From the President's Desk, In ancient times, Parsis, fleeing from Persia to preserve their faith, arrived in Sanjan, Gujarat. The language barrier prompted the king, Jadhav Rana, to send them a full glass of milk to convey the land was already full. In response, the peaceful Zoroastrian priests added sugar, symbolizing their intention to enrich the community with their values and hard work. Touched by this gesture, King Jadhav Rana granted them asylum and welcomed them into the land of India with open arms.
Hello everyone! I hope you're enjoying a fantastic summer. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each ICON members and the outgoing board for giving me the wonderful opportunity to serve as ICON's President for this year. It's an honor and a privilege that I hold close to my heart. I see our Indian community like the sugar ready to get mixed in the milk. We are fortunate to experience the culture of the two best countries in the world. First, please welcome a wonderful group of new board members - Akshay Kumar, Raja Shiekh, Hemant Chowdhary, Karan Bhagat, Vasundhara Sharma, Ravi Talasila, Ektaa Patel and Prathyusha Gunda. They are eager to contribute as we begin new board administration year at ICON. The group is busy preparing for this next year, with our first event being India's Independence Day Celebration. We look forward to seeing as many of our community members there as possible - read below for more details. In our efforts to further strengthen our presence in the community, we are committed to increasing outreach, enhancing communication, and seeking external support and sponsorship to accomplish ICON's noble mission. We value your suggestions and greatly appreciate increased participation from each one of you. Don't hesitate to share your thoughts with us! Being a very young organization we are learning as we go, and your suggestions and feedback will guide us better. Together, with the support and collaboration of all members, let's wholeheartedly embrace ICON's mission of celebrating and preserving the culture and heritage of India. Moreover, let's actively engage in representing and sharing our beautiful culture with the local community of Needham and beyond. Let's take a moment to acknowledge the visionary founders of ICON, whose dedication has shaped it into what it is today. Thank you all for your unwavering support and dedication. Here's to a vibrant and culturally enriching year ahead! Shalini Jha President, 2023-2024 ICON Board Mark Your Calendar for India Independence Day Celebration 27th August 2023, 4-8 pm Please
save the date for our annual India Independence Day Celebration at Powers Hall in the Needham Town Hall building. Anyone interested in performing at the event should please contact Bala (bala.muthukaruppan@iconeedham.org). Open Committee Roles Community Engagement: Are you interested in collaborating with our town, schools, and other organizations to advocate for our Indian Community, andshowcase Indian culture and heritage? ICON is seeking volunteers to come up with ideas and make them happen! Please contact usat Community.Engagement@ICONeedham.org if you’re interested in learning more. Social Committee: Are you interested in helping with social events for the community? We are seeking people to help us envision and organize individualevents under the guidance of the Social Committee Chairs. If you are interested in joining the Committee, please email socialevents@iconeedham.org. Note: All of these Committee roles are great positions for those who are interested in getting involved with ICON and potentially interested injoining our Board.
