Due to inclement weather - the Free Health Stop is cancelled for Jan 25.  If you have an Urgent Healthcare need - please visit your local emergency Department. 

Remember - we follow Worcester Public Schools policy for emergency cancellations due to weather. 

by Yajas Devaguptapu

Many people ask me why they should do or learn 3D Printing. Right now, I will answer that question. The answer is engineering. For example, everybody might say that it is complicated to build something. Because building you have to follow a manual and then make it, but sometimes we always have some problem, like that the instructions don’t make sense or you are missing a piece. Missing a part can be a big problem because whatever you try to do will not work. After all, that piece might be the connecting piece between two other things. This is where 3D printing comes in handy. You don’t need a 3D printer because many libraries have 3D printers. The only thing you need is the measurements of the pieces that you want to connect.

The other easy thing is 3D printing because there are many different websites for making stuff in 3D, like Thinkercad and Solidworks. If you want to create it, but let's say you don’t want to make it from scratch, I have a solution for you. There are websites where you type up what you are looking for, then whatever you type up, there would be designs, and whatever  you like, then you could get the design and print it. One website like this is called Thingiverse.

I learned 3D printing in the India Center because they had a class on it, and I wanted to know how to 3D print because I thought it would be cool to learn. I had seen some of my friends build, and I was amazed. When I went to class, the teachers showed us the websites we could use to make our own, like the ones I told you about. They also showed us how the 3D printer  worked and the science of it by taking it apart. They also showed us how to get the printer ready. I loved it. And after the basic class I also took the advanced class and enjoyed it. I also got the opportunity to help India Center teachers and help others to learn 3D printing, which was great.

Most of the time, I use 3D printing. It is not only for making pieces that I need to make things. Also, it is pieces that I can use to decorate my room, like different design pieces. These are some of the reasons why you should try 3D printing.

Have fun with 3D printing!

ISW Women Empowering Women initiative turns two!
by Kalyani Kanuri

To commemorate the two year anniversary of ISW-WEW initiative, ISW hosted a wonderful celebration on Saturday January 21st at the newly renovated ISW (India Society of Worcester) center in Shrewsbury, MA. The event featured Dr. Manju Sheth, as the keynote speaker . Manju is a renowned physician at Harvard Vanguard and creator and host of “Chai with Manju” and the creator of New England Choice Awards and “Women who Win” platform.

The program was kicked off by Prof. Snehalata Kadam, chair of WEW, who talked about her vision for a forum where women can uplift each other by sharing their experiences and transforming the “I Can’t” to “I Can”. This initiative started off as an online forum during the pandemic. Snehalata; an assistant teaching professor of Physics at Worcester Polytechnic (WPI), talked about the upcoming collaboration of ISW -WEW with WPI’s South Asian Student Association (SASA) and ISW’s Professional and Entrepreneurial Network. (ISW-PEN).

Mr. Puneet Kohli, the president of ISW, talked about the organization’s upcoming 60 years anniversary celebrations and how the organization has not only brought the Indian community together but also other communities. He explained how ISW maintains strong relationship with other organizations in Boston such as IAGB. He further talked about how the community came together to support the ISW expansion. With the expansion, ISW is now able to kick off new initiatives such as the “ISW University” which teaches students of all ages , “ISW Symphony” to support art in all forms, “ISW PEN initiative” and “ISW Sports” which recently held Game Night.

Talking about how each and everyone’s journey in life is unique and different, Manju Sheth the guest of honor spoke about how women can learn and inspire each other. Hailing from New Delhi, Manju loved to write stories from a young age and even started her school magazine. She trained in Medicine in Calcutta, London and Boston. She talked about how the demands of practicing medicine which leaves little time for other activities. Her determination, hard work and multitasking helped her to achieve her goal of being a journalist and media professional in addition to her medical profession. She strongly believes that it is important to realize your strengths and feed off of them. She was invited by India New England News to start “Chai with Manju” Over the past 10 years, she has interviewed world renowned personalities such as “Sadh Guru”, Pandit Jasraj”, “ Sudha Murthy”, “Shankar Mahadevan”, “Joe Kennedy” and most recently “Indra Nooyi”. Manju recently started a new platform, “Women Who Win,” to showcase the stories and experiences of extraordinary women in different fields.

