A packed Auditorium gathered to celebrate the Indian festival of Diwali, which is one of the most celebrated festivals in India and is considered the beginning of a New Year. The Friday, Nov. 2 event is the biggest show of the year for the Indian Student Association. Hosts Jacob Gabrail and Saad Ahsanullah charmed the crowd as they settled down for an evening of dance and musical performances by NEIU students.
Jacob Chacko sang the American National Anthem and Mariyam Nigeban sang the Indian National Anthem. Opening remarks were made by Sunil Mahadeshwar, who is the Indian Student Association president and NEIU student trustee. Dileep Thatte explained the significance of Diwali, which is also known as the Festival of Lights.
This year, said Muhadeshwar, the Diwali Show tried to incorporate the rich diversity of the student body by creating a “multicultural fashion show in which students of various ethnic backgrounds will wear clothes unique to their culture.” This year’s show also focused on helping a non-profit organization. Two dollars out of every ticket sold went to Asha for Education, which is committed to educating underprivileged children in India.
Featured acts included a Bollywood/Bhangra Dance by NEIU students, an A Capella Performance by Chandi, a group from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a Bollywood/Arabic Dance by Lizette Yackle, and stand-up comedy by Samson Koletkar. The Fashion Show was the highlight of the evening and Alpha Psi Lambda was thanked for its role in making it a hit.
Dinner was served after the show and an open dance floor with DJ Soto was held until midnight. Extensive planning for the Diwali Show began at the start of the fall semester. Indian Student Association president Sunil Mahadeshwar thanked adviser Rohit Joshi and everyone involved in making the event a great success.