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E-mail: president@koausa.org Website: http://www.koausa.org

May, 2015

Kheer Bhawani Temple, Tulmula

The

Kashmiri

Pandit

International

Official Newsletter of Kashmiri Overseas Association, Inc.

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© 2015 Kashmiri Overseas Association, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contents of the Newsletter should not be copied or reproduced in any form or context without the written permission of KOA Management Team.

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Table of Contents

.................................................................................................. 4 1. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

................................................................................ 5 2. MINUTES OF BOARD MEETINGS

................................................................................................................... 6 3. KOA ACCOUNTS

FINANCIAL SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... 6

HIGHLIGHTS .......................................................................................................................... 7

.................................................................................................... 8 4. CULTURE & HERITAGE

ZETHA AATHAM: THE FESTIVAL OF KHEER BHAVANI ................................................................. 8

............................................................................................................................... 10 5. OPINION

THE FUTURE OF KASHMIRI PANDITS ........................................................................................ 10

................................................................. 13 6. KOA ACHIEVEMENT AWARDEES 2015

AKRITI JALLA ........................................................................................................................ 13

SONALI RAZDAN ........................................................................................................................ 13

SMRITI GANJOO ........................................................................................................................ 14

RISHAB KAUL ........................................................................................................................ 15

NITEKA RAINA ........................................................................................................................ 15

............................................................... 16 7. KOA ANNUAL EAST COAST CAMP 2015

......................... 18 8. KOA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD (YEAR 2015)

KOA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ................................................................................................... 18

BOARD OF DIRECTORS .............................................................................................................. 18

............................................................................................. 19 9. KOA MEMBERSHIP FORM

............................................................................ 20 10. BENEFITS OF KOA MEMBERSHIP

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1. President’s Message

Dear Community Members, Namaskaar !

On behalf of my Executive Team and Board of Directors, it gives me immense pleasure to release the first edition of Kashmiri Pandit International Newsletter this

year. It has been a busy year so far. KOA as you know runs several programs. India-bound programs are running as smooth as ever with the support of dedicated

program directors. I decided to volunteer this time for the organization to focus on US-based programs to make KOA relevant to our members in USA. The importance of these programs targeting our youth and seniors cannot be overstated. This is where I need your help. Though there is no dearth of ideas to get these programs

going, but we need volunteers to keep these programs running. It is not as though KOA has not run these programs in the past – there have been language and culture classes, youth camps held in the past, but as presidents served their terms with their

priorities these programs never became permanent fixtures like our India-based programs. This is exactly what we intend to change now. We are going to explore options to create a platform to make it happen. We have a dedicated and passionate team of directors who have taken additional responsibilities of running some of these

programs. They need your support. This year five KP college bound seniors applied for KOA Achievement Award. Their

names are Akriti Jalla, Sonali Razdan, Rishab Kaul, Niteka Raina, and Smriti Ganjoo. All of them have excellent credentials and were recommended for the award by the program directors Prof. Hira L. Koul of Michigan State University and Prof. Sunil K. Dhar of New Jersey Institute of Technology. Please join me in congratulating these

bright future stars of our community. As we all know, ours is a volunteer and donations-based organization and such organizations are only as good as its volunteers and donors. I would like to express

sincere thanks to all the volunteers and donors who have volunteered their time and effort and/or donated their hard-earned earnings for the causes dearest to them. I will continue to look forward to active and positive volunteerism from each one of

you. Please come forward and support KOA – this is your organization. Strength of KOA is in numbers, so please become members and donate to programs. Please provide your feedback directly to me (phone call is preferred over e-mails). I will be inviting some of you periodically to our board meetings to hear directly from you.

In your service, Sunil Fotedar

president@koausa.org Spring, USA 281-387-1877

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2. Minutes of Board Meetings

We have had two board meetings this year, the minutes of which are placed at KOA website (click on text below):

• April 5, 2015 o Presentation addendum

• January 18, 2015 o Presentation addendum

Learn Koshur It is our mother-tongue

www.koshur.org

KOA History The KOA organization has its origins in the early meetings of

several Kashmiri Pandit families in the Washington D.C. and

Maryland areas. These families soon came to realize the

importance of building a community structure which could

include other families too in a bond for mutual preservation and

growth. As more families and members joined the founding

group, the organization evolved to become a national outfit with

regional chapters, documented bye-laws, systems and procedures

as well as a non-profit status to better seek donations and pursue

community actions. This is the beginning of the process to document and detail the history and origins of KOA. At the present time, this document is a simple chronological representation from materials available in

various KOA publications. The eventual document will trace the past 30 years and list important milestones that have brought the organization to the present point.

