ISW Annual General Body Meeting 2024

We held a successful ISW Annual General Body meeting on Feb 4th 2024. In addition to the President's and committee reports the new Nomination Committee for 2024-26 was unanimously elected. Also made few amendments to ISW bylaws by the governance committee.

Please check out the Annual report and updated bylaws here.

The India Society Executive Board is proud to welcome the following members for the Committee on Nominations. They were elected during the Annual General Body meeting on Feb 4 2024. 

Term :  Jan 2024 - Jan 2026. 

Members: 

• Shaimin Melville
• Sahdev Passey
• Sarita Deshpande
• Ragoo Raghunathan
• Poonam Hingorany

The ISW EB  would also like to thank the outgoing members of this committee for their stellar contributions to the society.

Brain is the crown jewel of our body. Brain controls our motor and sensory functions, our behavior and intelligence, memory and emotions and so on and so forth. But as an inevitable part of aging, we start to experience slowing of brain functioning including cognitive impairment.

Every individual goes through this process at different pace with some feeling the effects sooner than others. There has been a vast majority of scientific.

research going on all across the globe trying to figure out ways on how to preserve the brain functioning and slow down the age-related decline in memory.

ISW Humrahee team had their monthly meeting on 27th January 2024. Mr. Jagan Srinivasan, professor at WPI conducted a seminar on how we can improve our memory and brain function with modern day tools and Ayurveda. With more than 2 decades of experience as professor, Mr. Srinivasan elaborated on different factors that affect our brain function and how everyday exercise and social interactions can improve physical mental and emotional wellbeing.

ISW, recently participated in a Republic Day celebration organized by IAGB in Burlington. The performance was a vibrant showcase of the rich cultural heritage of Marathi Regional Cinema. The Symphony team of ISW took the stage and mesmerized the audience with their captivating performance of the traditional Marathi folk dance style, Lavani.

Dressed in exquisite Maharashtrian 9 yards sarees, the talented dancers gracefully spun and twirled to the rhythmic beats of the dholaki, perfectly synchronized with the enchanting song 'Chandra'. Their energetic and skillful movements brought the essence of Marathi folk culture to life, leaving the audience in awe.

Adding to the immersive experience, the music team of singers presented a live medley of folk songs from the popular Marathi movie 'Jait Re Jait'. Their soulful renditions were beautifully complemented by live dancing, which vividly portrayed the stories behind the songs. This unique combination of live singing and dancing created a fascinating atmosphere, drawing the hearts of all those in attendance.

The grand finale of the performance was marked by a spectacular Dhol Tasha Lezim display. More than 15 performers took the stage, showcasing two distinctive patterns, Wembley and Nagpur Dhol. The thunderous beats of the dhol, accompanied by the rhythmic movements of the performers, filled the auditorium with an electrifying energy. The audience couldn't help but join in, expressing their appreciation through whistles and hoots, further fueling the enthusiasm in the room.

Overall, ISW's participation in the Republic Day celebration was a testament to their dedication in promoting and preserving the cultural heritage. Through their charming performances, they successfully transported the audience into the vibrant world of Marathi folk traditions, leaving a lasting impression on all those fortunate enough to witness it.

Video Link - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17i4YiSLlylpILv0rVeQ74uw-yp1XWmX2?usp=drive_link

What a fun way to spend an evening! ISW Sports Team had another successful game night event with 60 plus registrants at India Center on January 19^th. Participants with families enjoyed entertaining evening with games like table tennis, carrom, bridge and chess along with light snacks and tea.

India Society of Worcester has encouraged and given women a voice through the platform Women Empowering Women (WEW). WEW celebrated 3rd anniversary on January 13^th with Key Note Speaker Anu Chitrapu and Priya Asthana's student performances. Awards for December Walk & Run Competition were also distributed.

2023 Event Recap:

By Swara Gurao

In 2023, WEW had seven outstanding events motivating and inspiring other women within the community.

1. ISW WEW Turns Two Keynote speaker Dr. Manju Sheth

2. Mental Well-Being Discussion Panel: A Positive way to enlightening a healthy life Panelists: Dr. Kalyani Krishnan, Dr. Pooja Saraf and Dr. Ami Popat-Jain.

3. Selfless Community Service Event: Panelists:Shefali Kalyani Desai, Usha Verma, Nagasri Chakka and Sarita Deshpande

4. Rising Up the Professional Ladder: Panelists: Mrs. Anjali Arora, Mrs. Preeti Shah Tandon, Mrs. Anjali Paranjape and Dr. Poornima Tekumalla.

