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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline OCTOBER 04, 2024 | The Indian Eye 20

GOPIO Launches India Collection of Books at The

Parsippany Library with Help of Indian Consulate

OUR BUREAU
Parsippany, NJ
lobal Organization of People
of Indian Origin-North Jer-
Gsey Chapter (GOPIO-North
Jersey) in cooperation with the In-
dian Consulate in New York, along
with co-sponsors Parsippany Rotary
International, Heart and Hand for
Handicapped and Gandhian Society
and with support from a dozen area
community groups organized the
launch the India Collection of Books
at the Parsippany Library in New Jer-
sey on Sunday, September 29th at the
library. With a house full crowd with
many standing on the side and back,
the launch was inaugurated by Indi-
an Consul for Visa and Community
Affairs Pragya Singh in the presence
of Library President Melisa Kuzma,
Parsippany Mayor James Barberio,
Former AP and Telangana Minister
from India Ponnala Lakshmaiah,
New Jersey Commissioner Upendra pany, Mayor Jamie Barberio said
Chivukula, the White House Policy that Parsippany was a home to many
Advisor on Energy Jai Vaingankar Indian Americans, and he was proud
and community leaders. that many of them have contributed
The program started a welcome to making Parsippany a better town.
from the Program chair Rajendar Mayor Barberio, who is of Italian
Dichpally who serves as the Director origin, also said that he always felt
of Gandhian Society and Founder Indian Americans and Italian Amer-
of Zakir Hussain Foundation in the icans have similar attributes and was
USA. “Efforts like this will help the happy to see that the India Initiative
Indian American Community and in Parsippany Library was seeing so
also strengthen the bond between much good response.
the two largest democracies,” said GOPIO International Chairman
Dichpally. Dr. Thomas Abraham who initiat-
In his welcome remarks, Pro- ed and coordinated this effort from
gram Co-chair Santosh Peddi, who GOPIO told the audience that Indi-
serves at the President of the Parsip- an Americans have done extremely
pany Rotary International said that well professionally, politically and fi-
Rotary was happy to co-sponsor the nancially, and that community should
event as part of its social/community do more for the larger society. In this
outreach. Singing of American and regards, GOPIO chapters in the New Dr. Abraham thanked the Par- ed by those who were in traditional
Indian National Anthems followed York area have successfully launched sippany Library for launching the In- dress.
by children. India Collection of books at the pub- dia Collection of Books. The inaugu- Consul Pragya Singh, who is
The Library Director Melissa lic libraries in Norwalk and Stamford ration was done with the traditional Head of Visa and Passport renew-
Kuzma said she was happy to host in Connecticut, Edison, New Jersey, lighting of the lamp by the dignitar- als in the Indian Consulate, and also
India Initiative event at the library as and Queens and Long Island in New ies, GOPIO officials and co-sponsor- Consul for Community Affairs said
this reflects the diverse attributes of York State. ing organizations. that India was a very diverse and
the library. She was happy to receive “We found that these books are The books were provided by the plural country and the consulate was
so many books of different genre and very valuable resources for the larg- Indian Consulate and GOPIO fur- happy to assist and work with local
said it reflects the rich and diverse er society to know about India and ther supplemented books collected Indian Organizations in strength-
culture of India. She also said that Indian culture, its democracy, po- from our community who are down- ening the bond between India and
the library would be hosting an event litical leaders and social reformers, sizing. These included new books USA with the help of initiatives like
to celebrate Diwali in the later part economy and India’s relations with and old classics which are not avail- this where the consulate donated di-
of October. countries around the world,” said Dr. able anywhere else now. Several lan- verse and useful books for the bene-
Welcoming everyone to Parsip- Abraham. guage-based classics were present-

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