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NAGARAJ LOHITH

About NAGARAJ LOHITH

Posts by LOHITH NAGARAJ:

Upcoming IAGB Events

India Day Celebrations 2022

 

We at IAGB are working on a grand program to celebrate 75 Years of India’s Independence.

This year’s celebrations will consist of a joyous mix of flag-raising ceremonies, cultural events, immersive ‘desi’ experiences, and a scintillating concert. Mark your calendars for:

 

  • Flag raising ceremonies in various New England towns – August 6th and 7th
  • Independence Day celebration ‘Bharat Parikrama’ at the Hatch Shell, Boston, our annual flagship event (Free Entry) – August 13th, 12:30 – 6:30 pm
  • A FundRaising Concert for the Samarthanam Trust ‘Nazraana’ – The Hanover Theater, Worcester – August 20th, 5 – 9 pm.

Hoisting Town

Invitee Towns

Date

Time

Burlington

Woburn, Stoneham, Reading, Winchester, Bedford, Lexignton

August 15th

6.30pm

Worcester

Shrewsbury, Millbury, Leicester, Holden, Grafton, Sutton, Northboro, Westboro

August 20th

2:00 PM

Billerica

Burlington, Lowell, Chelmsford, Tewksbury, Wilmington

August 6th

9:00 AM

Salem

Beverly, Danvers, Lynn, Marblehead, Peabody, Swampscott

August 6th

11:30 AM

Acton

Concord, Carlisle, Stow, Maynard, Sudbury and Boxborough.

August 6th

11:00 AM

Westford

Chelmsford, Lowell, Groton, Dracut, Pepperell, Maynard

August 7th

9:00 AM

Nashua

Merrimack, Hudson, Milford, Amherst, Pelham, Mont Vernon, Hollis, Brookline, and Mason.

August 9th

9:00 AM

Grafton

Westboro, Millbury, Northboro

TBD

 

Sharon

Canton, Stoughton, Walpole, Norwood, Foxborough, Mansfield, Westwood, Easton

TBD

 

Somerville

Cambridge, Belmont, Medford, Everett, Boston, Chelsea, Arlington, Malden

TBD

 

Public Announcements

Public Announcements – July 2022

  • Inviting contributions to the ID magazine

We invite you to pen your thoughts to be included in our annual magazine in the following ways:

 

– Short essay (about 350-400 words) on what makes you an Indian at heart and how do you think those qualities help you assimilate in the larger American community

– Poem based on your feelings / thoughts about India, Indian culture, or its 75 years journey as an independent nation

– Small write-up (about 200-250 words) on your favorite Indian attire – its description, specialty, and how that reinforces the Indian identity

 You are requested to submit your entries by 20th July.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kaumudee Valimbe kaumudee.valimbe@iagb.org 

You are requested to submit your entries by 20th July.

IAGB Community Youth Excellence Awards 2022: Call for Nominations

IAGB is pleased to invite nominations for the prestigious “IAGB Community Youth Excellence” award. Anyone – including parents, friends and relatives – can nominate a student. Students can also nominate themselves. The deadline is July 24, 2022.

IAGB will recognize a maximum of two students, who demonstrate extraordinary achievement in one or more of the following areas:

  1. Community Service/ Exceptional service of an altruistic nature for the greater good of the community
  2. Academics
  3. Arts and music
  4. Sports

Eligible nominees must be rising junior or senior high school students of Indian origin, who reside and attend school in the New England Area. 

Required Documentation
Submit nominations with the following required supporting documentation by July 24, 2022 here: https://form.jotform.com/221795915852164

  • Student/school/town name, and student contact details (email, telephone number and address).
  • A one-page essay in Microsoft Word on any 1 of the following topics: 

1.      Polarized Political Divide in the USA – is it impacting Democracy? How?

2.      What lesson if any has the world learned from the Covid-19 pandemic? How do you think it will impact our response if we have another pandemic?

3.      Do you think Second Amendment Right to bear arms should be changed considering the shootings we see in the USA? How has this impacted you personally?

  • List major achievements in detail, using separate pages for each area of achievement. Include any supporting documents such as images, videos, etc.
  • If nomination is made by someone other than the nominee, include the name of the nominating person and contact details.

