Jain community packs 10,000 meals for Refugees

 I admit that I didn't know much about Jains and Jainism before this event.

Jainism is an ancient religion from India that teaches that the way to liberation and bliss is to live lives of harmlessness and renunciation. The essence of Jainism is concern for the welfare of every being in the universe and for the health of the universe itself.

In this video, Atul Shah from the Jain Society of Greater Cleveland told of the 3 main principles of Jainism: Strict non-violence, Many-sided Reality and Non-attachment to possessions. Jains go beyond being vegans - what he called Jain Vegan where even root vegetables are not eaten. He estimates there are 350 or so Jains in the Cleveland area.

On Saturday August 6 the Jain Society of Greater Cleveland held a working event at the Jain Temple in Richfield Ohio called Compassion in Action where the group packed 10,000 Meals for Refugees around the World. Joining them was Richfield Mayor Michael Wheeler and his wife.

Watch a video of the workers packing meals.

See more about Jains and the Meals for Refugees

Dance performances at India Republic Day

Before dinner at the sold our India Republic Day event several talented dance groups performed a variety of Indian dance. Here is a video medley of some of the performances.

See more pictures of dances at India Republic Day

India Republic Day performers

India Republic Day performers

India Republic Day performers

India Republic Day

Federation of India Community Associations is an organization dedicated to serving the needs of the Asian Indian Community in Northeast Ohio. From its humble beginnings as a student association in 1962, it has grown to be the voice of a diaspora of over 20,000 and on the increase. FICA helps Asian Indian families assimilate into the mosaic of greater Cleveland. Each year they host several events including a celebration of Republic Day.

According to Wikipedia, Republic Day honors the date on which the Constitution of India came into effect on January 26, 1950 replacing the Government of India Act as the governing document of India. The Constitution was adopted by the Indian Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949, and came into effect on 26 January 1950 with a democratic government system, completing the country's transition towards becoming an independent republic. 26 January was chosen as the Republic day because it was on this day in 1929 when Declaration of Indian Independence was proclaimed by the Indian National Congress as opposed to the Dominion status offered by the British Regime.

A sell out crowd of 450 attended FICA's Republic Day event on Saturday February 1, 2020. The evening began with the singing of the national anthems of the United States and India.

Photos and videos of India Republic Day 2020

India Republic Day guests

India Republic Day guests

India Republic Day guests

Mahatma Gandhi 150th birthday Celebration in India Cultural Garden

The Federation of Indian Community Associations (FICA) hosted a celebration on the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi in the India Cultural Garden in Cleveland on October 2, 2019. Though it was raining steadily, many people assembled to honor Gandhi in the Garden.

Photos and videos of Gandhi's 150th celebration

Posing with statue of Mahatma Gandhi

Posing with statue of Mahatma Gandhi

Doing Business with and in Asia

The Ohio Asian American Economic Summit took place November 14, 2017 at Ariel International Center in Cleveland. Ariel International and Margaret Wong & Associates LLC were the event sponsors. ClevelandPeople.com was honored to be a supporting organization.

Ariel CEO Radhika Reddy had worked toward this event for years and with the support of Margaret Wong was able to fill the room with people interested in doing business in and with Asia and a stellar group of speakers and panelists including the Consul General of India who flew in from New York and the Consul General of Japan who came in from Detroit.

Honorable Sandeep Chakravorty, 

Consul General of India

Radhika Reddy and Consul General of Japan in Detroit Mitsuhiro Wada

I recorded the entire day -all the info panels, the keynotes and the dignitaries.  Take a look at our Ohio Asian American Economic Summit  page.

Making Origami Swans for Peace and Ahimsa at Republic Day in Cleveland

At the celebration for 68th Republic Day of India at the Rainforest in the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo a young boy taught people how to make origami swans to celebrate peace and ahimsa.  Here are some highlights.

See more from India Republic Day

Jana Gana Mana at 2017 Republic Day in Cleveland

I like the national anthem of India.  So many countries have unmelodic and/or somber anthems but Jana Gana Mana is different.

That's Michael Sreshta on the saxophone.  

Patriotic Indian song Vande Mataram at 68th Republic Day

The Federation of India Community Associations of Northeast Ohio (FICA) hosted a celebration for 68th Republic Day of India at the Rainforest in the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

Mr. Viswanathan Narayan sang the patriotic song Vande Mataram.

Vande Mataram is a poem from Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's 1882 novel Anandamath. An Ode to Mother Bengal as Mother goddess, it was written in Sanskrit and Bengali. It played a vital role in the Indian independence movement, first sung in a political context by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.

Sri Aurobindo referred it as "National Anthem of Bengal".

In 1950 (after India's independence), the song's first two verses were given the official status of the "national song" of the Republic of India, distinct from the national anthem of India, Jana Gana Mana.

More from the Cleveland Indian community

Indian stick dance from Rockwell Automation group

The Federation of India Community Associations of Northeast Ohio (FICA) hosted a celebration for 68th Republic Day of India at the Rainforest in the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

A group from Rockwell Automation performed a traditional dance with sticks at the event.

