Vikas Pershad, former ISA president and fourth-year College student, gave a few opening remarks to the audience, recalling memories from his visits to India as a child. Pershad gave the performers a warm welcome, asking the audience to treat them as if they were relatives. Nikhil Rao, third-year College student and current ISA president, also welcomed everyone to the celebration, giving special thanks to everyone involved in planning and coordinating the event. He told the audience what India means to him. Rao emphasized that India Day is for all individuals of South Asian descent and said he is happy with the way Indian culture is flourishing in the lives of young Indians.
Indian culture is alive and well in our generation.
Nautej Sarna, counsel for Press Information and Culture at the Indian Embassy in Washington, gave yesterday's keynote address. Sarna said that he has spent over 20 years traveling around the world to places like Iran, the former Soviet Union and now Washington. He said his worldly travels have shown him the difficulties living abroad. Remain connected anyway you can. It's so essential.