For details, please visit: http://koausa.org/koa/organization/history/

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3. KOA Accounts

Financial Summary

Unaudited financial summary for first quarter (Jan-Mar, 2015):

Checks Online

Deposited in

2014 but cashed

in 2015

Deposited in

2015 and

cashed in 2015

Membership 2,230.00$ 2,662.40$ 4,892.40$

Education Assistance Program (EAP) 2,605.22$ 2,605.22$ 62,900.00$ 1,600.00$ 64,500.00$

Save A Child (SAC) 14,666.25$ 511.20$ 15,177.45$ 6,725.00$ 10,375.00$ 17,100.00$

Medical Fund 201.00$ 621.20$ 822.20$ 5,500.00$ 5,500.00$

General Donation 3,027.50$ 3,027.50$

Miscellaneous

Flood Relief 1,445.00$

KOA Camp 2015 3,750.00$ 3,750.00$

Printing Fund

KOA Calendar 2015 5,370.00$ 1,203.60$ 6,573.60$ 4,000.00$ 4,000.00$

KOA Directory 5,236.35$ 5,236.35$

KOA Website update 4,480.00$ 4,480.00$

Operational Expenses

Wire Transfer Fees 135.00$ 135.00$

Paypal Fees 132.14$

Legal Fees 1,170.00$ 1,170.00$

Liaison office 500.00$ 500.00$

Total in 2015 32,579.97$ 4,998.40$ 37,578.37$ 71,295.00$ 30,596.35$ 103,468.49$

Item

Deposits in 2015

(Jan 1 - Mar 31)Total Deposits

(Online+Checks)

Expenses in 2015

(Jan 1 - Mar 31)

Total Expenses

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Highlights

• Total members = 109 (incl. 4 life members) + 166 life members (as of Dec 31, 2014) + 5 members paid in advance in

2014 = 280 (as of March 31, 2015) • There are more expenses for EAP program this year than the deposits made, as is always the case, because most of the

deposits are made in November-December months of previous year (2014 in this case) and checks written to the

beneficiaries and sent to India in late December 2014 usually take 2-4 months for our bank to clear. • Online payments paid through Paypal are periodically transferred to KOA’s Bank of America account.

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4. Culture & Heritage

Zetha Aatham: The festival of Kheer Bhavani Deserve, Devote, Desire by Omanand Koul

The festival of Zetha Ashtami beckons us to Bhagvati Kheer Bhavani - the patron vegetarian goddess of Kashmiri pundits - to offer puja, kheer, venna leaves (a variety of mint), and light the festive clay

lamps. A majority of Kashmiri Pundits consider Kheer Bhavani as the guardian of Kashmir Valley. The annual festival of Zetha Ashtami, in Her honor, is celebrated on the 8th day of the bright fortnight of the

lunar month Jeshtha (26th May 2015 of the common calendar). The shrine of Kheer Bhavani is located in the village Tulamula, about

15 miles from Srinagar, the summer capital of Kashmir. Discovery of the site in

swampy areas of Tulamula is ascribed to village mystics Pundit Gobind Joo Gadru and Krishna Taplu. In a vision Pundit Gadru received instructions to follow a celestial snake to reach and offer puja and milk at the designated site of the Bhavani in the marshy lands of Tulamula. Since then the tradition continues with monthly visits by

devotees with an annual mela and grand puja on the day of Zetha Ashtami. The holy site is a small island with a spring in it. The spring in the temple complex

has an irregular heptagon shape with its apex in the easterly direction, called ‘Pada’ (foot). The northern and southern sides are longer than the western side-called ‘Shir’ (Head). In the center of the holy spring stands a marble temple dedicated to the Bhavani. Water in the spring is said to change color portending the circumstances in

Kashmir. Sir Walter Lawrence in his book “Valley of Kashmir” (published 1895) reported the water to have had a violet tinge.

