PRESS RELEASE
The Third Annual Gala of the Hyderabadi Cultural Association of Greater New York
On Saturday the 15th of November 2014, the Hyderabadi Cultural Association of Greater New York (HCA) held its Third Annual Gala at the LaGuardia Palace Hotel in New York City. The event was graced by the presence of Hon. Shri Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay, the Consul General of India at New York. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Abusaleh Shariff, the Chief Scholar at the US India Policy Institute in Washington D.C.
Mr. Quddus Mohammed, the outgoing President of the HCA, welcomed the over 300 attendees, and stressed the role of HCA as a secular cultural organization that not only sought to promote Hyderabadi culture among the diaspora, but also participated in charitable initiatives helping the underprivileged get educational access. The organization also felicitated a variety of diasporic Hyderabadis including Dr. Rajender Jinna, a former President of the American Telugu Association, Ms. Tasneem Osmani, an education philanthropist, and Khavi Ahmed, a 12 year old member of the HCA community. During the course of the night, over 20 educational scholarships for students in Hyderabad were pledged by the attendees.
Hon Consul General of India highlighted the importance of promoting the culture of India in the USA and around the world and also encouraged the Hyderabadi diaspora to actively engage in promoting US-India relationship. The keynote speaker Dr. Abusaleh Shariff, who was a member of the Sachar Committee, shared his research on the issues and growth inequality among of the Indian minorities.
The gala also featured a comedy act, a musical program featuring the famous singer Ali Sher, and a sumptuous authentic Hyderabadi-style dinner. The attendees lighted the night in their traditional Hyderabadi attire as a team of six-member panelist nominated the best Sherwani and the best dressed couple winner.
