NEW YORK, NY: The New York Chapter of The Association of Indians in America (AIA-NY) organized a dinner at Vermilion in Midtown, New York City on May 30th, 2013 to welcome the new Consul General of India to NY, Dnyaneshwar Mulay. Many community leaders and sponsors of AIA’s annual Deepavali celebration at the iconic South Street Seaport attended the event to show their continued support.

This year’s Deepavali, the 26th in a row, takes place on October 6th, 2013. Introducing Mr. Mulay, Divya Shah, VP Events (AIA-NY), said Mr. Mulay is a seasoned Indian Diplomat since 1983. He started his Indian Foreign Service career in Japan and since has served in Russia, Mauritius, Syria and Maldives. He is also a well-known author and poet having written over 15 books.

His original writings in Marathi have a large following especially amongst the youth who find it highly inspiring. Mr. Mulay recited the AIA Motto of ‘Indian Heritage- American Commitment’ as he appreciated the efforts that the AIANY Chapter has undertaken in the past and present to fulfill its commitment and promote the Indian culture. He went on to entertain the audience with excerpts from his writings and poems which were greatly appreciated and applauded.

He assured streamlining of Visa, Passport and OCI card procedures at the Consulate during his tenure. AIA-NY president, Sunil Modi mentioned that the AIA Deepavali showcases a wide array of culture, rich heritage and elegant customs that India has offered to the world for centuries as he shared his thoughts and ideas by appreciating and recognizing his current executive committee and dignitaries present in the audience.

Two captivating vocal performances by Devika Kedia & Ria Anand from AIA’s Youth wing were well appreciated by the guests. The evening was well attended by AIA members. The immediate past president of AIANY, Ranju Batra and other past presidents including Dr. Narinder Kukkar, Dr. Nirmal Mattoo, Dr.Urmilesh Arya, Santosh Khera, Smiti Khanna, Arun Bhatia and Dr. Rajendra Bansal were also present.

Aroon Shivdasani, Executive Director of the Indo American Arts Council; Hesh Sarmalkar, Director at The Asia Society; Kishore Kuncham, President of the India Association of Long Island were among those who graced the event. Some of the sponsors present included State Bank of India, Star Plus India, Air India, Bank of Baroda, Veria Living, Touchdown Media, Kingfisher, Qatar Airways, Sufi Wines, New York Life and TV Asia.