Governor Granholm - Keynote Speaker at the CAPA Statewide Leadership Summit

Just been informed that Governor Jennifer Granholm will be the keynote speaker at the "2009 Statewide Asian Pacific American Leadership Summit" which will take place on Saturday October 24th, 2009 from 9.00AM - 3.00PM at Novi Community Center, 45175 West 10 Mile Road, Novi, Michigan 48375. This event is being organized by The Council of Asian and Pacific Americans (CAPA).

For registration and details of this event please visit CAPA website.

This is an update to my previous blog post on this event.

Diwali Celebrations in Michigan - 2009

Diwali will be celebrated this year on October 17th. Number of Indian Community Groups in our area have planned Diwali events/celebrations. Here are some of them. If you know of more then please do send us a note or add comments:

(UPAD) Uttar Pradesh Association of Detroit: (website)
Saturday November 7th, 2009
(5:30 PM - 11.30 PM)
Costick Activity Center
28600 Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI
(248) 473-1816

(IACA) Indian American Cultural Association (website)
Saturday October 24th, 2009 (5.30 PM - 10.30 PM)
Costick Activity Center
28600 Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI

(GSOD) Gujarati Samaj of Greater Detroit (website)
Saturday October 24th, 2009 (5.00 PM)
Seaholm HIgh School, 2436 West Lincoln Road, Birmingham, MI 48009

(DTA) Detroit Telugu Association (website)
Saturday October 24th, 2009 (5.30 PM - 11.00 PM)
Walled Lake Central High School
1600 Oakley Park, Walled Lake, MI 48390

ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

The Council of Asian Pacific Americans (CAP A) will host a statewide leadership conference on Saturday, October 24, 2009, focusing on building bridges and fostering growth between the Asian Pacific American community and other organizations with the goal of bringing about positive social change. The seventh annual Asian Pacific American Leadership Summit will be held from 9:00am – 3:00pm at the Novi Community Center - 45175 West 10 Mile Rd, Novi, MI.

The 2009 Leadership Summit will open with remarks by Dr. Leslie Wong, President of Northern Michigan University, and the keynote address on leading through sustained crisis will be given by Mr. Dan Mulhern, First Gentleman of Michigan. Other topics covered in the summit workshops will include fundraising & grant writing, education & mentoring and healthcare.

Mumtaz Haque, 2009 CAPA President had this to say

Our 2009 Statewide Asian and Pacific American Leadership Summit will be a great opportunity for Asian leaders from across Michigan to come face to face, network, build awareness and collaboration

Sponsorships for the 2009 Leadership Summit are still available. Please contact Mumtaz Haque, CAPA President, for more information at (248) 703-6228 or email mumtaz@capa-mi.org . For additional details about the conference, please visit the CAPA website.

Michigan International Chamber of Commerce Event

Michigan International Chamber of Commerce (MIICC) is organizing a Networking event on October 14th, 2009 at Dykema Gossett located at 39577 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, MI. This event will be from 5.30 PM to 8.30 PM. Cost is $25 for non-members and no cost to members. Refreshments will be provided.

The organizers plan to have "musical chairs" and ensure that everyone meets everyone and they get a chance to further their network. So bring lots of business cards and feel free to bring brochures, hands-outs, and freebies to build your referral network.

Please visit MIICC website for more details or call 248-470-6299

Ravi Shankar with daughter Anoushka Shankar at Ann Arbor, MI

The University Musical Society (UMS) presents the legendary sitarist Ravi Shankar with his daughter and fellow sitarist and composer Anoushka Shankar on Thursday, October 15 at 8 p.m. in Ann Arbor’s Hill Auditorium (825 North University Avenue).

For tickets or additional information, contact the University Musical Society at 734-764-2538 or online at www.ums.org. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the League Ticket Office (911 North University Avenue). UMS Ticket Office hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., closed Sunday.

Gandhi Jayanti Celebration in Canton, MI

What is Gandhi Jayanti?

It is a national holiday celebrated in India to mark the occasion of the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the "Father of the Nation"

Canton Cultural Commission Multicultural Committee is organizing "Gandhi Jayanti Celebration" a FREE family event on Friday October 2nd, 2009. This event is scheduled for Friday October 2nd, 2009 at the Village Theater at Cherry Hill, 50400 Cherry Hill Road, Canton, MI 48187. The doors open at 6.30 PM.

The Keynote Speaker for this event is Dr. Madav Deshpande - Professor of Sanskrit and Hinduism at the University of Michigan.

Amit Paul comes to Michigan

Bichitra Inc is sponsoring Indian Idol sensation Amit Paul's visit to Michigan on Friday October 2nd. Amit Paul will be live in concert on October 2nd at West Bloomfield High School located at 4925 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323-2964Auditorium from 8 pm to 10 pm.

For tickets call Paula Gangopadhyay, president of Bichitra Inc at 248-305-3051. Tickets for Students is discounted and can be purchased by calling

• Michigan State University - Easha Kumar (517-285-2503)
• University of Michigan - Reejuta Joshi (248-739-9230)
• Wayne State University Tanuka Dutta (tanuk@wayne.edu)

Here's Amit Paul singing Nasha Yeh Pyar Ka - Awesome!!

Stop Domestic Violence Walkathon on October 3, 2009

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. So MAIFS (Michigan Asian Indian Family Services) is organizing a 5K walkathon to end domestic violence in our community. Domestic violence does take place in our South Asian community. Eighty percent of calls received by MAIFS on their helpline is related to domestic violence. Domestic violence refers to a pattern of physical, sexual, verbal, emotional and economic abuse inflicted by one partner over another in a relationship.

The 5K walkathon event is scheduled for October 3rd, 2009 at Rochester Muncipal Park, 400 6th Street, Rochester MI 48307. Sign in is from 8 AM - 10 AM and then there is family fun activities (face painting, raffles, mehndi and more) from 10 AM - 1 PM.

For more details including registration please visit MAIFS website.