The awardees will be notified via email and recognized at India Day Festival 2022 on August 13th, 2022, at Hatch Shell Boston. If you have any questions, send an email to iagb@iagb.org.  For more details on India Day 2022 and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.iagb.org

 ABOUT IAGB

India Association of Greater Boston (IAGB) is the oldest and one of the leading Indian-American organizations in New England. It serves the Indian-American communities in the Greater Boston area – Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. IAGB strives to foster a strong Indian- American social, cultural and community presence in New England

Register Now for ‘Walk Down the Diversity Ramp’

Submit your entries here:  https://form.jotform.com/221796121521147

 If India had to be given an alternate name, it would be ‘Diversity’

India is a land of diversity, each state in the country is unique with its own culture, traditions, food, language, and clothing. All the states live in harmony with each other while preserving and upholding their own distinct identity. 

When you think of India’s diversity, one of the main things that you visualize is her vast and boundless array of traditional dresses, all full of aesthetic beauty. Ethnic clothing is one of the things that distinguish one part of India from the other. Different fabrics, weaving processes, embellishments, styles and accessories of multiple sorts. A compelling epic about craftsmanship, culture and legacy tells a story in each piece. The traditional Indian attire has earned admirers from people from all over. The craftsmanship with which artisans create traditional dresses is really incredible. All forms of clothing are quite labor intensive and require a lot of attention to detail. 

Let’s showcase India’s diversity through clothing this India day. IAGB invites you to participate in ‘Walk Down the Diversity Ramp’. An opportunity to showcase your ethnic clothing to the Greater Boston area. We are seeking participants from different states of origin who would like to show off their heritage through their clothing. Spots are limited to one couple per traditional outfit, so please send in your entry soon. 

We cannot wait to see this kaleidoscope of India at the IAGB India Day 2022.

Community Conversations

“This month IAGB committee members express their views ahead of Independence Day.”

“The Fourth of July celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. July 4th is always celebrated with fireworks, ice cream, parades, and concerts. I think it is also a great way to spend a fun night with your friends and family!”

~Tanushree Nekenti, IAGB Youth Team Member

“To me, July 4th has always been a holiday and just that; it’s never held a particular significance or meaning for me. Naturally, I associate it with fireworks, barbecue and all of the other classic traditions, but perhaps above all, it’s a time to gather with friends and family.”

~Cynthia Raj, IAGB Youth Team President

 

“Growing up, the Fourth of July was always time for me to take in how grateful I am for being able to live in America. My family has a tradition of going to Boston every time to watch the fireworks in front of the Citgo sign in Boston. We haven’t missed a year of fireworks, even during Covid!”

~Anshika Shekhar, IAGB Youth Team Member

“When I was younger, I would always be excited on July 4th because I would get to dress up in bright red, white, and blue clothes and wear fun, patriotic earrings. Now, I view the holiday as a time to meet up with family and friends, and we never fail to catch the fireworks!”

~Aarushi Pant, IAGB Youth Editorial Director

“During my early years as an immigrant, I remember going to Boston Commons to watch the Boston Pops concerts, parades, and the grand finale of spectacular fireworks that concluded the Independence Day ceremony. I also looked at it as a long weekend when we planned to visit various tourist attractions. Over the years though, this view slowly transformed and I started considering myself privileged to be a proud citizen of this country of immigrants. Realized that we settled here for a ‘Life with Liberty and in the pursuit of happiness’. And that I chose to migrate to this beautiful country of abundance to fulfill my dreams and enjoy the freedom of everything.”

~Asha Thotangare, IAGB EC Member

 

“While taking the Oath, a new citizen promises to fulfill the following duties: Support and defend the U.S. Constitution and the laws of the United States against its enemies. Give up allegiance to any other nation or sovereign, and renounce hereditary or noble titles, if any. Every day, and especially on July 4th, I ask myself if I am being true to the oath taken during the citizenship ceremony and my thoughts go over my 18 years journey as a citizen.

When we came to the United States, the first few years involved adjusting to the new work culture, deadlines, and into the American society in general. Being immigrants, we all go through various challenges – raising kids, learning from the kids, and trying to fit into the larger community. During our core career journey, we Indians contribute so well in the medical, technology, research, financial, education and many other fields. Our contributions help the American economy grow by creating more jobs as well as building an excellent workforce. Once kids go to college, we start investing our time in voluntary work as per our individual choice and passions. So many of our community members are engaged in various non-profit, voluntary organizations, political initiatives by contributing their expertise, time and making monetary donations to the cause they believe in.

