NEW YORK: On October 31st, 2024, people of Indian descent worldwide celebrated Diwali, the auspicious festival symbolizing the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and wisdom over ignorance. Diwali is becoming a mainstream event all over America and across the world. Diwali was celebrated at the White House, at Capitol Hill, with Governors, Mayors, and County officials. Several state governors declared the day a state holiday. New York City observed Diwali as a public school holiday. Indian Diaspora groups have been celebrating the event from October to November.

GOPIO chapters have been promoting the Diwali celebration at city, county, and state levels as well as through public institutions such as public libraries. Extending the festivities to November, the Connecticut Chapter of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO-CT) and Stamford Mayor’s Multicultural Council celebrated Diwali, the Festival of Lights, on Sunday, Nov. 17th, 2024, at Stamford’s Ferguson Library.

The program started with a welcome by GOPIO-CT Executive Vice President Mahesh Jhangiani who reiterated GOPIO’s mission of fostering cultural exchange and ideas within the community. This was followed by the Library’s ELL, Citizenship & Cultural Programs Manager Yelena Klompus, and Ms. Ana Gallegos, Secretary of Stamford Mayor’s Multicultural Council. This is the fourth year that the Library and GOPIO-CT have partnered to organize Diwali at the library.

The event celebrated the warmth and unity of the community. Attendees gathered to experience lively and colorful performances, from dances to Hinduism myth-busters. It showcased fifteen captivating performances with a wide variety of local dance schools and Hindu organizations. As if it couldn’t get any better, a Mehendi booth was set up, inviting guests to embrace the beauty and artistry of traditional Indian designs.

About 75 children performed Indian classical, folk, and Bollywood dances. The event brought a festive atmosphere with a lot of Diwali decorations in the library. Many from the American community participated in the celebration.

Groups of dancers at the GOPIO-CT and Ferguson Library Diwali event

Groups of dancers at the GOPIO-CT and Ferguson Library Diwali event

Children who performed at the Diwali Event with event coordinators

After the performances, everyone gathered to enjoy a variety of delicious Indian dishes including crispy samosas, keeping the buzz of excitement alive as they shared food and laughter. The afternoon was interspersed with music, dance, and learning. Participants mingled with each other building cherished memories and a sense of belonging that lit up the faces and hearts of everyone present. All speakers in the beginning highlighted the importance of raising awareness of Indian culture through events like these – Ana Gallegos, Carmen Hughes, Shobhna Bhatnagar, Meera Banta, and Sonal Patel represented the Stamford Mayor’s multicultural council team.

The program was coordinated by GOPIO-CT Board Member Sonali Gannu along with Yashaswi Jhangiani and the MC was Mirat Joshi who introduced all the groups and kept the guests engaged with spirits high. He also introduced GOPIO as a non-profit non-partisan organization and acknowledged its other officials present, GOPIO Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham, GOPIO-CT Immediate Past President Ashok Nichani and Board Members Meera Banta, Totty Narang, and Anita Mathur.

GOPIO Executive VP Mahesh Jhangiani concluded the program by thanking everyone and announcing the upcoming programs of the chapter which include a seminar on December 13th – an informational session on tax and financial planning due to government changes and on December 24th – A session for high school students (juniors and seniors) to meet up with young adults who have just graduated from college and young professional to learn how to prepare for their next step(s) ahead.

Mehendi artist at work and the audience at Ferguson Library Diwali show

Over the last 19 years, GOPIO-CT, a chapter of GOPIO International has become an active and dynamic organization hosting interactive sessions with policymakers and academicians, community events, youth mentoring and networking workshops, and working with other area organizations to help create a better future. GOPIO-CT – Global Organization of People of Indian Origin – serves as a non-partisan, secular, civic, and community service organization – promoting awareness of Indian culture, customs, and contributions of people of Indian origin through community programs, forums, events, and youth activities. It seeks to strengthen partnerships and create an ongoing dialogue with local communities.

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The program started with a welcome from the Program chair Rajendar Dichpally who serves as the Director of Gandhian Society and Founder of the Zakir Hussain Foundation in the USA. “Efforts like this will help the Indian American Community and also strengthen the bond between the two largest democracies,” said Dichpally.

In his welcome remarks, Program Co-chair Santosh Peddi, who serves as the President of the Parsippany Rotary International said that Rotary was happy to co-sponsor the event as part of its social/community outreach. Children follow the singing of American and Indian national anthems.

The Library Director Melissa Kuzma said she was happy to host the India Initiative event at the library as this reflects the diverse attributes of the library. She was happy to receive so many books of different genres and said they reflect the rich and diverse culture of India. She also said that the library would host an event to celebrate Diwali in late October.

Welcoming everyone to Parsippany, Mayor Jamie Barberio said that Parsippany was home to many Indian Americans, and he was proud that many of them have contributed to making Parsippany a better town. Mayor Barberio, who is of Italian origin, also said that he always felt Indian Americans and Italian Americans have similar attributes and was happy to see that the India Initiative in Parsippany Library was seeing so much good response.

GOPIO International Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham who initiated and coordinated this effort from GOPIO told the audience that Indian Americans have done extremely well professionally, politically, and financially and that the community should do more for the larger society. In this regard, GOPIO chapters in the New York area have successfully launched the India Collection of books at the public libraries in Norwalk and Stamford in Connecticut, Edison, New Jersey, and Queens and Long Island in New York State.

“We found that these books are very valuable resources for the larger society to know about India and Indian culture, its democracy, political leaders and social reformers, economy, and India’s relations with countries around the world,” said Dr. Abraham.

