March is NetSAP DC Members Month! Become a member before March 22^nd and join us for our free Members Appreciation Wine & Cheese Evening (details will be sent to 2006 NetSAP DC members). In addition to our special programs and many discounts, membership provides you access to a diverse range of programming by our outstanding Committees that appeals to a wide array of interests. We invite you to join us for our Third Thursday on March 16^th to meet the Chairs of our Committees. To learn more about our Membership Drive, follow this  link. 

SCROLL DOWN FOR DETAILS ON NETSAP EVENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS:

BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, March 9, 2006

COMMUNITY SERVICE/MENTORSHIP COMMITTEE: WETA Pledge Drive, March 12, 2006, 6:45pm

CULTURAL COMMITTEE: St. Patrick’s Day Celebration with Danú, March 17, 2006, 7:00pm

NETWORKING COMMITTEE: Third Thursday Networking Event, March 16, 2006, 6:30pm

MEMBERS ONLY: Members Appreciation Wine & Cheese Evening, March 22, 2006, 6:30pm (details will be sent to 2006 members)

CALENDAR: Check out the brand New NetSAP Calendar, which will provide you with the latest details on upcoming events! Follow this link to go to the Calendar.

MEMBERSHIP: Become a NetSAP-DC Member Today!

SALTAF ’06 COMMITTEE: Planning Meeting – TODAY at 7:00pm!

(1) South AsiaStudies: Maoists and Monarchs: Room for Compromise in Nepal? March 8, 2006, 12:30pm

(2) South AsiaStudies: President Bush’s Visit to India and Pakistan, March 9, 2006, 12:30pm

(3) UPAKAR: Jazz Fusion Concert Featuring Sandip Burman March 11, 2006

(4) Natyam Dance Group: Auditions, March 11^th, 13^th, 15^th and 18^th, 2006

(5) TiE-DC Special Networking Event: Krish Prabhu, CEO of Tellabs, March 14, 2006 , 6:30pm

BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

As a courtesy to those that have read the book, we will need to implement a few other parameters:

1. Please make sure you have read the book completely. If not, we need to give priority to those that have finished the book. We normally just ask that you make a 'good faith' effort. However due to the waiting list, priority will be given to those who have completed the book

2. If you have RSVPd and your plans change, please make sure you contact Divya ASAP so she can advise people on the waiting list.

3. Meal arrangements: Due to the large size of this meeting, Divya will advise what will work best in terms of contributions of items or ordering in.

Additional information can be found by joining the list serve at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/netsap-books

COMMUNITY SERVICE/MENTORSHIP COMMITTEE:WETA Pledge Drive , March 12, 2006 ,6:45pm

The Community Service/Mentorship Committee is looking for volunteers to help with the WETA Pledge Drive on March 12th from 6:45pm – 11pm.Volunteers' responsibilities include answering phone calls and taking pledges from viewers during the live programming. There will be breaks during the shift to socialize and refreshments will be provided. Please contactcommunity@netsap.org if you are interested.

DATE:Sunday, March 12, 2006

TIME:  6:45pm – 11: 00pm

LOCATION:WETA FM RadioStudio/Administrative Headquarters

DIRECTIONS: http://www.weta.org/about/directions.php

PARKING: Free parking is available in the garage adjacent to the WETA building.

RSVP: YOU MUST RSVP FOR THIS EVENT.  We have a limited number of slots for our group.   Please contactshruthi.chandramouli@gmail.com or community@netsap.org if you plan on volunteering or if you have any questions. 

The station will be featuring the following program during our shift:

Rich Dad's Guide To Wealth w/ Robert Kiyosaki -Investor, educator and author Robert Kiyosaki gives tips to raise your financial IQ and teaches viewers how to become active investors themselves.

Blenko: The Spirit Of Stained Glass - Find out how the Blenko family of premier glass artisans influenced American stained glass and design and helped decorate landmarks like New York's Rainbow Room and our own National Cathedral here in Washington.

CULTURAL COMMITTEE: St. Patrick’s Day Celebration with Danú

First presented at National Geographic Live! while they were still making a name for themselves in the world of traditional Irish music, Danú returns for another rousing St. Patrick’s Day celebration.  Since their last visit, they have released two new albums The Road Less TraveledandWhen All Is Said and Done.  They have also added to an impressive list of honors, including being named “Best Band” at the BBC Radio Two Folk Awards 2004.  In 2006, the band traveled toIndia.  One of the highlights of the trip was meeting and exchanging music with some of the best Indian classical musicians in Delhi and Mumbai.  Danú has announced that they plan to reduce their touring schedule after April 2006, so if you’ve never seen them before, you won’t want to miss this concert of Celtic music at its finest. 

