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India Association of Minnesota
January 2024 Newsletter
51 Years Supporting the Indian Community
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Message from 2024 IAM President
Meena Bharti
I am honored to take this role and lead the India Association of Minnesota in its 51st year. While our celebrations for completing half a century may be behind us, our work to advance IAM's pillars of culture, charity, and connections continues.
Having been a Twin Cities resident for the past 24 years, I have seen the exciting growth in the Indian population. Although we have seen an uptick in the desi population, there still is a lack of representation. IAM is Minnesota's only non-regional, non-political umbrella organization representing the entire Indian community. We must continue building a stronger, more united desi community to expand our representation and establish our voice in the broader Minnesota community.
Looking forward, I hope to continue the growth of IAM by engaging younger generations to ensure our work carries into the future. I am excited to enter 2024 with a diverse board of immense talent, including second-generation Indians. We will continue focusing on IAM’s core strengths and draw from our experiences from the past 50 years to build our path forward.
We value your input, and I encourage you to contact me or the board, either personally or via social media, to provide your feedback, comments, and suggestions. I look forward to interacting with the desi community and growing with all of you.
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India Association of Minnesota
2024 Team
Officers
Meena Bharti, President - Srividya Vaidyanathan, Vice President
Mangala Acharya, General Secretary
Board of Directors
Sunitha Pillai - Ramla Hasanali - Shruti Joshi - Mish Sen
Manoj Voona - Hasmukh Patel - Ram Rajagapalan -
Associate Board Members
Shivangi Pandey - Riya Bharti - Uma Venkat - Hetal Patel
Fazel Haris - Vipasha Verma - Hina Kapoor - Anurag Saurabh
Analabha Dutta - Ashish Shrivastava - Shonit Janin
Sanjay Terakanambi
Honorary Board Members
Dr. S K Dash - Ram Gada - Dr. Bruce Corrie - Hitesh Patel
Trustee Advisory Council
Sreeni Checka, Chair - Kiran Bandi, Vice Chair
Suyash Jain - Sree Kamojjala - Kuhu Singh - Pradeep Sukhani
Administration
Alice Northrup
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IAM thanks the following departing board members for their service and contributions to India Association of Minnesota and the community. Many of these dedicated IAM board members have served for many years in various positions in the organization.
2023 President Tanwi Prigge, 2022 Vice President.
2023 TAC Vice-Chair Ravi Sagi, 2018 President
2023 Honorary Board Member Shanti Shah,1992 President, , 2014 - 2021 Government Relations Lead.
2023 Treasurer Mukund Kulkarni
2021 - 2023 Board members: Sayali Amarapukar (SAARI lead), Rupali Gupta (Outreach lead), Swapna Sengupta Halder (Cultural team, Flint Hills Lead, PeopleFest lead) and Shashi Palani (Technology).
2023 Board members: Sohini Sarkar (Marketing), Gira Vibharkar (Interns & Grants), Mihir Madhaparia and Puja Gaur.
2023 Associate Board members: Shreshtha Mohan, Priya Gupta,
2022 - 2023 Honorary Board Member Vijay Dixit.
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IAM's Inaugural Literary Showcase
India Association of Minnesota (IAM) is proud to bring to you, for the first time, a literary event celebrating authors, bloggers, poets and writers of the Indian and South-Asian diaspora, with local Minnesota connections.
Hear from authors, mingle with other patrons of the written word, find a good read to curl-up with to get you through a harsh Minnesota winter, and even come away with a signed copy of your favorite new book! The chai and munchies are on us.
Mark your calendars and Click Here to Register
Date: Saturday, January 13, 2024
Time: 2:00 - 5:00 pm
Place: Minnetonka Community Center
14600 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka, MN 55345
This is a non-political event featuring writers from South Asia.
Open to all. Free to attend. Donations accepted.
*Watch for details on our www.iamn.org and social media pages in the coming weeks.
Authors represented at Literary Showcase: Vijay Balakrishnan, Savita Harjani, Preeti Mathur, Sumi Mukherjee, Sangita Kalarickal, Nina Hamza, Cyril Mukalel, S.P. Jayaraj, Payal Doshi, Suchi Sairam, Pallavi Dixit, Nigar Alam, Feroza Mehta, Venu Thayanithy, Shakun Maheshwari, Kamalika Chandla and Harisha Krishnappa
The bloggers: Mish Sen (author & blogger, Shivangi Singh and Ruby Anik
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IAM Internship Program 2024
India Association of Minnesota is now accepting applications for participation in the 2024 Internship program. Interns work in all aspects of the organization while learning about the history of IAM and its core pillars of Culture, Charity & Connections.
The deadline for applications is January 15, 2024.
For more information, go to IAM Internship
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IAM Membership
India Association of Minnesota invites you to become a sustaining member of the organization. As the Indian population in Minnesota increases, it is more important than ever that the community be involved in the activities of IAM as it represents our common interests.
The benefits are many, including participation in the annual election of IAM officers and board members, running for a seat on the board or becoming a part of the IAM committees (Government Relations, Cultural, History and SAARI).
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For more information send an email to contact@iamn.org and an IAM board member will contact you. To become an IAM member Click Here or click on the QRcode.
Welcome to new IAM members
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Upcoming IAM Calendar of Events
Event/Date/Venue
- Literary Event, Jan 13, 2024, Minnetonka Community Center
Watch for coming events in future newsletters, on Facebook and the IAM website www.iamn.org.
