NetSAP
DC Weekly Newsletter
June 6, 2006
Here are the highlights of NetSAP DC’s activities for this week.
In The News...
Planning is in full swing for the NetSAP DC Charity Gala to be held on Saturday July 22, 2006 at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Tickets, for what promises to be the hottest event of the year, will go on sale on Monday, June 19. As part of the evening, we plan to recognize 4-5 local, young, dynamic South Asian leaders. Read on in the Announcements section for details on how to nominate someone.
BOOK CLUB: Ved Metha’s THE RED LETTERS, Thursday, June 8, 2006, 7:00 pm
CULTURAL COMMITTEE: African Elites in India, Saturday, June 10, 2006, 2:00 pm
SPORTS COMMITTEE: Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America DC Guts and Glory Walk, Sunday, June 11, 2006, 9:00 am
NETWORKING COMMITTEE: Third Thursday Networking Event, Network & Support a Good Cause! Thursday June 15, 2006, 6:30 pm
CALENDAR: Check out the NetSAP Calendar, which will provide you with the latest details on upcoming events! Follow this link to go to the Calendar.
CHARITY GALA: Nominate a leader to be honored at the event. Send your nominations to vp@netsap.org. Details are further below. The deadline to send in nominations is Monday June 12, 2006.
CHARITY GALA PLANNING COMMITTEE: Meeting, Wednesday, June 7, 2006, 6:30 pm
SALTAF’06 COMMITTEE: Planning Meeting, Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 7:00 pm
MEMBERSHIP: Become a NetSAP-DC Member Today!
(1) Dhoonya Dance School: Bhangra Workout Course, June 4, 2006 – July 30, 2006
(2) Kavitangeli: Book Reading & Signing at Olsson’s, Friday, June 16, 2006, 7:00 pm
BOOK CLUB: Ved Metha’s THE RED LETTERS, Thursday, June 8, 2006, 7:00 pm
DATE: June 8, 2006
TIME: 7:00 pm
LOCATION: Tamara Bhalla's sister's place, 2910 S 13th Rd., Apt 102Arlington, VA 22204, Phone: 703-785-0541 or 703-310-6358
METRO: Courthouse (not walking distance; may require short taxi ride)
PARKING: Street parking and parking lot behind the apt. complex
RSVP: Email tbhalla@umich.edu. PLEASE RSVP AT LEAST 3 days prior to the event to accommodate for seating and meal count. They will probably order pizzas and need a number.
For all enquiries about current reading list, past reading list and other general information on the Book club please reference new members to www.netsap.org under committee and Book club.
CULTURAL COMMITTEE: African Elites in India, Saturday, June 10, 2006, 2:00 pm
History books are replete with the stories of African kings ruling their own continent. But few books relay the history of sub-Saharan Africans gaining positions of power and status on the continent of India.
Sub-Saharan Africans have a longstanding and distinguished presence in India, where they are most commonly known as Habshis or Sidis. Habshi is the Arabic for Abyssinian or Ethiopian, and Sidi is apparently derived from the Arabic sayyidi, "my lord." In 1996, the authoritative Anthropological Survey of India reported sizeable communities of African ancestry in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in southern India, Gujarat in the west, and the metropolises of Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai.
The lavishly illustrated book focuses not only on the little-known group of elite sub-Saharan African-Indian merchants, soldiers, nobles, statesmen, and rulers who attained prominence in India in the fifteenth to twentieth centuries but also on Africans who served at the courts of Indian monarchs as servants, slaves, eunuchs, or concubines. Several paintings from the Freer and Sackler collection will be featured in the lecture.
On June 10th, at the Freer Gallery of Art, Kenneth Robbins, renowned South Asian scholar and author, and John McLeod, chair of the history department at the University of Louisville and a specialist in South Asian history, discuss their new book African Elites in India: Habshi Amarat.
DATE: Saturday, June 10, 2006
TIME: 2:00 p.m.
COST: Free
LOCATION: Freer Gallery of Art (Meyer Auditorium): Jefferson Drive at 12th Street, SW
METRO: Smithsonian (Orange/Blue Lines)
PARKING: Street parking available
RSVP: Please RSVP the Cultural Committee if you are interested in attending this event by June 7th so that they may give a head count to the event coordinator. Email Soumya Andani or Binita Naik at cultural@netsap.org.
