Indo American News

Category: Education

  • FIS Lecture on South Asian Migration to East Africa

    FIS Lecture on South Asian Migration to East Africa

    TSU Prof. Dr. Esparza,Dean of Graduate School and Director of International programs,Dr.Gregory Maddox, Dr. Laura Fair and FIS Chairman, Krishna Vavilala.

    HOUSTON: TSU presented the second India Studies program Lecture at the Texas Southern University on  Nov.2nd.2023. The program  which was sponsored by the Foundation for India Studies (FIS).

    Dr. Laura Fair, Author and Prof. of Middle Eastern and African Studies in Columbia University flew from New York to present the Lecture in the School of Public Affairs auditorium. The lecture was followed by a lively Q&A session from a hall full of enthusiastic students.

    Dr. Fair’s lecture was accompanied by a series of slides which depicted the history of South Asian migration to East Africa that traced back to the 19th century, driven by colonial endeavors and economic opportunities. As Indians established themselves in countries like Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, they brought with them their cultural practices, including a love for cinema. Early screenings of Indian films in makeshift theaters and community halls became a vital link to their roots, creating a sense of belonging and nostalgia.

    Despite Swahili being the local language, Indian films became more popular than even Egyptian and Hollywood films and quickly found resonance within East African societies, transcending linguistic and cultural barriers. Themes of love, family, and social justice depicted in Bollywood films struck a chord with diverse audiences. As East Africans of South Asian descent grappled with issues of identity, Indian cinema provided a cultural touchstone, reinforcing their sense of heritage.

    Over the decades, South Asian cinema has evolved from a peripheral influence to a central force in the East African cultural landscape.

    Dr. Fair said, “This transformation reflects the dynamic interplay between migration, globalization, and the power of storytelling through cinema.”.

    Dr. Fair concluded that The growth of Indian film distribution in East Africa has not only contributed to cultural enrichment but also spurred economic activity. The film industry has created employment opportunities, from distributors and exhibitors to actors and technicians. Furthermore, it has fostered partnerships between local and international stakeholders, stimulating economic growth in the region.

  • Central Montessori School’s Three-year Montessori Program Explained

    Central Montessori School’s Three-year Montessori Program Explained

    by Lois Kim, Director of Central Montessori School

    CMS’ Montessori education consists of a three-year curriculum, which is designed to teach children from 18 months to 5 years of age. The monthly themes are as follows:

    August All About Me I January Astronomy
    September All About Me II February Geography II
    October Geography I March Science Experiments
    November Fine Arts April Botany
    December Geometry May Zoology

    In the first year, children focus on mastering rudimentary content, in the second year, they develop a more in-depth understanding of the content, and in the third year, the children are able to further expand their understanding and ultimately blossom in their Montessori leadership education through a culmination of everything they have learned.

    Each month’s curriculum begins with a STONE. Based on this Stone, the Biblical Word of God comes from one branch, and monthly themes from another branch. These two are incorporated and delivered to children through the Montessori Method.

    Let’s take April as an example, which is the month where the subject of Botany will be explored.

    In their first year, students learn the parts of a plant through song. Additionally, they learn the names of common flowers. Higher level students learn the names of flowers in written form. And all of the students will have an opportunity to plant a seed and watch it grow, and take it home. Many students love this gardening experience.

    In the second year, students learn about the many different structural aspects of a tree and the shapes of leaves with the Montessori Botany Cabinet. After this lesson, they will have the opportunity to take each leaf inset from the Botany Cabinet outside to do a scavenger hunt for the different shapes of leaves. After these kinds of real life activities, the children become much more observant of the different shapes of leaves when they see a tree outside. This is a sign that the sharpness of the eye is developing.

    In the third year: The child learns about oxygen and carbon dioxide with several hands-on experiments. They learn that we breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Human beings need oxygen. However, in an opposite way, trees need carbon dioxide, and they breathe out oxygen. This kind of learning helps children realize the importance of trees to human beings. Previously young children cannot see any relationship between trees and themselves. To young children, trees are trees, while they are human beings. However, this kind of learning about the relationship of trees and human beings provides an opportunity for young children to develop a deeper understanding of the symbiotic relationship that exists between humans and plant life. The children begin to understand the importance of plant life and that all living beings on Earth do not randomly exist, but were purposefully designed to live harmonious lives. In Montessori education, we call this Cosmic Education.

    According to Montessori research, there is a profound connection between cosmic education and peace. The more opportunities that children have to learn of the interdependence and connectedness of all living things, the more they come to value the integrity of all life. And through this understanding, a peaceful approach develops naturally (Concept excerpted from NAMC).

    The third year is when children have an opportunity to watch videos that show the process of how paper is made from trees. Through this exposure, they begin to recognize the importance of reduce, reuse, and recycle. After these lessons, you may find that your child will “nag” at you to turn off the water while brushing your teeth. They begin to act like an “Environmental Steward,” a true leader of the Earth.

    As it is explained above, this three-year Montessori curriculum is one of the ways that separates and highlights CMS from all other Montessori schools. In addition to this exclusive three-year curriculum, CMS has several great factors that make us outstanding: (1) various Hands-on Experiments catered to the child’s level based on Monthly Themes, (2) the “Prepared Environment” equipped with 100% Montessori Didactic Materials to satisfy all Sensitive Periods for each developmental stage of the child, (3) Nature Exploration Tables which are filled with topic related books, a magnifying glass and a microscope to examine, and other hands-on activities which help children measure, sort, and learn by themselves, (4) A school yard that provides gardening for children to grow their own plants and fruit that they can pick on their own crops, and make salads with the plants they grow, and (5) all different types of Extracurricular Activities such as Bike Day, Fire Truck Visitation, Fall Festival, Costume Parade, Pajama & Movie Day, Rodeo Day, etc. All of these factors, and much more, contribute tremendously to making CMS a place where children explore and discover the joy of learning with endless smiles on their faces. Now, we invite you to this vibrant and dynamic educational setting! Join CMS today!

    (More information is available at http://centralmontessorischool.org)

  • Bhuchar Family Celebrates School Naming with Friends at Alings

    Bhuchar Family Celebrates School Naming with Friends at Alings

    Dr. Subodh Bhuchar (front, far right) with school and FBISD officials, friends and wellwishers during the naming ceremony in October.

    By Pramod Kulkarni

    SUGAR LAND: The Bhuchar family paid tribute to the memory of Sonal Bhuchar and celebrated the naming of a new school in FBISD in her honor with an evening reception at Alings restaurant on Thursday, October 26. The dedication of the new school as Sonal Bhuchar Elementary had taken place earlier on Sunday, October 15.

