COMMUNITY FOCUS
Deesha Parikh and Roshni Desai. Morrisville Mayor Mark Stohlman and Lori Bush, Cary Council Representative, presented a proclamation declaring the day as Heritage India Festival. Performances ranged from classical to folk, fusion and Bollywood, which reflected the traditions and dynamism of Indian heritage. A mix of performances offered a chance to event-goers to learn about the regional cultural peculiarities and similarities. While all the “Bhartanatyam” dances and Bollywood dances showcased the talents of the performers as well as of choreographers – a regional folk dance “Tulunadu Vallabhava” from Karnataka and a spectacular performance by kids “Hanuman Chalisa Dance Recital” – both choreographed by Seema Viswanath - won loud acclaims from the audience. A dance and singing competition followed. The Duke Eye Center’s physicians presented a complimentary Eye Camp.
Yash Garg and dr. Harish Chander receive the 2017 Fred Fletcher Outstanding Volunteer award The Fred Fletcher volunteer awards are awarded to volunteers in thirteen categories who have contributed time, talent, and resources and have enriched the lives of the citizens in Raleigh, NC. Award recipients are chosen based on their intensity of service, active volunteer involvement, and commitment. An award ceremony was held on May 11 at the Fletcher Opera Theatre, Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. The ceremony was followed by a gala dessert reception.
shankar Mahadevan in Concert Aim for Seva (All India Movement) conducted a unique 6concert series in the United Sates in May of 2017 with Krishna Sabrang by Shankar Mahadevan. This multi-genre concert featured Shankar Mahadevan and his sons Siddharth and Shivam along with a 20-member orchestra and students from the Shankar Mahadevan Academy. The tour made a stop in Raleigh, NC on May 14 at Memorial Hall. Mahadevan presented a multi-lingual, multi-genre concert in praise of Lord Krishna with bhajans, Carnatic classical, Hindustani, thumri, qawwali, abhang, folk music, South Indian, pop, rock, and jazz. There were over 1400 in attendance. The concert benefited AIM Saathee.com
Photo by Vikram Verma for Seva whose mission is to transform society by caring for the remote and poor children of India by taking complete care of the educational and healthcare needs of underserved children. Carolinas chapter has made a pledge to fund 75 children. For more information about AIM for Seva, visit the Raleigh page at aimforsevausa.org or Grajaram1@gmail.com. – Divakar Shukla “the servant Boy” - a rags to riches novel is steeped in Pakistani culture and societal Concerns “The Servant Boy” was inspired by author Reesha Goral’s many visits from her hometown in Northern California to her parents’ birthplace, more than 7,000 miles away, in Karachi, Pakistan. Deeply impacted by her social engagements during those travels, Goral wrote the story of mystery, fantasy, friendship and romance centered on the fictional adventures of Zayne Shah, a young man born into poverty. He encounters life’s trials tribulations and through perseverance triumphs. As a deadly epidemic rages through his native Pakistani village, Shah’s life is chronicled, including his determination to find a cure. “Although a work of fiction, The Servant Boy weaves real life’s paradoxes with Pakistani customs and culture to tell a tale of hardship and redemption,” said Reesha Goral. “Ultimately, I want readers to see that inner beauty and hard work are the true paths to eternal happiness.” Raised in the Bay Area, California, this is Goral’s first novel. She currently resides with her family in the Washington, D.C. area. The novel is available at several online bookstores.
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June 2017