Republic Day Celebration and More Cultural Performances at Durga Bari
Society with Ruchi
Houston celebrated India’s Republic Day with The Consul General of India Sanjiv Arora at the Hilton Hotel on Post Oak on January 26, 2012. About 400 people attended this grand affair including prominent Indians and Americans and other leading organizations. The main highlights of the evening were the national anthems of India and USA and cultural performances by local talent.
Young students from different dance schools gave a mesmerizing performance. Spotted at the event Rathna Kumar with her dance troupe. The Rajasthani dance performance was also vibrant and enthralling. Present at the event Dr. Kalpalatha Guntupalli, Professor of Medicine, UH President Dr. Renu Khator, Sunanda Nair, Officer Muzaffar Siddiqi, Ajit Thakur, Gitesh Desai, Pradeep Gokhale, and many representatives of different organizations and community leaders.
On Saturday, Durga Bari in Houston was bustling with more cultural programs, Houston Bengalis celebrated Saraswati Puja (Godess of Knowledge). Artistic Director of Avantica: Academy of Odissi Dance hosted a cultural night where students from the dance group performed an Odissi Indian classical dance item entitled, Namami Manglacharan: Salutations to Lord Ganesh. There were several other dance schools and teachers who represented at Durga Bari on Saturday for the festivities. Artistic Director Shipra Avantica Mehrotra is no newcomers to the stage, she participated in Asia Society’s sixth annual Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit late last year and is quite the ambassador of art and culture bridging the diaspora, and the world.
Well what can we say, Houston is gradually topping the charts for social and cultural growth and South Asians are playing a vital role in the growing cultural activity.
Photos of Republic Day event by Roswitha Vogler [photosbyrovo.com]
Photos of Durga Bari event by Navin Mediwala [PhotographyByNavin.com]
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