Wonderful UGADI Celebrations by AZ Telugu Association

Welcome to Arizona Telugu Association which happens to be a nonprofit organization bringing Telugu speaking people of Arizona together. Arizona Telugu Association is strongly pursuing the nonprofit organization status which will absolutely give us an opportunity to raise funds for the organization and give a tax incentive also.  

Arizona Telugu Association defines their Mission Statement while they mentioned it so as to preserve and enhance the rich Telugu heritage and bring the community together by celebrating and educating the Telugu traditions and collaborate with diverse organizations to promote Indian culture.

AZTA was established in 1989 and now has about 800 plus members. They welcome everyone to join them and participate in the events to promote the rich Telugu traditions and the Indian culture while they hosts and celebrates cultural events such as Deepavali, Ugadi and Sankranthi to promote Telugu culture and provides a platform to showcase local talent. Activities such as picnics and sports tournaments are organized every year in addition to entertaining audience with dance and musical concerts by prominent artists from India and the US. AZTA promotes appreciation and understanding of the Telugu culture and has programs to teach kids the language, culture and traditions of the rich Telugu heritage.

AZTA vigorously work with other diverse, cultural groups and organizations to promote and share Indian culture and traditions keeping it on continuous platform while also working on a monthly/quarterly newsletter where in they could share information and ideas amongst the members of the association.

Arizona Telugu Association (www.azteluguassociation.com)Ugadi 2013 was celebrated on 5/5/2013 (Sunday) at Indo-American foundation hall, Phoenix.

Ugadi is the marking of a beginning. A new dawn!

During the period the members of the board prepared to present a wonderful platform for the local talent, the participants worked hard in giving their best. While the early birds were encouraged to participate in drawing competition based on ‘Ugadi’ theme, the Kids from the ages of 4 to 13 depicted their understanding of Ugadi in Telugu script as well as pictures.

TANA aims to preserve, integrate, and assimilate

Telugu Association of North America (or TANA, as it is well known) is the oldest and biggest Indo-American organization in North America. TANA was founded at a convention in New York in 1977 of Telugus from all over North America and was incorporated in 1978 as a not-for-profit organization. TANA’s mission is to identify and address social, cultural and educational needs of North American Telugu Community in particular and Telugu people in general. TANA aims to preserve, integrate, and assimilate the cultural heritage of the Telugu-speaking people into the mainstream of North America. Telugu and Indian ethnic organizations around the world look up to TANA as a pioneer and role model for its various innovations in promoting culture and serving the community. 

Having a track record of 35 year history, TANA has distinguished itself through its various activities in pursuit of its mission in North America and India. It plays a dominant role in developing, nurturing, preserving and propagating arts specific to the Telugu people while it invites eminent Telugu singers, musicians, dancers, actors, painters, sculptors, poets and other eminent artists so that Telugu people across North America as well as the local connoisseurs can savor the brilliance of Telugu culture and arts. TANA conducts singing and dancing competitions for Telugu youngsters across North America and showcases their talents at the grand biannual conventions while they are also spends millions of dollars each year from TANA Foundation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, home to Telugu people, in pursuit of useful and essential projects in literacy, education, sanitation, disease prevention, health promotion and rehabilitation. 

Furthermore, TANA Foundation’s Project Envision is well known for the help it provided in restoring eye sight to thousands of rural people. In 2005 and 2009, TANA helped build colonies of homes for people devastated by tsunamis and floods. TANA has founded and maintains a rehabilitation home for street children in Vijayawada. The many projects sponsored by TANA Foundation include building of libraries, schools, temples, roads and protected water supply systems. Even TANA is engaged in many social activities in North America as well.

Interestingly, TANA have taken initiative in conbining itself with DHIM and calling it as DHIM TANA and willingly proceeded the cultural events which started with Vande Mataram and American national anthem beautifully presented by young rejoicing voices, followed by a traditional rendition on Ganesha . The stage then presented a line-up of cute, colorfully dressed kids who participated in the fancy dress competition, classical, folk, disco; you name it, there was a participant who performed brilliantly. Carnatic, film based music, karaoke was the variety of music that was presented with equal vigor.

