Manipuri diasporas take part in India Day celebration
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 12, 2013:
Members of the Manipuri Association of Canada (MAC) participated in the India Day Celebration in Toronto, Canada on Sunday, August 10 organized by the Panorama India, a Pan-Canada Cultural Organization for people of Indian Origin in Canada.
According to a statement, the celebration featured a cultural parade in the streets of downtown Toronto and an extravaganza at Dundas Square, Toronto.
A group of Manipuri women from Greater Toronto Area representing MAC in their elegant Phanek and Innaphi participated in the parade and became the attraction of the crowd and the photographers on the street.
In the cultural extravaganza that followed, a group of six Manipuri women (Sujata, Melinda, Sangeena, Sucheta, Sheetal and Seabird) performed the Leima Jagoi (dance) to thrill the audience with a glaring display of uniqueness and elegance.
They proudly introduced Manipur to the multi-cultural crowd.
The thrilled Indian crowd invited the Leima Jagoi dancers to the 2014 celebration of India's Republic Day in Toronto.
The performance of the makeshift assembly of dancers who themselves are professionals and research students in various occupations were close to that of professional dancers.
Joy Chabungbam, the MAC executive member who took leadership in arranging the participation wished for a larger population of Manipuris in Canada to have an indelible imprint.
Meanwhile, MAC has also welcomed the visit of Laishram Nandakumar Singh, MLA, Manipur in an enthusiastic reception party at 955 Townline Road, Whitby, Ontario hosted by Dr Joy Laishram and his wife Chris Laishram on Sunday, August 4. The party was well attended by the Manipuris in the Greater Toronto Area.
Nandakumar spoke about how Manipuris in foreign countries can gainfully help each other and help those back home through exchange of ideas and information pertinent to development of Manipur and its people.
He was very pleased to see a crowd of his own people in a foreign land.
He wanted to see more Manipuris going to Canada in the days ahead.
MAC members also spoke on the occasion expressing their happiness to see a public leader from their motherland touring Canada and the US.
Members presented a floral bouquet, MAC souvenirs and a Memento to Nandakumar.
Dr Raj Singh, Deputy Chair, Board of Directors, MAC while presenting the memento briefed the MLA about the projects, programs and some achievements of MAC and wished Nandakumar and his wife an enjoyable trip and safe journey home.