One of the oldest Indian expatriate forums, the North Indians’ Association (NIA) is joining hands with a reputable event management company to bring the colourful Baisakhi cultural show to Doha on the occasion of Punjabi New Year later this month.
To be held on April 28 at Al Maha Ballroom of Plaza Inn Doha, the event will feature cultural performances and traditional songs and dances by NIA members besides songs with DJs, family games and a lavish buffet dinner.
For participation, members of the NIA will have to submit entries. “This is our annual event. Only members of NIA will stage performances. There will be a cultural show on the theme of Baisakhi,” Harish Kanjani, Advisory Chairman of NIA, tells Community.
Baisakhi refers to the harvest festival of the Punjab region with the Punjabi New Year falling on the Vaisakh which is the first month of Bikram Sambat Hindu calendar. It is usually celebrated mid-April.
“We are an expatriate organisation working under the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) of the Indian Embassy in Doha and we work for the welfare of the community,” he added.
Performances will only be confined to classical, folk, Bollywood, patriotic and western categories in line with Qatar’s culture and regulations. There are no solo performances allowed in the event. Only group performances are allowed in a group of 2-4 participants. There are maximum eight entries for kids cultural group dance performance on first-cum-first-serve basis with a performance time limited to three-four minutes. There are maximum three entries for adult cultural group dance performance on first-cum-first-serve basis with a performance time limited to four minutes. There would be two entries for group performance on skits of 6-8 minutes. The guests or guest children are not allowed to participate unless they take NIA membership prior to event day.
The North Indian Association is a non-profit organisation formed by Indian nationals in Doha in the year 1991. In the course of time, the organisation has spread out to a truly diversified community with cross-cultural interaction among the Indian diaspora of Qatar.
It organises several meets and events that celebrate the Indian diversity.
Fostering community spirit among Indian nationals in Qatar, the association has grown to become one of the foremost organisations of its kind and represents over 250 families today. It conducts a number of events and programmes for its members throughout the year.
Some of the notable events include assistance to bright young students by honouring them for their educational and sports achievements. Another such event is the annual ‘Hindi Divas’, aimed to promote India’s national language among the Indian community.
The annual celebration of ‘Hindi Divas’ and felicitation of the brightest and meritorious students of annual SSC and HSC examinations are one of the hallmark annual programmes of the community forum.
The NIA is known for dedication of its committee members and volunteer service. The organisation says its goal is to continue the tradition and provide more activities of interest to children and members, thereby catering to the growing needs of Indian expatriates of Qatar in cultural, educational and community service areas.
The voluntary participation is the hallmark of the association. “We value honesty, integrity, dedication and commitment. Accountability and responsibility are our watchwords and our tradition. Recognising and meeting the cultural and educational needs of our children and the community are our priority,” says NIA in its statement.
The NIA has been organising events to celebrate different occasions for their members in the past with the aim to foster Indian culture and heritage by promoting cross-cultural understanding through various programmes.
The celebration of Hindi Divas has been a major success in the past years.