SPORTS COMMITTEE: Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America DC Guts and Glory Walk, Sunday, June 11, 2006, 9:00 am
Join the NetSAP team and help raise money for research to eradicate IBD at the 16th Annual Guts & Glory Walk to be held at the Tidal Basin Trail, Washington, DC. The walk starts at 9:00am following the trail around the Tidal Basin, past the Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson Monuments and paddleboats ending back at the Sylvan Theater. You can either donate or better yet, PARTICIPATE!!
DATE: Sunday, June 11, 2006
TIME: 9:00 am
LOCATION: Tidal Basin trail, Washington DC - visit the CCFA/NetSAP team page!
PARKING: There is plenty of street parking in East Potomac Park plus various parking lots.
METRO: Smithsonian or L’Enfant Plaza stops
RSVP: Email sports@netsap.org for more information. Do not register yet! Further information will be given after RSVP. Please direct all inquiries to Sonya Mazumdar at sports@netsap.org for further info.
NETWORKING COMMITTEE: Third Thursday Networking Event, Network & Support a Good Cause! Thursday June 15, 2006, 6:30 pm
Join us this Third Thursday for a very special networking event - 100% of the proceeds from this month's event will go to the American Red Cross International Response Fund and two other charities to be nominated as beneficiaries of this year's Charity Gala. The fund presently devotes substantial resources towards the relief efforts in the areas of South Asia affected by the earthquake of 2005 and was also instrumental in leading the international response to the Tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia in 2004. We hope you will come out on Thursday to support this special event! Questions or comments, please email: networking@netsap.org.
DATE: Thursday, June 15th, 2006
TIME: 6:30PM – 9:30PM
COST: $5 members; $10 non-members
LOCATION: Fly Lounge, 1802 Jefferson Place NW, Washington, DC 20036. Ph: 202-828-4433
METRO: Farragut North (Red Line); Farragut West (Blue / Orange Lines); Dupont Circle (Red Line). For more information, visit www.wmata.com.
PARKING: Street and Garage parking available.
CHARITY GALA: Nominate a Leader
As part of our mission to introduce new changes to NetSAP this year, on Saturday, July 22, 2006 we are bringing you what promises to be the hottest evening of the year - the Annual NetSAP DC Charity Gala. This year's event will be taken to a whole new level and will be held at a brand new, elegant venue, the Corcoran Gallery of Art near the White House.
As part of the evening, we would like to recognize and honor 4-5 local, young, dynamic South Asians who are not only leaders in their professional and/or community activities but also serve as role models for others in the South Asian community. Please help us to cast our net as wide as possible by sending us nominations for any individuals you think should be considered for the recognition.
The only set criteria are that the leader is under 40 years of age and based in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia. If you would like to nominate someone, please send an e-mail to vp@netsap.org with their name and a brief bio and we will follow up with you. The deadline for nominations is next Monday, June 12th.
We look forward to seeing you at the Corcoran. Tickets will go on sale on Monday June 19th. More details are included below and will follow soon. The Charity Gala will also feature:
- A cocktail reception with guided tours of the art gallery
- An elegant, three course gourmet meal prepared by one of the finest chefs in Washington, DC
- A famous keynote speaker
- Live music and entertainment by renowned local South Asian musicians and other artists
CHARITY GALA PLANNING COMMITTEE: Meeting – Wednesday, June 7, 2006 at 6:30 pm
We are looking for people to help in all aspects of planning including:
- Sponsorship: Approaching targeted sponsors, preparing/researching material for sponsors, finding additional potential sponsors
- Entertainment: For this upscale event, we will need to think about classy entertainment options that are within our budget
- Logistics: Communicating with potential charities, supporting finances, creating a marketing plan, and helping to fill in the gaps to ensure another successful event.
If you are interested please email pr@netsap.org or liaison@netsap.org and specify how you would like to be involved or attend our meeting on Wednesday, June 7, 2006.
DATE: Wednesday, June 7, 2006
TIME: 6:30 pm
LOCATION: Cosi, 1919 M St., N.W., Washington D.C. 20036. (Corner of 20th and M.)
METRO: Farragut North or Dupont Circle (Red Line) or Farragut West (Blue/Orange Lines)
PARKING: Street Parking or Parking Garages in the area.
