SIGNIFICANT DATES
OCT. 13: NAVRATRI BEGINS
OCT. 22: DUSSERA
EVENTS
TAMPA/CLEARWATER/ST. PETERSBURG
OCT. 3-4: MISS INDIA FLORIDA PAGEANT; also, Mrs. and Miss Teen contests; Talent Night on Oct. 3 at USF Oval Theater, followed by a celebrity dinner with Shatrughan Sinha, Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen and actor Somy Ali; on Oct. 4 is the pageant at USF Theater 1, 3839 USF Holly Drive; to register and purchase tickets to the show, visit www.missindiaflorida.us
OCT. 3: TIECON FLORIDA 2015 – A CELEBRATION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP; The Westin Tampa Harbour Island, 725 S. Harbour Island Blvd., Tampa; 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. followed by entertainment; register at www.tieconfl.com
OCT. 3-4; YOGA THERAPY Seminar; conducted by Dr. Dilip Sarkar, vascular surgeon and president of the Association of International Yoga Therapists; Hindu Temple of Florida, 5509 Lynn Road, Tampa; seminar includes instruction, course materials and lunch; on-site registration is $110; for information, call the temple at (813) 962-6890 or visit http://www.htfl.org/product/yoga-therapy-seminar/
OCT. 4: THEMATIC CARNATIC MUSIC; features Dasara Kritis by Vrinda Acharya; presented by Swaralaya of Tampa; Hindu Temple of Florida auditorium, 5509 Lynn Road, Tampa; 5 p.m.; donations welcome; for more information, call Anu Durai at (727) 743-1648 or email [email protected]
OCT. 10: ANNUAL TAMPA FUNDRAISING GALA; presented by Hindu American Foundation; keynote speaker is comedian Rajiv Satyal; 6:30 to 10 p.m. (gourmet Indian vegetarian appetizers and dinner); Clarion Conference Center & Hotel Tampa, 2701 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa; $25; for information, email [email protected] or visit www.hafsite.org
OCT. 21: BUSINESS & NETWORKING EVENT; organized by INDO-US Chamber of Commerce; speaker is Milind Bharvirkar, president of Priatek; free; 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; no RSVP required; for information, visit www.indo-us.org
OCT. 21: ICC SENIORS GET-TO-GATHER; India Cultural Center, 5511 Lynn Road, Tampa; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; free seminar, lunch and entertainment; no minimum age requirement; for information or ride, call John Adhia at (813) 784-1132 or Ram Jakhotia at (813) 962-4172.
NOV. 7: 28th ANNUAL INDIA FESTIVAL; organized by the Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 U.S. 301 N., Tampa; tickets are $9 adults, $5 children; for vendor information, call Vijay Gandhi at (863) 287-7970; for details, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.indiafestivaltampa.com
NOV. 14: DEEPAVALI CELEBRATIONS; organized by Telugu Association of Florida, Tampa Bay; 5 p.m.; Freedom High School, 17410 Commerce Park Blvd., Tampa; for information, call Dr. Neeraja Jasthi at (813) 789-4976 or visit www.taftampa.com
NOV. 21: 11th AACSA (ASIAN AMERICAN CONVENIENCE STORES ASSOCIATION); India Cultural Center, 5511 Lynn Road, Tampa,; entertainment by Esha Deol; for information, call (813) 842-0345.
NOV. 21: DIPAWALI CELEBRATION; organized by Rajasthani Association of Tampa Bay; for time, venue and other details, call Rashmi Jakhotia at (813) 962-4172.
ORLANDO/CASSELBERRY
OCT. 2: THIRD ANNUAL GANDHI DIVERSITY BREAKFAST; in honor of Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday; hosted by Orange County Property Appraiser Rick Singh; 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.; Church Street Exchange Building, 101 S. Garland Ave., Orlando; RSVP to [email protected]
OCT. 3: NATIONAL GANDHI DAY OF SERVICE; Children’s Safety Village of Central Florida, 910 Fairvilla Road, Orlando; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; lunch will be provided; for information, visit www.iaccorlando.com
OCT. 3: SWARALAYA: A MELODIOUS EVENING WITH UNNI MENON; Olympia High School Auditorium, 4301 S. Apopka Vineland Road, Orlando; 7 p.m.; tickets start at $25; for information, call Lata Ahmed at (407) 927-6229.
