Indo American News

Tag: Saeed Pathan

  • Club 65 Celebrates New Year in Style

    Club 65 Celebrates New Year in Style

    From left: Ashma Moosa, Paru McGuire, Taiyeb Shipchandler, Mariam Ibrahim, Saeed Pathan
    From left: Ashma Moosa, Paru McGuire, Taiyeb Shipchandler, Mariam Ibrahim, Saeed Pathan

    By Paru McGuire

    HOUSTON: Whoever said that seniors don’t have fun should have joined the Club 65 seniors on January 3, 2018 when they celebrated New Year on a cold wintry evening. The temperatures were in the mid 20’s and yet close to 100 seniors crammed into the Savoy party hall decked in their colorful attires and broad smiles. The party mood was further enhanced when members donned a special mask provided to them.

    The energetic and effervescent Paru McGuire, President of Club 65 greeted the members and guests with a warm welcome. She then expressed her gratitude and felicitated with a box of chocolates, the  Board – Chair Fateh Ali Chatur, Vice President Rahat Kalle, Joint VP Hatim Kanorwala, Secretary Albert Joseph, Treasurer Farida Bandali and core team of volunteers – Farida Jinnah, Rozina Jaferali, Shaheen Vora, Saeed and Bilkish Pathan – for their help in pulling off all the programs throughout the year.

    From left: N. Pasha, S. Chunawala, K. Rahim, P. McGuire, A. Kanorwala, H. Kanorwala, J. Pasha
    From left: N. Pasha, S. Chunawala, K. Rahim, P. McGuire, A. Kanorwala, H. Kanorwala, J. Pasha

    Streamers, balloons, colorful garlands and other New Year paraphernalia decorated the Savoy party hall giving it a festive look. A photo wall was also set up for members to take pictures with their friends and family to etch the memories of the evening forever in their photo albums. The evening started with hot soup, vegetable spring rolls and pakoras accompanied by hot masala chai and soft drinks, followed with a sumptuous dinner and desert. Music was organized by club 65’s very own member, Jamil Chunawala and local artists including Bindu Malhotra, Taiyeb Mohsin Shipchandler affectionately known as kaka to Club 65 member as well as Salem Afroz and Safder Hasan. The audience was mesmerized by the melodies, some swaying, others lost in reverie while still others on the dance floor alone or with their spouses completely held captive in the moment. The program held a few more surprises, with raffle tickets and prizes for six lucky winners, Facemasks, noisemakers and gift bags for all.

    Club 65 King and Queen 2018 – Mariam Ibrahim (Queen) and Taiyeb Moshin Shipchandler (King), were crowned (a very tough decision indeed) by the judges Ashma Moosa and Saeed Pathan. Dr. Jaseem Pasha, a Club 65 member offered the toast accompanied by members welcoming 2018 with sparkling cider, noisemakers and a crescendo from the music group. The evening ended at 10 pm with each member and guest receiving a gift bag, once again to commemorate the evening.  

    For more info on Club 65, contact Paru McGuire at 440-390-1763 or at
    parumcguire@yahoo.com

  • A 30 Year-Old Independence Day Poem

    A 30 Year-Old Independence Day Poem

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    SUGAR LAND: Personal independence was a sentiment that was very much on Saeed Pathan’s mind when he penciled this poem 30 years ago when he thought of the independence of his country India which had just turned 40. Pathan, had just finished his mechanical engineering degree from the Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology in Surat, Gujarat. Zail Singh was President, Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister.

    He was overcome with a feeling of freedom but conflicted by the state of the country and penned this poem as it came to him. He bared the emotions the time evoked and he shared the poem with his family and friends. He then put it aside and forgot it in among other papers and books in his house, some of which traveled with him when he came to the US in 2002. He was in Lafayette, Louisiana before moving to Houston in 2007.

    Now, 30 years later, Pathan found the poem once again and remembered how it made him feel. With similar conflicting events swirling around the world these days, he decided this time to share the poem with a larger audience and so … here it is. An ode to Independence and what it means to him, in the original Hindi and with an English translation.

    Text by Jawahar Malhotra, Poem and translation by Saeed Pathan

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