Therefore I want to say that with positive contributions to the American economy and community, not just me, but my larger Indo-American community and the next generation as well are indeed fulfilling the promises we made. Wishing everyone ‘Happy 4th of July’!”

~Santosh Salvi, IAGB EC Member

“The Fourth of July is the celebration of independence. The ways of celebrations have changed through times, what stayed constant is the spirit of celebrating independence! It’s a day when people get together for the festivities ranging from parades, barbecues, music, parties and an amazing night full of fireworks. The sound of the fireworks reminds me of the festival season in India. My first 4th of July celebration was in Boston. The weather was just perfect, not so hot and not so cold with a little breeze. The sound of nature, happiness and joy all filled in the air together. It was like a big party in the city. This year it feels the same, everyone is getting back together after the pandemic and planning for parades, barbecue, music and fireworks again.

A number of people will enjoy baseball games, especially with Hot Dogs! Do you know why Hot Dog is a big part of 4th of July celebrations? It all started in 1916, when four New York immigrants who wanted to prove to each other that they were the most patriotic participated in a Hot Dog eating contest. Thus, eating a Hot Dog on the 4th became a symbol of social unity. Personally, my own experiences of Fourth of July celebrations do not totally diverge from the rest of the community.

Wishing you all a very happy Fourth of July!! ”

~Gini Pookottil, IAGB Secretary

 

“July 4th is the anniversary of the United States’ Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. July 4th means the same to people in the U.S. as August 15th means to Indians. Our kids are taught to understand the importance of Independence Day through studying its history. July 4th reminds us of the value of freedom and liberty, and how the ancestors gave their lives so we could have the rights we have now. This freedom is the reason we are here in the USA following our dreams and providing our kids with opportunities we lacked in our childhood in a developing country. Not to forget that the actual war, almost 250 years ago, was indeed fought by immigrants living in the British colonies and opened the doors of the USA for future immigrants!”

~Deepak Garg, IAGB EC Member

IAGB Spotlight

Samarthanam

As we all prepare to celebrate US Independence Day followed by the Indian Independence Day, it is most appropriate that we remind ourselves of the essence of national independence. Mahatma Gandhi said, “No society can possibly be built on a denial of individual freedom.” And another great leader, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence.”

Samarthanam – Trust for the Disabled is walking on the path shown by such great leaders for 25 years. This non-profit organization established by Mahantesh GK and Nagesh SP works tirelessly to provide equal opportunities to the visually impaired, disabled and economically underserved. The founders, though visually impaired, have a vision to build an inclusive society where all individuals can live with equal dignity. Samarthanam has developed roots all across India and has helped transform more than 60000 lives for good. They have set methods in empowering their beneficiaries through various initiatives in education, skilling (livelihood), rehabilitation, health and nutrition, arts & culture, sports, and environment. Considering the love of cricket in India, Samarthanam established the Cricket Association of the Blind in India in 2010. They also have a traveling troupe of artists with disabilities, named Sunadha, who excel in Indian classical, folk dance and music.

Samarthanam USA was formed in 2011 by likeminded Individuals and supporters to expand Trust’s donor outreach into the west, collaborate on various programs such as Youth Internship (from USA/Canada to India) and other mutual beneficial development campaigns, and extend support to the core vision and mission of the mother organization. Currently it operates under the leadership of Dr. Varavani Dwarki and his team. Dr. Dwarki had seen ‘Sunadha’ group’s cultural performance a few years ago. That motivated him to visit the organization in Bangalore. He became a dedicated supporter of the organization and took over the reins of the USA chapter from President Mr. Subu Kota in mid-2021. The US chapter’s focus is on fundraising for disabled people and their families, and providing education for the marginalized and the disabled children. You can find more about their work and initiatives at 

https://samarthanamusa.org/

Dr. Dwarki and his team wanted to bring people together and channelize the collective energy towards the great cause that they have undertaken. With that goal they have joined hands with IAGB, ISW (India Society of Worcester) and Boston based Juju Productions to present a mega-musical event ‘Nazraana’. The concert features maestro Vijay Prakash – the Oscar & Grammy winning song vocalist and winner of multiple Filmfare awards, along with New England’s very own Radio Mirchi Award winner, Anuradha Palakurthi. Flying in exclusively for the event is a band of 40 musicians from India led by Kamlesh Bhadkamkar. Preparations for the concert are in full swing. Tickets for the event are available at

www.Sulekha.com/Nazraana22

Dr. Dwarki is an avid runner and biker. He is passionately involved in motivating other able bodied individuals to excel in activities like walking, running, biking, and hiking. Now he appears ready to move the mountains for the benefit of disabled and marginalized people!

