AIANA

From time to time the development of our humanity requires a spirit of renewal. We can observe this in humanity’s history. We also know this in our personal lives. This spirit of renewal helps enliven and strengthen our work, our sense of direction, and our lives. It was such a spirit of renewal that set in motion, the founding of AIANA (Association of Indian American in North America).

AIANA is an organization that represents the point of view of the majority of Indian-Americans in the United States. It’s an organization which helps Gujaratis worldwide to express themselves in many different ways.

AIANA offers the opportunity to find and connect with the regenerating impulse in their life, towards their roots. To make them feel proud of their roots and to introduce the young Gujaratis, born abroad, to their rich culture and progressive heritage and bring them all at one point. To establish unity among the community people and make them stand for their roots.

This is the first step in what we hope will become a powerful bridge between the Diaspora and Gujarat. This is what AIANA has endeavored to achieve and has had a phenomenal success in what it has tried to achieve.

PAST EVENTS

A PROTEST: In March 2005, when honourable C.M. of Gujarat Mr. Narendra Modi was denied the visa to USA, Team AIANA organized an event to protest the action. Mr. Modi attended this event through video conferencing. It was the biggest ever political protest done by a Diaspora in the history of USA. The event was attended by Indian and American Senators, Assembly men and was supported by all major Indian organizations.

FOR LITERATURE: In September 2007, AIANA organised the biggest ever program on Literature by Indian Americans. Held at the prestigious Nocholas Theatre, the program had 17 Stalwarts of Literature such as Shri Suresh Dalal, Adil Mansuri, Ankit Trivedi, Rajesh Vyas ‘Miskin’, Saumya Joshi… and was opined as the biggest and best ever program on literature.

RECONNECTING WITH ROOTS

‘Chaalo Gujarat’ – World Gujarati Conference ‘06

September 2006. Despite torrential rains and high winds in the wake of tropical storm Ernesto threatening the east coast, a mini-Gujarat came alive in New Jersey during the three-day 'Chaalo Gujarat World Gujarati Conference 2006'.

An event almost attended by almost 35000 Indians, mostly Gujaratis, who went down the memory lane recalling their days in Gujarat. At the Raritan Center, a mini-Gujarat village was set up by the Association of Indian Americans of North Gujarat (AIANA), complete with a bullock cart, village hut, charpoy and puppets.

It was a Herculean task to bringing so many people together. But it was achieved successfully through the phenomenal efforts of all the groups who worked together and created one Gujarat.

Industrialists and preachers rubbed shoulders with singers and poets as 35000 Gujaratis came together here to flex their cultural and economic muscles during a three-day extravaganza described as one of the biggest of its kind. The extraordinarily patient and indulgent 35,000 plus audience was treated to folk performances, humorous skits, Gujarati songs and a series of seminars on business, medicine and technology.

Unlike many community events in the US, the AIANA leadership under Sunil Nayak took care to keep the event strictly non-partisan and focused on just being Gujaratis. This was the first step in what we hope will become a powerful bridge between the diaspora and Gujarat.