    The Bhuchar Elementary School is located at 5503 Thompson Ferry Road in Missouri City, Texas 77459. The school mascot is the Royal Bengal tiger. Above the foyer at the school is displayed Sonal Bhuchar’s portrait and a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

    Sonal Bhuchar, a former FBISD trustee, was a tireless servant with a long history of community leadership. She served as the FBISD Board President for two years

    Sonal Bhuchar’s life exemplified Gandhi’s quote about service. According to the FBISD statement, “Sonal Bhuhar was a trailblazer in Fort Bend County and a leader in the field of education. After her long association with the Fort Bend Education Foundation, Bhuchar was elected to the FBISD Board of Trustees for six years and served as the Board President for two years.

    Bhuchar was appointed to the One Star National Service Commission Board by Governor Greg Abbott in 2015. Up until her passing, she was actively involved as a board member with the Child Advocates of Fort Bend and Parks, Art, Recreation, Culture, and Streetscapes (PARCS). She was a board member for the Literacy Council of Fort Bend, ACCESS Health, Sugar Land Cultural Arts Foundation, Sugar Land Heritage, the Indo-American Charity Foundation and the Texas Medical Association Alliance.

    During her tenure with the District, Bhuchar spearheaded many efforts including chairing the WATCH program (a healthy lifestyle education program for elementary school students), developing the concept for the Fort Bend Education Foundation’s annual International Festival to promote diversity, equity and inclusion within the District, the Student Leadership Program and the Legislative Advocacy Program.

    Sonal’s husband, Dr. Subodh Bhuchar (center), with FBISD and Sonal Bhuchar school officials.

    “It has been a long journey for the campaign to name the school after Sonal,”said Dr. Bhuchar. “Now her legacy will stay on forever and young kids will learn about her work.” A number of Sonal’s friends, colleagues and wellwishers recalled their association, including Jim Rice, Shefali Jhaveri, Chad Patel, and Binal Kancherla.

    Even Alings owner Gary Aling talked about how Sonal used to visit him to learn how to prepare dishes that her family particularly enjoyed at Alings.

    Dr. Bhuchar (center, kneeling) with one of several groups of friends and wellwishers who attended the reception at Alings restaurant.

     

    The evening reception took place at Alings patio.
  • Elements of Montessori Education for Young Children

    Elements of Montessori Education for Young Children

    ABSORBENT MIND

    Dr. Montessori believed that the brains of young children work in a different way from that of adults. She referred to the time from birth – 6 as the “Absorbent Mind.” During the period of the absorbent mind, young children are capable of absorbing immense amounts of information about the environment through their senses. A child’s mind acts like a sponge, soaking up information.

    SENSITIVE PERIOD

    During the period of the absorbent mind, the child passes through a succession of well-defined stages or epochs, which are defined as the “Sensitive Periods.” A sensitive period may be compared to a ray of interest – like a searchlight coming from the child’s mind – which lights up certain things in the world around them with a peculiar vividness and fascination. While it is there, it enables them to absorb those things with an astonishing ease and power. But a sensitive period is a transitory phenomenon, lasting just long enough for the child to establish certain acquisitions and skills. Then it passes – never to return – giving place to another, which in its turn is succeeded by the next, and so on.

    PREPARED ENVIRONMENT

    The important thing is that no matter how absorbent the child’s mind may be, ultimately, it cannot absorb what is not there. Therefore, Montessori education endeavors to develop the “Prepared Environment” that helps make the fullest use of the absorbent mind of the child. In the Prepared Environment, the child is encouraged to explore Montessori Didactic Materials to meet the needs in each sensitive period at each developmental stage of the child. The Montessori environment is prepared in Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, Culture, and Science areas.

     CHARACTERISTICS OF MONTESSORI DIDACTIC MATERIALS

    Montessori Didactic Materials, which are unlocked by the well trained Montessori teacher’s presentation to the child, have the following characteristics.

    1. HANDS-ON ACTIVITY

    In Montessori education, children have plenty of time for opportunities to learn by exploring Montessori’s Didactic Materials through seeing, hearing, touching, feeling, and manipulating with.  In the child’s term, NOTHING IN MY HANDS, NOTHING IN MY BRAIN.

    1. ISOLATED PROPERTIES

    In Montessori education, the property which is intended for the child to learn is isolated so that it helps the child discover it. For  example, the Knobbed Cylinders have knobbed cylinder blocks that isolate the concept of diameter. For this, all Knob cylinders have the same shape, height, and texture: only the diameter varies. This principle of property isolation serves to focus the children’s minds on dimensions that vary.

    3. CONTROL OF ERROR

    Control of error is a method of self-correction that is built into the design of Montessori Didactic materials. Control of error provides children with opportunities to see for themselves when they need to make a correction which allows them to determine independently what the correction should be. Dr. Montessori believed that if the child is given enough time to fix their errors independently, it can help the child build their self-confidence and self-awareness, which allows the work to become an intrinsic reward.

    1. MATERIALIZED ABSTRACTIONS

    Although most adults have an understanding of what color is, the idea of color is actually an abstract concept because it is difficult to explain. What Is red? Or blue? Dr. Montessori recognized the need to make abstract concepts more concrete so children could better understand them.

    Therefore, Dr. Montessori designed sensory materials that can provide concrete examples of abstract concepts. Montessori called it “Materialized Abstraction.” By manipulating the materials, what was once known only to the brain is now understood through the kinesthetic movement of the body, which enables the children to clearly recall those abstract impressions (Excerpted from NAMC).

    1. HIDDEN LOGICS

    When children work with Montessori Materials, they have fun playing with them. Although children are not aware of this, there is a cognitively precise step-by-step logic hidden within their materials, and it is designed to scaffold the child’s future learning.

    (a+b)3 =  a3+3a2b+3ab2+b3

    For example, the Binomial Cube is one of children’s favorite puzzles. Although it may seem to them that they are just playing with puzzles, they are actually forming the basic foundations of algebra.

    1. DISCOVERY LEARNING

     In Montessori, phonetic alphabet sounds are used instead of the names of alphabets. The child learns how to sound the letters through games using the Sound Pouches. Before a child can use pencil and paper to write words, they use the “Movable Alphabets” to write words. For example, when the child wants to make the word, “cat,” he sounds out each sound such as /k/, /a/, and then they ask the teacher, “Which letter makes /t/ sound?” This is a great time to introduce the child that the letter ‘t’ makes the /t/ sound. Montessori class is where discovery learning occurs, and it is through this discovery that children experience the joys of learning

  • A Radiant Beginning: CMH Welcomes Bala Vihar Students and Families

    A Radiant Beginning: CMH Welcomes Bala Vihar Students and Families

    Photo by Bharat Rao

     

    By Dr. Shreya Sheth

    HOUSTON: In a heartwarming and spiritually uplifting event, Chinmaya Mission Houston (CMH) celebrated its annual opening of Bala Vihar 2023-24 on Sunday, September 10, 2023. The day was nothing short of magical as children, their enthusiastic teachers, and all sevaks and families of CMH came together to offer prayers and light the way forward.