Check them out at: http://www.danu.net/modules/djhome/ 

DATE: Friday, March 17, 2006

TIME: 7:00pm

COST: TBA

LOCATION: The Grosvenor Auditorium, National Geographic Headquarters, 1600 M Street, NW

PHONE: 202-857-7700

METRO: Farragut North (Red Line); Farragut West (Orange/Blue Lines)

PARKING: Free parking is available in the Society’s underground garage.

RSVP: RSVP to Soumya Andani or Binita Naik at cultural@netsap.org

ADDITIONAL DETAILS: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/nglive/washingtondc/spring2006/concerts/danu.html

NETWORKING COMMITTEE:  Third Thursday Networking Event, March 16, 2006, 6:30pm

The March event will focus on our eight dynamic Committees - Professional, Networking, Cultural, Sports, Community Service, Political, Families and SALTAF (South Asian Literary and Theater Arts Festival). Come meet the Chairs, learn about their programs and share your ideas for the year! Third Thursdays are held at different hot spots in the area in conjunction with other professional groups. Past events have been co-sponsored by the South Asian Bar Association and the South Asian Journalists' Association.

DATE: Thursday, March 16, 2006

TIME: 6:30pm

COST:  FREE for Members; $5 for Non-Members

LOCATION:  TBD

CONTACT: Vikas Gupta, Sonali Shah and Rajeev Subramaniam at networking@netsap.org 

SALTAF’06 COMMITTEE: Planning Meeting – TODAY at 7:00pm!

The SALTAF Committee is responsible for planning and coordinating all details involved with the phenomenally successful South Asian Literary and Theater Arts Festival.  This is an annual event hosted at the Smithsonian and it features prominent South Asian writers, filmmakers and artists and draws hundreds of South Asians from across the East Coast to DC each fall.  SALTAF provides authors, filmmakers, literary and theatre professionals the opportunity to interact with their audience. Bibliophiles, cinema fans and young professionals can explore the creative process with professional artists and discover outlets for their own creative aspirations. SALTAF celebrates the achievements of South Asians in the literature and arts and it has become one of NetSAP DC's most recognized and renowned flagship events. 

We are still looking for a Committee Co-Chair and additional committee members to help plan this year’s SALTAF, which will be held on November 4-5, 2006 at the Smithsonian. We invite everyone with any interest in helping out with this year’s SALTAF to attend the meeting today.  

DATE: TODAY ~ Tuesday, March 7, 2006

TIME: 7:00pm   

LOCATION: Cosi, 1919 M St., N.W., Washington D.C. 20036. (Corner of 20th and M)  Phone: 202.466.9677

METRO: Farragut North or Dupont Circle (Red Line) or Farragut West (Blue/Orange Lines)

PARKING: Street Parking or Parking Garages in the area.

RSVP/Questions: AN RSVP IS REQUIRED FOR THIS MEETING.  Please email Dina Khemlani at saltaf@netsap.org if you plan to attend.   Contact Dina Khemlani at saltaf@netsap.org or 202~215~21586 if you have any questions.

Please note that the events below are listed as a service to our members. The views expressed in the following activities and by the groups listed below are not shared or endorsed by NetSAPDC. 

(1) South AsiaStudies:  Maoists and Monarchs: Room for Compromise in Nepal? March 8, 2006, 12:30pm

Armed overthrow of the monarchy has long been on the agenda of Nepal’s revolutionary Maoists since they openly declared a “people’s war” in 1996.  Their growing strength prompted King Gyanendra to declare emergency rule in February 2005. A year later, he said that the seizure of total power had resulted in a significant weakening of the rebellion, a view widely contested in Nepal and elsewhere.  The violence in Nepal has significant security and political implications not only on Nepal, but for India, which shares a long and open border. Panelists include: S.D. MUNI, Academic and Research Affairs Advisor, Observer Research Foundation Maoist Road Map, STEVEN GORZULA, formerly Deputy Chief of Party for USAID Project in Nepal, Expatriate Perception of the Maoist Insurgency and N.K. JHA, visiting Fulbright Scholar, South Asia Studies, SAIS Implications of an Unstable Nepal for India.

DATE: Wednesday, March 8, 2006

TIME:  12:30pm – 2:00pm

LOCATION: 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Room 500

RSVP: Please email asharan@jhu.edu and include your contact details and affiliation.