The legend of Kheer Bhavani is engrossed in antiquity and has been enshrined in two Sanskrit scriptures: Sri Sri Maharajni Pradurbhava, and the Rajni Mahatmya. The scripture is supposed to be part of the Bringisha Samhita. These scriptures indicate that the original abode of the Goddess was in Sri Lanka (Ceylon). After killing of

Ravana by Rama, the Goddess ordered Hanuman to carry Her to Kashmir along with her 360 attendants snake Nagaas. Before reaching Tulamula, the goddess made various stops in the valley making those spots also sacred.

The journey of the Goddess from Sri Lanka to Kashmir is not only a description of physical journey of the Goddess, but also signifies the journey of the tantric yogi through several steps of purification during yogic practice or sadhana. It is also

interesting that vehicle for the journey of the Bhavani (Shakti) to Kashmir was Hanuman-the quintessence of a devotee (Bhakta) in the Vaishnavite tradition. Thus we have an esoteric confluence of Vaishnavite and Shaktic traditions, for a people more comfortable with Shaivite system. Dr. Madhu Bazaz Wangu in her books, “A

goddess is born” and “Images of Indian goddesses: myths meanings and models” has researched details about the background, introduction, iconography and meaning of Kheer Bhavani during nineteenth century Kashmir. Her research indicates the confluence of several threads –Tantric, Shaivite, Vaishnavite, and even Western in

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molding of the guardian Goddess (for more details see the books written by Dr. Wangoo).

The festival involves a daylong trip in the pre-summer heat to the marshy lowlands

of Tulamul. The devotees take a dip in the waters of Sindh river

(this is not the Indus), offer kheer, venna and flowers into the waters of the spring, and also light tiny lamps at the temple,

sing Kashmiri bhajans in praise of the goddess, and chant prayers in Sanskrit. She is called Raginya,

Bhavani, Maharagnya. After the prayers and puja the sumptuous lutchi (fried dough)

and halwa (porridge of semolina-sugar-ghee mix) are enjoyed at the location. The vendors eagerly

serve the mouth-watering delicacies to the obliging throngs. The seemingly unparalleled taste of the delicacies reminds the devotees of the illusory nature of this world we see as real. The power of the goddess is as mysterious in the taste as it is in the changing colors of the water of the spring.

The exodus of Kashmiri pundits has given Kheer Bhavani festival an entirely different flavor. The devotees now come in buses, trains and private cars from Jammu and other parts of India to visit and receive blessings of the Bhavani. For lots of

migrants, the pilgrimage is a homecoming as well. Although all Kashmiris would want to make a trip to Tulamul not everyone can do so. Hence many of the Kashmiris celebrate the festival at home, and the orthodox pundits keep a fast for the whole

day, and eat once in the evening after a puja. The meal of course includes a serving of Kheer! The Bhavani determined her abode and enshrined Herself in Kashmir. Obviously

Kashmir deserved Her. Kashmiris became the devotees. And Bhavani became Kashmir. We cannot create a Tulamul, and we cannot create Kashmir. She decides where to stay and who is worthy of Her benevolence. Even the luminary saint

Swami Vivekananda (19th Century) was humbled by not receiving Her blessings to repair the place during his visit. Kheer Bhavani is the representation of the Krama tradition where Bhairavi is the

supreme power encompassing all in the universe: the culmination of Shakti worship. For Kashmiri devotees the mysteries of the Goddess and the place are unfathomable.

Happy Zeth Aatham! May the Maharagnya preserve us all!

