Our Annual Convention
is the forum where we communicate, interact and engage ourselves
in achieving the goals of our mission. We involve and engage
our children in understanding Uttarakhand's heritage. Our
goal is to broaden participation of the North America Uttarakhand
community at all levels, especially from its younger generation,
and to increase chapter representation.
During this annual event, there is an opportunity to interact
with Uttarakhandis from various parts of USA, Canada and from
all over the world. There is also an opportunity to:
 Display
and share the pride and rich heritage of the culture of
Uttarakhand
Participate
in seminars and forums for exchanging views and initiating
programs related to the overall welfare of the state of
Uttarakhand and the Uttarakhandi
community of North America.
Provide
an opportunity for second-generation Uttarakhandis to network
and learn from each other.
Renew
old friendships and forge new ones.
Recent Conventions:
UANA 2010 Convention - Edison, NJ
Uttarakhand Association of North America (UANA) ™ celebrated its
2010 Annual Convention splendidly on September 4th, 2010 at
Performing Arts Center in Edison, New Jersey. UANA, which has
been the forefront organization in promoting the awareness of
Uttarakhand’s ethnic identity and bringing the Uttarakhandi
people together, continued to successfully achieve its aim by
hosting such a mega event. The 500 plus attendees from all over
the US reflected the strong and vibrant feelings of Uttarakhandi
people towards their rich cultural and spiritual heritage. It
was magnificent to see not just the Uttarakhandi people coming
together and supporting UANA, but also the other ethnic groups
from India and America, which visibly displayed the role that
UANA is playing in bridging the gap between various communities.
Distinguished guests included the very talented and upcoming
Bollywood actress, Ms. Chitrashi Rawat, who was the lead-star of
the block-buster movie “Chak De India.” Besides stunning
everyone with her dance performance, Ms. Rawat mesmerized the
crowd with the famous song “Mann ke re teri gath kam nyari” by
the legendary singer of Uttarakhand, Shri Narendra S. Negi ji.
The event was also honored by the presence of other dignitaries
including Mr. Puran Tamta, a very prominent social-activist and
industrialist,Deputy Speaker of New Jersey Assemblyman Upendra
J. Chivukula,, Assemblyman Samuel J Thompson and Councilman Dr.
Sudhanshu Prasad. Many other media personalities and local
legislatures were present to support UANA’s objectives.
The
2010 Annual Convention not just focused on bringing the
Uttarakhandi people together and raising awareness for
Uttarakhand’s culture, but also towards the upliftment of our
Uttarakhandi people and development for the State of Uttarakhand.
The issue of shifting the Capital from Dehradun to Gairsain was
one of the major issues discussed and supported by UANA members.
UANA has repeatedly raised this concern at various platforms and
vowed to continue to do so relentlessly. UANA also assured to
continue and expand the “UANA Award of Excellence” program that
it has been successfully running since 2007. Under the program,
UANA currently recognizes and awards the top 2 students from all
the 13 districts of Uttarakhand for Class 10th and 12th. UANA
also expressed heartfelt condolence on the sad and untimely
demise of Shri. Girish Tiwari, who was fondly known as Girda.
Girda, a social activist, a poet, a cinema artiste, a theatre
personality and above all a lovable human being, was also a part
of UANA Annual Convention in 2007, along with Shri Narendra S.
Negi and Dr. (Prof.) Shekhar Pathak and his departure was deeply
felt by the whole Uttarakhand. During the Convention, UANA Board
of Directors and the Executive Committee agreed to name the
future artist awards after Girda.
Other than the numerous magnificent performances, including the
pahari songs and the traditional “Cholia dance”, by the various
talented members of the Uttarakhandi community, the highlight of
the evening was the half-hour theatrical rendition of the Golu
Devta.
UANA 2009 Convention - New Brunswick, NJ
Uttarakhand
Association of North America (UANA) ™ held their Annual
Convention 2009 in grand style on Sep 5th, 2009 at the
prestigious Nicholas Music Center,
Rutgers University, NJ.
A number of distinguished guests from India including Chief
Guest Member of Parliament, Mr. Pradeep Tamta (Almora); Members
of Legislative Assembly: Mr. Ranjeet Rawat (Salt) and Mr. Karan
Mahara (Ranikhet); “Chak de India” fame and former Indian Hockey
Coach, Mr. Mir Ranjan Negi & Mrs. Vinita Negi (Mumbai); famous
singer of Uttarakhand, Mr. Pritam Bhartwan (Mussoori/Dehradun);
Addl. Investment Commissioner for Govt. of Uttarakhand, Mr.
Shanker Datt Sharma (Delhi); Prof. Lalit Mohan Pant & Mrs. Abha
Pant (Pithoragarh) and Mr. Puran Tamta (Delhi) graced the
occasion.
The event was honored by the presence of dignitaries including
United States Consul General of India in New York, Mr. Prabhu
Dayal; Assemblymen from New Jersey: Samuel J Thompson (R) and
Upendra J. Chivukula (D); Councilman of Edison Township, Dr.
Sudhanshu Prasad (D) and Director, Ministry of Tourism, India
Mr. Narendra Kothiyal.
Highlights of the program
included Uttarakhand folk music presentation by
one of the greatest folk artist from Uttarakhand
Mr. Pritam Bhartwan, a scintillating dance
performance by "Chak De India" fame Mr.
Mir Ranjan Negi and a stupendous group dance of
50 performers by Satrangi Group showing rich
culture of India. It was indeed an educative and
memorable day of celebrating Uttarakhand Art,
Culture and Heritage together as a united,
strong, and vibrant community of Uttarakhand
Association of North America.
Attendees came from all over United States &
Canada from California, Seattle, Texas, Atlanta,
Chicago, Boston, Connecticut, Washington, North
Carolina, Maryland, Florida, Pennsylvania, New
York and included Dr. P.D.S. Negi (FL); Dr.
Ramesh Pandey (NJ); Dr. Basant Tariyal (GA) and
Dr. S. Parmar (CT). There were attendees from 2
month old infants to the 98 years old respected
Dr. J.P. Kukreti of University of Illinois which
showed their commitment and dedication towards
their homeland Uttarakhand and India in
particular.
UANA 2008 Convention - Boston, MA
UANA 2007 Convention - Princeton, NJ
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