Dharohar

Puri

An integral part of India’s legacy and heritage (dharohar) are its cities, towns, and villages. History awaits at every corner of India, whether it’s a lost legend, a well-preserved palace, or a village bazaar. Through our ‘Dharohar’ section we bring to you some of India’s treasured places.

This month we showcase Puri, a coastal city and a municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is situated on the Bay of Bengal, about 35 miles south of Bhubaneshwar. Completing the golden triangle of Odisha along with Konark and Bhubaneshwar, Puri is a large depository of art and architecture of India.

In the month of July, Puri gets ready for Puri Ratha Yatra. Puri’s Rath Yatra is a symbol of unity, brotherhood, and peace. Thousands of devotees travel from all over the country to participate in this yatra and get good fortune by pulling the Lord’s chariot. It is stated that anyone who takes part in the Rath Yatra would be blessed with pleasure and riches.

Puri has a myriad of tourist attractions ranging from monuments of ancient history, breathtaking temple architecture, art & craft villages & pristine beaches that never ceases to amaze. Puri Beach is a fine coastline of Bay of Bengal with sun gleaming on the pristine waters of the beach. Located at a mere distance of 35 kms from the Sun Temple, the place is ideal for holiday makers looking for some solitude. Jagannath Temple here was built in the 11th century by King Indradyumna. This glorious temple is the abode of Lord Jagannath who is a form of Lord Vishnu. It is the most revered pilgrimage site for Hindus and is included in the pious Char Dham Yatra with Badrinath, Dwarka and Rameshwaram. Another place to visit is Raghurajpur Artist Village – a heritage crafts village. Raghurajpur is famous for various art forms like palm leaf engraving, papier mache, and wood and stone carvings. Apart from shopping artifacts, one can also enjoy Gotipua folk dance performances. Another recommended place to visit is Narendra Tank. It is one of the largest tanks in Odisha. Built in the 15th century, the tank is surrounded by numerous big and small temples. Chilika lake, another tourist attraction, is the biggest inland salt-water lake. Set amidst a beautiful landscape full of lush greenery, the Chilika lake also has a beautiful island laden with trees. One can enjoy the beauty of the flocks of flying migratory birds during the winter season. Apart from bird watching, this lake is also famous for boating, fishing, and many other things.


Puri has great connectivity by air, road and rail. By Air, Biju Patnaik airport at Bhubaneswar is the nearest airport, which is nearly 56 km from the heart of the Puri city. Puri is a major railway junction. Regular direct train services are available from many cities in India, including Bhubaneswar, New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata. Puri is well-connected with the neighboring cities through well-constructed roads as well.


Ideal for family vacations and spiritual pilgrimage, Puri is a city bestowed with a bounty of ancient temples, beautiful beaches, historical places, and cultural villages and towns. It’s one of the few destinations where one can combine spiritual salvation with fun & adventure.

Sources:

IAGB Youth Corner

Environmental Impacts: Intro

 

Fossil fuels are matter made of decomposed organisms, used for fuel and energy through combustion. However, a healthier alternative to using fossil fuels is taking advantage of the naturally-replenished resources that can be used as a renewable source of energy. The several types of renewable energy rely on natural sources such as water, wind, and the sun. Energy derived from the sun is the most common type of energy, but there is also hydropower which runs on flowing water, and biomass that comes from plants. There are various environmental benefits of using renewable energy, beginning with the decrease of greenhouse emissions. Carbon Dioxide is a harmful gas in the atmosphere, which is released in large amounts during the burning of fossil fuels for energy. Renewable energy would greatly decrease that number and carbon emissions as well. Lastly, since the energy is renewable and won’t run out, the energy prices such as electricity would stay constant and not fluctuate as much. So, the next time you see windmills or solar panels, appreciate the small steps taken to create a better and healthier planet.

Sources:

https://energycapitalmedia.com/2022/04/27/renewable-power-nuclear-energy-unitedstates/ 

 

-IAGB Youth Member, Ananya Mathur

IAGB Youth Spotlights:

Who: 25 and under

When: Submissions are due by April 15th.

