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A monthly communiqué
September 2020 No. 9
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EDITOR'S NOTE
First and foremost, we hope that you relished our India Day e-magazine. Since the last monthly newsletter in July 2020, a lot has been happening on the IAGB front. We sincerely hope that you enjoyed our flagship event in a completely new form this year. From what we have been hearing, it has has been the talk of the town!
IAGB organized a series of events for India Day, and we will give you a glimpse into them in this edition. We thank you, our members, for your support and viewership. You all made the event a grand success!!
Earlier this month, team IAGB held a reception to welcome the new Counsel General of New York, Shri. Randhir Jaiswal along with his wife Mrs. Abha Jaiswal. We were joined by several area community organizations.
IAGB recently held a fundraiser for IAGB Cares Relief fund along with the well known theater group SETU.
(IAGB Cares Relief Fund to benefit local food pantries and homeless shelters.)
As we all try to get back to the new normal as the school year starts, it is even more important for each of us to be extra vigilant. COVID-19 is still here in all its fury. We urge our members and readers to stay safe, and practice social distancing. IAGB will continue bringing its events virtually until it is safe to meet in person. As always, please stay tuned via our emails, newsletter, website (www.iagb.org) and our Facebook postings.
In this issue, you will find:
- IAGB and Boston community welcomes new CGNY Shri Randhir Jaiswal
- From the Director's corner - IAGB India Day festivities
- Guest Column - The Aunty Conundrum - Gauri Tandon
- IAGB Spotlight on Vision-Aid
- IAGB Spotlight on IANH
- IAGB's fundraiser with SETU: Seven Steps around the Fire
- IAGB makes history with flag hoisting - a poem and narrative
- IAGB Community Crisis Assistance Resources
- IAGB in the news
- IAGB Upcoming events
- IAGB Community Partnerships
- IAGB Sponsors
- Our Media Partners
R I P R B G
IAGB joins the nation in mourning the passing away of an icon, the Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She leaves an indelible mark on our lives with her actions and her legacy. We want our readers to ponder about what she meant for us as a nation by highlighting few of her own quotes:
Her thoughts on Leadership: "Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you."
About her support for Abortion Rights: "This is something central to a woman's life, to her dignity. It's a decision that she must make for herself. And when government controls that decision for her, she's being treated as less than a fully adult human responsible for her own choices."
Women on Supreme Court: "When I'm sometimes asked 'When will there be enough and my answer is: 'When there are nine.' People are shocked. But there'd been nine men, and nobody's ever raised a question about that."
Please reach out to us at [email protected] if you need assistance of any sort in these difficult times.
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IAGB and Boston community welcomes
Consul General of India, New York Shri. Randhir Jaiswal
--Sanjay Kudrimoti
“India is a land of Knowledge, thought, introspection, spirituality, human progress, civilization wealth and this city of Boston is also a city of knowledge – counted as foremost in the world.” – CGNY Shri. Randhir Jaiswal
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Randhir Jaiswal is a 1998 Indian Foreign Service officer and career diplomat. He assumed charge as Consul General of India in New York on July 19th. Prior to that, he served as Joint Secretary cum Social Secretary to the President of India since August 2017. In this role, Randhir Jaiswal headed the foreign affairs office of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and advised the President on India’s foreign policy. In his over two decades of...
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FROM THE Director's Corner
India Day 2020: A unique, original and memorable celebration of India’s Independence Day amidst the pandemic
--Nagendra Rao
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A couple of months after the pandemic began, the IAGB team was tasked with the challenge of celebrating India Day with so many constraints that came up. In addition to the unavailability of a grand platform like City Hall at Boston, the inevitable thought dawned on us that we would have to celebrate the event virtually. Further, the team wanted to do something really relevant for the community. A series of events were conceived by IAGB leading up to a grand event on August 15th...
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GUEST COLUMN
The Aunty Conundrum
--Gauri Tandon
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“...Family is my uncles, my aunts, and my chithis”, as Senator Kamala Harris said in the acceptance speech for her Vice Presidential nomination. Whatever is this “Chithi”? The word, which in Tamil means younger aunt, became viral and reminded me of my own cultural reckoning when my children were younger.
“Is it ok if I call Tom’s Mom Pam Aunty?”...
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IAGB SPOTLIGHT
eNews edition shines SPOTLIGHT on an individual (or a team) who has (have) a positive and significant impact on the lives of New England residents and on community organizations.
This month we are shining the SPOTLIGHT on an husband-wife team, co-founders of Vision-Aid Inc and a community organization - IANH.
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SPOTLIGHT is on
Vision-Aid Inc. Co-founders, Ram Raju and Revathy Ramakrishna
“What can’t be cured has to be endured. Vision-Aid aims to build this endurance.” - Revathy Ramakrishna
IAGB: IAGB welcomes Ramakrishna (Ram) Raju and Revathy Ramakrishna, Co-founders of Vision-Aid Inc. Please share with our readers your life’s journey. Where was your upbringing, your biggest influences and how did you meet each other?
Revathy: I was born in Chennai but spent most of my early life in Ranchi, Bihar. My father, a highly respected Mechanical Engineer, retired as a Director from MECON and his tireless work on Coke Oven projects in almost every major Steel Plant in India was an inspiration. My mother, a retired schoolteacher, was loved not just by her students but by anyone who met her. Both my parents were extremely hard working and service oriented. It is they who inculcated the spirit of service in me right from my childhood. My parents used to provide hot meals and clothing to the poor. My father still personally serves food at the Leper colony. They are very charitable in their outlook and always ready to help...
