Community Across America
20 India Post
June 27, 2014
www.indiapost.com
'Telugu Maatlaata' Games held in Bloomington AJAY KALAVALA
BLOOMINGTON, IL: "What do you call a game played with Telugu words?" - this was a question from Telugu Jeopardy ("Tirakaatam") that Bloomington, Illinois area kids were asked during Silocon Andhra ManaBadi's "Telugu Maatlaata" games. The answer was of course "Telugu Maatlaata" - a game involving Telugu Spelling Bee ("Padarangam") and Telugu Justa-Minute ("Okka Nimisham Matrame") and Tirakaatam. About 25 kids participated in these Illinois State Level Competitions on weekend holiday at iExcel, Bloomington, Illinois. The children performed wonders and spelt difficult words and answered questions with a language proficiency that made everyone take pride in their abilities. The event was organized by Telugu Association of Bloomington and members of the Telugu community in the area jointly with Silicon Andhra ManaBadi Silicon Andhra ManaBadi teaches Telugu during weekends in regular academic year in Bloomington/Normal, Bolingbrook, Aurora, Schaumburg, West Dundee, and Westmont in Illinois. This school is helping children learn and master Telugu language skills, and
Bloomington local competition Onima winners from right 1) Kashyap Chinthakunta, 2) Srividhya Nalladdhighal 3) Sanjana Bhagavatula 4)Medha Gollapudi for her sister Shivani Gollapudi 5) Aishwarya Chinthakunta and 6) Sravya Jayam with guest of honor Smt. Umavaijayantimala Kallakuri Garu
impart heritage of Seemandhra and Telengana, former Andhra Pradesh in India, to the expatriate genera-
tions here in Illinois. Winners in Telugu Maatlaata Illinois region in 2014 were:
Budathalu (Age 5 to 9): Tirakaatam: 1) Prasamsa Addanki 2) Suryaninad Bhamidi 3) Kavya Malika. Puranam Padarangam: 1) Medha Gollapudi 2) Suryaninad Bhamidi 3) Prasamsa Addanki Okka Nimisham Matrame: 1) Asihwarya Chinthakunta 2) Sanjana Bhagavatula 3) Srividya Nalladdhighal Sisindreelu (Age 10 to 13):Tirakaatam: 1) Sunaisha Addanki 2) Sravya Jayam 3) Abhi Neti
Padarangam: 1) Sunaisha Addanki 2) Shashank Bhagavatula 3) Shivani Gollapudi. Okka Nimisham Matrame: 1) Shivani Gollapudi 2) Kashyap Chinthakunta 3) Srayva Jayam. Several volunteers in collaboration with Bloomington - Normal Telugu community worked hard to make this event a grand success. These games were also sponsored by Telugu Association of Bloomington (TAB) and iExcel Bloomington, Illinois.
Role of Temple Priests in 21st Century discussed Cont’d from page 18
Game participants for all games of Telugu Maatlaata Bloomington
SUBSCRIBE TO INDIA POST E-PAPER Mail to: priya@indiapost.com or login to http://www.indiapost.com/subscribe/
In the concluding session 7, Sanjay Mehta presented the summary and action plan. The following is identified as action items: 1) Develop a mechanism to build constant communication amongst priests to share experiences and best practices. 2) Structure Orientation: Organize English language and Communication workshop for priests. 3) Community Counseling: Chaplains and priest coupling Develop a program to define how priest and chaplains can work together in addressing counseling need of the community. Alok Shrivastava of Rajdhani Mandir, VA thanked all the del-
egates, volunteers and the organizers for a successful 3rd Hindu Mandir Priest Conference (HMPC).Hindu Mandir Priests' Conference (HMPC) is an initiative of World Hindu Council of America (VHPA) VHPA, founded in 1970 and incorporated in the state of New York in 1974, is an independent, nonprofit, tax- exempt and volunteerbased charitable organization aimed at building a dynamic and vibrant Hindu society rooted in the eternal values of Dharma and inspired by the lofty ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, i.e. the entire creation is one family.