The Indian Panorama

Tag: Kochi

  • Eye Foundation of America

    Eye Foundation of America

    Newsletter : EFA May 2023 Trip

    A successful and surprising trip to India

    Dr. V.K. Raju
    Founder & President,
    Eye Foundation of America

    During our recent trip to India, we made significant progress in finalizing plans for the Green Goutami Building in Rajahmundry. We submitted the final paperwork, ensuring that all minor changes requested (multiple times) by the corporation were addressed. The corporation had software problems which caused a slowdown of progress, but it is all being worked out. We also had underground water issues which has also been resolved.

    Education and expansion
    In the second week of our trip, Dr. VK Raju had the honor of being invited to Cochin (Kochi), state of Kerala, India, where he was a keynote speaker for the Young Ophthalmologist Society of India (YOSI) at the All Indian Ophthalmology Society. It was wonderful to meet a smart, eager, and enthusiastic group who want to participate in a world without childhood blindness.

    Additionally, we are currently in the process of finalizing paperwork for the two ophthalmologist exchange programs in which we participate annually, with Rotary International and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

    YOSI group photo with Dr. VK Raju as keynote speaker.

    Collaborating with other Eye Institutes
    VK travelled to Chitrakoot (part in Madhya Pradesh and part in Uttar Pradesh) as he was invited by Sadguru Netralaya, one of the biggest eye care systems.  It is an extraordinary eye-care system, and they are looking for EFA’s leadership for research, training, and teaching. (Board members Sam Maddali and Sekhar Vemparala have agreed to travel with VK to Chitrakoot in the near future.)

    Ophthalmology Institute of Sadguru Netra Chikitsalaya

    A surprising event
    VK was approached by Machilipatnam (A.P) group with an opportunity for a new project. We already have a peripheral center for screening only. About 130 miles away from the current Eye Hospital, EFA/Goutami will build a new hospital building, entirely supported by local philanthropy.

    New preliminary Goutami Eye Hospital in Machilipatnam.

    A small successful eye camp and ANOTHER surprise
    On the way back we stopped in Delhi and did a small screening eye camp and attended the event where VKR was given the Mahatma Award. A journalist in Delhi asked Dr. Raju what does all this mean to you?

    He stated, “Would like to do more for a world without childhood blindness”. VK was invited in Delhi to visit an outstanding social service organization (since 1968) the Sulabh International Social Service Organization.

    Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak (Padma Bhushan), Founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organization, invented two-pit pour-flush ecological compost toilet technology. Sulabh flush is based on a simple design that is eco-friendly and uses just around 1.5 litres of water to flush.

    In the context of developing countries where sewer systems are almost nonexistent, Sulabh toilets offer an innovative solution to the global sanitation crisis. A trip to the toilet museum (maybe the only one in the world) really changes your perspective.

    The organization also runs an excellent school and would like to support our vision of the world without childhood blindness.

    Sulabh International Museum of Toilets entrance (Above)
    First underground sewage system in Indus Valley Civilization 5000 years ago. (Below)

    A personal note from Dr. Raju- another wonderful surprise after my return in the USA.

    NATS (North American Telegu Society) has graciously gifted $100,000 to EFA. (the hard work of our two board members Sam Maddali and Sekhar Vemparala)

    We’re about $2000 short for Post Operative Eye Drops for Ghana

    At the end of this month, we’ll be heading to Ghana Africa for the 5th year to provide vision saving surgeries. Please consider donating $50 towards a life changing surgery. 

    VISIT www.eyefoundationofamerica.org

     

  • Shreya Ghosal to celebrate her twenty years in Bollywood with an international music tour

    Shreya Ghosal to celebrate her twenty years in Bollywood with an international music tour

    The renowned Bollywood singer Shreya Ghoshal known for her melodious and soulful voice and robust on-stage energy will headline a series of concerts across the world in different countries. As the world is working its way back towards normalcy after the pandemic, the music industry is also trying to bring back happiness and certain excitement by resuming music tours and concerts. Bringing the euphoria back to the stage in the festive season, this year Shreya Ghoshal along with her band and crew, already performed at world-class venues in UAE (twice), London, Birmingham, Kochi, Kolkata, Thiruvalla, New Delhi, Bangalore, Indore and now are scheduled to perform in a 5-city Australia-New Zealand tour from 7th to 16th October 2022 and in Ireland on 29th October 2022 and The Netherlands on 30th October 2022 as well. And then she is all set to perform in the USA from 4th to 19th in the month of November 2022.

    This is going to be the ultimate musical tour to celebrate twenty years of iconic singer Shreya Ghoshal which will bring back timeless tunes and memories from her singing journey to the music lovers. This special concert tour is organized by one of the biggest event organizers ‘Intense Entertainment’ owned by Manish Sood and Deepa Shahani Sood, both Indian-born-US citizens now, who hosted more than 85 shows with every Bollywood renowned singer. This high-profile international large-scale live-music concert will be a seven-city tour across the US in the month of November 2022 and has been going to other parts of countries this whole year. The tour starts on the 4th Nov in New Jersey, followed by Dallas, Texas on the 5th Nov, Washington, DC on 11th Nov, Oakland, Bay Area on 12th Nov, Los Angeles on 13th Nov, Orlando, Florida on 18th Nov, and New York on the 19th November 2022. They promise to be the nights of coming together and enjoying their favorite singer’s enthralling performances for the Indian diaspora and Bollywood music lovers in the US.

    On being asked about the tour, Shreya Ghoshal excitedly said, “This US tour is very special for me as I am completing twenty years in Bollywood, and what a beautiful way to celebrate my journey with my fans. Coincidentally this is my first tour in the US after the unfortunate pandemic disruption. I am humbled to be a part of the concert and to be able to continue entertaining my fans. I always had an amazing experience performing for the warm crowd of the US and I am quite excited to perform there after three long years.”

    The fans in the US can expect a scintillating and energetic performance from the popular Bollywood songstress. With a beautiful versatile vocal range, Shreya will enthrall fans not only with her popular Bollywood hits but also with her famous love ballads, regional songs in different Indian languages, folk songs originating from different parts of India exhibiting the culture, raag-based songs as well as classical songs.

    Talking about the event, Mr. Manish Sood said, “There is a certain excitement about attending a live concert and we can’t be happier bringing back the symphonic singer Shreya who has given us glorious music. The idea behind Shreya Ghoshal’s US Tour is to celebrate her journey as well as it will be a tribute to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar Ji. We are ready to make new memories and cherish old ones on this tour.”

    This concert is a celebration of brilliant music and memories and will definitely be a great way to connect with music lovers across the world. With Shreya Ghoshal, an array of global musicians will also join her on stage. Kinjal Chattopadhyay is the male singer who is performing with Shreya along with musicians Abhishek Pradeep Kumar Dasgupta and Jobin Joshua David as guitarists, keyboardist Abhishek Babaji Mestry and Vatan Dhuriya, flautist Rajeev Prasanna, Bass Guitarist Sanglap Sengupta, drummer Jairaj Shrikant, octopad and percussionist Ganesh Bhau Thorat and Umakant Parab as an Indian rhythm instruments player such as tabla, dholak, dholki. This tour will not be a regular musical concert but will also be a unique cultural act.

    The concert tickets are now available through the event company’s website IntenseDMV.com.