Welcome to the second edition of our newsletter which is designed to keep you updated on everything we do.

Transcription

1 IAASA NEWSLETTER , V O L U M E I I 1 / 1 / President s Message U P C O M I N G E V E N T S India Republic Day Ceremony January 26 Australia Day Street Parade January 26 IAASA Indian Mela March 3 Dear Members and Friends of IAASA Welcome to the second edition of our newsletter which is designed to keep you updated on everything we do. Diwali Gala Dinner is an annual event organised by IAASA for the last several years. To keep the tradition we held the Diwali gala dinner on Saturday 4 th November at Hotel Intercontinental. It was attended by more than 200 guests and many VIPs and Parliamentarians. Everyone who attended enjoyed the event, had great fun and enjoyed delicious Indian cuisine. As icing on the cake Minister for Multicultural Affairs Zoe Bettison announced a building grant of $72,000 which originated from a successful grant application. IAASA also co-publicised and supported a beautiful play Yug Purush which was in aid of a charitable hospital in India. The play was held on 3 rd December at Scott Theatre. I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Diwali Dinner 2 Christmas Meet and 2 Greet Indian Republic Day 3 Ceremony Australia Day Street 3 Parade IAASA Indian Mela 4 5 IAASA Community 6 Centre English Lessons 7 Pranayam Yoga 7 We also participated in Multicultural Festival 2017 organised by the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion in Rundle Mall on Sunday 5 th November There was an excellent response from audience to our Indian exhibit with people lining up for Henna tattooing. The sari exhibition and sari tying workshop was also very popular. The following week, on Monday 13 th November, I represented IAASA in Conversation with Mr Thomas Albrecht, Regional Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific. We called for a discussion meeting of all Indian Regional and Cultural Associations of South Australia on 24 th November. More than 22 members of various associations attended the meeting and there was a robust discussion. I stressed that IAASA represents the whole Indian community and all regional associations should be a part of IAASA. I feel encouraged by the enthusiasm and energy shown for IAASA by our regional partners to do more in their communities. A week later we organised Christmas Meet & Greet on 3 rd December. Santa surprised both young and adult children showering chocolates and gifts. A multicultural menu of lasagne (both veg & non-veg), quiche and cake was aplenty. People enjoyed greatly and also took home a piece of the leftovers. In the first week of December Pacific School Games were held in Adelaide by School Sports Australia. India was represented by a large contingent of 172 athletes and officials. IAASA offered full help and support and it was greatly appreciated by the organisers. Unfortunately the Games was subsequently marred by a tragic accident involving five young participants resulting in one of them sadly passing away. We offer our sincerest condolences to the family and close friends of the young girl. Regarding applied community services, English classes have already started and are running smoothly. More indoor games activities and casual music lessons are in the pipeline. Mela 2018 is planned and details will forth coming. Please encourage and support us with your sponsorship. We will endeavour to bring many more events and opportunities for everyone to get involved. Please do participate in our up-coming events and be an active part of IAASA. I hope you enjoy this edition of IAASA Newsletter. Wishing you a very Happy New Year. Narayana Rai President, IAASA

2 PAGE 2 DIWALI DINNER The IAASA Diwali Dinner was a grand affair this year at Hotel Intercontinental. With a full house at the Grand Ballroom, attendees were treated to lovely entertainment which included dancing and singing, and of course, delicious food! And there was also plenty of time for people to mix around and catch up with old friends or make new ones. handmade by Saloni Gadhia which were enhanced with pretty lamps, in the little lamps on the tables, the traditional colourful clothes worn by the guests including most of the official guests, the chatter and the laughter, the spirit of bonhomie were all signs of a lovely Diwali celebration. The event was attended by many of the Association s long standing members as well as new members. So it was very enjoyable to see new faces mingling with the well-known. Also among the guests were the Minister for Multicultural Affairs Zoe Bettison, opposition leader Stephen Marshall, Dana Wortley Member for Torrens, Chairperson of SAMEAC Grace Portelesi among others. After the lighting of the lamp, the speeches by IAASA President and other dignitaries spoke of the true meaning of our Festival of Lights. Narayana Rai mentioned that Diwali was celebrated by people of other religions like Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs and not just Hindus and that the evening was a celebration to mark the beauty and sanctity of the festival. We were all entertained with a nice variety of dances ranging from a beautiful Bharatanatyam piece and a Madhuri Dixit medley by Kalalaya Adelaide to Bollywood by Mudra Dance Academy with high energy hip-hop by CWalk and even more modern mashup by Adelaide Agni in between!! Live music included Sufi and Punjabi folk songs by Rajiv Bawa which were very well received with everyone clapping along and enjoying the rustic nature of the songs. Once DJ Akash came on, the dance floor filled quite quickly and people danced on until it was time to close up and go! The MC s for the evening, Manmeet Singh and Roohi Ahmed, did a great job of keeping the evening flowing with enough time for chatting between items and the right amount of on-stage talking. A beautiful evening was The Minister, Zoe Bettison s speech was particularly well enjoyed by all in received as much for her insights on India and Diwali the wonderful including her announcement of the success of an infracelebration of structure grant applied for last year by the previous. Diwali. The spirit and ambience of Diwali was everywhere In Vinaya Rai the beautiful decorations by the stage and at the entry CHRISTMAS MEET AND GREET On 3 December 2017 IAASA hosted a Christmas Meet and Greet. At the IAASA Community Centre. The event was enjoyed by all who attended. There was a Christmas lunch, fun activities, singing and dancing and even a surprise visit by Santa! IAASA NEWSLETTER VOLUME II