    One of the most captivating sights of the day was the sea of blue that enveloped the premises. The teachers, mentors, and volunteers donned elegant blue attire, symbolizing Chinmaya Mission’s depth of knowledge and devotion. This choice of color not only added to the visual splendor of the event but also carried a profound message of unity, wisdom, and spiritual growth.

    The memorable event began with Vedic and Chinmaya Arati praying for the guidance of God and Guru. Then, invoking Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s blessings, Acarya Gaurang Nanavaty led a procession of teachers who carried saffron goblets with diyas shining within. As the dedicated teachers lined up in front of all, the young Bala Vihar students arose with diyas in their hands to repeat the Chinmaya Mission pledge. The flickering flames represented the light of knowledge, the eternal flame that Chinmaya Mission aims to ignite in every heart. Melodious voices filled the air, and heartfelt prayers resonated with the spirit of the day – to embark on a journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth. The teachers’ unwavering commitment and love for their students shone through in this special moment.

    The theme highlighted for this Bala Vihar year is TEAM – Together Everyone Achieves More. In his opening day address, Acarya Gaurang Nanavaty emphasized the greatness of working together and giving our best. With a humorous yet thought-provoking story, he emphasized that diligent study of the scriptures is the key to unlocking happiness that is our essential nature.

    After the bright ceremony, children and teachers enthusiastically engaged in icebreaker activities and beginning lessons in their own classrooms. It was an opening day filled with laughter, camaraderie, meaningful connections, and excitement for our year ahead. The Bala Vihar students in their colorful Indian clothes and the teachers dressed in beautiful blue set the tone for what promises to be a transformative, enriching journey ahead.

    As the day concluded, it left everyone with a profound sense of purpose and gratitude. Chinmaya Mission Houston stands as a beacon of knowledge, devotion, and inspired seva, guiding the community towards a brighter future. The opening day was a testament to the enduring spirit of Chinmaya Mission, where teamwork and spirituality converge to illuminate the path of self-discovery for all who seek it.

    As we reflect on this remarkable day, we are reminded of the profound words of Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, the inspiration behind this mission: “The light of wisdom, shining through the scriptures, has always been effulgent; yet, for the one who is veiled in ignorance, it does not shine.” With events like these, Chinmaya Mission Houston is determined to keep this light shining brightly, dispelling the darkness of ignorance, and guiding its sudents towards a life of fulfillment and spiritual awakening.

    We will open Bala Vihar registrations in-person on Sundays starting on Sep 24th. Our classes get full very fast. For any questions related to Bala Vihar registrations, please reach out to

    CMHregistrations@chinmayahouston.org.

    For more information about Chinmaya Mission Houston, Sri Saumyakasi Sivalaya and its activities please visit www.chinmayahouston.org, www.saumyakasi.org or call temple 281 568 1690 or Jay Deshmukh 832 541 0059 or Bharati Sutaria 281-933-0233

     

  • First Hindi and Culture of India Program at a Middle School.

    First Hindi and Culture of India Program at a Middle School.

    Assistant Principal Mr. Jeremy Gates (left), Arun Prakash, Principal of Pin Oak Middle School Ms. Lindsey Vela

    By Arun Prakash

    HOUSTON: After years of efforts, It is now happening! I am proud to announce the first of its kind Hindi and Culture of India credit program emphasizing  Hindu Culture at Pin Oak Middle School, 4601 GlenMont Street, Bellaire, Texas 77401.

    Pin Oak Middle School is a very high-ranked magnet school in the state of Texas. Now, 6th, 7th and 8th grade students will be able to learn Hindi and Culture of India everyday in a formal classroom setting and will receive credit. This school is zoned to Bellaire High school and students will be able to continue to learn advanced Hindi in the nation’s first Hindi program started in 1988 by Arun Prakash with only 8 students. Hindi is a critical need second language in the USA as declared by President George W. Bush.

    After the U.S. Department of Education and National Security released a lot of money to start Hindi programs in American universities, and colleges, and from fusion programs in elementary schools to advance the level of Hindi in junior and senior high schools. American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages formed a committee to develop Hindi curriculum for grades 1 to grade 16 in 2006. Arun Prakash was a member of the committee. In 2008 ACTFL formed and funded a program called STARTALK to train Hindi teachers and educate students about Hindi and rich culture of India so that large number of students can enroll in Hindi from elementary to college level education.

    Arun Prakash was the Master trainer of the first 4 weeks STARTALK program held in HEB school district in Dallas in which 20 people were trained in Hindi and 150 elementary and junior high school students participated and learned about Hindi as an exploratory language.

    University of Texas at UT Hindi department was given a grant to start a Hindi Flagship program on the campus and Arun Prakash was a consultant and was assigned a project to develop exploratory material to provide introductory knowledge of Hindi and Hinduism for Texas World History and Geography teachers. and Arun Prakash was chosen a member of the committee to develop guidelines for the teaching of foreign languages in the state of Texas for the 21st century.

    All of said resulted in the start of many Hindi programs in the USA and in the state of Texas including Rice University and University of Houston main campus. But due to lack of interest among Indian community at large many programs closed down after a couple of years. WhileChinese, Russian and Arabic are flourishing because of community support and funding from corporations and respective governments

    In the picture. L to R
    C

  • Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston (EMGH) – Now Open to Visitors

    Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston (EMGH) – Now Open to Visitors

    HOUSTON: The Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston (EGMH) is proud to announce the opening of this world class museum to the public on Tuesday, August 15, which is coincidentally the 77th anniversary of India’s Independence Day. It is but a small tribute to the architect of India’s independence, Mahatma Gandhi, who freed India from the British Colonial Rule. He spearheaded the freedom struggle against the British by courageously deploying Truth and Nonviolence – A Force More Powerful. Please visit the museum to learn about Truth and Nonviolence and Gandhi’s universal influence on global peace leaders.

    EGMH is the only free-standing museum in all of America dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi by preserving and promoting his most significant legacy, nonviolent conflict resolution. The museum’s address is 12379 Riceville School Road (@ Beltway 8 South), Houston, TX 77031.

    The exhibit space takes the visitor through three distinct galleries:

    Gallery One – His Journey:  Learn about the transformation of Mahatma Gandhi from a child of fear to a man of freedom.

    Gallery Two – Our Journey: Learn how global peace leaders have followed into Mahatma Gandhi’s footsteps to bring about profound social change around the world. Learn about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Lech Walesa, Nelson Mandela, Betty Williams, Mairead Corrigan, and others who used nonviolent conflict resolution in their work for social justice.

    Gallery Three – My Journey:  After learning about  Mahatma Gandhi and global peace leaders, this gallery provides the visitor with a place to reflect and contemplate. It invites the visitor to make a personal commitment to be a catalyst for positive changes in their own lives and community – i.e.- “What is something you can do, large or small, that can make an impact on your own life and environment?” How can you “Be the change you wish to see in the world?”