Omanand Koul

May 17, 2015

http://koausa.org/omanandkoul/

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5. Opinion

The Future of Kashmiri Pandits By Maharaj Kaul

As some Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) are reeling from the recent withdrawal of the Modi government’s project of creating three composite cities in Kashmir to rehabilitate them, they are worried what their future is going to be. But here is the irony: even if

Modi plan had been implemented how many KPs would have been its takers? Very few. But why are they crest-fallen about the project’s death? It is because they still fantasize about returning to their ancestral land of 5,000 years and living their myths and mythologies about it and their lives in it. Once the inner-music is broken the

world looks meaningless. Even if Article 370 were lifted and the life in Kashmir would consequently change significantly, more conducive to KPs living there, they would still not return to their

homeland in significant numbers. This is because the dream of returning to their paradise has been shattered. What has shattered it? Their experience. The 1989 experience of death, forced exodus, destruction, cruelty, humiliation, and threats to

their lives has damaged the fabric of their love of and belonging to their land. Their dreams and myths about their lives have died, so there would be no point in returning.

The exodus of KPs was already under way in form of their new college graduates wanting to work outside Kashmir. But this process was natural and did not cut the umbilical cord with it. Overall, the younger generation of KPs (under 30’s or so) were

in the process of slowly drifting away from Kashmir because of the economic and political conditions in it. They wanted to work in modern companies, generally technology companies, who paid a decent salary, and live in a friendly environment, which were unavailable at home.

KPs have with fortitude and grace met their ordeal. The die of their new life has been cast but their wounds have not yet healed. Now that KPs are not the inhabitants of Kashmir, will they survive? Of course they will survive. Human history is replete with

migrations, both planned and forced ones. How should they live as a community now? While the economic forces have scattered them round the world but India will continue to be their bastion. To keep their ethos alive is their greatest challenge.

Efforts are under way in India and different parts of the world in that direction. Gaining political power is essential to their community survival. But they are not very political people, even though they have the mental tools to understand politics very well. Also, their meager vote-bank is against them.

Over years, since India’s independence, KPs did not cultivate a political network in New Delhi. The reason being their inaptitude for it. Politics requires consolidation of a

group’s assets and willingness to strike mutually advantageous compromises with other groups. But these are areas they are not good at. They have always wanted to live in their cocoon, negligent in paying proper attention to the political forces outside it. KPs, equipped with their intelligence and intellect, could have created

some political influence during the long stretch of time since the advent of Islamic

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rule in Kashmir in 1339. This apathy to face reality outside their homes in full-blooded manner made their lives more miserable than they were.

In different parts of the world efforts have been made and are being made to keep alive the KP ethos, or a reasonable semblance of it, but every year it has become harder to do that. This is because KPs are single-harnessed horses, they do not

move in tandem. They are essentially not community-minded people but a concatenation of individuals. They are good and sharp people but not revolutionaries and dreamers. Whatever success that has been achieved so far in keeping the KP ethos alive is due to the work of some highly motivated people, and not with the

help of the community at large.

An emigrated people have to learn to live with the people, culture, and the place they migrate to. That is what some 700,000 (the estimated world-wide population of KPs) KPs are presently doing. It will take generations before they will get absorbed in their new world. And in the process they will inevitably lose their KP-soul and create

a new one. This is the price you pay for migrating, especially the forced one, from your milieu to a foreign place. There is nothing you can do about it.

Take the case of young people who were born outside Kashmir, who neither know Kashmiri or have visited Kashmir or know the KP ethos. How can we call them Kashmiris? But, they will nevertheless call themselves so, because there is a psychological need in human beings to have a connection with their roots. But in

spite of this there would still be a lot of KPs living in Kashmir had the political turbulence in Kashmir not enlarged as much as it did. Some people have suggested that KPs should change their name to Kashmiri Hindus.

I believe that would be a mistake. While the name change would accrue the benefit of being part of a much larger community, thereby diluting their image of aloofness and cursedness, but the loss of their special identity would detract something

invaluable from their soul. On the practical plane it would be insignificant. KPs have been dealt with a bad hand by destiny but they are doing the best they can do with it. So, in a few decades from now, there will remain a KP community in the

world, but it will be very different from the one we have known. But civilizations have changed with time and we cannot fight time, although in case of KPs it was forced to change prematurely.

But on the bright side of the situation younger KPs are excelling in their vocations and with their ingrained resilience their future is sanguine.

As Soren Kierkegaard said, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards,” let us look at the future of KPs with imagination but supported with earnestness.

