The Indian American Community Outreach Advisory Board (IACOAB) of Aurora has organized its sixth Diwali Festival of Lights celebration Saturday, Oct. 19, at Metea Valley High School, 1801 N. Eola Road, Aurora.
The evening will feature Indian folk dances, music, food, and a display of ethnic apparel and jewelry.
Past events have attracted between 4,000 to 5,000 individuals. Among those expected to attend this year’s celebration are the mayor of Aurora, Richard Irwin, city officials, and Illinois and U.S. legislators.
Diwali, the Eastern equivalent of Christmas, is celebrated by millions of Hindus in India, and other countries, including Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and Trinidad.
The festival is a big event among the Hindu expatriates living in North America and Europe and is the community’s biggest season of shopping. The festival spread over several days heralds the return of the mythical King Rama and celebrates the triumph of Good over Evil or Light over Darkness.
The IACOAB’s mission is to embrace, preserve, and promote the heritage and contributions of Indian Americans while promoting civic engagement and encouraging Indian Americans to increase their involvement in Aurora’s growth.
Indians are now the largest immigrant community in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois.
At the event, certificates will be awarded to winners of the Swami Vivekananda scholarships instituted by the Board. In 2017, the IACOAB established the Swami Vivekananda scholarships meant for college-bound high school seniors, who have demonstrated exemplary community service. Swami Vivekananda, a Hindu monk, introduced Hinduism to the West with a resounding speech at the first Parliament of World Religions in Chicago in 1893.
Most recently, the IACOAB has organized an interactive public education and civic education discussion on depression and mental health problems among the young, in cooperation with Sanjeevani, an organization which assists people with mental health and domestic violence issues.
The IACOAB members are: Gautam Bhatia, chair; Kunal Majmundar, vice chair; Sandeep Londhe, secretary; Anupama Setty, treasurer; Roopa Anjanappa, Shweta Baid, Ashok Easwaran, Sharon Garcia, Ajay Jain, Nadia Kanhai, Ranjan Mohanty, Sanjeev Pandey, Sunil Patel, and Sukanya Rangarajan.
For more details on the board and its activities visit www.facebook.com/iacoab.
—Aurora Indian American Community Outreach Advisory Board