    EGMH started on this journey in 2016 when one of its Trustees and Co-Founder, Atul Kothari, returned from India with offer from Eternal Gandhi Multimedia Museum in Delhi of Aditya Birla Group to host a travelling exhibit in Houston. The EGMH Board consisting of Sesh Bala, Dr. Barkat Charania, Sanjay Jain, G V Krishnan, Devinder Mahajan, Ajit Paralkar, Namita Sutaria and Dr. Manish K Wani immediately agreed to host and establish a new civic asset – the Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston.

    It has been a long and exciting journey. With the Almighty’s grace, our dreams have turned into reality.

    One of the earliest supporters of the museum was the Houston Endowment Foundation. To date, they have donated $750,000 for the construction of EGMH. Another major endorsement came from Congressman Al Green when he sponsored a grant of $3 million under Community Project Funding of Department of Housing and Urban Development. Under the leadership of Fort Bend County Judge K P George, the Fort Bend County Commissioners approved a grant of $475,000. Dr Anne Chao, Chair of the Advisory Board, has donated $500,000 through her various foundations. EGMH is truly fortunate and grateful to all our donors, large and small, supporters, and volunteers of EGMH.

    EGMH was fortunate to put together an All-star team for the establishment of this historic project.

    The journey began with the selection of RDLR Architects and Lorie Westrick, the Principal of the firm. The Charkha, the spinning wheel (referenced in the teachings of Gandhi) inspired her masterful museum design. We engaged the services of Brian Crockett, a museum consultant with Smithsonian background. He has superbly guided the trajectory of the museum from day 1. EGMH was fortunate to select Solid Light, Inc., Cynthia Torp, CEO, from Louisville, Kentucky as the exhibit designer. They have masterfully planned, designed, fabricated, and installed all the museum galleries.

    To gain inspiration for the museum, the Board, Architect, and Solid Light went on a whirlwind tour to India in February 2020 visiting 6 different Gandhi museums in 4 different cities in 5 days.

    Honor Moorman has also been involved since inception as our education consultant. She has ensured that the docent-led museum tours are TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) compliant, so that children can visit the museum as a school-sponsored field trip. Our vision is that every child in the Houston Metropolitan area visits the museum at least once before graduating from high school.

    The Consul General of India Aseem Mahajan facilitated the donation of the Mahatma Gandhi Statue from the Government of India. Sanjay Khanna of Superior Granite and Marble By Vivaldi, was instrumental in producing the granite figures that are prominently embedded in the facade of the museum. The museum builder is TDK Construction owned by Dhansukh (Dan) Khatri and his daughter Tina, who managed the entire construction from inception.

    As they say, seeing is believing! All visitors who were given a hard tour of the museum have said without exception — one can fully appreciate and grasp the scope of the museum only after visiting the museum in person. So please do make plans to visit with your friends and family.

    We are extremely excited for the opening of Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston and have no doubt this world class facility will develop into another crown jewel for our great, diverse city of Houston.

    The museum has a state-of-the art auditorium which is available for birthdays, anniversaries, conferences, performances, and other celebrations. The auditorium can accommodate up to 108 people.

    The museum has many volunteering opportunities, and anyone can register to volunteer on our website at www.egmh.org .

    To date, we have raised $8 million of the total construction budget of $10 million. To support this project, please help spread the word and follow us on our social media platforms – Facebook and Instagram – @egmhouston. To learn more and donate, please visit www.egmh.org, call 832-850-EGMH, or email info@egmh.org.

    We look forward to seeing you at the museum! You can purchase your tickets online at www.egmh.org

  • SEWA Interns Complete 4,558 hours of Service

    SEWA Interns Complete 4,558 hours of Service

    HOUSTON:  Sewa International Houston Chapter hosted an Internship Gala for their “Get Inspired Houston” (GIH) and “Leadership Development through Community Engagement” (LEAD) interns on August 12 at the T.E. Harman Center in Sugar Land. The event was designed to celebrate the many accomplishments of 49 interns this summer. The interns accumulated over 4,558 hours of service in nearly nine weeks and served at Sewa’s ASPIRE (Assuring Student Progress in Remedial Education) centers, the Houston food bank, participated in a 5K Walk, attended leadership sessions with prominent community members, and underwent FEMA’s CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training.  Their service helped 75 kids at these centers and it also helped these interns to become better citizens of society.

    During the Internship Gala, Anagha Patwari, Ronak Mehta, and Rutva Gupta assumed the roles of emcees, skillfully engaging the audience. They invited Nikhil Jain who initiated the proceedings with an interactive activity, urging the interns to encapsulate their experiences in a single word or phrase. This icebreaker segued into his poignant message about the inception of their internship journey. Jain emphasized the significance of perpetuating kindness and altruism among the interns, encouraging them to consistently extend support to others without reservation.

    Interns highlighted their accomplishments through a six-minute video depicting the service activities they participated in.

  • Southwest National Bank Presents Scholarships for High School Seniors

    Southwest National Bank Presents Scholarships for High School Seniors

    HOUSTON: Southwestern National Bank congratulates the 2023 Southwestern National Bank Scholars for their outstanding achievements and dedication to their communities. It’s heartening to see Southwestern National Bank continuing the tradition of supporting high school seniors in pursuing higher education.

    This scholarship program has been running for the 18th consecutive year and is a testament to the bank’s unwavering commitment to empowering young minds who will lead us toward a brighter future tomorrow. Each of the five scholars selected for the $1,000 scholarship has demonstrated academic excellence, participated in extracurricular activities and community services, and has financial needs, highlighting the bank’s commitment to nurturing well-rounded individuals worthy of this recognition and support.

    Southwestern National Bank’s long-standing service to local communities is commendable, and this scholarship fund further showcases its dedication to supporting and recognizing students who demonstrate a similar commitment to making a positive impact in their communities. By empowering these scholars, the bank fosters a generation of young leaders who will continue to contribute meaningfully to communities.

    Applications were accepted from students in Houston, Austin, and the Dallas area, indicating the bank’s commitment to reaching and supporting talented and deserving students from various regions. Below are the 2023 SWNB Scholars:

    1. Andrew Chen – University of Florida – Public Health / Pre Heath
    2. Efeomo Ehimuh – University of Texas at Austin – Business Finance / Accounting
    3. Lauren Chen- Texas A&M University – Genetics
    4. Nicholas Ng-University of Texas at Austin – Biochemistry
    5. Nitya Kodali -Vanderbilt University – Neuroscience and MHS

    An award ceremony was held at the headquarters of Southwestern National Bank on 7/27/2023. Chairwomen Jody Lee, Vice Chair Ted Hsieh, CEO Joanne Kim, President Mohammed Younus, and several bank directors were present along with the family and friends of the scholarship recipients. (Member FDIC)

  • Counselors Meet for 39th Hindu Heritage Youth Camp (HHYC)

    Counselors Meet for 39th Hindu Heritage Youth Camp (HHYC)