Walking down the fossilized time,

Revisiting high pinnacles and green lakes

Of spirituality and learning, Today the old native of Kashmir, Kicked out of his natural habitat,

Wanders the far corners of the world –

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To start a new life, a new community; To heal his wounds, to follow the old light.

Cut off from its spiritual center, The community wanders in silent grief,

To find a mooring, To revive the luminosity that once brightened its universe, To rekindle the fire that bound it together.

But unable to be reborn, It gradually drifts into the unnamed universal melting pot, Turning its hallowed past into history, Its vision into yet unborn hopes.

(Anguish of Kashmiri Pandits by Maharaj Kaul, 10.14.2010)

Suffern, N.Y., May12, 2015; Rev. 5.13.15

www.kaulscorner.com maharaj.kaul@yahoo.com How Kashmiri Pandits Got Their Name

According to Henny Sender, as described in his book The Kashmiri Pandit: A Study of Cultural Choice in North India, (Published in 1990 by Oxford University Press), a Kashmiri Bhatta (as Kashmiri Hindus were called until then), Jialal Bhan, proposed to then Mogul emperor Farrkhsiyar (reigned 1713 – 1719), in his court, that bhattas be called Pandits because of

their distinct identity. The emperor accepted his suggestion and thenceforth they were called Pandits.

Maharaj Kaul

Maharaj Kaul, who was born in the beautiful Vale of Kashmir in northern India,is an engineer by profession. He has written many articles and poems that have been published in periodicals in the U.S. and India. His main interests are in science and philosophy.

His write-ups are at: http://kaulscorner.com/

KOA Organization Downloads http://koausa.org/koa/downloads/

Official Records - KOA Bylaws

- Board Resolutions - KOA Meeting Minutes

KOA Programs - Brochures - Educational Assistance Program - Sponsor-A-Child (SAC)

- Medical Fund

KOA Publications - Transition Made Easy Document

- Destruction and Injustice - The Tribulations Of Kashmiri Pandits - Recordings of our US based KP community from 1976

- Devastuti Bhajans - Bhajan Mala - Devotional Songs by Krishnajoo Razdan

- Poozai Poshe - Prayers and Hymns

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6. KOA Achievement Awardees 2015

Akriti Jalla Akriti Jalla, daughter of Nirmal and Karuna Jalla of

10732 N Ann Arbor Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73162, graduated from Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Akriti is valedictorian and ranked 1st out of 473 graduating seniors in her high school class with a weighted GPA of 4.70. Some of her other honors and awards include AP Scholar with Honor, Oklahoma

Academic Scholar, and AP Graduate of Excellence. She is also very involved in extra-curricular activities and community service. She has served as the FCCLA

Treasurer and Community Service Chair. She was Vice President of her schools Key Club sophomore year and has been President for the past two years. She also serves as the current National Honors Society Point

Secretary and is a member of her schools Big Brother Big Sister mentorship organization. She has also enjoyed volunteering over 400 hours at the Peggy and Charles Stephenson Oklahoma Cancer Center over the past 4 years. In addition, she has participated in various leadership and medical programs

throughout her high school career, such as the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Teen Leaders in Philanthropy Program, the Youth Leadership Exchange (Leadership Skills Class), the Future Health Scientists Partnership Program at the OU

Health Sciences Center, and a College of Medicine Summer Based Program. In the fall, Akriti will be attending the University of Oklahoma where she will be majoring in Psychology with a Pre-Med track, along with minor in Spanish and Religious Studies through the Medical Humanities minor program. She will continue

her record of community service and leadership through the Presidents Community Scholars program at OU.

Sonali Razdan Sonali Razdan, daughter of Ramesh and Sunita Razdan, 94 Stoney Hill Road, Shrewsbury, MA 01545, graduated from Shrewsbury High School in Shrewsbury, MA.

Sonali has a multifaceted talent that include an amazing academic record, outstanding sports and music talent, and strong leadership skills. She received the Shrewsbury Superintendents Award,

which is given to the top 2 in the class. Her favorite subject is chemistry, for which she received the award for Top Student.

Sonali is an active volunteer in the community, receiving numerous accolades for her volunteering efforts. She sings for the elderly, cooks food for the homeless, and raises clothes for the needy. She is

President of her schools Green Club, which volunteers

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to clean up around town and runs several recycling events for styrofoam, clothes, electronics, and more.

