Heralding Unity: Hindi Diwas celebration in Atlanta

by Shilpa Agrawal
Pics. : Pankaj Sharma

Atlanta, Georgia witnessed an exuberant celebration of Hindi Diwas organized by the Indian Consulate on January 6th at the Impact Conference Center, Global Mall, where the air was filled not only with the crispness of the winter evening but also with the palpable enthusiasm and love for Hindi language.
The commencement of the program unfolded as Consul Mr. Madan Ghildiyal extended a gracious welcome to the audience, setting a stage for an evening filled with cultural fervor. Subsequently, the newly appointed Consul General Mr. L. Ramesh Babu took the podium, sharing insightful words about the significance of the day with those gathered in attendance.

Mr. Sanjeev Agarwal, the chairperson of Atlanta Hindi Association, took the reins as the host, orchestrating the cultural program with finesse and flair. The cultural spectacle for Hindi Diwas commenced on a melodious note with the enchanting rendition of Saraswati Vandana, skillfully presented by the talented kids of Sangeet Bitan Music School Annika Gupta, Arhaan Gupta, Advay Velanki, Aadhya Velanki, ⁠Devasmita Dutta, Mihir Patwardhan, ⁠Prisha Laskar, ⁠Sharvi Chaurasia, ⁠Sneha Shaw, and Tanishi Patel lead by Rikhia Saha set the stage aglow with cultural and musical richness

Samvar Jain, Soham Sharma, Aarav Bhatnagar, Shivi Garg, and Sanchay Gupta of Atlanta Hindi Association, coordinated by Priyanka Gupta gave a poignant tribute to the great mystic Kabir Das, profoundly presenting his Dohe, weaving a tapestry for ever-true relatable wisdom.
Dheeraj Lunawat, Tavisha Lunavat, Pramiti Vora, Atharva Mishra, Kaustuki Dixit, Siya Bazaari, Aishi Jain and Spruha Lokhande presented a captivating narrative, portraying the kaleidoscope of a unified and diverse India. The act by kids fostered a deep sense of unity amidst diversity among the audience.
Guest speaker Mr. Brijesh Samarth, who is deputed as a Hindi Professor in Emory University, talked about the significance of Hindi and the pride nurtured in the hearts of Hindi-speaking diaspora.

Kids of Sangeet Bitan Music School exuded an infectious aura of childhood joy and laughter with the rendition of the song “Itti si Hansi, itti see khushee.” The melodious rendition transported the audience into a realm of nostalgic delight.
Sia Tiwari, Mishka Agarwal, Dhiaan Gogri, Pranav Vignesh, Pranav Rao, Sayan Jain and Shaina Das of Hindi USA, Cumming School presented Hindi poems spanning across the length and breadth of rich fabric of Hindi metaphors and alliterations punctuated with powerful renditions.
The very versatile “Dhoop Chaoon” group of Atlanta under the guided umbrella of Sandhya Bhagat’s direction dipped in the music compiled by Anil Bhagat presented the short drama “Gaj-foot-inch.” Rita Kapahi, Amit Prasad, Siddarth Garg, Anil Jaswani, Chandni Agrawal, Nitish Dube and Shabana Saeed brought in unbridled merriment and laughter with this presentation.

Shruti Musical School and kids of VHPA presented melodious Hindi Songs. Anusha Kinikar,
Palvi Patil, Sanika  Deshpande, Shanaya Palse, Aditi Deshmukh, Tulsi Patel, Navika Tiwari, Medha Deshmukh, Avnee Heblikar, Divya Patil, Rigved Paradkar, Saee Khandekar, Tanvi Khandekar, and Ishwari Kulkarni transformed the atmosphere with their harmonious blend of voices and musical brilliance.

The mother-daughter duo Anubhuti Rathi and Aanya Rathi enacted “Rashmirathi”, unfolding each line with eloquence while stirring emotions and giving an ode to the legendary Hindi Poet “Ramdhari Singh Dinkar”
Tanishi Patel, Kavya Pandey, Geethika Nune, Seela Akshaya beautifully sang the song “Meri Maa ke baraabar koi nahi. The little brothers Kabir Singh and Abir Singh presented the Hindi counting skills in the poem “Ginti.” Asha Gupta and Shabana Saeed recited poems and left the audience inspired and reflective.
The evening marked by artistic performances and heartfelt expressions seamlessly capturing the spirit of Hindi Diwas ended with a vote of thanks by the “Indian Consulate in Atlanta” and the organizers.