The event also felicitated the WEW’s first group of panelists – Yogita Miharia, Director of QA at Oracle, Aditi Taylor, SVP, at MFS Investment Management, Kalyani Kanuri, Senior Manager of Finance at Quest Diagnostics, Terri Camesano, Dean of Graduate Studies at Worcester Polytechnic Institute along with Dr. Manju Sheth.

Neha Kaushal , a core team member of the WEW team, talked about what inspired her to join WEW and her involvement with SEWA, a charity organization where she was involved in an initiative to train women who lost their livelihood in new professions such as saree weaving.

Kalyani Kanuri, talked about upcoming ISW WEW events. In March the team will be hosting the “Gift of Giving” that will feature a group of panelists who are active with various charities. This event will be followed by a mental health awareness event followed in June by an educational event featuring panelists who will provide high school students and their parents with insights into choosing majors in college and life in college. She also talked about a mentorship program aimed at making the core members available to anyone who would like to learn about fields such as finance, marketing and IT.

The event aptly ended by a beautiful poem by Kajal Kaushik Dixit , a core member of ISW titled “Tu Dar Math, tu aage badh” which means “Don’t be afraid and keep moving forward”!

On the morning of January 14th, a session of Heartfulness Meditation was held at the India Center. More than thirty individuals were in attendance. The session began with rejuvenating yoga by Devesh Srivastav and introduction to Heartfulness by Shruti Sehra and George, preceptors from Heartfulness Center. Many attendees reported feeling a sense of inner peace and left feeling rejuvenated.

The sessions with yoga and meditation will continue at 9 am on Saturdays at the INDIA Center. Depending on response, additional sessions maybe added early Sunday am or weekends. Any questions please send email to iswuniversity@iswonline.org.

We want to recognize the amazing volunteers who contribute to India Society of Worcester  

Deadline for  awards extended to Feb 28, 2023. Track your hours

Try and fill it at the end of each quarter in 2022

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. More info at:

https://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/eligibility#volunteers

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 

ISW Christmas 2022 - Event photos
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tCMWUXcaBPoJ2ZFaGbUVZHz6RSP0k8hU?usp=sharing

ISW Christmas 2022 - Photos with Santa

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AnkrLuFnKxGN809ZDWsnKzZSn1TU?e=bj3G1z

ISW Christmas 2022 - Dinner photos
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16r94bCVss1IYz_akaleXwSu8oVoDwHC2?usp=sharing

written by - Mr. Ernest and Mrs. Manjula Gulla

The Diwali celebrations in collaboration with NEBG's Night Lights, began with our dynamic Dhol Tasha Lazim team, and despite the cold weather they delivered an energizing performance outside.  It  was followed by the  ISW cultural program in the auditorium.  Throughout the evening , we had Free Henna, a display of Indian plants from NEBG, Lantern Craft in the  classroom. The  Chess game by Tara Chess Academy and  3D printing by Kunal showcased our in person 3D printing classes at India Center.

 The Gallery Bazaar with colorful wares from India, the Culture exhibit by Carolyn , floral Rangoli in the lobby, Sand Rangoli in the entrance walkway, and not to mention the catering by Bawarchi all contributed to a dazzling evening. 

We are honored to be a part of the popular NEBG Night Lights  exhibit , which also included the new Ramble exhibit . Enjoy the pictures.

Arathi & Shiamin

ISW University is offering new sessions

Join for Social Chess on Saturdays at 5 pm : it is free for experienced players.  If you want to learn, sign up for classes $30 for 6 sessions

ISW Durga Puja

By Shivangi Das Gupta

Durga puja is an annual celebration that takes place every October and is a cultivation of social, cultural and religious gathering. In this interview Shivangi asks Barin Bando about what it means to celebrate and experience this event.

Barin Bando says that the reason Durga puja is celebrated in October is because it symbolizes the best time of the year: when monsoon is over, winter is ahead and harvesting has just been done. The five days of celebration are Sashti, Saptami, Ashtami, Nabami and Dashami. The first day signifies the welcoming of Ma Durga and her four children into her paternal house. On this day the deity is unveiled. On the second day, Saptami, the nine forms of Durga are worshipped. The third day celebrates the day Durga killed Mahishasura the demon. On Nabami goddess Durga and her daughters are celebrated and showered with gifts. And on the last and final day the Durga idol is immersed into the Ganges River and married women partake in Sindhur khela, where women play with vermillion to show respect and gratitude.

Durga puja is happening all over America on a larger scale because of the influx of Indians, but Barin Bando mentions how it can be easy to forget the source of this fun. Indian society has given us the opportunity to experience the social aspect while maintaining originality. It is quite different from India where those who cannot travel to different parts of India may have a limited exposure to the different Navratri/Durga puja/Ganesh Chathurthi celebrations. But with the wide range of diverse celebrations in America, a door is opened for everyone to experience different traditions.

The different activities like language school and Humrahee and what ISW has to offer is the magnet which attracts people to come and celebrate this event. The cultural performances, the well performed puja, and the opportunity to mingle with family and friends is what people look forward to when attending and this is why it is important to have all three aspects. This year Barin Bando invited six singers who are part of the Indian Ensemble in the Berklee College of Music, an internationally acclaimed music school located in Boston who performed a beautiful collection on the Nabami day. Several accomplished dancers who completed their arangetram were also invited to showcase their talent on stage at ISW Durga puja by portraying items that told the stories of Ma Durga.

Barin Bando finishes with some childhood memories of Durga puja in Kolkata. He mentions it as feeling like a “happy, good time”. He specifically remembers going to a pandal with his grandma where he would watch her offer her prayers to God and would do the same. The music in the air and the rhythm of the dhak are also some fond memories for him. There is generally less pressure in school, families are in good spirits no matter their situation and helping each other out.

He hopes this festivity continues to grow with celebrity and local talents at ISW in years to come and wishes to see it spread to communities outside the Bengali community.

New Job, New Country! Embracing and Empowering A Multi-Cultural Work Environment

An event organized by ISW WEW- Women Empowering Women

September 10^th 2022

This event brought together women from different professional backgrounds to discuss how they succeeded in their personal and professional endeavors when they moved to the US.

Dr. Saritha Venkatesh, a practicing OB/GYN in India, switched her professional trajectory by joining pharmacovigilance and drug safety in pharma industry after moving to Unites States. She commented on never losing your identity in any environment.

Vishakha Khamankar, a bank officer in India moved to the US to start her new family. Starting as a volunteer at the public school system, she is currently a personal financial representative. Her two cents was that family caretaking and professional career can go hand in hand.

Madhavi Vaddi, a senior architect, IT by profession was able to maintain her professional career after hers move to US. She mentioned that a strong family support was crucial for her success. She highlighted that staying strong and making your voice heard is crucial steps that helps you grow.

Suchitra Shinde had her own successful architecture business in India before moving to US. Here, she decided to switch to IT field as she found the flexible work-life balance helped her keep moving forward. She mentioned the need to maintain the enthusiasm of being always a learner.

Kiran Kewalramani was in financial sector after completing her MBA in India. After her move, cooking and celebrating with family and friends helped her initially before she found her calling in the workforce as a financial manager.

All panelists discussed about unintentional and unconscious biases against women and how we need more awareness of this issue. They reiterated the point of being strong and having a strong support network of family and friends that helped them succeed. The panelists and the audience discussed how everyone’s journey was their fingerprint within the community and sharing our stories can help women empower themselves to learn from each one of us.