(2) South AsiaStudies:  President Bush’s Visit to Indiaand Pakistan, March 9, 2006, 12:30pm

Ambassador Boucher, the longest-serving Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs in the Department of State’s history, accompanied President Bush to India and Pakistan just one week after his February 21 swearing in as Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.  The presidential visit underscores two new US policy approaches that this administration has pursued with the two South Asian states: (1) dealing separately with each country rather than clubbing them together, and (2) seeking a long-term economic and security relationship with each.  A key concern in India will be whether sufficient progress is made in these meetings to convince the U.S. Congress to make India an exception to nonproliferation legislation.  This would allow U.S. assistance to India’s civilian nuclear program. The consequences of an American effort to strengthen India could redefine the balance of power in Asia if not internationally.  In Pakistan, a large part of the agenda will be on fighting the War on Terror, which continues to be a major problem in the region. Following his thirty-minute presentation, Ambassador Boucher will answer questions from the audience.

DATE: Thursday, March 9, 2006

TIME:  12:30pm – 1:30pm

LOCATION: Kenney Auditorium, The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, 1740 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington D.C. 20036

RSVP: Please email asharan@jhu.edu and include your contact details and affiliation.

(3) UPAKAR: Jazz Fusion Concert Featuring Sandip Burman March 11, 2006

Sandip Burman is a disciple of eminent tabla player Maestro Pandit Shyamal Bose and has made a name for himself both as an accompanying percussionist and composer. He has accompanied great artists such as Pt. Ravi Shankar, Pt. Jasraj and Pt.Hariprasad Chaurasia and explored wider frontiers with jazz legends Jack DeJohnette, Al Dimeola, Glen Valez and Victor Wooten. He also collaborated on the Grammy winning album "Outbound" with Béla Fleck. Sandip has performed locally at the Kennedy Center and Wolf Trap. For the past 4 years, he has traveled with an eclectic group of performers such as Paul Bollenbach on the Guitar and David Pietro on the Saxophone.

DATE: March 11th, 2006

COST: $25 or $50

LOCATION: Black Rock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive Germantown, MD 20874.

RSVP: Tickets can be purchased at mydonations.com.

We encourage all music lovers to come and listen to this outstanding young performer and to support our merit/need based scholarship for Indian American college students. For more information please go to www.upakar.org.

(4) Natyam Dance Group: Auditions, March 11^th, 13^th, 15^thand 18^th, 2006

Natyam is a local dance company based in the Greater Washington area that promotes awareness of South Asian culture and arts through dance. We are currently looking for inspired and talented performers to join us as we unfold our timeless dance creations.

DATE (S) & TIME: Dates to learn choreographed routine: Saturday, March 11th 3:00 - 5:00 PM; Monday, March 13th 6:00 - 8:00 PM; Wednesday, March 15th 6:00 - 8:00 PM. (Please attend all 3 days, as you will learn different parts of the dance each day)Date to audition: Saturday, March 18th 3:00 - 6:00 PM

LOCATION: Herndon Senior Center at Herndon Harbor House, 873 Grace Street, Herndon, VA 20170

RSVP: Please contact Natyam Dance Group, if you will be attending auditions atinfo@timelessnatyam.com so they can send you the audition packet. Please visit www.timelessnatyam.com for more information.

(5) TiE-DC Special Networking Event: Krish Prabhu, CEO of Tellabs, March 14, 2006, 6:30pm

Krish A. Prabhu is the Chief Executive Officer of Tellabs. Tellabs designs, develop, deploy, and support solutions for telecom service providers in over 100 countries. Tellabs services the wireline, wireless and cable/MultipleSystem Operators Markets. Krish started his career at Bell Laboratories as a member of technical staff. He was worked at a variety of large technology corporations in an array of executive management positions. He has served as Sr. Director of R&D for Rockwell, VP of Business Development and Chief Technology Officer at AlcatelNetwork Systems, President of Alcatel Broadband Products for Alcatel Europe and CEO of Alcatel USA. In 1999, Krish was named Chief Operating Officer of Alcatel Telecom.    

DATE: March 14, 2006

TIME: 6:30-9:00pm                   

COST: $55.00 (non-TiE-DC members); $35.00 (TiE-DC Emerging Entrepreneur Members)

LOCATION:  Towers Club Tysons Corner, 8000 Towers Crescent Drive, Suite 1700, Vienna VA, 22182

RSVP: For more information please contact Steve Thomas at 703.310.4207 or iceo@tie-dc.org

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Do you have ideas, suggestions or questions? E-mail: info@netsap.org