Raising Awareness
IAGB Youth Spotlight: Who: 25 and under When: Submissions are due by December 15th. Nomination form: https://forms.gle/yNMAZNBDeNB9c14SA Inviting nominations for October IAGB Youth Spotlights! The IAGB youth initiative spotlights talented local youth who have demonstrated outstanding contributions to art, sports, or the community! Nominees must be 25 years of age or younger, and they must have lived in the New England area.
STEM-Away Summer Internships: Who: College students and junior professionals. Limited spots are available for high school students When: Applications are due March 31st. Apply here: https://stemaway.com/apply Are you interested in a career in STEM? Apply for a virtual STEM-Away summer internship! These are free educational remote internships for students to learn, collaborate, and prove their value based on their merit and ability. Students will become work-ready with critical technical & soft skills and complete projects in the Bioinformatics, Cloud Computing, Full Stack, Hardware Engineering, Machine Learning, or UX and UI pathways. Find out more here: https://stemaway.com/
IAGB Youth Engagement
IAGB Youth; a platform for Youth of Indian heritage to help them develop leadership skills, the skills they need to identify pressing issues in the communities in the New England area, amid racism, poverty, violence, as well as rapidly changing environment, and tap into their own and their communities’ strengths to create positive change.
Lend our youth voices to shape policies that empower youth to achieve equity, opportunity and enrich ourselves and our community. Understand what it means to be Indian American, and stay connected to our rich heritage.
The IAGB Youth Team is recruiting!! Who: Grades 8-12 When: Meet once per month Students will coordinate and engage in several community activities. Community service hours are available, as well as leadership opportunities! If you have any questions or if you are interested in joining, send an email to [email protected]
“IAGB Republic Day is a great event celebrating January 26 1950, when the Constitution of India was adopted. It is an event bringing together New England communities for an evening of Indian patriotic program & food. It’s special to me as I got to volunteer in a ‘Saheli’ booth at this event a few times earlier.”
Anshika Shekhar
“The event I am looking forward to the most is the cake decoration and baking event. As an amateur baker myself, I picked up baking during quarantine. I find baking and decorating cupcakes or cakes a pretty relaxing activity. Although I am not the most artistic person, decorating baked goods is not too difficult, so most of the time my edible creations look pretty good.”
Aarushi Pant
“In past years, I have helped out with organizing backstage at the IAGB Republic Day event, helping ensure that all the performance groups were ready when they needed to be. Last year, I also worked with the story-telling competition for young children, which was especially fun! This year, I’m looking forward to helping out with the cake- decorating competition and seeing all the beautiful creations that participants will make!”
IAGB Republic Day Celebration – the celebration of India’s Constitution. As always, we will be celebrating this event with the Republic Day Mela, a virtual month-long event with competitions for all ages throughout January. An in-person celebration on January 29th will follow these virtual events, 2022, with a cultural showcase ‘Towards the light together…” composed of classical, fusion, and Bollywood performances.
So mark our calendars and celebrate India’s Republic Day.
IAGB to celebrate India’s 73th Republic Day in traditional pomp and style IAGB is planning to celebrate India’s 73rd Republic Day on 29th January 2022 with its hallmark style of pomp and gaiety with the cultural program to lift the spirits and strengthen our hope “Towards the light together” and many other activities leading up to and the day of the event.
12 exciting competitions will be held virtually and some in-person during December and January. These competitions offer the Indian diaspora a chance to actively exhibit and hone their talent in Art, Story Telling, Elocution, Essay Writing, Cake Baking and Decoration, Chess, and Carrom. Poetry, Bollywood Quiz, Jeopardy, and IAGB Shark Tank.
Deadlines for entries are coming up soon- New Englanders are encouraged to book their slots well ahead of time. This year’s highlight is the partnership with TiE Young Entrepreneurs. Young talented professionals from TiE will help train participants interested in the IAGB Shark Tank to review and fine-tune their pitch to the “sharks.” This event promises to be challenging and entertaining. It’s coming fast, so don’t miss signing up. This year’s Cultural program has its theme as “Towards the light together.” The program symbolizes hope and cheers in these days where everyone is wary and apprehensive about their daily life and activities owing to the ongoing pandemic. Along with Bollywood, the cultural program will comprise folk, classical, and fusion performances from various states in India. As we are taking a step forwards towards the light, we want to appreciate our neighbors and highlight their uniqueness as well- we are sure you will enjoy these special performances from pan-Asian countries.