5. Lets Celebrate “HER”: Invited guests were Jaya Pandey, and Zharna Madan and 90s Indian Beatles singing performed by Mrs. Neha Maheshwari Rathi and Mrs. Padma Shenoy.

6. Next Generation Speaks, Life Beyond Academics: Moderated by Trishna Nikte, the panelists were: Ninad Vaidya, Karisma Lavana, Kiara Lavana, Aashi Gupta, and Dhruv Jagan.

ISW-WEW through its core values created a creative environment to encourage meaningful conversations, while inspiring and spreading confidence within the community. Read more on our website

The India Society Executive Board is proud to announce the slate for ISW's  Committee on Nominations : 

Term :  Jan 2024 - Jan 2026. 

Nominees : 

• Shaimin Melville
• Sahdev Passey
• Sarita Deshpande
• Ragoo Raghunathan
• Poonam Hingorany

Members of the ISW General Body will vote to confirm the slate during the next Annual General body meeting. 

The ISW EB  would also like to thank the outgoing members of this committee for their stellar contributions to the society.

by Dhruv Jagan

India Youth group (IYG) organized a new series called Youth Empowering Youth to engage middle and high schoolers in the community about different aspects of college applications.

The first event in this series took place on December 16th, 2023 at India Center. The panel discussion was entitled “ Preparing Ahead: A roadmap to land the right college”. The panel included five students at various stages in their collegiate career. Aryan Kale, Junior, Northeastern university, Anika Nath, Freshman, MIT, Swara Gurav, Freshman, Suffolk University, Dhriti Aiylam, Northeastern University and Arnav Mankad, Boston University shared their insights into the college application process.

Topics discussed by the panel ranged from SAT and ACT test-taking, strategies, requirements, and the importance of extracurriculars to land your top college. For example, they shared what they think is a reasonable time to start thinking about college, as well as how many clubs and activities that were offered at their school helped them decide their major.

Through these discussions, a general consensus arose: Start thinking about college during the beginning of your junior year, and try and experiment with many clubs at school to see which ones interest you. The panelists emphasized that doing something that is unique sets you apart from others. Additionally, how you display your dedication towards your courses and extracurricular activities will help you get a step closer to your dream college. In the Q&A session, both parents and kids got involved and learnt from the panelists tips and tricks to achieve admission into the college of your choice.

ISW Symphony's  Dhol Tasha team conducted another successful Dhol-Tasha-Lezim Workshop "DTL Academy" on Friday.

Attendees included long-time ISW supporters, ISW school parents and net new members spanning ages 5 to seniors from diverse regions of India. The beats are truly bringing the community together!

Instructors: Smita Manjrekar, Yash Naik, Sanket Gurao, Rajesh Khare

Organizers: Sarita Deshpande, Sanket Gurao, Sakshi Gurao, Ashok Kale, and Rajesh Khare.

Track your volunteer hours

Scroll down to see the 2022 PVSA winners

Thank you for your volunteer hours.

We hope to track the hours to recognize the amazing volunteers who contribute to India Society of Worcester

Try and fill it at the end of each quarter in 2023

Additionally, if you want, you can allow ISW to share your info to be considered for the President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA). The PVSA recognizes incredible individuals who are committed to a high level of volunteer and service with a PVSA medal and a letter from the White House. 

To be eligible for President’s Volunteer Service Award, one has to be a US Citizen or permanent resident.

If volunteers have volunteered for other organizations that do not have this PVSA program, we can combine it , depending on verification, as long as there is no duplication.

Hours Required to Earn Awards in Each Age Group

Age Group                        Bronze                 Silver                                          Gold         

Kids (5–10 years old)     26–49 hours      50–74 hours                              75+ hours 

Teens (11–15)                 50–74 hours       75–99 hours                           100+ hours 

Young Adults (16–25) 100–174 hours 175–249 hours                        250+ hours

Adults (26+)                    100–249 hours 250–499 hours                      500+ hours 

Teens (11- 15)  Gold 
Aadi Dixit
Aditi Jayendran
Arush Jagan
Dhruv Jagan
Mahati Jayendran
Pradnya Cowlagi
Tanushree Nekenti

Teen  Bronze 
Ayan Mishra 

Young Adults (16 -25) Gold
Maurya Virmani 
Anand Chintapalli

Young Adults Bronze
Prachet Mahawar

Adults 
Priya Vaidya   (Bronze)
Geetanjali Virmani (Silver)