The organization hosts cultural events every year.
The University of Michigan’s Indian American Student Association (IASA) on Friday hosted its annual cultural event Sarani: The Allure of Adventure at the crowded Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor.
The show, which is the biggest student-run cultural show in North America, was a celebration of India’s heritage and showcased the vibrancy of the country’s ancestors’ legacy that shines through the Indian American community. It gave the audience a tour to different parts of Indian cultures, Michigan Daily reported.
The evening witnessed stunning song and dance performances that explore the history of India and the significance of being an Indian American. The first dance was a mix of both traditional sounds of Indian music with the hip-hop beats. The second performance was an all-female fusion dance which highlighted the intersectionality of being an Indian American woman.
“I think the biggest message that I want everyone to take away from our show is the passion that our dancers bring and the passion that our membership brings,” Michigan Daily quoted IASA co-president Bavica Gummadi. “It’s almost unreal that every single member has the level of passion, energy and enthusiasm that they do, and that’s what keeps our organization running at 150 percent.”
IASA was started with very few members in 1983 by Sam Shekar and currently, it is the second largest organization on campus with 400 members. The goal of the association is to create a tight-knit community among its members and help its members to become active in social, political, cultural, and professional arenas.
The organization hosts cultural events every year and the titles are based on a word from Sanskrit. This year’s word is ‘Sarani’, which means ‘path.’
“It’s a kind of symbolic of our path that we’re taking through India, as we tour through the different places, highlight the different subcultures and watch these amazing performances,” the LSA senior added.