IAGB interviewing team: Sanjay Kudrimoti
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SPOTLIGHT is on
India Association of New Hampshire
Our community spotlight this month is on IANH (India Association of New Hampshire). We spoke with Mr. Balaji Krishnan, the current President of IANH.
Yogita: Thank you Mr. Balaji for talking to IAGB. Please tell us about your journey with IANH
Balaji: I have been associated with IANH since 2000. It started when my kids were in elementary school and they participated in the educational activities conducted by IANH. When they were in 2nd and 3rd grade, they participated in the spelling bee for the first time. From there, they went to the National spelling bee for 5 consecutive years. When my kids graduated from middle school, I took the role of the education chair in IANH, and when the then president stepped down subsequently, I was elected to that position. I have been the President for last 6 years...
IAGB interviewing team: Yogita Miharia
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SETU virtually stages a murder mystery for IAGB Cares Relief Fund: $6500 raised
--Yogita Miharia
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SETU and IAGB, with many common and complimentary missions, joined hands to bring an Indian-origin play in English through virtual presentations on September 19 and 20. About 500 people from around the world watched the production live from their living rooms...
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“Indian Flag Hoisting 2020 - History in the Making” |
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THAT’S IAGB’S FLAG RAISING STORY
--Tanu Basu
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The knock-on effects of the COVID in our lives, resulting in lockdowns, shutdowns, and alterations of lives;
We saw the world adapting to a whole lot of “new norms” with masks n’ social distancing being the prime vibes.
IAGB India Day, known in the community for its grand celebration with thousands in a cheering crowd!
How do we live up to that tradition this time and make the community proud?
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An Epic IAGB endeavor with a Covid-19 “twist”!!!
--Jeyanthi Ghatraju
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As many in the community know and recognize India Day, celebrating India’s Independence on August 15, 1947, as one the signature events of IAGB and look forward to gathering outdoors year after year!
This year, the COVID-19 pandemic brought in a different twist to our daily lives, leading us to adapt “new norms”...
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IAGB COMMUNITY CRISIS ASSISTANCE RESOURCES
--Vaishali Gade
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“Paradoxically if you survive them, it’s in the bad conditions that you learn most about yourself.”
– Tim McCartney-Snape, mountaineer
What is the crisis? It can be a period of transition/a situation in the life of any of us as an individual, family or group. A situation we hope never happens but if happened, sometimes can be really daunting to maneuver through. For the past year or so India Association of Greater Boston- your community partner has been working...
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Hotstar (Star TV India) which is now part of The Walt Disney Company. Hotstar is the biggest streaming destination in India with 300 Mn users and the leading South Asian platform in the US. We have the best of Indian Entertainment,MoviesWeb Series, regional content and Sports including the IPL and Cricket World Cup. The purpose of this email was to reach out to understand how we could work with the Indian community at your workplace. We have built our reach in the US through community connects such as Cricket fests, match screenings, comedy fest etc.
Currently Streaming
Hotstar Specials- Out of Love
Showing Master Chef India
Movies- Housefull 4 and Arjun Reddy
Everything in one Platform Don’t Miss the Excitement.
Now Subscribe Using Promo Code IAGBSTAR for special discount.
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Newyork Life Insurance Company
At the heart of New York Life is a commitment to be there for the customers when they need -whether today or decades into the future. NY Life has delivered on that promise for nearly 175 years by investing wisely, growing a diversified mix of businesses, and remaining true to the mission as a mutual company, accountable only to their customers, not to outside investors.
People come to work at New York Life to contribute to the financial goals of millions of families and businesses each day. NY Life has a diverse, nationwide workforce that allows them to support the communities where we work. New York Life has a dedicated South Asian Unit for the past 20 years.
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At BMW of Sudbury, a Herb Chambers Company, we don't believe in providing the same old dealership experience, and we aren't interested in sticking to the status quo. We are committed to satisfying our customers' every automotive need, and we strive to create the kind of environment that they'll want to share with others. Come to this Massachusetts BMW dealer and you will find a wealth of chic and well-designed vehicles for your consideration. Browse our new 2018-2019 inventory and you'll find a large selection of new BMW models, including the ever-popular BMW X5 SAV®, BMW 3 Series sedan and BMW i8 coupe. We also have plenty of well-kept used BMW models for budget-conscious shoppers to browse, as well as trustworthy Certified Pre-Owned BMW vehicles.
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Indian Circle for Caring USA Inc., (ICC) is a volunteer non-profit organization focused on providing urgent or emergency guidance and support for our fellow community members and their families as they may encounter unplanned and unexpected events such as serious sickness, hospitalization, accidents, family crisis, and death / bereavement of a loved one. Started in August 2007, ICC has been actively building awareness in the community by working with existing social, religious, professional, services, media and other organizations as well as participation at various events. ICC has over 5,500 members and has received support of over sixty (60) organizations. In order to provide needed support to its clients ICC has built a bank of over 250 volunteers and established strategic partnership with several organizations. |
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Editors: Yogita Miharia & Sanjay Kudrimoti
IAGB Communications
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