3 P A G E 3 INDIA REPUBLIC DAY CEREMONY INDIA celebrates its 69th Republic Day on 26 January IAASA will host a ceremony at the IAASA Community Centre where the National Flag of India will be hoisted and the Indian National Anthem sung followed by VIP speeches and cultural activities. Time 10:00 am sharp Venue IAASA Community Centre, 6 Blamey Avenue, Broadview Light refreshments (Tea, coffee and snack) provided. All are Welcome! Please feel free to forward this invite on to your family, friends and colleagues. AUSTRALIA DAY STREET PARADE All members of Indian community are invited on behalf of IAASA to the Australia Day celebrations in the City Parade, Concert & Fireworks. This is South Australia s largest Australia Day celebration held in the heart of Adelaide at Elder Park. Please join more than 40,000 people celebrating Australia s national day which is India s Republic Day as well. As in the past, the Indian contingent is representing the cultural diversity of India. The float/tableau in the parade will be depicting the regional dresses, dances of India and not to miss the Indian cricket. Shivgarjana which has participated jointly with IAASA over the last few years is playing the Dhol & Tasha in the parade. The Parade starts at the corner of Franklin Street and King William Street at 6.00 pm and travels northward, finishing in Elder Park. There is a much work involved in the Parade and we are looking for volunteers to assist. Those interested please contact IAASA Australia Day Parade Co-Ordinator, Deepak Vasisht, on Am I awake or asleep? By Manna Lived a Life, Made few friends Fought with some, Won good foes (L)earned few things that money can t buy Lost a few that money can t hold Few mates to cheer and a few for a beer My world was BIG and now so small Fell asleep in an Angel s lap Am I awake or asleep?

4 P A G E 4 IAASA Indian Mela 2018 SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Preparations of this year s Mela has well and truly started. This year we are making a concerted effort to attract a wider audience and exploring mainstream media channels (television and/or radio) to market the event. Whilst this form of marketing is very expensive, the advantage is that the positive effects can be long enduring. IAASA has reserved a portion of its marketing budget to subsidise part of the marketing program but its success is heavily dependent on businesses who are not only willing to sponsor the event but also support it through the media campaign. If you or you know of a business which is willing to assist and also wishing to have its logo/image promoted in mainstream media at the same time at a nominal cost, please iaasamela2018@gmail.com or contact Mela 2018 Co-ordinator, Sam Dahm, on ; or for general sponsorship enquiries, Sponsorship Co-ordinator, Amarjit Grewal, on to obtain the required information. SOUVENIR BOOKLET ADVERTISING The annual souvenir booklet distributed at the Mela event will be produced again. This booklet comprises a write up of the up-coming Mela event, running sheet and other articles of interest. A minimum of 2,000 booklets shall be produced for free distribution at the event so please avail yourself of this relatively inexpensive way of marketing your business to a wide audience. Please contact Mela Sub-Committee member, Trimann Gill, on or iaasamela2018@gmail.com for further enquiries, rates and application form. CULTURAL PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES The annual Mela is full of opportunity for many up-coming young artists and semi-professionals. This year, in our drive to include more regional representation and variety, we are looking for participation from regional associations. Some have already been contacted but there are many who we do not have current details. We are also looking for new ideas and activities to fill the floor-space area which also may have a regional flavour to it. If you are interested or know someone who may be interested, please the Cultural Co-ordinator, Saloni Gadhia, at iaasamela2018@gmail.com so that she can forward on the appropriate information to you. FOOD AND EXHIBITION STALL HIRE This year we have reduced the food stall set up fees lower than last year to attract a greater variety of food stalls. The finer details are just being finalised. We have maintained general exhibition hire stalls and the popular budget Mela Market stall to fees similar to that of last year. We also strongly encourage stall hirers to personally decorate their stalls so that that stand out from the crowd to create colour and vibrancy. For further details please contact Mela Co-ordinator, Sam Dahm, on or iaasamela2018@gmail.com IAASA NEWSLETTER VOLUME II