Other than academics, Sonali is very involved with music. She took classes for Hindustani Classical Music for five years. She is a part of her schools Honors A Cappella Choir as an alto. She has attended various chorus festivals, including Central Districts and All States. She also represented Massachusetts at the National

Association for Music Education Eastern Division Concert. Athletically, Sonali is an important part of the Girls Varsity Tennis Team for her school, bringing her team to a two time District Championship and State Finals. She also played basketball for her school in her freshman year.

Sonali comes from a family with a rich kashmiri tradition. Her grandfather Moti Lal Saqi is well known for his amazing work in the field of poetry. Sonali would like to dedicate this award to Shri Vijay Saqi, her late uncle who was a noted broadcaster

and journalist. She will be attending Cornell University to study chemistry in the fall.

Smriti Ganjoo Smriti Ganjoo, daughter of Shashi and Anoop Ganjoo of 35 Tennyson Dr, Plainsboro, NJ 08536 graduated

from West Windsor Plainsboro High School South, June 2015. She was a highly active Girl Scout throughout in her

middle and high school years. After completing her Silver Award, she went on to secure Gold Award, for which she created a fully functional library for the Learning Lab, an after school program at Habitat for

Humanity in Trenton. She built the bookshelves from scratch and ran a book drive that brought in more than 500 books. She did multiple workshops with the kids that involved reading books to them and doing

arts and crafts projects. She went on become a member of the Gold and Silver Award Review Committee, which reviews the applications of younger

Girl Scouts, and the Girl Scout Activities Board, which plans service unit wide events. She was selected as a Girl Ambassador to the Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey Board, and also elected as one of the four National Girl Delegates from the Central and Southern New Jersey to the 53rd GSUSA Convention at Utah, where

she voted on changes to the Girl Scouts Constitution. For her service with Girl Scouts, she has received multiple awards, such as the Presidential Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, as well as the Distinguished Girl Scout Service Award. In addition, as a

member of her school chapter of National Honors Society, she tutored fellow high school students. She was also an elected member to her high school Womens Choir Council for two years. She has also been dancing for over 12 years. Smriti will be going to Case Western Reserve University in Fall 2015, where she

plans to study Biomedical Engineering.

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Rishab Kaul Rishab Kaul, son of Sushil and Nidhi Kaul of 12 Pine Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714, graduated from

Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School in Plainview, New York. Rishab, a high honor roll student, has been involved in various community and school activities,

including the foreign culture club, where he helps spread understanding of different cultures and their ideals. He also enjoys volunteering through his school National, French, and Science Honor

Societies, and is part of the school TAG volunteer program, where he becomes a peer to special needs students. He has volunteered and spent time

tutoring senior citizens of the local community in newer technology and computers. His interests include music, coding, and reading. He has played Alto Saxophone in his school band, and enjoys

learning new coding languages such as Python. He will be starting at Cornell University in fall of 2015 as a Biological Sciences major, and his future plans are to enter the medical field and become a doctor.

Niteka Raina Niteka Raina, daughter of Rajesh and Karuna Raina, 9604 Tobrina Lane, Austin, TX 78759

graduated from Westwood High School, in Austin. She will be attending the University of Texas at Austin in the Fall. In high school, Niteka participated actively in

Extemporaneous Speech, National Honor Society, and national competitions such as SKILLS USA and HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America).

She also founded the Indian Culture Club at her high school, volunteered as a court monitor for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and represented her high school in numerous fund raisers for the

National Alliance on Mental Illness. Currently, she volunteers as a tutor in Mu Alpha Theta (the math honor society), as a mentor for freshman students,

and holds a job as a tutor at the Kumon Math and Reading Learning Center, along with the

aforementioned activities. Niteka's favorite hobby is to play chess, and when she was younger, she participated

actively and won numerous chess tournaments. Now, she tutors younger children and her peers in chess. In her free time, alongside playing chess, Niteka also likes to play the piano and learn and explore various ideas and theories via reading a variety of books pertaining to economics, law, and philosophy, in general. She plans on

studying Economics and Philosophy at UT Austin. Source: http://koausa.org/koa/programs/achievement/koa-achievement-

award-2015/

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7. KOA Annual East Coast Camp 2015

Namaskaar! As previously announced, KOA’s Annual East Coast Camp will be held at Roaring Brook Ranch, in the magnificent Adirondacks range, located in the town of Lake George, NY, from Thursday July 2nd, to Sunday July 5th.

