Community Across America
16 India Post
May 4, 2012
www.indiapost.com
Kathak combines with African 'Dance & Drums'
The fusion in progress
Anila Sinha Foundation artist group
RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service
CHICAGO: Anila Sinha Foundation (ASF), a not for profit organization established in memory of Kathak teacher and maestro Mrs. Anila Sinha, has slated a unique program combining Kathak dance and music in its traditional form with a vibrant group of the African dancers and drummers, on May 6 in Lemont, a Chicago sub-
urb. Dr Birendra Sinah, one of the main organizers and a spokesman for ASF, said that the African dancers and drummers, called Groupe Daara Jee, will be performing Senegal's traditional dance, the Sabar with its vibrant upbeat drumming. The Daara Jee members include Assane Seck, artistic director, chorographer and drummer, along with Sadira Muhammad, who is a choreographer and dancer of
Joining this African group will be the members of the ASF Kathak dance company directed by Ms Kiran Chouhan accompanied by Indian drummer Raj Deshmukh
exceptional quality. Joining this African group will be the members of the ASF Kathak dance company directed by Ms Kiran Chouhan accompanied by Indian drummer Raj Deshmukh who will make this program unique. In addition to these musicians there will be a drummer playing western drum, Thor, a keyboard player Ryan and a Guitar player Nicholas Metzger. Since its inception in 1999 ASF
has presented a number of performances every year to promote the most popular dance form of north India namely Kathak, with its associated music and stagecraft. This event will take place at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago in Lemont on May 6 starting at 5pm. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. For further information please email at asfkathak@hotmail.com or call Dr. Birendra Sinha.
2012 IIT Alumni Medal for Manu K. Vora KRISHNA RAJDA
CHICAGO: Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) presented a 2012 Alumni Medal, award to Manu K. Vora (M.S Che '70, Ph.D. '75) during a ceremony celebrating all of the 2012 IIT Alumni Award winners held here on Friday, April 13. The 2012 Alumni Medal is awarded to alumni who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to society through service or support and achieve significant personal and professional success. This is the highest honor bestowed by the IIT Alumni Association. Nominees in this category are selected by the Alumni Awards Judges' Team. Vora holds B.S. in chemical engineering from the Institute of Technology at Banaras Hindu University, India, M.S. and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago and an MBA with marketing management from the DeVry University's Keller Graduate School of Management in Chicago. In 1968, he came to the United States on a J. N. Tata Endowment Scholarship to pursue his graduate work at IIT, Chicago. He has been a volunteer and volunteer leader at IIT in at least six different capacities over the past 20 years. Vora, who lives in Naperville,
(L-R) IIT Alumni Awards Committee Chair Jeff Karp, Dr. Manu Vora, and IIT President John Anderson (R) Dr Vora with wife Neila Vora
Illinois, is chairman and president of Business Excellence, Inc., a global quality management consulting firm. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Northern Illinois University's College of Business. He has published more than 40 articles in professional journals and conference symposia, and delivered over 290 presentations on business excellence and quality management topics around the world. Vora is the founding director and president of the Blind Foundation for India (BFI), which has since 1989 raised more than $3.5
million to serve over 15 million blind people in India. BFI has supported 100,000 free Cataract operations, donated 104 mobile vans, distributed 10,000 Braille kits to blind children, performed eye sight checkup for more than one million people, and completed child sight projects for over 450,000 school-going children. He has served on the board of directors of the American Society for Quality (ASQ), the world's largest network of quality resources and experts. He has been honored with the ASQ's Distin-
guished Service Medal, Grant Medal, and Lancaster Medal. Vora also served from 20002010, an executive director for the GOSUMEC Foundation to support the Seth G.S. Medical College and K.E.M. Hospital in Mumbai, India with over $225,000 in health care technology and educational projects. In 2011, Vora was honored with "The US President's Call to Service Award" for his lifetime volunteer service. In the same year, the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO) honored Vora with its Ellis Island Medal of Honor
in a special ceremony at the Ellis Island in New York. The IIT Alumni Awards are divided into eight categories: Alumni Medal, Alumni Service Award, Collens Merit Award, Galvin Award, International Award of Merit, Lifetime Achievement Award, Outstanding Young Alumnus/Alumna Award, and Professional Achievement Award. Founded in 1890, IIT is a Ph.D.granting university with more than 7,700 students in engineering, sciences, architecture, psychology, design, humanities, business and law.