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Waiting for the Bus
with Rosa Parks
By: Sayali Amarapurkar
Learning about American Civil Rights History by reading books versus actually vicariously experiencing it by visiting the sites and talking to the people who were alive at the time it happened, gives us a true window into various factors that played a role. Market square fountain pictured above.
A recent trip with like-minded friends from Anti-Racism Collective of Edina to the Southern state of Alabama was a transformational experience. Not a usual tourist destination where many American families would flock to, it is a city to explore if you are an American history buff.
In Montgomery, Alabama we walked the market square which was a bustling slave market back in the day of slavery.
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At the corner of this market square fountain is also the spot where Rosa Parks worked as a seamstress and boarded the bus where she refused to move to the back of the bus. We stood in line with Rosa, thinking sixty plus years later people are still fighting for equal rights based on race, gender, age, and so many other dimensions. We all are metaphorically still waiting for that bus of equality to arrive.
Our group picture with a bronze statue of Rosa Parks: “People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired,” wrote Parks in her autobiography, “but that isn’t true. I was not tired physically No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”
IAM thanks Sayali Amarapurkar for leading the SAARI initiative (South Asians Against Racial Injustice) during her three year tenure on the IAM Board.
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Marathi Association of Minnesota (MAM)
MAM is very excited to kick start the 2024 MAM events with Makar Sankranti.
Date: Saturday, February 10th, 2024.
Time: 3:30 - 8:30 pm
Venue: Eisenhower Community Center,
1001 MN-7, Hopkins, MN 55305
Free to MAM members; Non-members: Adults $20, Kids $15
Please use the links below to RSVP and participate in the various cultural programs. Competitions will be announced in early January. The deadline for RSVP and cultural entries is January 27th, 2024.
To attend Sankrant RSVP Here
For Cultural program Register Here
Please visit our website for 2024 prorated membership.
For questions: contact us at mam.committee@gmail.com
https://www.mnmarathi.org/
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Minnesota Tamil Sangam (MNTS)
MNTS invites you to SANGAMAM 2024. MNTS is proud to receive its First Minnesota State Legislature Resolution for TAMIL. Enjoy traditional folk arts, a variety of dance programs and Tamil Heritage Month Celebration.
Date: Saturday, January 13, 2024
Time: 12:30 9:00 pm
Venue: Hopkins High School
2400 Lindburgh Drive
Minnetonka, MN 55305
Free for MNTS members
Non members - Adult $15, Child $8
Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining"!
www.mntamilsangam.org
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Ragamala Dance Company
Avimukta: Where the Seeker Meets the Sacred
Honoring the memory of ancestors in an intimate ritual for the stage. In Avimukta, both dancer and viewer experience the divinity of the seeker meeting the sacred. Featuring solos by mother/daughter creators and performers Ranee, Aparna, and Ashwini Ramaswamy that contrast the ceremonial unison of the company, Bharatanatyam becomes a full-bodied, ecstatic prayer celebrating the inevitable dissolution of life. Directed by Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy.
Date: May 4 & 5, 2024
Where: The Cowles Center’s Goodale Theater
For tickets Click Here
To see Ragamala's performances in other US cities Click Here
https://www.ragamaladance.org/
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Twin Cities Tamil Association
TCTA invites everyone for the 11th Thamizhar Thiruvizha 2024. Enjoy Dance, Music, Food, Songs, Photography, Shopping booths, Fun & Friends - all in one place. Looking forward to a fun-filled, colorful extravaganza and evening full of joy and memories.
Date: Saturday, January 20, 2024
Time: Starting at 1:00 om
Venue: Park Central Senior High School
7300 Brooklyn Blvd, Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
Free Entry for TCTA members.
$10 For Non TCTA members
Tickets will be available for sale at the entrance on event day.
For 2024 TCTA membership Click Here
https://tctamn.org/
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DesiStoriesAshaUSA.com
Stories from, about and of South Asians.
This story features Divya Maiya, co-founder and CEO of SAATH (South Asian Arts and Theater House). Divya has brought positive attention to Minnesota’s vibrant Indian community by using Bollywood dance to connect people, and raise awareness for social causes.
Divya grew up in Bangalore, dancing recreationally as a child, and transitioned to exploring different forms of dance once she was in college. Grad School brought her to the US in 2009, and while at the University of Wisconsin, Madison she competed nationally on a college dance team. She moved to Minneapolis two years later to join her husband, and while her day job at Best Buy utilizes her technical skills, her passion for dance has moved to center stage.
Divya glows when she is noticed, when her dances causes disruption and flurry, always clad in vibrant and colorful costumes. - Ruby Anik -
To read the article Click Here
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10-year-old Minnesota singer Mira Babal
tells it like it is in ‘Mad for No Reason’
In her new music video, 10-year-old Mira Babal stands on train tracks, and belts out the opening line of her song “Mad for no Reason.”
“Why do you get this way, every time, every day.
Always mad for no reason.
I'm just trying to live in the moment …”
To Read entire MPRNews Article by Catharine Richert Click Here
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Happy New Year!
As we celebrate the start of 2024, the IAM team is making plans for the coming year. We are starting IAM's 51st year with a new event in January. We hope to see all of you at the Literary Showcase on January 13th. The IAM Government Relations team will be keeping you informed about the primaries, general election and Indian candidates during this election year. We look forward to once again celebrating Indian Independence Day with you at IndiaFest in August.
India Association of Minnesota wishes everyone
a Happy, Healthy and prosperous 2024!
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This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
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Submissions for the IAM Facebook page or future newsletters, please email us at marketing@iamn.org
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