Venue: Marlboro Middle School, 25 Union Street, Marlborough 01752
—————————————————————————————————————————————— IAGB is closely watching the situation arising from the COVID -19 and the risks from the current variant and plans to take a final call on having the in-person event soon. If the condition worsens, contingency plans are entirely in place to conduct the event virtually with no less grandeur.
Veena Handa is a woman of many traits – a finance professional, a teacher, a mentor for young professionals, supporter and ally for women, love for designing and sewing clothes, all the while striving to make the world we live in a better place, by giving back to the community.
Veena Hand arrived in the USA in 1972, after finishing her Masters’ in India and then living in Australia for a few years. Throughout her professional career, she worked with many Financial Institutions – MetLife, Fidelity Investments, John Hancock Financial. She retired as AVP of Operations from John Hancock Financial. As a professional, she managed teams across many geographical locations while mentoring her team and helping them with career development. She received many accolades and recognition throughout her career, including the Excellence in Service Award from MetLife and the Star of Excellence Award from John Hancock. She was on the Advisory Board for John Hancock’s Global Women’s Alliance and led multiple programs to strengthen the women’s alliance.
After her retirement in early 2018, Veena immersed herself in community service. She volunteered at the Community Center in Lexington and delivered talks on Retirement Planning and Budgeting. She has been working with Minuteman Senior Services on different projects, working as a certified SHINE counselor helping seniors with information, counseling, and assistance on health care programs. She is also active as a Money Manager assisting seniors in money matters, managing checks, and balancing statements. Veena is involved with AIF on their program, Circle of Hope, working with other women on special projects. She is also on the board for Lexington-based nonprofit .net. During the pandemic, Veena joined the ‘Sew We Care’ team and helped provide masks and scrub caps to local hospitals and health centers. She is now the Vice-Chair for Vision-Aid, contributing to the cause of the visually impaired. Veena believes that it is the community that brings individuals together. So, if you have the time, the knowledge, and experience in a particular area you should always look to share and give back to the community.
We thank Veena Handa for sharing with us her journey, words of wisdom, and inspiring us to give back to the community.
An integral part of India’s legacy and heritage (dharohar) are its cities, towns, and villages. History awaits at every corner of India, whether it’s a lost legend, a well-preserved palace, or a village bazaar. Through our ‘Dharohar’ section we will bring to you some of India’s treasured places.
This month we showcase Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland, Thiruvananthapuram is known as the Evergreen city of India, characterized by its undulating terrain of low coastal hills.
Month of January is typically busy in Thiruvananthapuram due to the “Nishagandhi Dance Festival”, and “Swathi Sangeethotsavam”. Nishagandhi Festival runs for seven evenings with each dedicated to a different genre of dance. Swathi Music Festival pays tribute to the compositions of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal, who was the king of Travancore in the early 19th century. The entire festival is devoted to his compositions and attracts eminent musicians from all over India.
The city takes its name from the word thiru-anantha-puram, meaning “The City of Lord Ananta”, referring to the deity of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple located in the city. The city comprises beautiful beaches, long stretches of palm fringed shorelines, windy backwaters and historical structures. The city is also popular for its ancient temples that are renowned for their architecture. As you traverse through Thiruvananthapuram, there are many popular beaches and hill stations worth visiting. Kovalam, Shanghumukham, Varkala are just some of the beaches that attract a lot of tourists. Agasthyakoodam is famous for its rare herbs that are of high medical value that are found on the slopes of the hill. Ponmudi is another hill station with breezy pathways, excellent trekking trails and is home to a variety of flowers, and eye-catching butterflies. Another place worth visiting is the Neyyar Dam. Located across the Neyyar River, passing from Agasthyakoodam and merging with the Arabian Sea near Poovar, the Neyyer dam is situated at the foothills of the Western Ghats. The dam is a famous picnic spot because of the lake that it encompasses. Boating and mountaineering are some activities one can indulge in while here. Lastly, the Napier Museum is something you can’t afford to miss while in the city. With rare collections of bronze articles, antique musical instruments and ivory carvings, it is also known for its admirable architectural design. Thiruvananthapuram is also a major academic hub; it houses several educational and scientific institutions like Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST). Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is the main airport and well connected to all the major cities of India. By rail, Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station is the main railway station. It is also well connected by road, including many buses run by Kerala tourism. Thiruvananthapuram is certainly a perfect getaway to visit with its beaches, lush hills, backwaters, wildlife sanctuaries and islands.
IAGB Youth Spotlight:
