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Kusumbal Rang in Southern California

The Garvi Gujarat Cultural Association is hosting Kusumbal Rang, a Gujarati play, on June 13 at the William Bristol Auditorium at 6.30 pm at Bellflower, California. There are plans to take the play to many other cities in California and New York.

Tickets at $ 10, $ 15 and VIP are available at several Indian shops including Neema Sari, Artesia, (562) 860-1135 and Jhupdi Restaurant, (714) 527-3800.

For information, contact, Pramod Mistry (213) 243-1212 or Vijay Bhatt, (818) 993-0243.

TiE Talk: Entrepreneurship and Telecommunications in The First Decade Of The New Millenium

Jagdeep Singh, Founder and CEO Lightera Networks, will speak on Full Speed Ahead: Entrepreneurship and Telecommunications in the next decade at the Santa Clara Marriott Hotel on June 15, 6.30 pm.

Singh has led the company from startup to a leadership position in the market for broadband intelligent optical switching equipment.

He is now president and general manager of Ciena Corp's Core Switching Division and is a director of Ciena Corp. He joined Ciena after its March 1999 acquisition of Lightera Networks for $ 550 million. Ciena is a worldwide leader in the optical networking market with $ 500 million in revenues and a market capitalization exceeding $ 3 billion.

Prior to co-founding Lightera in 1998, Singh was a venture partner at the venture capital firm InterWest Partners, focusing on investments in the data communication and telecommunications sectors. Prior to joining InterWest, he was vice-president, technology strategy at Shiva Corp, a leader in the remote network access market. He joined Shiva following its 1996 acquisition of AirSoft, Inc, where he was president and CEO.

Singh holds an MS in Computer Science from Stanford University and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.

The hotel is located at 2700 Mission College Blvd.

Payment: $ 35 if paid by June 11 or $ 45 if later and at door. Non-Members & Guests: $ 50 if paid June 11 or $ 60 if later and at door. Charter members are pre-paid.

For information, contact (408) 567-0700, fax, (408) 567-0777; E-mail: tieadmin@tie.org

NetIP Anniversary Event Slated In Toronto; Mind, Body, Soul (and Business) Links To Be Explored

The Network of Indian Professionals (NetIP-North America) will hold its annual conference at Tornoto between September 3 to 5. They will be joined by the South Asian Professionals Networking Association. The South Asian Community Council of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario will co-host the events which will focus on mind, body and business connections.

Specific details and the venues of events are being finalized.

NetIP-NA is an organization dedicated to fostering professional development and education, making charitable contributions to the community, and promoting cultural and political awareness. It currently has 25 chapters with over 6,000 members across North America with a growth rate of approximately 20 per cent per year.

SAPNA not only networks among Indian professors in Ontario, it has also makes time to build a relationship with the United Way and other charity/ social service organizations in the community, such as the Kesri Ribbon Campaign, aimed at preventing South Asian suicides, and India Rainbow.

It is compiling an anthology of writing and art work by South Asians who have grown up in North America, entitled Bolo! Bolo! It also publishes a quarterly newsletter, Awaaz.

It is five years since the South Asian Community Council became a chartered chapter of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario. The Foundation is dedicated to furthering the study, prevention, and reduction of disability and death from heart disease and stroke through research, education and the promotion of healthy lifestyles. The Council supports the Foundation's mission with an emphasis on increasing awareness of the high incidence of heart disease and stroke for South Asians. The mortality rate from cardiovascular disease for South Asians in Canada is 12 per cent higher than the national average and higher than any other ethnic group. As a result, the South Asian Community Council was formed.

Since 1994, the SACC has developed a patient education pamphlet in five South Asian languages, a professional education brochure, and a video in three languages. There have been over 60,000 copies of the pamphlet and brochure distributed in Canada, United States

Committee for the annual event: Zenia Wadhwani -- Conference Chair; Sapna Anand; Leena Jobanputra, Milan Mantri -- Conference Co-ordinators; Pam Arora -- Communications Co-ordinator; Khushhal Bains -- Registration Co-ordinator; Nimesh Jaspal -- IT Consultant; Sangeeta Mehta -- Social Events Co-ordinator; Kamal Mundi -- Logistics, Anisha Oberoi -- Volunteer Co-ordinator; Priti Patel -- Speakers/ Workshops Co-ordinator; Kul Mani -- Conference webmaster

Holyman's Visit Across California

His Holiness Jagad Guru Ramananandachraya Yoga Shakhti Peethadhishwar Swami Shri Rajivlochanacharya is making a number of appearances in California through June 28.