Nomination form: https://forms.gle/yNMAZNBDeNB9c14SA

Inviting nominations for the next IAGB Youth Spotlights! The IAGB youth initiative spotlights talented local youth who have demonstrated outstanding contributions to art, sports, or the community. Nominees must be 25 years of age or younger, and they must have lived in the New England area.

Flyers in drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nqdLnyACcUTRpdjcoeZHYLKfYpl9Vmrp?usp=sharing

 

Cradles to Crayons:

Who: 5 years and older

When: 3-5 Business days after registering

Sign up: https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/boston/take-action/volunteer/in-the-giving-factory/

Founded in 2002, Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school, and at play. We supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities that have with communities that need.

Email: volunteerboston@cradlestocrayons.org

 

Friendship & Flowers:

Who: Teens and older

When: July

Sign up: http://lbfecrm.org/friendshipandflowers

Visit with an elder who lives in an assisted living home and make their day a bit brighter. Each elder has something unique to share and offer and is looking forward to making new friends!

Email: cwilkerson.bos@littlebrothers.org

 

Art and Music Spotlight

Zainab Anwar

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This month’s youth spotlight is a rising high school junior making a large impact on educating youth in Massachusetts. In July of 2021, Zainab Anwar started Zenerations Massachusetts — a branch of the larger platform Zenerations. Zenerations is an organization that produces and shares teen based content such as articles, videos, and creative pieces on current events, pop culture, and identity that is created by and for Generation Z. Currently, Zainab is serving as the director of Zenerations Massachusetts, which she founded because she was inspired by how the larger organization created informative articles and posts that were targeted to a teen audience. She further explained how she started her branch during the pandemic because there were issues occurring in the world that were becoming more and more prominent during that time, and platforms such as Instagram (where Zenerations has the most impact with over 1 million followers) were becoming crucial for the spread of accurate information.

Additionally, Zainab has expanded Zenerations Massachusetts to her local high school, adding over 50 members. She leads her large group in writing articles on various current topics and creating illustrations that condense the key aspects of the articles into infographics to post on Instagram. Additionally, Zainab conducts large-scale fundraisers with Zenerations Massachusetts: the first fundraiser the club held this year raised $1,175 to support children in foster care. So far, Zenerations Massachusetts is one of the most successful branches overall, and you can learn more about the branch on their website —

https://zenerationsmass.wixsite.com/genz

 

~Anshika Shekhar, IAGB Youth Member

Event Recap

INDIAN CONSULAR CAMP

The Consular Camp held on April 9th was a huge success! Over 600 applicants availed the consular services offered at this camp. A team from Consulate General of India, NY and VFS Global was present and offered their services for Indian passport renewal and renunciation, Visa, OCI, Life Certification, and other miscellaneous services. IAGB, in partnership with 13 other local organizations, presented this camp to the community. And the testimonials speak for themselves: 

Jyotsna Mehta – Hats off to IAGB! It takes a lot to put something like this together.

Hetal Joshi – Congratulations IAGB and CGNY team for pulling this together so flawlessly and serving so many in the community!

Sayali Marathe – Thank you IAGB for organizing the event and giving me opportunity to volunteer as a Notary.

Aartee Deshpande – Thank you so much for arranging this!

Subhashini Raman – It was indeed a massive task and very aptly timed to help those in need of various consular and VFS services. Kudos to everyone and glad I could help as a part of TMM team.

 

Upcoming IAGB Events

IAGB Community Service Month

 

For the first time, IAGB is bringing to its community members an ‘Indian Community Service Month’! Hundreds of community service hours have been made available for your generous volunteering work. The efforts to put together this initiative started in mid-February and the executive committee members worked in alignment with the partnering organizations – Sewa International, Dharma Center, and Being Volunteer Foundation – to create a schedule of the available volunteer opportunities. Most of the available volunteer hours are during the weekends. 


Feed The Needy project by BV Foundation, Westford; The Wish Project, Lowell; Community Servings, Jamaica Plain; Cor Unum Meal Center, Lawrence; and Lowell Transitional Shelter in Lowell have been selected as the organizations to work with. Please click on https://bit.ly/IAGBMayGiving to find available slots and dates. Book today as the slots are filling up real fast!