Location: Roaring Brook Ranch is a beautiful resort with an excellent location and a very good layout that provides us an exclusive area to us for our activities. Nearby attractions include Lake George within 3 miles and Saratoga Springs within 10 miles.

With all that it has to offer, Roaring Brook Ranch http://www.roaringbrookranch.com is a great choice for our July 4th vacation. We invite you to spend your July 4th weekend vacation with your extended Kashmiri friends and families circle.

Access: Lake George, New York is an ideally located place; driving time to this resort is about 4 hours from Boston; New York City, Philadelphia and the NJ area are

within 3 to 4 hours’ drive time, about 6 hours from Buffalo, Toronto, Pittsburgh, and about 8 hours from the Washington D.C. area. The nearest airports are Albany, NY (1 hour drive time to Lake George) and Hartford, CT (2 hours’ drive time to Lake George). Please start making plans right now.

Registration Form: The registration form is attached with this mail, please print it,

fill it and then send it back to us. If you have any questions or need any more information, feel free to call us at 781-893-4982 (H) Download the Registration Form ( http://koausa.org/camp/docs/Registration%20Form-2015.pdf )

Accommodation: We have reserved three exclusive Buildings for our group at this resort. Hotel rooms are available in these buildings within the resort area. Room rental costs are:

• 3 night stay in one room for 4 people (with additional 2 beds) will cost $375 + tax;

• 2 night stay in one room for 4 people (with additional 2 beds) will cost $290 + tax;

NOTE: 1 Night stay is not offered by the resort.

For room reservations, call the Resort directly at 800-882-7665 or 518-668-

5767. We urge you to reserve your hotel room immediately to avoid a disappointment later.

NOTE: Tents sites are not available on this resort.

Participation Costs: The organizing team has decided to maintain the costs that were offered in year 2014. Costs include:

• Registration fee: $40/Family will be charged. • Cost per person for the whole event (3 nights/4 days) is $130 which covers 4

meals a day (Breakfast, Lunch, Snack, and Dinner). It starts with afternoon snack on July 2nd and ends with breakfast on July 5th. In addition to covering meals these costs also includes: Banquet Hall / Common Area / Dining Area /

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Kitchen Area rental costs; Cutlery and other supplies; DJ/Audio system; Decorations and other supplies; Stuff for cultural and sports activities;

Havan/puja stuff and pujari; Artist/Tabla/Synthesizer player; and many other incidental costs etc.,

• Cost per person per day is $60 (For those coming for two days or one day only).

• Boat Cruise: A boat cruise is being scheduled for Friday, July 3rd evening. Charges for the boat cruse will automatically be added to the registration cost for those who are attending the camp on that day. Boat cruise charges are:

o Ages 11 years and above: $15.00

o Ages 4 years and less than 11 years: $8.00 o Children less than 4 years age: Free

For the first time, we will have a Kashmiri Shastriji from India perform Hawan/Puja at the camp. The Organizing

team is working on putting together a fun filled program to appeal all age groups. There will be a formal show each evening by an artist of repute; the team is working on it. We would like to see you as part of the camp. Come meet

your friends and relatives and make new friends. We hope to see you there.

With warm regards, Sanjay and Bela Kaul And the camp organizing team

Reminder Please renew your KOA membership: Annual Dues: $30/family, $15/single, $15/senior couple, Life member: $500

Web Site: http://koausa.org/koa/join/

Appeal Please donate generously to KOA (Donations are tax deductible): Web Site: http://koausa.org/koa/donate/

KOA Address: Rajeev Kaul, CPA PC Treasurer, Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA), Inc.

