From Left: Dr Avadhesh Sharma, Swathi
Kunduri, Dr Abdul K Abbas, Dr
Subramanian Dhandayuthapani, Dr Prasad
Dhulipala, Dr Satya Kunapuli, Ramya
Chari, Dr Gauthami Jalagadugula, Quaisar
Ali, Dr Chinnaswamy Jagannath, Dr Sarfraz
Ahmad, Dr Gabriel Fernandez; Dr Sudhir
Gupta and Dr Biswanath Patra
Other winners
Dr Sudhir Gupta Young Scientist Award: Dr
Gauthami Jalagadugula of Thrombosis Research
Center, Temple University, Philadelphia;
Association honors biomedical researchers
A CORRESPONDENT
The Association of Scientists of Indian Origin in America
honored several of its members for their scientific achievements at the 28th annual banquet held in Anaheim,
California.
ASIOA is a non-profit organization established to promote
professional interaction between Indian scientists engaged in
biomedical research in the United States, Canada and India.
Nominations were invited for various categories and the
winners were selected for contributions in biomedical
research by a committee chaired by Dr Sarfraz Ahmad.
The Mario Toppo Distinguished Scientist Award went to Dr
Chinnaswamy Jagannath, University Texas Medical School,
Houston.
Earlier, the ASIOA nomination committee introduced its
new president, Dr Avadhesh Sharma, and secretary, Dr
Prasad Dhulipala.
Poets from India kept the 400-strong
audience enthralled for three hours
Poets’ day
out in
Washington
A CORRESPONDENT
More than 400 people packed the Hindu
temple in Adelphi, Maryland, for a Hasya
Kavi (humorous poetry) and Veer Ras Kavi
(paeans to heroism) Sammelan.
Three famous poets from India — Dr
Kumar Vishwas, Balvir Singh ‘Karun’ and
Jagbir Rathi — so mesmerized the audience for three hours with poetry and
humor that people did not want to break
for the interval. The event was put together
by a group of community organizations
united under the leadership of United
Hindu and Jain Temples Association past
president Jaisingh Bhandari. The audience
also appreciated the Hindi jokes and puzzles of Kumar Vishwas and Jagbir Rathi.
‘Karun’ and Vishwas also recited patriotic
poems. The program ended with a vote of
thanks by temple president Dr Suresh
Gupta.
50 years of
Gujarat celebrated
in Maryland
A CORRESPONDENT
The Saurashtra Patel Cultural Samaj of DC,
Gujarati Samaj of Washington, Gujarati
Samaj of Baltimore and seven other groups
came together to celebrate Gujarat’s 50
years of statehood, May 8, at the Eleanor
Roosevelt High School, Greenbelt, Maryland.
Over 4,000 people attended the event.
The cultural program from 1 pm to 6 pm
showcased the dance, music and literary
heritage of Gujarat. The performances
included traditional garba, raas, and folk
dances like tippani, matki, manjiraa,
kar-taal, khanjari and divdo. The program
included instrumental musical performances, glimpses of dairo, rendition of doha,
bhajans and sugamsangeet featuring popular Gujarati folk songs as well as ghazals.
There were about 225 performers of all
ages.
Chief guest Ro Khanna, deputy assistant
secretary for domestic operations at the US
Department of Commerce, read a message
from President Barack Obama. Sanjay
Sinha, minister, community affairs, at the
Indian embassy in Washington, DC, read a
message from Meera Shankar, India’s
ambassador to the US.
