Today I am attending the 2008 Onam Festival at the University of Texas Pan American. This is an event organized by the Malayalee Association of the Rio Grande Valley.
Intrestingly enough this new diversity to our community is a foretelling of the next 100 years in the larger community including the City of Edinburg. I have come to learn that the Malayalee Association describes itself as follows:
"The Malayalee Association of the Rio Grande Valley is a socio-cultural association of the people of Indian descent in the Valley who are bound by common threads of culture, language and other social values. The main objectives of the association are to bring out the best of the community, enhance the the inherent rich traditions and values and pass it on to future generations. The association aims at promoting interfaith and interethnic understanding, family values, cultural understanding and make positve and substantial contributions to the society around. The association strives to enrich the social and cultural life of all its members and impact the people around. This association is a non-profit organization registered in Texas. Currently there are around 120 families here in the Valley and the communuty is growing fast."
I was pleasantly surprised when the President of the Indian Association, Hari Namboodiri, informed me that the organization was honoring me a community service award. As my son would say - sweet.
A who's who of the organization includes: Antony Mathew, Ranadeev Chellikkattil, Binoo George, Prof. John Abraham, Prof. Mani Skaria and Prof. Rajeev Nambiar.
UPDATE: Very nice event. I learned a lot. My thanks for the community service award.
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