The India Student Association put on its biggest event of the year, India Night, on Nov. 2 in the Compton Union Building Senior Ballroom.
The event featured interactive performances for adults and children alike, a fashion show, music, various Indian dishes and other general celebrations of Diwali. Over 400 people were in attendance, setting a record for this long-time ISA tradition.
“I think that was the specialty of India Night 2024 because we have never engaged with the audience before in our previous India Night events,” said Laasya Vajjala, ISA vice president and computer science student.
A particular highlight was the interactive section with children, as well as the traditional dress fashion show. This allowed the audience to come up on stage and show off their traditional garb of all kinds, which was a big hit at the event, according to ISA members.
“We wanted to engage the audience as well, not just us performing,” said Meghana Mendon, ISA president and a Ph.D. student in bioengineering.
India Night involved a long planning process and collaboration between many people. Mendon and Vajjala had an easier time planning this event, as they helped with last year’s India Night as organization officers. This gave them an advantage in knowing who to contact and how to manage event planning.
“Given the experience from last year, we knew exactly where to go and whom to ask for funds, and how much,” said Mendon.
The main source of fundraising is from the previous year’s India Night turnout, giving next year’s prospects a hopeful look as attendance was at an all-time high this year. Both Mendon and Vajjala said the event could not have been successful without the help of their team and advisor.
“I would like to thank all the people who helped us make this event a big success,” said Vajjala.
India Night aims to bring the Indian community together in not only the celebration of Diwali, but also on a broader communal level, as not all Indian community members are Hindu. It was an inclusive event that welcomed any aspect of Indian culture to celebrate its richness and vivacity.
Beyond India Night, the ISA is active at WSU and regularly holds events throughout the school year. The association provides a means of connection for Indian students and those interested in learning more about their heritage through a distinctly Indian lens.
“Our culture — the diversity that we have, different languages that we speak — my native language is different, but still, we are all together. We have that inclusiveness among us, and that is what we want to show through the ISA,” Vajjala said.
Mendon also said that the ISA wants to break the stereotypes and generalizations that general society and social media have about India.
“We want to show the WSU community there is something different. It’s beautiful,” she said.
Vajjala said they find comfort in the ISA because it connects them to their home, which they often miss. It helps them deal with homesickness and allows them to spread their culture to curious Americans.
“I love sharing my culture in the U.S. because many people don’t know how we celebrate our festivals,” said Vajjala.
The ISA has helped both women find community and lifelong friends and they hope to extend that benefit to any who are interested. They said the ISA allows them to meet new people and celebrate festivals with a bigger community.
“The ISA has given me the friendship and the community that I miss from India,” Mendon said.
While India Night is their biggest event of the year, the ISA has many other activities planned for the upcoming semester. These include the Fresher’s Event, intended for those looking for a supportive Indian community, and will have food and activities; a celebration of Holi, the festival of colors; and a movie night, featuring an Indian film.
“Come here, see what we are, who we are and how we celebrate our culture,” Mendon said.
Updates and specific details about future events can be found on any of the ISA’s social media, particularly Instagram and Facebook. Most events require sign-up or RSVP.