    2023 HHYC Counselors: Top row left to right: Rahil Dalal, Ronak Shah, Sarthak Bansal, Ansh Bhandari, Smit Shah, Abhishek Pratap, Pratham Rathi, Akash Tarkunde Row 2 left to right: Sahara Oberoi, Maya Harpavat, Tanish B, Vedant Bhat, Mahika Dawar, Disha, Arjun Wali, Ishan Shah, Anunay Dixit, Shakti Dash, Saaj Patel, Keshav Shah, Parth Dargan(director)* Row 3 left to right: Nitika Veludandi, Prisha Menon, Anjali Asarpota?, Siddhi Bavare, Ana Patwari, Srushti, Pooja Patel, Smeet Parekh, Aneesh Deshmukh, Arnav Mehta, Rahil Choksey, Annika Gandhi Bottom row left to right: Sara Joshi, Krupa Rathi, Radhika Patwardhan, Payal Mehta, Eesha Patel, Ruhi Dalal, Siddhi Bavare, Aesha Shah, Shivangi Dixit (director)

     

     

    By Maya Harpavat and Aesha Shah

    HOUSTON: In the few weeks before school starts, campers and counselors look forward to a special week in the summer. It’s a week packed with games, camp friendship reunions, and learning more about Hindu culture. For some, it is their first time coming to camp, and for others, they have been coming for as long as they can remember.

    2023 HHYC camp Directors: Parth Dargan and Shivangi Dixit

    Now in its 39th year, HHYC (Hindu Heritage Youth Camp) has embraced and shared knowledge of Hinduism with campers during a week-long summer camp. Led by counselors, many of which were former campers themselves, this is a week where campers can learn more about their culture while meeting friends and enjoying summer camp activities, such as dodgeball, basketball, canoeing, and swimming.

    However, HHYC isn’t just a normal summer camp. Each summer, counselors spend their Sundays at Keshav Smruti, learning about Hindu educational topics, brainstorming games, and planning festivals and celebrations for campers. Camp counselors are college students and graduates excited to learn more about their culture, and create an environment for campers to feel welcomed, wanting to come back for years to follow.  Each meeting starts with a progress check in where counselors share new details about various events they are in charge of. For example, counselors who lead the Talent Show Night, will share how they planned to structure the event, how they will encourage campers to participate and try out for the Talent Show, and discuss ways to to support the campers in this event. Once each counselor has shared their updates, our young leaders split up into the camp’s three main groups- Elementary, Middle, and High. At this time, they share their ideas for new or improved activities that would educate and inspire the campers.

    Counselors come up with ideas for arts and craft, free rec, education on Hinduism, and other structured activities such as a debate event for the High School campers. Once the camp logistics have been discussed, we move onto practicing Shakha and Yoga. Each week different counselors will volunteer to demonstrate a few Yoga poses or techniques for us all to learn. To close out our meetings, all of our counselors will play two camp games together and find ways we can make them better for our campers!

    “I really enjoy the diverse group of ages coming together and I feel like everyone is so passionate to help the camp come together. It’s interesting to see the planning turn into the best week it can be,” says Nitika Veludandi, a second-time counselor at camp.

    Each year, the directors, coordinators, and counselors work hard to inspire youth to expand their knowledge of Hindu concepts, culture, and rich values in unique ways.

    Counselors are led by camp directors, who are typically former campers and counselors themself. This year’s directors for HHYC 2023 are Shivangi Dixit and Parth Dargan.

    Shivangi Dixit is the daughter of Amulya and Smriti Dixit, and recently graduated from Texas A&M University. Her favorite part of camp is the talent show. She loves seeing campers hype up their friends and have fun together with their new and old friends. She decided to become a director because she appreciates the impact counselors make on campers, and wishes to relive the week of camp over and over again. She’s looking forward to “the campsite and the different format in counselor skits. Having a different panchatantra story and moral every night will be exciting and different. I’m also looking forward to the quality of education- some topics have never been taught before, and the fact that camp keeps on growing each year is awesome.”

    Parth Dargan is the son of Simi and R. Dargan, and is a recent graduate of The University of Texas at Austin. His favorite part of camp is Garba, because he loves seeing camper’s moves on the dance floor. He was motivated to become a camp director because “Serving as President of UT’s Seva Charities pushed me to get more involved with my culture and religion.” He hopes to continue this involvement through camp. Parth is most excited for the new campsite, and revamped educations this year.

    HHYC is only possible due to the support received from local business and organizations, such as Hindus of Greater Houston, a banner organization that HHYC runs under. We are thankful to volunteers, who are Auntys and Uncles who work as camp doctors, as well as prepare the amazing food that we get to eat each day. As we get ready to begin the construction on our very own campsite, we would like to invite everyone to follow along on the progress at texashinducampsite.org and join us at our fundraiser on October 1, 2023 at the Gujarati Samaj of Houston.

    Campers and Counselors are counting down the days until camp, excited for a week of celebration, learning, and lifelong friendships! Make sure to follow along at hinducamp.net!

    *This article was written by Maya Harpavat and Aesha Shah. Maya is a first-time counselor after being a camper for many years, and will be a sophomore at Rice University in the fall. Aesha is a returning counselor who is  a graduate of The University of Texas at Dallas and Texas A&M Central Texas University.

  • AYM 2023 Graduands and DAVSS Students Celebrate Annual Day

    AYM 2023 Graduands and DAVSS Students Celebrate Annual Day

    AYM graduands cClass of 2023: Aastha Bharati, Anjai Gupta, Arjun Kumar, Maya Bindal, Hemakshi Mahajan, Vir Singhal, Director Sanjay Ahuja and Acharya Bramdeo

    By Acharya Bramdeo

    HOUSTON: AYM graduands Class of 2023 & DAVSS students and their relatives & friends as well as DAVSS teachers & volunteers and Arya Samaj Greater Houston (ASGH) members & well-wishers joined for an in-person celebration. Acharya Surya Nanda Ji led the Havan and gave his blessings to the graduands.

    Shri Sanjay Ahuja ji welcomed all present and left the floor to …. and Lakshya to be the Emcees for the day. The chanting of Veda mantras and Sanskrit shlokas by DAVSS Students, after the Yajna and blessings enthused the audience. The graduands Aastha Bharati, Anjai Gupta, Arjun Kumar, Maya Bindal, Hemakshi Mahajan, Vir Sehgal took turns to relate their path at DAVSS and AYM. referred to the learning at DAVSS/AYM as cherished parts of their lives, the living values would surely be a compass for ethical living, and the other topics empowering them to have a well-rounded personality as well as be a better person in life. All concurred that initially, waking up to be at the Arya Samaj for Sunday School seemed a chore but it really turned out to be an enriching life experience with opportunities to unfold the latent potential within the self.

    023 AYM President’s Volunteer Service Awardees with Consul General Aseem Mahajan and Sanjay Ahuja.

    In his address, Shri Aseem R. Mahajan, the Houston-based Consulate General of India and Chief Guest for the day expressed his appreciation for the work done by ASGH through DAVMES and DAVSS, leading the way for the young generation to have the best of both US education and the Living Values of Indian culture.

