Troy, MICHIGAN (USA): For several years, 'motor city' Detroit, with its sizable Telangana community has been a great source of strength for Telangana Development Forum in USA. And when the City Chapter was offered to host TDF quarterly in-person Board meeting (Regional Conference), it grabbed the opportunity with both the hands and pulled off with aplomb.
Many important decisions were taken during the meeting, held at Troy Marriott Hotel, which was a landmark event in the history of TDF Detroit.
Notable among them are to create a TDF student wing, for those coming here for higher education, and address their problems if any, requesting the Government of Telangana to provide a single point of contact for Telangana NRIs in the State Secretariat to help with their projects and requesting for allotment of land for T-NRI Bhavan.
According to TDF USA’s maverick president, Vishweshwar Kalavala, the in-person Board meetings once in every quarter (open to general Telangana people), were aimed at creating transparency within the organization. He said it also gives a more personal as well as professional touch to the organization, instills a sense of responsibility and ownership by its Board of Trustees (BOTs) and provide more space for Telanganites from various cities around the venue to denote, discuss and drive the development back home in coordination with State Government.
Vishweshwar said that TDF is growing phenomenally across the globe. “So far, we have our presence in 13 countries and in 64 cities in USA alone. Since the year 2000, we are the only outfit that has been striving to give a definite identity and direction to the people of Telangana origin living and settled overseas. Our contribution in the final phase of Telangana agitation was too evident and we are not resting on our laurels. We have the think-tank and expertise to support the initiatives of the State government in the fields of education, medicine and engineering and technology and other fields and we are proudly associating ourselves with the government in the reconstruction of the State,” he said.
Over the last one year alone, he added that TDF USA has raised over $110,000 for various projects in villages like roads and buildings for schools and libraries and bus shelters. He urged more and more Telanganites to step up and make a difference to their school, village and State and experience the joy and sense of fulfillment.
The role of women on the TDF Board and the Standing Committees came in for special mention from Mr Vishweshwar. He said TDF was committed to give more representation to women on the Board. He lauded Co-Chair of Member Resources, Uma Pishati of Detroit Chapter, who helped raise $2000 through Lakeshore Financial Planning Group and Best Tax Filer to fulfill TDF USA’s strategy of raising funds through local businesses. He said due recognition needs to be given to such businesses to help drive a pipeline of future contributions into TDF.
“I would thank TDF for giving people like me an opportunity to serve TDF. The organization has given me a new identity and a meaningful way to be part of development and charity works. We are constantly learning ways to help our society. It requires high level of commitment, but I am happy about that,” said Uma, in reply to the recognition.
TDF vice-president Vijay Bhaskar Pitta, TDF General Secretary Praveen Reddy Kesireddy, who is representing the Detroit chapter, Joint Secretary Amarender Bojja and Ravinder Gaddamplly commended the government schemes and projects like Mission Kakatiya, Water Grid and Harithaharam (plantation of trees). Past president and BOTs Murali Chintalapani and Srinath Muskula, Standing Committee members Radhesh Reddy Gurrala, Vijay Saduvu, Santosh Kakulavaram, Vasu Dundigalla, Mahesh Venukadasula, Krishna Prasad Jaligama, Ram Komanduri, Ram Chawla and Suman Muppidi (TDF Canada) and TDF Detroit Regional Coordinators Raj Gaddam, Yadagiri Ileni, Prashanth Dubbudu, Karunakar Kandukuri and Krishna Chellemella also spoke on the occasion.
Retired engineer from Siddipet and one of the advisors to the State Government on its prestigious Water Grid project, Sathyapal Reddy Jala gave a detailed presentation on the subject and fielded questions from the audience. A total of INR 30,000 crores were earmarked and INR 2,000 crores were already released by the government, he said adding that Nalgonda district with highest rate of fluoride water contamination, was being given utmost priority by the Chief Minister.
The meeting paid rich tributes to Telangana ideologue and the brain behind TDF USA, late Prof Jaya Shankar and former Prime Minister, Late P.V Narasimha Rao.
Later in the evening, a colourful cultural gala was organized by TDF Detroit Chapter in city of Southfield, where nearly 400 people were enthralled by the song and dance performances of young women and children. Singers Divya Davuluri, Padmaja Kanala, Venkat Kanala, Shruthi Kanala, Swathi Thippireddy, Shilpa Dundigalla and Krishna Jaligama were superb with their devotional, fast solo and duets.
In the juniors’ section, Kruthi Jaligama, Vaishnavi Dhenuvakonda, Shrestha Dundigalla, Tanmayi Thippireddy, Sanika Atmakur, Dhrithi Padukone, Shrestha Gaddam, Aditi Earla and Ananya Bhoomireddy among girls and Manish Ileni, Pravardh Venukadasula, Karthik Gankidi, Sohan Kosna, Anish Gaddam and Sanjith Gaddam among boys stood out with their steps on the dance floor.
Not to be left out, Deepthi Venukadasula, Vidya Gankidi, Swathi Earla and Sushma Padukone came up with a beautiful medley and devotional dance performances.
Tanuj Ganga with his mimicry performance sent peals of laughter among the audience.
TDF USA Board and TDF Detroit honoured martial arts champion, Vivek Theja, now in US for high-level training in boxing with an aim of participating in the 2016 Olympics, with a plaque and requested him to be the TDF USA’s Brand Ambassador to which Vivek delightfully agreed.
Vivek’s past sponsor ‘Sunona’ Trust, owned by Uma Pishati and Raj Gaddam said: “We are grateful for the acknowledgement and felicitation given to Vivek Teja by both TDF Detroit and USA teams. Sunona' has sponsored past few years of his competitions and we are glad that Vivek always came back with extraordinary achievements and made us very proud. As a payback, he conducted several free self-defense workshops for women in Nalgonda and Hyderabad. We are confident that as a brand ambassador of TDF, he would help us expand our horizon and take it to the next level.”
They also felicitated the Kargil hero, K Linga Reddy, who served the Indian Air Force in the historic and triumphant war against Pakistan. Mementos were also handed over to TDF representatives from California, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Washington D.C, Virginia, Ohio, Toronto (Canada) and Detroit and the 30-odd volunteers including Raj Gaddadi, Nagarjuna and Tanuj, who helped with the logistics in the morning and evening. The dinner over the weekend events was sponsored by Aahar Restaurant and Namasthe Indian cuisine.