He will offer discourses and poojas.

* Valley Hindu Temple, 18700 Roscoe Blvd, Northridge, June 12, 4 to 6 pm.

Contact: Yag Dutt Kapil, (818) 772-7736.

* Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir, June 13, 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm.

Contact: Shukavak Das, (909) 359-4743.

* Arya Samaj, 1557 Katella Ave, Anaheim, June 20, 4 to 6 p.m.

Contact: Vina Mehta (909) 861-6419.

* Shri Nand Shiv Durga Mandir, 3412 W. Beverley Road, Montebello, CA 90640; June 20, 11 am to 1 pm.

Contact: Krishan Bhalla, (310) 475-3000.

* Hindu Temple, 21213 Devonshire Blvd, Chatsworth, June 27, 6 to 8 pm.

Contact: Dinesh Lakhanpal, (818) 368-4103.

Desipalooza In 4 Cities

Apache Indian will make his first public appearance at San Francisco, Los Angeles and Houston in the Desipalooza progam in September. The show is also slated for a New York performance. Stereo Nation, whose album Nasha is just out, will join the show, along with Sukhbir who will perform, among other numbers, Gal Ban Gayee.

Included in the event are Bally Jagpal (Live 'n' Direct and Public Demand), one of the most successful Bhangra producers in the United Kingdom and B-21, a top British Bhangra group.

Organizer Sanjay Sabarwal says the show could extend its run to other cities. It will be on in San Francisco on September 3; Houston, September 4; Los Angeles, September 5 and New York, September 11.

In SF: contact, (415) 389-7860; Los Angeles, (877) 777-9422; Sabarwal, (562) 889-6659.

Budhos, Lahiri and Diasporadics

A benefit reading for Diasporadics -- a festival focussing on the art and activism in South Asian communities in the United States to be held between September 17 and 19 in New York -- will be held on June 19 at 7 pm.

Newly published writers, Jhumpa Lahiri (Interpreter of Maladies) and Marina Budhos (The Professor of Light) will be reading from their books.

$10, at the Maharaja Restaurant, 230 East 44th Street, between 2nd and 3rd avenues.

For more information about the reading and the Diasporadics, contact, nareshf@aol.com or sunainam@aol.com

South Asians and the Media

The Asia Society holds a panel discussion about how South Asians are portrayed in the media. June 12, between 1 and 4 pm. The discussion focuses on the multiple images of South Asians in the media and what impact these images have on public perceptions of the South Asian-American community. Speakers include Subrata Chakravarty, former editor,Forbes; Qamarul Huda, Boston College; Sonia Nikore, NBC.

Co-sponsored with the Indian American Political Awareness Committee. Refreshments will be served. $ 10 ($ 7 Asia Society and IAPAC members).

Asia Society, Park Avenue at 70th Street. For information, contact, (914) 744-6209; Asia Society, (212) 288-6400

Kishore Mahbubani: Can Asians Think?

Are we at the end of the Western epoch? Is Western civilization universal? Does the West promote human rights for altruistic reasons? Is Japan adrift? In this provocative collection of essays, Ambassador Kishore Mahbubani, Permanent Representative of Singapore to the United Nations, answers these questions and discusses how the recent financial crisis has affected the future of Asian societies.

On June 15, 6.30 pm. Book signing and a reception follow.

At Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue (@ 70th Street), New York, NY, 10021; 212-288-6400; $10 ($7 members).

Telugu Dhamaka Set for Many Cities

Telugu stars appear in a number of American shows in the first big live concert of its kind.

Nagarjuna, Tabu and Ramya will be joined by comedians and mimics in a show choreographed by Farah Khan, and with music by Sandeep Chowta.

The show will be held on June 25 at 8.30 pm at the SJSU Event Center, 290 South 7th Street, San Jose, California; tickets, $ 30 to $ 60 and VIP.

For direction: call (408) 924-6333.

The show is slated for July 3 at the Ritz Theater in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and venues are being finalized for the June 26 event in Detroit, June 27 in Dallas, July 2 in New York. The TANA conference in Ohio will host the show on July 5.

For more information, contact, Georgy Bhalla (732) 777-1700 or Yogesh Patel, (908) 595-1600.

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