    In the convocation address, Acharya Bramdeo emphasized on the need for the graduands to connect to their roots, the Universal Living Values of Sanatan Dharma that would empower them to stay on the righteous path of life, and later give back to society by continuing the tradition of teacher-taught, spreading these values around them, and as role models inspire generations to come. Wishing the graduands well in their life and thanking all the teachers, volunteers, parents, and students, he expressed the wish to see more parents engaged as volunteers.

    DAVSS students from Pre-k to 8th graders demonstrated their resourcefulness on stage: reciting poem, Yoga demonstration, tabla performance, dance, Vedic Mathematics, and Science project. The program concluded with Bhajans under Ms. Smriti Ji’s guidance, Aarti and Shanti Paatha (prayers for universal peace.)

    Announcements:

    DAV Sanskriti School Registration for Year 2023-24 is now open. See link: https://tinyurl.com/davssreg2023-24

    DAVSS Summer School: Sundays July 2, 9, 16, 23 & Thursday 27 to Sunday 30. This registration will also give access to the Arya MahaSammelan Youth Camp during the last weekend of July. See link: https://www.jotform.com/build/231268584412154

    – Activities during Summer School (July 2, 9, 16, 23) : Yajna/Havan, Vedic Culture, Yoga, Music, Team Building (collaboration) activities, Creativity & Fun games

    – Activities during the Arya MahaSammelan Youth Camp (July 27-30) include cultural programs, interactive sessions, fun activities…, and a tour is being planned for the Youth participants for Saturday July 28 to the Eternal Gandhi Museum and Texas Typhoon.

  • D.A.V. School Wins PSIA State Championship for Second Year in a Row

    D.A.V. School Wins PSIA State Championship for Second Year in a Row

    By Arti Khanna

    HOUSTON: We totally earned bragging rights as our brilliant students won the PSIA Elementary Division State Championship 2023 with 24 awards in various categories. Of the winners, eight placed 1st, eight placed 2nd, and three placed 3rd. Thank you to Doug Ray for coming out to present the trophy. Thank you to all the teachers for all their hard work as they worked tirelessly with the students after school, helping them prepare for the District & State meet.

    19th May 2023 was an exciting day at DAVMES as we got ready for an in-person celebration after a long time. We won the PSIA State Championship again & honoring our graduating 5th graders, we had a lot to celebrate!!

    The celebrations began with prayers by our 2nd to 5th graders under Acharyaji’s guidance followed by the melodious songs by Ms. Smriti’s music students.

    We are so proud of each & every one of our 7 graduates. It was emotional to hear them speak about their personal journey & experiences at DAVM and the high regard & love they have for their teachers & peers.

    Continuing with our tradition of honoring & recognizing the teachers for their service & commitment to the school, we honored Ms. Sukhinderjit Kataria (10 years), Ms. Preeti Rana (10 years), Ms. Geeta Kadakia (5 years). A special shout out to Paresh Desai ji, our school driver who completed 7 years of service & has not taken a single day off. We also recognized Ankur Kadakia for all the volunteering he has done over the years.

    Our talented teachers hit the ball right out of the park with the brilliant show they put together. Each performance from the preschoolers to the Elementary students was unique & showcased such a wide range of items. The Yellow class students taught us a beautiful lesson about education & its ability to empower us & improve our lives. The Blue class students left the audience spellbound as they came on stage & told the story of our solar system. K.G students mesmerized the audience & transported us all back to India as they showcased India’s strength & pride. They showed their support for India by joining the move Har Ghar Tiranga. It was a trip down memory lane for most of us as the 1st Graders presented a “Commercial Break” from the 90’s.

    The 2nd & 3rd graders danced to the song Believer by Imagine Dragons. The finale of the show was a skit by the 4th & 5h graders with an important message, to try & give your best without worrying about the outcome.

    We were honored to have the famous radio host Meena Dutt ji, join us in our celebrations.

  • Wadhwanis Support Lone Star College CyFair Scholarships

    Wadhwanis Support Lone Star College CyFair Scholarships

    By Jawahar Malhotra

    From left, At the Lone Star College CyFair Scholarship Reception last week, Friday, April 28, LSC Board Trustee Dist. 3, Dr. Alton Smith; Nicole Robinson Gauthier, the Lone Star College Foundation Executive Director; President Dr. Valerie Jones and GIS Scholarship donors Ishu and Ashok Wadhwani.

    CYPRESS, TX: Nestled in 200 acres in the northwest part of the county, Lone Star College CyFair is a pretty campus with buildings tucked away between meandering roads and undulating greens. Founded in 2003, the college now has 16,000 students, many who go onto receive their associate degrees from many offered throughout the LSC system.

    The LSC Foundation prides itself in its mission to change the lives of its students through scholarships, building relationships and fundraising among other attributes. Since its inception in 1991, It has awarded $18.6 million in scholarships and $8.5 million in program support. In 2021-22 the Foundation raised $2.6 million that provided scholarships to 2,053 students.

    And in recognition of the donors for their  support and the hard work and enthusiasm of these students, the CyFair campus held a reception bringing many of the two parties together. At the well-attended luncheon at the campus Conference Center on Friday, April 28, the mood was set by a musical selection of seven pieces performed by students from the Music Department as donors and recipients shared the tables for a brief ceremony.

    From left, LSC Geography & GIS Professor Michael Konvicka; GIS Scholarship recipient Kat Amundsen with GIS Scholarship donors Ishu and Ashok Wadhwani

    After a brief introduction by LSC CyFair President Dr. Valerie Jones, Claire Center, a scholarship recipient of the Sweeney Family Honors II Endowment spoke of her academic journey and future beyond. She was followed by Nicole Robinson Gauthier, the Lone Star College Foundation Executive Director and Dr. Alton Smith, a member of the Lone Star College Foundation Board.

    Among those who attended the reception were GIS Scholarship donors Ishu and Ashok Wadhwani, who were at their table with the GIS Scholarship recipient Kat Amundsen and Michael Konvicka, LSC-CyFair Professor of Geography and GIS.

    The Wadhwanis, who owned two successful companies specializing in geospatial systems integration and data management services for more than 35 years, provided a financial helping hand with endowing a scholarship for the LSC-CyFair’s GIS associate degree program.

  • Pratham is Relaunching its Youth Summer Leadership Program

    Pratham is Relaunching its Youth Summer Leadership Program

    Pratham USA is relaunching its Pratham Youth Summer Leadership Program in India this summer following a hiatus caused by the pandemic. Established in 2018, the Pratham Youth Summer Leadership Program is a two-week immersive program that combines community service and cultural immersion at the ‘Pratham Arora Centre for Education’ near Aurangabad, India. This year’s program will run from July 23 to August 4, 2023.