Dr. Abraham thanked the Parsippany Library for launching the India Collection of Books. The inauguration was done with the traditional lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries, GOPIO officials, and co-sponsoring organizations.

The books were provided by the Indian Consulate and GOPIO further supplemented books collected from our community who are downsizing. These included new books and old classics which are not available anywhere else now. Several language-based classics were presented by those who were in traditional dress.

Consul Pragya Singh, who is Head of Visa and Passport renewals at the Indian Consulate, and also Consul for Community Affairs said that India was a very diverse and plural country and the consulate was happy to assist and work with local Indian Organizations in strengthening the bond between India and USA with the help of initiatives like this where the consulate donated diverse and useful books for the benefit of the Indian community and the American society.

Upendra Chivukula (Former Assembly Speaker of New Jersey) was happy to see so many Indian Americans turn out for this India Initiative event and also hoped to see the community take an active part in local politics so that this will help the community to have its voice heard in decision making.

Former Andhra Pradesh and Telangana minister from India Ponnala Lakshmaiah who was also a former Resident of Parsippany said that he was happy to take part in the event in his former hometown and said life has come a full circle for him as he had started working at the age of 6 in a library to fund his education and today his autobiography along with other valuable books he donated were being put in the Parsippany library. He thanked the organizers and wished success to the India initiative.

After the ceremony, some classic books in Hindi and half a dozen regional languages were presented by community representatives in their traditional dress. After describing the book and reading a passage from the book, these books were presented to the Library’s Head of Information Services Nicholas Jackson. These books will be cataloged and will be available soon from the library.

A cultural program followed with music and dances from India put together by Mrs. Manju Bhargava, President of the New Jersey Telegu Association. The dancers were Indian American high school and college students.

The program continued with a networking reception. Since the ceremony and cultural program were brief, people had ample to time to meet and greet each other.

“This was one of the best library launches of India Collection of Books with wider Indian community participation,’ remarked Dr. Abraham.

Parsippany Library India Collection of Books Launch group with Library and GOPIO officials, guests, organizers, and Performers

GOPIO is collecting old Indian classic books and contemporary books in all Indian languages from the community to donate to other libraries. Those who want to donate may contact GOPIO at 203-329-8010 or send an e-mail to gopio@optonline.net

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The Naperville Public Library Board of Trustees is a governing board of community volunteers, appointed by the Mayor of the City of Naperville with the approval of the Naperville City Council. The Board is made up of nine Trustees who can each serve up to two consecutive three-year terms. The Board’s responsibilities include overseeing the Library’s budget and policies.

Naperville Public Library has been named the No. 1 Public Library in the U.S. in the 100,000 250,000 population category for the last 10 years and has been a beacon of pride to the entire community.

Naperville Public Library has also been named a 2022 five-star library by Library Journal, an award the library has earned 14 times since its inception in 2009. In addition, the library was ranked number one in the country in its expenditure range ($10-$29.9 million) for the year. Dec 19, 2022

The post Ashfaq Syed Secures Second Term As Naperville Public Library Board President appeared first on NRI News.

According to UNESCO, there are more than 78 lakh children with disabilities in India between 5-19 years. While 61% of them were attending an educational institution, about 12% had dropped out and 27% had never been to school at all. Recognizing the urgent need for inclusivity and accessible education, This initiative aims to bring joy and accessibility to education for children with special needs across the country. With a shared vision of empowering every child, this innovative learning solution seeks to bridge gaps and create a more inclusive reading landscape.

Sugamya Qissa Pitara is not just a learning tool; it’s a transformative experience. Featuring diverse tools such as large font, sensory, quiet, and behavioral books, tailored for special needs, the initiative addresses the unique requirements of visually impaired children through tactile and sensory books with braille and large fonts, ensuring accessibility for all.

Crafted with Universal Design principles, each Sugamya Qissa Pitara is flexible, safe, and easy to use, featuring vibrant, artist-created furniture that adds an inclusive touch to the learning environment. Equipped with a Sensory Mat for enhanced cognitive growth, the pitara ensures a secure setting for focused educational experiences.

Extending beyond the classroom, Sugamya Qissa Pitara supports parents and caregivers with new books, activity sheets, and specialized training by Inclusive Learning experts. Specially crafted caregivers’ manuals in Hindi and English provide invaluable insights and support for fostering effective learning environments at home.

Sugamya Qissa Pitara aims to create an inclusive educational landscape, celebrating diversity, creativity, and accessibility, while addressing the multifaceted needs of children for a more enriched and holistic learning journey.

Talking about the initiative, Siddhant and Nirali Shah from the Access For ALL team, said, “Sugamya Qissa Pitara exemplifies the transformative power of inclusive design, with its profound impact stemming from its alignment with universal design principles. At Access For ALL, our dedicated team crafts learning products and games that prioritize an enriching and inclusive experience for all. Our designs meticulously incorporate the tenets of special needs pedagogy, enhancing hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and visual discrimination. With a visionary approach, bring the best global practices in our products with ingeniously thoughtfully structured to enable seamless engagement, fostering a shared experience where neurotypical individuals can engage harmoniously alongside those with disabilities.”

The Sugamya Qissa Pitara is not the first project under the Foundation to take the joy of reading to those who are differently abled. Over the years the Foundation has been working with SAKSHAM to ensure that all shortlisted titles of its flagship project the JCB Prize for Literature, are converted into visual impairment-friendly formats (braille and digital) of which the digital versions are made available for free, worldwide, via the Daisy Library (Sugamya Pustakalya).

With Delhi being the first location, the Sugamya Qissa Pitara program is set to travel to other parts of the country soon.

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