RSVP: Email pr@netsap.org or liaison@netsap.org to RSVP, for questions or for additional information.
SALTAF’06 COMMITTEE: Planning Meeting, Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 7:00pm
The SALTAF Committee is responsible for planning and coordinating all details involved with the phenomenally successful South Asian Literary and Theater Arts Festival. This is an annual event hosted at the Smithsonian and it features prominent South Asian writers, filmmakers and artists and draws hundreds of South Asians from across the East Coast to DC each fall. SALTAF provides authors, filmmakers, literary and theatre professionals the opportunity to interact with their audience. Bibliophiles, cinema fans and young professionals can explore the creative process with professional artists and discover outlets for their own creative aspirations. SALTAF celebrates the achievements of South Asians in the literature and arts and it has become one of NetSAP DC's most recognized and renowned flagship events.
We are still looking for volunteers to work on our website and flyers / promotional material. Please email saltaf@netsap.org for more information.
DATE: Wednesday, June 14, 2006
TIME: 7:00 pm
LOCATION: Caribou Coffee, 1800 M St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036. (Corner of 18th and M.)
METRO: Farragut North or Dupont Circle (Red Line) or Farragut West (Blue/Orange Lines)
PARKING: Street Parking or Parking Garages in the area.
RSVP/Questions: AN RSVP IS REQUIRED FOR THIS MEETING. Please email Dina Khemlani at saltaf@netsap.org if you plan to attend. Contact Dina Khemlani at saltaf@netsap.org if you have any questions.
Please note that the events below are listed as a service to our members. The views expressed in the following activities and by the groups listed below are not shared or endorsed by NetSAP DC.
For Additional Details About These Events, Please Visit our Online Calendar at www.netsap.org
(1) Dhoonya Dance School: Bhangra Workout Course, June 4, 2006 – July 30, 2006
Looking for a fun and highly energetic workout? Or simply to learn some basic Bhangra steps to use at the next Bhangra party or South Asian wedding? We have something for you!
BHANGRA BEATS, a dance-inspired workout for men and women, beginners and beyond!
The Dhoonya Dance School proudly announces its first offering of an 8-week Bhangra workout course intended for adult Bhangra enthusiasts of all ages. Bhangra has come a long way from the century-old dance performed in the northern regions of South Asia to celebrate the coming of spring. It is now practiced and performed around the world with many distinct styles and rhythms. The Dhoonya Bhangra Beats Workout Class will start off with basic steps and progress to a coordinated routine. The instructors welcome people of all skill levels and look forward to not only giving you a full body workout, but also instilling in you the rhythm of Dhoonya Dance!!
Instructors: Dhoonya Dance Bhangra Instructors - Amit Kapoor and Jay Patel!
Level: Beginner (for MEN and WOMEN of all ages)
When: Sundays 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm, June 4th - July 30th (holiday on Sunday, July 2nd)
Where: Dhoonya Mclean Studio, 1340 Old Chain Bridge Road, Mclean,VA
Join the session: $130 Register online at: www.dhoonyadance.com or email info@dhoonyadance class to reserve your spot and pay by check or in-person!
(Register early spaces are filling quickly!)
Drop-in rate: $20 per class (bring a friend to class!)
(2) Kavitangeli: Book Reading & Signing at Olsson’s, Friday, June 16, 2006, 7:00 pm
Kavitanjali—offering with both hands,” a chapbook of poems in English by Nandinee Kutty will be launched at the Olssons Bookstore. There will be readings from the book, and book signing by the author. The book will be on sale at the bookstore for $12.00. Light refreshments will be available after the reading. Don't miss the after party at the Clarendon-area restaurant, Tandoori Nights, at around 8.30 p.m. Please RSVP for the after party to Nandinee at nndkutty@aol.com.
DATE: Friday, June 16, 2006
TIME: 7:00 PM
LOCATION: Olssons Bookstore, 2111 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201. Ph: (703) 525-4227. http://www.olssons.com/arlington.htm
RSVP/CONTACT: For information about the event Nandinee at nndkutty@aol.com. Visit http://www.booksite.com/texis/scripts/community/eventcal.html?sid=2890 for details about the event.
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Do you have ideas, suggestions or questions? E-mail: info@netsap.org