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6 P A G E 6 IAASA COMMUNITY CENTRE Over the next few months the IAASA Community Centre will be undergoing a number of changes. In the first instance, an in-depth financial review was carried out by the Treasurer, Manna Abraham, to determine the lowest possible hire charges that could be charged for the Centre in order to keep the Centre affordable for its members whilst remain financially sustainable. These fees were adopted by the Committee and are listed in this Newsletter. Furthermore, a formal detailed contract between the Hirer s and IAASA has been prepared so that both parties have common expectations of what IAASA provides and the conditions of how the Centre is to be left upon completion of hire. Security will be improved. There will also be changes to lock and key systems and camera surveillance/security will be installed. There shall be works on paving, guttering, signage, partitioning, and improved lighting to list a few. As a result, the Centre may be unavailable on occasions. We look forward to patience from current existing users and potential hirers. Please contact the Centre Manager, Niral Patel on or Manna Abraham on (A/H) for further details or bookings. IAASA NEWSLETTER VOLUME II

7 P A G E 7 English With Purpose English language classes IAASA s new program to teach English on a regular basis at the IAASA Community Centre at Broadview. Students can learn to speak, read, listen and write in the English language including preparation for International English Language Test (IELT) or similar tests. There is no need to buy text books as instructional material will be provided (other than in specialist and technical areas of English). Where needed, there is to be a Hindi language speaker to assist with learning English. Based on demand and preference and the number of teachers available, the aim is to provide assistance in a classroom situation and/or on an individual basis or as a mix of the two as needed. Please send your name, phone number and address to communityprogramsiaasa@gmail.com Tuesday Thursday 10 am to 12 noon Saturday 10:30-12:30 pm Wednesday 6:30 to 8:30 pm Cost: $4 for the 2 hour session with experienced teachers (Discount for IAASA members and bulk payment) Did you know that IAASA offer free Pranayam Yoga sessions every week. When: Every Saturday am Where: IAASA Hall, 6 Blamey Ave, Broadview Pranayam Yoga Pranayama is generally defined as breath control. Prana means vital energy or life force, ayama means to expand, accordingly pranayama is expansion of the vital energy. This vital energy is responsible for all life experiences including physical and spiritual. Pranayama harmonize the pranic body which is a network of nerve channels carrying the vital force to every cell and organ infusing them with life and dynamism. Pranayama s are also the preparatory practices for the awakening of the chakras (psychic centers) and aid in the perfection of kriya and kundalini yoga s. Iamey Ave, Broadview HALL HIRE DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN HIRE THE IAASA COMMUNITY CENTRE FOR PERSONAL EVENTS, FUNCTIONS, OR BUSINESS MEETINGS. IT IS LOCATED CLOSE TO THE CITY IN BROADVIEW (6 BLAMEY AVENUE). FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HIRE COSTS, FACILITY DETAILS AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS, PLEASE CONTACT CENTRE MANAGER (Mr Niral Patel: ) NEWSLETTER ADVERTISMENT RATES QYARTER PAGE $25.00 HALF PAGE $50.00 FULL PAGE $100.00

8 President: Mr Narayan Rai Peradka INDIAN AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC 6 Blamey Avenue, Broadview SA 5083 PO Box 82, Tynte Street, North Adelaide SA iaaofsa@gmail.com Vice President: Mr Mandeep Rikhi Secretary: Mr Sam Dahm Treasurer: Ms Manna Abraham Committee Members: Mr Deepak Vasisht Mr Dhruv Kumar Mr Gagan Sharma Mr Gurdeep Singh Mr Hargobind Singh Ms Saloni Gadhia Mr Sunil Bhatia Co-opted Members: Mr Amarjit Grewal Ms Susila Palani IAASA Community Centre Manager: Mr Niral Patel Muddy Water Buddha on Peace of mind Once Buddha was travelling with a few of his followers. While they were passing a lake, Buddha told one of his disciples, I am thirsty. Do get me some water from the lake. The disciple walked up to the lake. At that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very muddy and turbid. The disciple thought, How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink? So he came back and told Buddha, The water in there is very muddy. I don t think it is fit to drink. After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake. The disciple went back, and found that the water was still muddy. He returned and informed Buddha about the same. After sometime, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back. This time, the disciple found the mud had settled down, and the water was clean and clear. So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to Buddha. Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said, See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be, and the mud settled down on its own, and you have clear water. Your mind is like that too! When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don t have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless. IAASA NEWSLETTER VOLUME II