More of Indians in Cleveland

Indian Independence celebrated at One World Day in Cleveland

Members of the Cleveland Indian community celebrated the Independence of India in the India Cultural Garden on One World Day 2016 in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens in a ceremony organized by FICA, the Federation of India Community Associations.

Near the large statue of Mahatma Gandhi, Satish Parikh spoke about gaining Independence, shouted Jai Hind and then led the singing of Jana Gana Mana, the national anthem of India.

More from the Cleveland Indian community

Art and Stories from Mughal India exhibit at Cleveland Museum of Art

Art and Stories from Mughal India presents the story of the Mughals — and stories for the Mughals — in 100 exquisite paintings from the 1500s to 1800s.

The Mughal Empire existed for more than 300 years, from 1526 until the advent of British colonial rule in 1858. It encompassed territory that included vast portions of the Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan. The Mughal rulers were Central Asian Muslims who assimilated many religious faiths under their administration.

Famed for its distinctive architecture, including the Taj Mahal, the Mughal Empire is also renowned for its colorful and engaging paintings, many taking the form of scenes from narrative tales.

Many of the paintings and items are small. So you will want to use the free iPhone app in which the exhibition's curator, Sonya Rhie Quintanilla, relates stories and describes paintings. The app includes hyperlinks to an audio glossary of names and terms, and 100 tweetable facts illustrated with a related detail image from the 100 paintings on view. CMA Mughal is available now for download from the iTunes Store for Apple devices running iOS9 and above.

Art and Stories from Mughal India is on view in the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Hall from July 31, 2016 through October 23, 2016, and is free to the public in celebration of the museum’s centennial year.

#cmamughal

Ramesh Shah gives India Rotary pins to Cleveland Rotary

Ramesh Shah of the Association of Indian Physicians of NE Ohio (AIPNO) spoke at the Cleveland Rotary and told of the Rotary Clubs in India and gave pins from there to Cleveland Rotary officers. He was joined by Dr. Jaya Shah and Dr. Gita Gidwani.

Indians in Cleveland

67th Republic Day of India FICA is an organization dedicated to serving the needs of the Asian Indian Community in Northeast Ohio. From its humble beginnings as a student association in 1962, it has grown to be the voice of a diaspora of over 20,000 and on the increase. FICA helps Asian Indian families assimilate into the mosaic of greater Cleveland. FICA hosts an annual event to celebrate Republic Day. The event, dinner and performances took place on Saturday January 23, 2016 with the theme of Solidarity in Diversity.

FICA is an organization dedicated to serving the needs of the Asian Indian Community in Northeast Ohio. From its humble beginnings as a student association in 1962, it has grown to be the voice of a diaspora of over 20,000 and on the increase. FICA helps Asian Indian families assimilate into the mosaic of greater Cleveland.

FICA hosts an annual event to celebrate Republic Day. The event, dinner and performances took place on Saturday January 23, 2016 with the theme of Solidarity in Diversity.

Lots of photos and videos from Republic Day

Patriotic Indian Songs by Bharat Kumar at Republic Day

Bharat Kumar sang patriotic Indian songs at the 67th Republic Day of India celebration put on by FICA, Federation of India Community Associations of North East Ohio.


2016 Republic Day of India Celebration

Award for Resiliency at Republic Day

Sujata Lakhe Barnard, president of FICA, Federation of India Community Associations of North East Ohio, introduced the FICA Resiliency Award at the 67th Republic Day of India celebration.  She presented the award to two young ladies.



2016 Republic Day of India Celebration

Sudarshan Sathe at 2016 Republic Day

Sudarshan Sathe spoke about the Mahatma Gandhi Campus in Cleveland at the 67th Republic Day of India celebration put on by FICA, Federation of India Community Associations of North East Ohio.



2016 Republic Day of India Celebration

Sanjay Garg update on Shiksha Daan at Republic Day

Shiksha Daan Chair Sanjay Garg gave a progress report on this project that gives the gift of education at the 67th Republic Day of India celebration put on by FICA, Federation of India Community Associations of North East Ohio.


2016 Republic Day of India Celebration

Asim Datta receives FICA Award at Republic Day

Sujata Lakhe Barnard, president of FICA, Federation of India Community Associations of North East Ohio, introduced past-president Mona Alag at the 67th Republic Day of India celebration.

She presented (and accepted it because Asim was not present) the award for Advancing FICA’s Objectives to past-president Asim Datta.



2016 Republic Day of India Celebration

Joe Cimperman at 2016 Republic Day

Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman spoke at the 67th Republic Day of India celebration put on by FICA, Federation of India Community Associations of North East Ohio.

2016 Republic Day of India Celebration

Sujata Lakhe Barnard at 67th India Republic Day

MC Sangita Bafna introduced Sujata Lakhe Barnard, president of FICA, Federation of India Community Associations of North East Ohio at the 67th Republic Day of India celebration. Sujata recognized special guests and thanked the many FICA volunteers and sponsors.



2016 Republic Day of India Celebration