303-Fifth Ave, # 1007 New York, NY-10016 e-mail: rajeev@kaulgroup.com

Have you moved? Do we have your contact info? Online membership form is at:

http://koausa.org/koa/online-membership-form/

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8. KOA Executive Committee And Board (Year 2015)

KOA Executive Committee

PRESIDENT Sunil Fotedar Texas

VICE-PRESIDENT Sudesh Saraf Illinois

SECRETARY Rajesh Kachroo Virginia

TREASURER Rajeev Kaul New York

Board of Directors

Anil Mattoo

Zone 1 Director

Raj Kaul Zone 2 Director

Nirja Sadhu

Zone 3 Director

Shakun Malik

Zone 4 Director

Madhu Moza

Zone 5 Director

Suresh Sus

Zone 6 Director

Sudesh Saraf Zone 7 Director

Veena Kaul Zone 8 Director

Maneesha Munshi Zone 9 Director

Sanjay Dhar Zone 10 Director

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9. KOA Membership Form

Online membership form is at: http://koausa.org/koa/online-membership-form/

New Member: ______ Yes _______ No Last Name: ______________________

First Name: ______________________

Spouse Name: ____________________ Spouse Maiden Name: _______________

Current Address: Old Address:

_______________________________ _______________________________

_______________________________ _______________________________

City: ___________________________

State: __________ Zip: ____________

City: ___________________________

State: __________ Zip: ____________

Home Phone #: ______________________ Cel Number #: ______________________

E-Mail: ______________________ Spouse E-Mail:: ______________________

Profession: ________________________ Spouse Profession: ______________________

Children Names:

1. ______________________ 2. ______________________

3. ______________________ 4. ______________________

MEMBERSHIP DUES • $15/yr for a single person • $30/yr for a family • $15/yr for a senior couple and a student

• $500 for life membership HOW TO PAY MEMBERSHIP DUES

Option 1: Make Online payment at: http://koausa.org/koa/join/membership/ Option 2: Write a check, payable to Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA), Inc., and

mail the check with this membership form to: Rajeev Kaul, CPA PC Treasurer, Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA), Inc.

303-Fifth Ave, # 1007 New York, NY-10016 e-mail: rajeev@kaulgroup.com

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10. Benefits of KOA Membership

• Kashmiri Member Directory

• Kashmiri Calendar • Kashmir Pandit International (KPI)

Newsletters • Magazine KASHEER • Part of the membership money comes

back to the zone for local chapter activities.

• Culture/Language classes for children (Age group 5 to 15 years)

• Provide Merit Scholarships for college bound children of paid members

• Organize National Camp and Regional Camps

• Organize lectures, symposiums, and

debates • Promote exchange of Artistes and

cultural Activists • Produce books, journals and

periodicals to preserve culture

• Maintain two e-groups to promote

information exchange, one at Zone level and the other that connects every member in the US

• Maintain two web sites: koausa.org is

a repository of information on history, culture, music, and, Kashmir-information.com provides Political Education

• Meet with officials to promote the cause of our community with focus on social and cultural issues

• Support fund-raising for our brethren in India. Some of KOA’s special programs structured for KP refugees in India include:

o Sponsor-A-Child program designed for school going children (Age group 5 to 17

years) o Educational Assistance

Program for college going children (Age 17+)

o Financial assistance to community members for

medical and social conditions, o Improve living conditions at

the refugee camps o Provide financial help for

National calamities in India.

Benefits of

KOA Membership

Websites & e-Forums

Publications (KPI, Kasheer)

Youth Scholarships & Language Classes

Directory & Calendar

National & Regional Camps

Organize

Lectures, Debates & Symposiums

Promote Exchange of Artistes & Cultural

Activists

Programs to support KP refugees in India

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Newsletter of Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA), Inc.

KPI Newsletter Compiled and Created by KOA Executive Committee

Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA), Inc. 22310 Bridgestone Canyon Dr, Spring, Texas 77388

Website: http://koausa.org , http://kashmir-information.com e-mail: president@koausa.org

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Copyright © 2015 by Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA), Inc. (http://www.koausa.org)

The information being shared is KOA proprietary. All rights reserved. No part of this information/publication may be reproduced or discussed in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA), Inc. on any other forum/e-mail chain not owned by KOA. Action will be taken against those who infringe upon this information.