‘Meet the Patels’
OCT. 3-5: “BEYOND BOLLYWOOD: 21st ANNUAL SOUTH ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL”; presented by Enzian and Asian Cultural Association; Enzian Theater, 1300 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland; films to be screened are “Dhanak,” “Among the Believers,” “Ek Hazarachi Note,” “Margarita With a Straw,” and “Meet the Patels”; $11 individual ticket per movie or $50 series pass; for details, visit www.enzian.org or call (407) 333-3667.
OCT. 3: KRISHNA BHAJANS; organized by ISKCON Orlando; Hindu Society of Central Florida conference room, 1994 Lake Drive, Casselberry; 6:30 till 9:30 p.m.; free; for information, call (407) 699-5277.
OCT. 4: MONTHLY MEET/SEMINAR; organized by Hindu Society of Central Florida (HSCF) New Age Group; HSCF community hall, 1994 Lake Drive, Casselberry; 1:30 p.m.; “Undue Influence – Seniors Beware” seminar conducted by attorney Rana Tiwari; snacks, tea/coffee; free for members with prior RSVP or $5 at the gate for all; RSVP to [email protected]
OCT. 9-11: 2015 NATIONAL CRICKET CHAMPIONSHIP; presented by American Cricket Federation; eight regional teams compete for the National Championship Crown; final on Oct. 11 from 11 a.m. at Silver Star Ground, 2801 N. Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando; for details, call Rahul Joshi at (407) 435-8826 or email [email protected]
OCT. 16-20: “SAMPOORNA KRISHNA KATHA;” presented by Hindu Society of Central Florida and Global Organization for Divinity (GOD); discourse in English by Sri Ramanujam Ji, disciple of HH Maharanyam Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji; HSCF, 1994 Lake Drive, Casselberry; 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; free admission (mahaprasad will be served on all days); for information, call Babuji ji at (407) 230-2762, Prashanth ji at (321) 460-0800, or visit http://www.godivinity.org/ or http://www.namadwaar.org/
OCT. 24: 18th ANNUAL DIWALI MELA; presented by Association of Asian Cultural Festivals; free; 4 p.m.; Disney Amphitheater, Lake Eola, 101 Rosalind Ave., Orlando; for information, call Lalman at (407) 202-2161 or email [email protected]
NOV. 1: MULTI-FAITH WORKSHOP; presented by HSCF Age Group along with Hindu University of America, Chinmaya Mission, CFL, Sikh Society of Central Florida and Interfaith Council of CFL; Hindu Society of Central Florida community hall, 1994 Lake Drive, Casselberry; 1:30 p.m.; free event; RSVP to [email protected]
FORT MYERS
OCT. 2: A MUSICAL EVENING WITH CARNATIC VOCALIST VRINDA ACHARYA; presented by Raaga; 7 to 9 p.m.; $25; Riverside Church, 8660 Daniels parkway, Fort Myers; for information, call (239) 634-6668 or visit www.raagafl.org
SOUTH FLORIDA (FORT LAUDERDALE/MIAMI/CORAL SPRINGS)
OCT. 3: ANNUAL GALA; India-US Chamber of Commerce South Florida; JW Marriott, 1109 Brickel Ave., Miami; 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.; for ticket information and other details, email i[email protected] or visit www.indousasfl.com
OCT. 9: “SATRANGI PEENGH;” concert featuring bhangra singers Harbhajan Mann and Gursewak Mann; 8 p.m.; Coral Springs High School, 7201 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs; tickets start at $35; for information, call Satbir Singh at (954) 649-3374 or Baljit K. Mann at (954) 856-3421.
OCT. 17: FIRST ANNUAL 5K RUN/WALK; in memory of Rahul Maheshwari; Snyder Park, 3299 S.W. Fourth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; register online at www.lightonespath.org; for information, call Priti or Narendra Maheshwari at (954) 461-7941 or email [email protected]
Event submissions are free, e-mail information to [email protected] by the 20th.
Disclaimer: Please check with local organizers, event details are subject to change.