    The Seeing is Believing: Pratham Youth Summer Leadership Program is a two-week immersive program that combines community service and cultural immersion at the Pratham Arora Centre for Education (PACE) near
    Aurangabad. Participants will engage in hands-on community engagement activities and see the impact of our
    work first-hand. This opportunity provides participants with a unique chance to enhance their leadership skills, build self-confidence, and create positive change.

    Open to young people between the ages of 16-19, the program will take place from July 23 to August 4, 2023. Spots are limited, so apply early to avoid disappointment. Applications will be accepted until May 1.

    If you’d like more specific information, please write to our team at youthleaders@prathamusa.org.

  • Indian-Origin Teenager on a Mission to Spread Education in Underprivileged Areas of India

    Indian-Origin Teenager on a Mission to Spread Education in Underprivileged Areas of India

    DENTON, Texas: Alisha Madhuvarshi, a 16-year-old student born in New Delhi, is currently attending the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science in Denton after studying at Seven Lakes High School in Katy for two years. Despite living most of her life in the United States, Madhuvarshi remains connected to her roots through various charitable endeavors. Having participated in math competitions since the age of nine, Madhuvarshi decided to make productive use of her time during quarantine by tutoring competitive math to younger students in her neighborhood. After her first session, Madhuvarshi asked her students’ parents for donations, with which she raised nearly $1,000. All this money went to buying sports equipment, clothing, backpacks, and other supplies for the children at an orphanage in Telangana.

    Then, in December 2021, Madhuvarsh established a library with around 300 books for the children at the Sabki Pathshala run by Nitu Singh in New Delhi. Now, nearly 40 students use this library. Madhuvarshi continued her work in 2022, donating ten chairs and almost 300 books to the Vedic Inter College in Dibiyapur, with which they opened another library. Throughout this period, Madhuvarshi taught over one hundred students and even published two Number Sense Workbooks (number sense is a type of math competition) on Amazon to guide her students. She sold nearly 100 books and donated all profits to opening more libraries.

    These projects materialized after Madhuvarshi connected with Deputy Commandant Rakesh Nikhaj of CISF. “Alisha contacted me after going through my social media post on a mission to educate children. Since she can’t be in India on a regular basis, she buys books from her earnings, and I donate them to those children who don’t have access to good books,” said Nikhaj.

    Santosh Kumar Shukla, the principal of the Inter College – the home to the second library – expressed gratitude to Nikhaj and Madhuvarshi for their efforts toward educating children, saying, “The books which they donated are not only used by our school students but also by other underprivileged kids who wish to prepare for competitive exams. After school hours, the library is open to everyone between 3-5 pm.”

    Capitalizing on the success of these ventures, Madhuvarshi recently founded her own nonprofit, Toolbox (ourtoolbox.org), which aims to provide education to disadvantaged areas and institutions in India. Under Toolbox, she launched The Library Project, an ambitious initiative to open 100 libraries in India. To date, two libraries have been established, and over $7,000 has been raised out of the $50,000 target. Madhuvarshi is enthusiastic about this initiative and aspires to impact as many lives as possible through Toolbox.

  • YLDP Essay: What Does Leadership Mean to Me?

    YLDP Essay: What Does Leadership Mean to Me?

    By Adeeba Mohammed
    In Latin, there’s a phrase that encompasses nature, literature, and human preference: omne trium perfectum. In English, this translates to ‘everything that comes in threes is perfect.’ There are three types of stable particles, three little pigs, and three tenets to leadership. The tiers of leadership involve the leader, the team, and the people meant to be served.
    Leadership begins with oneself. As Kara Branch, Founder and CEO of Black Girls Do Engineer states, leadership styles vary greatly, from autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, and transformational leadership styles. However, differing leading styles don’t negate the fact that there must be a blend of characteristics to make a leader. Judge Ravi K. Sandill claims that leaders are people who are hard-working, engaging, and with the ability of being able to forge relationships. Regardless of which leadership style a person yields, these are the traits that help them be a leader.
    However, leadership isn’t about one person, as leadership involves the leader and the team they engage with. This is where leadership style plays an important role—as Harvard Business Review (HBR) mentions, certain methods of interaction between the leader and the group have certain weaknesses. For example, the Individualist leader benefits because they are effective through the use of unconventional methods. However, this results in irritation amongst colleagues due to key processes being ignored. The ideal leader understands how to operate in a way that generates change but maintains an environment of cooperation.
    Finally, a leader must be committed to their ultimate cause and the people they seek to benefit. Judge Sandill says that leaders must do their best to make life easy for more people. Similarly, Brian Greene, the President & CEO of the Houston Food Bank, says that leaders must hold themselves accountable to their goals and the people they seek to help. If a leader has nowhere to put their efforts, no purpose to fulfill or people to serve, the skills they build up become useless.
    Good things come in threes, and when describing his own views on the central aspects of leadership, Brian Greene names three things: vision, empowerment, and customer service. A vision guides the self and allows for a comprehensible objective, which clears the way for the empowerment of the team, finally leading to the satisfaction of the people being served. No matter which angle it’s approached from, leadership can be broken down into commitment to the self, the team, and the end goal.
  • North South Regional Contests Help Underprivileged Children in India

    North South Regional Contests Help Underprivileged Children in India

    HOUSTON: North South Foundation is conducting its 2023 Houston regional contests on April 22 and 23, 2023 at the University of Houston Campus. North South Foundation promotes excellence in human endeavor by organizing Educational Contests for the kids in USA. Children who consistently participate in these contests have excelled in national level contests such as Science Olympiad, Scripps National Spelling Bee, National Geographic – Geography bee, MathCounts for more than a decade.

    North South Foundation is a volunteer run organization. Proceeds from these contests are used for giving scholarships to brilliant but the most needy students in India entering colleges, regardless of religion, gender, caste or creed. North South Foundation Strives to help people achieve success by giving hope to those who may have none. The foundation has done that for over 25 years helping more than 20,000 students achieve their higher education dreams.

    The Regional contests will be held for Math, Science, Spelling, Vocabulary, Geography, Computer Science and Public speaking at various grade levels. The top rankers at these regional contests will have a chance to qualify for the national finals in fall 2023.

    North South foundation contests are open to people of all ethnicity and is not restricted to children of Indian origin. We seek help spreading the word around regarding the contests and the good work that North South Foundation does in helping under privilege students achieve their dreams.

    Registrations close on April 9, 2023. So, hurry and register your children for these contests. For registration please visit – https://northsouth.org/public/USContests/RegionalContests

    Parents and children are often impressed by the camaraderie with which the contests are conducted. They often comment that their children had a lot of fun interacting with other contestants in a way that they felt no pressure of the competitions. Parents have also given feedback that the energy at the contests is very inspiring for the children which makes them attend these contests year after year.

    At North South foundation we believe every child is a winner.

    Give your child the opportunity to learn, grow & succeed by registering them for a contest today!

