SCHAUMBURG, Ill.
On behalf of Hindu Education Foundation (HEF), HSS Abhimanyu Shakha (branch) of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh organized its annual “Teachers Appreciation” (Guru Vandana) program here at Sheffield Towne Clubhouse, May 3. Around 100 people and 14 teachers, including principal, attended. Chief guest Dr. Daniel Cates, Superintendent of School District 211, delivered a pleasant surprise by addressing his Indian audience in Hindi.
Children explained to visitors the posters they had prepared on topics of Hindu culture that included arithmetic, astronomy, festivals, classical arts, yoga, Ayurveda, meaning of the traditional greeting (namaste), Hindu woman, Indian geography and guru-disciple lineages.
Emcees Neeti Joshi, Samruddh Ayachit, Ishika Awachat and Adithya Mohan took over after Parag Awachat’s welcome speech. Cates lighted the auspicious lamp in front of the goddess of knowledge Saraswati, while Siya and Riddhi recited Sanskrit verses. Students, one by one, felicitated each teacher they had invited with a memento and the latter responded with a little introduction.
Cultural program began with violin and song recital by Sammy Seetharam, Abhinav Bhashyam, Arvind Kakanavaram and Navya Raghunandan. Aparna Sarma presented Bharata Natyam. Tanish Nigam and Abhimanyu Sarma danced to a Hanuman Chalisa song followed by Kathak from Pragya Kansal. A skit on teacher-student interaction drew laughter. Directed by Sneh ji Garg, it featured Adithya Mohan, Sauruv Garg, Ishika Awachat, Siya Aparanji, Riddhi Bhagwat, Shreya Seetharam, Sammy Seetharam, Isha Rustagi, Chhavi Rustagi and Sanchita Teeka. Vyoma Aparanji, Arush Bhagwat, Dron Nigam, Abhimanyu Sarma and Tanish Nigam presented a fancy dress show, Shreya Seetharam and Sanchita Teeka a fusion dance, and Venya Joshi, Nikita Sharma and Pragya Kansal a Bollywood-style dance.
Children were helped by parent volunteers, such as Shubha Seetheram and Arti Ayachit for the cultural program and coordination. Manish Garg gave the vote of thanks before a surprise group dance to the Gujarati song ‘Kaka Bapana’ by Sanjay Patel. Refreshments were organized by Uma Sarma. Ravi Patel and Subramanya Dixit were responsible for audio.