Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 7 CITY VIEWS March 20, 2026 BJANA Hosts Vibrant Holi Celebration, Announces New Leadership For 2026-27 T he Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America (BJANA), a nonprof- it cultural organization founded in 1975, hosted a large-scale Holi celebration at Royal Albert Palace, drawing approximately 550 to 600 attend- ees from across the Northeast. Families representing the Bihar and Jharkhand communities traveled from NewYork, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut to attend the event, which combined traditional festivities with the inauguration of BJANA’s 2026-27 leader- ship team. The program opened with the an- nouncement of Priti Kashyap as the organization’s new president. She will be joined by Vice President Sushant Krishen, Secretary Priya Ranjan, Joint Secretary Bishwanath Sharma, Treasurer Rakesh Kumar and Joint Treasurer Dipen Baner- jee. Executive members include Sarika Dubey, Anish Anand, Dhananjay Singh, Komal Sharan, Ravindra Kumar, Lata Shree Shanker, Pankaj Pravawi, Mridula Kairab, Dhiraj Singh, Priti Singh and Dr. Avishek Kumar. The celebration featured a variety of cultural performances, including instru- mental music, singing, children’s group dances, classical and Bollywood dance routines, skits and traditional Fagua songs. A highlight of the program was a theatrical presentation depicting the story of Prahlad, explaining the significance of Holi. Organizers also introduced the BJANA Next Gen Youth program, an initiative aimed at connecting and empowering younger members of the community. Several individuals were recog- nized for their contributions, includ- ing Nandini Singh, Rajeev Singh, Harsha Sinha, Rajiv Akhaury and event host Arvind Prakash. Kashyap concluded the evening with a speech, followed by SAT fellow awards, a raffle drawing, bouquet presentations and acknowledgments of sponsors. Born in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and raised in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Kashyap brings a cultural perspec- tive rooted in the Mithila region. Since relocating to the United States, she has been actively involved with BJANA and now leads its efforts in cultural programming, youth en- gagement, networking and philan- thropy. “This Holi exemplified BJANA’s joyful legacy,” a spokesperson said. BJANA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and invites the public to learn more or join at bjana.org . By a StaffWriter Living Tamil LitFest To Be Held In New York Will Bring Renowned Literary Figures From Around The World T he Vishnupuram Literary Circle, USA, along with the Vishnu- puram Literary Circle Tamil Nadu, is organizing an event in NewYork titled the Living Tamil LitFest, scheduled to take place on April 3 and 4, 2026. This initiative is organized by Jeyamohan, a renowned Tamil literary writer fromTamil Nadu known world- wide, organizers said. They expect some 300 attendees from various backgrounds according to the website livingtamillitfest.org/. An estimated 50 scholars, authors, poets, translators and publishers will get together in 15 sessions over the 2 days at the Education and Conference Center, The NewYork Academy of Medicine (NYAM). Together, they will explore how Tamil literature engages with modernity, social justice, identity, and the human condition—while continually reinvent- ing itself for new generations, the press release said. Numerous speakers from around the US, and from Canada, UK, Malaysia, Sin- gapore, Switzerland, and a large contin- gent from India will coalesce at the venue. Film actor Kamal Haasan and film di- rector Mani Ratnam have been appointed as ambassadors for the event. Amomg the goals of the festival is to “reconnect young Tamil diaspora with a literary tradition their parents carried across the ocean but could not pass on,” The Hindu reported. According to the Feb. 19 press release, this is “the first global celebration dedicat- ed to modern Tamil literature,” which will bring “the radical, evolving tradition of Tamil writing to an international audience in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan literary capitals.” The festival pays tribute to pioneer- ing authors such as Pudhumaipithan, Ka. Na. Subramaniam, Ki. Rajanarayanan, Jayakanthan, Sundara Ramasamy, and Ashokamitran, whose bold experiments in realism, language, and politics still inspire today’s writers. “Alongside these masters, contempo- rary voices will affirmTamil literature as a vibrant, global tradition in dialogue with world literatures,” organizers said. Guided by an eminent committee including A. Muttulingam, Jeyamohan, Arun Mahizhnan, and Arangasamy KV, “the LitFest emphasizes intellectual rigor and literary excellence, ‘ organizers prom- ise. A lineup of American and Canadian authors—including Chad Post, Esther L Allen, Damion Searls, Geoffrey Brock, Janika Oza, Kareem James-Abu Zeid, Peter Constantine, Padma Vishwanathan, Rohan Kamicheril, Thomas Hitoshi Prui- ksma—is joining the program, furthering cross-cultural exchange. By hosting the event in NewYork, the festival sends a powerful message, orga- nizers contend – Tamil literature is not regional or marginal, but global, modern, and profoundly relevant. It invites readers, scholars, and cultural enthusiasts every- where to engage with Tamil writing as a living literature of our time. “Living Tamil LitFest is more than an event—it is a declaration that Tamil litera- ture belongs on the world stage, in its own voice, on its own terms,”organizers said. By a StaffWriter PHOTO:X.COM Poster of Living Tamil LitFest event. Performers enact a stage play depicting the story of Prahlad during BJANA’s Holi celebration at Royal Albert Palace in Edison, N.J., highlighting the cultural and religious significance of the festival. BJANA’s newly elected leadership team and members gather for a group photo during the Holi celebration at Royal Albert Palace in Edison, N.J., marking the start of the 2026–27 term. Musicians perform live during BJANA’s Holi celebration at Royal Albert Palace in Edison, N.J., entertaining attendees with a vibrant musical program. PHOTOS:BJANA