 

IAGB Run4Veterans: 5K RUN/WALK

 

IAGB is excited that the funds raised from this year’s 5K Run/Walk will benefit two organizations with a noble cause. ‘Disabled American Veterans Organization’ (www.davma.org) and ‘Vision Aid’ (www.visionaid.org) are these organizations. The Run/Walk will be held on 14th May starting 8:30am at convenient locations.  Please find all the logistical information in the below poster and REGISTER TODAY! Let’s start.. 

  1. DAV has been working for the support of disabled veterans for more than nine decades. As an organization, DAV provides thousands of hours of voluntary services at five VA medical centers in Massachusetts, assisting hospitalized veterans; free rides between veterans’ homes and the VA medical centers for clinic appointments; services to veterans in their communities. They also provide counseling and assistance to homeless veterans, specialized services to women veterans and children of returning veterans. 
  2. Vision-Aid USA is a Lexington based nonprofit organization, established in 2004. Enabling, educating, and empowering the visually challenged (children and adults) to live with independence and dignity is their goal. How Your Support Helps:

$30 will enable a patient with low vision to get a low vision screening and optical assistive devices.

$50 will enable a blind student to get training in Orientation and Mobility.

$100 will provide a portable electronic magnifier to a low vision student.

$150 will provide a free smart-phone to a visually impaired student. Vision-Aid provides free training in mobile technologies.

$250 will educate a blind or low vision person with a certificate course in Introduction to Computers.

$350 will provide an AI-powered Smart Vision device to a blind person

$500 will provide 6 months comprehensive and individualized education leading to a Diploma in Computer Applications.

$1000 will provide a full residential scholarship for a Vision Impaired student which includes full coverage of their board and lodging, training and devices for the duration of the 6-month scholarshp. Training includes English, Computers, Mobile Technologies and Coaching for Competitive Exams.

$5000 will enable publication of a completely new course on the Vision-Aid Online Academy.

$10,000/year will help us establish a “named” scholarship in honor of your loved one, which will benefit ten visually impaired youth with a 6-month fully-paid, residential program that will change their lives

$10,000/year will help us establish a primary-level Vision-Aid resource center which offers a core set of services from the Vision-Aid model.

 

IAGB Spotlight

AVINASH PATIL

They say the best way to engage with a community is when you serve it steadily and silently. It is not when you only talk about it in theory but actually do it. And Avinash Patil – a technologist and a successful entrepreneur – has been doing it for around three decades. 

For most of this time he has been closely associated with the New England Marathi Mandal, an organization of Marathi-speaking people within the New England region. Avinash started getting involved in the community activities in the early 1990’s and after serving on the executive committee as a member, vice-president, & the president, he has been operating as a trustee of the organization till date.  During his tenure he has seen NEMM flourish from an almost informal group of a few families holding cultural activities together to a sustainable, registered not-for-profit and financially stable organization. NEMM has hosted big conventions for the Marathi speaking people all across North America twice and Avinash worked as a co-convener for one of those conventions. This experience led him to serve as a treasurer for the Bruhan Maharashtra Mandal of North America, a premier organization for the Marathi speaking community in this region, for four years. 

 

One step leads to another. National and international exposure through the BMM led Avinash Patil to work as a treasurer with another important charitable organization aiming to improve quality of life among the under-privileged sections of the society, the Maharashtra Foundation, for six years. Working with these organizations, especially with Maharashtra Foundation, was a big learning experience for him. He says, “Raising and sending funds to Maharashtra, India was the simplest part. More critical part was choosing the right grass roots organizations which can make a meaningful change in the lives of intended beneficiaries.” He himself visited and observed the initiatives run on the ground in India. But all this was later in the 2010’s.

 

Before that and closer to home, he got involved with the activities of Indian American Forum for Political Education in the early 2000’s for a couple of years.  This organization worked to enhance political awareness and to encourage civic engagement among the Indian American community.  Informing and encouraging the youth to join the political arena was his favorite part of the experience. However it appears that that didn’t stop there. He has been involved for a long time with the Acton Diwali committee and this year he has been selected to Acton Town Finance Committee. It is a board of nine members overseeing the town’s finances. 

 

Avinash Patil is no stranger to our IAGB family. He has served the organization from 2015 to 2017 as its secretary. He believes that IAGB can and does unitize different community organizations in our area to address shared community issues. He is happy to see that the community organizations, including IAGB are changing their focus towards better assimilation with the local communities. And therefore he appeals to everyone to get involved and do their part, “You can’t get the experience without getting in there.”

We wish Avinashji the best for all his community work!

 

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