The Graduate Indian Students Organization event attracted an international crowd that included UH President Renu Khator and Consul General of India, Houston, Sanjiv Arora. Indian students made some of the costumes worn in the fashion show by hand. | Courtesy of Saumitra Vaidya
The UH Graduate Indian Students Organization celebrated its annual 2010 Indian Cultural Extravaganza, “Maitri,” with a fashion show that emphasized the theme of harmony and put clothes from all four regions of India on display. | Josh Malone/The Daily Cougar
The UH Graduate Indian Students Organization celebrated its annual 2010 Indian Cultural Extravaganza, “Maitri,” on Saturday at the Cullen Performance Hall with an event included cultural and traditional music, dance, skits, fashion, sand animation and food.
“The University of Houston is a global university. We have 4,300 students in the UH System from 141 countries this year,” UH President Renu Khator said. “Twenty-five percent of these students are from India.”
She also said part of the event offers students an opportunity to expose themselves to global paradigms, cultures and forces.
“The value of this event, I think, is that it exposes other students, faculty and staff to the different kind of paradigm, which I think is very important for students because after they graduate they have to work in the global economy,” Khator said. “I value every kind of international event here and every kind of global exposure.”
The word “maitri”, or harmony, set the theme for the event, from the student artwork displayed in the lobby to the fashion show that united all four regions of India on one stage.
“Some of the costumes in the fashion show were handmade by the Indian students because you can’t find all the traditional Indian wear in Houston,” Vice President of Public Relations for GISO Tejas Chitnis said.
Khator wished the students and organizers good luck and thanked them for their efforts.
“I wanted to come here to simply support the students and tell you how proud I am of you. Not just because you are from India, but because you are also the best and the brightest,” Khator said. “You really carry the torch for our University, and I am very, very proud of your accomplishments, as well as the accomplishments of all the graduates.
“There are several things that we have done during the last year and half, and several things we have been working on. We are trying to start an India Studies center.”
UH already has an India Studies center but Khator said the University is looking into expanding the program enough to offer it as a minor.
“We will see how far that goes, but your support is also very important,” Khator said.
One important guests in the VIP section of the audience included Consul General of India, Houston, Sanjiv Arora.
“It’s wonderful to see students from various parts of the world who are represented at this diverse university participating in Maitri 2010,” Arora said. “It’s wonderful for me to be here with all of you to join these celebrations. The University of Houston is well known to all of us, and in the last two years it has become even more known because we have our most distinguished and outstanding Indian-American heading this university.”
Arora said he felt the theme of harmony and love, and was inspired by the event. He ended his speech with an Indian quote he recalled hearing during his childhood years.
“Love is a song that cannot be (played) on any instrument, but I think all of you here really manifest love and harmony and enthusiasm and friendship in abundance. I would like to congratulate each one of you for that,” Arora said. “I would like to compliment GISO for its dynamism and for its enthusiasm in organizing many wonderful activities throughout the year, particularly this annual event.”