Focus on the sponsors 

AZTA President Venkat Kommineni invited the sponsors on to the stage and offered his appreciation for their continued support to the Organziation. Sponsors of the event are as follows Kiran and Associates Realty (Kiran Vedantam), AZINDIA (Satish Kosuri), Kolla Soft Inc (Sekhar Kolla), Radio Sri (Sri Serineni), Kamath Indian Cuisine (Sri Serineni), Bawarchi Indo-Pak Cuisine (Mastan Chowdary), Adepr Pros (Jayaram Kode, Venkat Nallapati), Expert Technology Services (Sarit Kommineni), Sullan (Surya Muvvala), US Preferred Realty (Venkata Ramana Narla), Renavitas Technologies (Dr. Vasudeva P. Atluri). Also the judges Swarna Sitaraman, Vijaya Peela and Kriti Agrawal for drawing competition, costume competition and dance competition are recognized.

Sekhar Kolla have pioneered the establishment of Kollasoft Inc.http://kollasoft.com/  He brings to the company his exceptional IT experience and phenomenal people skills. Even though, Sekhar is primarily concerned with project management his business acumen and intellectual footprint finds an echo in all facets and service offering of the company. 

A complete outgoing person, with readiness to address any issue, Sekhar bridges the aspirations of clients and businesses, proven expertise of software architects and rising customer expectations while he and his team have helped not only marginal businesses to achieve phenomenal bottomlines, but also excelled in gaining new businesses to take off and prosper with greater market share within lesser turnaround times. 

Mr. Jay Kode, Chief Operating Officer and Venkat Nallapati is responsible for AdeptPros global operations http://www.adeptpros.com/ and growth strategies. He has over 15 years of experience in IT services and the software industry, with various technical skills. Mr. Kode received his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Nagarjuna University, India.

AdeptPros was started by a team of technical experts and entrepreneurs with a mission to provide customers with quality products with the benefit of a cost effective global delivery model while their team brings knowledge and experience from a wide range of technical capacities, including expertise in Mobile technologies and Web 2.0. 

Focus on the team members

Now, coming to the Arizona Telugu Association team members Mr. Venkat Kommineni is the AZTA President, while Anand Sabapathy (Vice President), Vasudeva P Atluri (Treasurer), Suresh Pattipati(Joint Treasurer), Prasad Palakodaty(Past President), Sudhakar Gopal(Public Relations),Shyam Avvari(Education Secretary), Lakshman Peela(Joint Education Secretary), Sitaram Inguva(Web Master), Sunil Mukkavilli(Student Representative).   

Another factor to cause interest, DHIM-TANA is the dance competition designed by TANA and TV9. They conduct this event in all major cities in the USA while they select the best talent and give them an opportunity to compete with every one from the winners who will be honored with notional award and get a chance to dance on TANA convention at Dallas, TX on May 24th. With programs registered to participate in Dhim-Tana dance competition, the glamor and appeal of the event raised. Rock Mountain TANA regional director Sarit Kommineni conveyed his appreciation to the participants. 

One of the prominent members of Telugu Community Sesha Sayee Bellamkonda was leaving the valley for better opportunity elsewhere while Sudhakar Gopal, Jaya Velagapudi, Prasad Chavali conveyed their gratitude about his contribution to the Telugu community. Later on Sayee took the lucky draw and distributed the prize to the winner. 

As the evening became dark, a sumptuous dinner was served by enthusiastic volunteers. Then after Kids and their parents, who had anxiously waited, were delighted with the announcement and awarding of winners of drawing, fancy dress and dance competitions by President Venkat Kommineni. A patriotic singing of Indian national anthem closed the event ceremony.

Every one were left overwhelmed with the delicious and traditional food catered by Bawarchi Indo-Pak Cuisine. Lot of shopping by ladies in the Indian Dress stall and many of them used the opportunity of FREE Medical Test – Body Fat Analysis. There was a great appreciation to the board members and volunteers Anand Sabapathy, Laxman Peela, Sudhakar Gopal, Suresh Pattipati, Janardhana Reddy Gurrala, Sekhar Kolla and Jayaram Kode for their hard work and dedication to make the event a grand success. Finally, Kudos goes to Jaya Velagapudi for her fantastic Emcee for the entire program.

That's a fantabulous show!  A breathtaking beginning!