Diwali celebrations in Mississauga, Canada Chief Guest Nannapaneni Mohan, Treasurer, TANA Vinoda Lahari by Siva Reddy, Vijayalakshmi & Ruthika 1200 Telugu speaking members attended.
Telugu Cultural Association of Greater Toronto (TCAGT) celebrated DEEPAVALI, the festival of lights, grandly at the Glen Forest Secondary School auditorium in Mississauga, Ontario on Sunday November 16th 2008.
Over 1200 Telugu speaking people from all over Toronto, Mississauga, Windsor, Burlington, Brantford, Waterloo/Kitchener, Brampton, Greater Toronto Area attended the festivities. The programs started at 4 PM and went on until 10 PM.
The Celebrations started with the lamp ceremony by Chief Guest Sri. Mohan Nannapaneni garu, Secretary TANA, Lakshmi Narayana Surapaneni, Regional Vice President, TANA and Chari Samanthapudi, President TCAGT.
Program started with local Telugu talented kids performing Canadian anthem â O Canada.
Chari Samanthapudi, President TCAGT invited and addressed the huge audiences and wished all Deepavali greetings in his welcome speech. He talked and explained about recent incidents that have taken within the association and congratulated the new elected Executive Committee and Board of Trustees.
Tollywood actor and mimicry artist Siva Reddy entertained the audience with his stomach aching comedy and amazing mimicking of popular Telugu personalities. The audience also enjoyed popular playback singer Vijayalakshmiâs songs and a spectacular performance by actress Ruthika.
Vijay Sastry Kotamarthy, Chairman Board of Trustees, TCAGT and Chari Samanthapudi, Secretary TCAGT honoured the Chief Guest Sri. Mohan Nannapaneni garu and other guests with shaluva and memento.
Event sponsors and Volunteers were given mementos by Siva Reddy, Vijayalakshmi and Ruthika.
Attendees enjoyed tasty dinner, made for the occasion, an authentic Telugu bhojanam.
The program concluded with vote of thanks by Sri. Munaff Abdul, Executive Director of TCAGT, followed by Indian National Anthem â Janaganamana.