    For more information on North South Foundation please visit – https://northsouth.org

  • International Mother Language Day; Preservation of Languages is Challenging

    International Mother Language Day; Preservation of Languages is Challenging

    by Bo Singh

    The International Mother Language Day is celebrated on February 21, but I got reminder this year a month earlier. Which was in form of a news item about the Canadian Government agreeing to settle class action claim “seeking reparations for the loss of language and culture brought on by Indian residential schools, for $2.8 billion.”

    My mind was filled with thoughts and feelings for the loss of the Indian tribes. Suddenly a thought occurred, wait this could be fate of my mother tongue too, if we fail to safeguard and make efforts to preserve it. According to UN, “Every two weeks a language disappears taking with it an entire cultural and intellectual heritage. At least 43% of the estimated 6000 languages spoken in the world are endangered.” The telltale sign were noticed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469 -1539), when he observed this trait in Punjabis over 500 years back, as reflected in these words:

    “Ghar ghar mian sabhanaa(n) jeeaa(n) bolee avar tumaaree. 6.” (SGGS, Pg. No. 1191)
    Translation: In each and every home, everyone addresses using the term “Mian” for greetings (as used by the rulers); even your speech has changed, O people. ||6||

    That was Guru Ji’s take on the language of Indian subcontinent then, but now it has been replaced by Hindi and English instead. The push to impose one national language over the regional languages can become the cause of their death knell.

    Brief History of International Mother Language Day
    February 21 is observed as the International Mother Language Day since 2020, based on the UNESCO declaration in 1999. It has been observed throughout the world since 21 February 2000. The declaration came up in tribute to the Language Movement by Bangladeshis (East Pakistan then). When Indian subcontinent was given independence in 1947, it was divided into India and Pakistan. The division was based on religion and the state of Pakistan had two geographically separate parts called East and West Pakistan. These two parts were very different from each other in the sense of culture, food, ideology, and language. In 1948, the Government of Pakistan declared Urdu to be the sole national language of Pakistan, even though Bengali or Bangla was spoken by the majority of people combining the populations of East Pakistan and West Pakistan. The East Pakistan people protested and refused to accept Urdu, as their mother language was Bangla. They demanded Bangla to be at least one of the national languages, in addition to Urdu. The rulers came down heavily on the protesters with protest rallies being outlawed and curfews imposed. On 21 February 1952, police opened fire on rallies killing many, plus injuring hundreds. This was a rare incident in history, where people had sacrificed their lives for their mother tongue.

    Since then, Bangladeshis celebrate the International Mother Language Day as one of their tragic days. It was again in 1998, by the efforts of Vancouver based expatriates from Bangladesh that UN took the step of recognizing it as International Mother Language Day.

    The situation in India was slightly different in the sense that although Hindi was declared as the national language with English as the link language, the regional languages were given a place. Although there was a strong opposition to this three-language formula (English, Hindi, Regional) but still the turmoil was not so devastating as there was some accommodation to the regional interests. Still with the thrust on Hindi and its overwhelming presence in media as TV, movies, music, and radio resulted in more and more people switching to it over regional languages. The effect is more pronounced when the children’s mother tongue is not the regional language where they are studying. Thus, they are missing that mother language connection in learning as the void is being filled by the national language. Another way the children are losing their connection to their mother tongue is when their parents have moved to other parts of the country because of their job or other economic opportunities.

    Conclusion
    The worldwide migration and internet has changed the way we have live and how we communicate. So, the preservation of languages is going to be challenging and will become a bigger and more immediate challenge if the speakers of that language are smaller in numbers. But the threat exists for all the languages that cannot make the top cut in terms of number of speakers and interest in that language. We need to take page from Hawaiian and make efforts to protect our own mother tongue today

    References:
    1. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/residential-school-band-class-
    action-settlement-1.6722014
    2. UN. Multilingual Education – a necessity to transform education.
    https://www.un.org/en/observances/mother-language-day
    3. Ackerman, Diane. We Are Our Words. Parade, May 30, 2004.
    4. Diamond, Jared. The Benefits of Multilingualism. Science.
    https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.1195067
    5. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/why-mother-language-based-education-essential
    UNESCO Report: MOTHER TONGUE MATTERS: LOCAL LANGUAGE AS A KEY TO
    EFFECTIVE LEARNING. 2008

  • Arya Samaj D.A. V School Children Celebrate India’s 74th Republic Day

    Arya Samaj D.A. V School Children Celebrate India’s 74th Republic Day

    HOUSTON: D.A.V Montessori & Elementary School a vision of Arya Samaj of Greater Houston was started 23 years ago. It is a unique one of its kind school in the whole of USA providing academic excellence with Spiritual growth combined with the knowledge and appreciation for heritage, culture and language while raising confident and resilient Global citizens. It is accredited by Texas Alliance of Accredited Private Schools (TAAPS). The school serves children 2.5 years through 5th Grade in small class sizes. We have a group of highly qualified, experienced & motivated teachers who provide a loving nurturing environment and help prepare each child to reach their full potential – academically, socially & emotionally.

    Preschool to 1st Grade follow the Montessori curriculum and from 2nd to 5th grade we switch to the traditional method of teaching and follow Common Core & TEAKS curriculum. We offer Hindi, Yoga, Moral Science, Prayers, P.E & Art as part of our curriculum. Our graduating 5th Grade students move on to excel in Public and Private Schools.

    Our students participate in the Private School Interscholastic Association (PSIA) and last year we were the Elementary School division winners. Our school also participates in the Annual Rodeo Art show and this year we had 9 entries and we won 8 awards of excellence & 1 Finalist award.

    D.A.V Montessori & Elementary School is a blend of both worlds; we celebrate both Indian and American culture. Keeping up with this tradition, this year we celebrated India’s 74th Republic Day on 27th January. This year it was a unique celebration. The Indian states were clubbed into North, South, East & West based on their geographic location. The parents & guests were left spellbound as they watched the students & staff dressed up in their state costumes moving in sync with the march past music and dance to their state songs. It was so nostalgic and for a moment we all were transported back to our beloved India. It was a surreal feeling.

    This was followed by speeches given by our 5th Grade students who spoke about the origin & significance of Republic Day. It was beautiful to hear everyone sing the American & Indian National Anthems.

    The program ended with the announcement & award distribution of the Science Fair winners from 1st to 5th grade. All the projects & presentations were excellent and the judges were challenged in choosing the winners. So proud of all our students who raise the bar every year.

    D.A.V Montessori & Elementary School has an Open House on Friday March 3rd  & Friday March 10th from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. School is currently enrolling for the 2023-24 school year and welcomes new families to schedule a tour by emailing director@davhouston.org or calling 281-759-3286. Bus service is available to the Katy area.

  • YLDP Session with CEO of ‘Black Girls Do Engineer’

    YLDP Session with CEO of ‘Black Girls Do Engineer’

    YLDP students held a session with motivational speaker Kara Branch, Founder and CEO of ‘Black Girls Do Engineer’. It was a fun-filled, interactive and great learning experience for YLDP students.