An Annual Vaisakhi Cultural Celebration

PCS News Release: April 12, 2005
Contact: Rajinder Singh Mago 630-440-7730-cell, 708-865-3031-w, 630-377-5893-h

BHANGRA AND GIDHA GALORE AT “RANGLA PUNJAB 2005”:  A COLORFUL PUNJABI CULTURAL SHOWCASE IN CHICAGO

CHICAGO: More than 1500 members of the Punjabi community of metropolitan Chicago and surrounding states celebrated Vaisakhi festival on Saturday April 9, 2005 at Gateway Theater in Chicago. The festivities went on from 7:00 p.m. till midnight. Harjinder Singh and Mrs. Dr. Navdeep Kaur  Sandhu were the chief guests.

Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago (PCS) organized this traditional Punjabi cultural program titled “Rangla Punjab 2005.”  This is the single largest annual Punjabi event in Chicago area that show cases the Punjabi performing arts and promotes talent amongst the next generation of the local community.

“The themes manifested through the expressions at the center stage are to promote performing arts, cultural values, heritage, community building, unity, leadership, the spirit of volunteerism, and philanthropy,” said Dr. Bhupinder Singh Saini, the P.C.S. chairman, who is the founder and chairman of advanced pain management at St. Luke’s South Shore Hospital in Milwaukee Wisconsin amongst many other successful business and financial interests.

“Vaisakhi festival is the celebration of ending of harvest season, and beginning of a new year. For Sikhs Vaisakhi has another religious significance that on this day in 1699 their tenth Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa order,” said Onkar Singh Sangha, PCS president.

Universally popular Punjabi dance Bhangra, Gidha, Punjabi music and songs, comedy skits, and many other items were the highlights of this stage show. Music was provided by “Taal” group of musicians alongwith local young musicians Ajay Singh Randhawa, Iqball Singh Lall and Sukhi Basati.. “Rooh Punjab Di” the award winning Chicago bhangra team, and “Dhamak Punjab Di” the Chicago Gidha team mesmerized the audience. “Khatiyaan Mithiyaan” a satirical comedy skit kept the audience rolling in laughter.

Bhinder Singh Pamma, Vice President of P.C.S. welcomed the audience. The program was emceed by, Jasbir Singh Palia, Jagmeet Singh, Manjit Singh Gill, Thakar Singh Basati and Amarpal Singh Matharu. Rajinder Singh Mago, PCS past president, coordinated the back-stage activities assisted by Kevin Atwal, Baljeet Sangha, Jaspal Saini, Harbir Virk, Kulwant Lall and many other volunteers. Mr. Mago also introduced the guests of honor, and sponsors who were given awards by the chief guest Harjinder Singh Sandhu and the PCS chairman Dr. Bhupinder Singh Saini of Milwaukee.

Honorable counsel general of India Arun Kumar, John Miller of Asian American Coalition, and Baba Daljit Singh were amongst the honored guests.

Punjabi Heritage Organization officials were honored on the stage by PCS, and PCS managing director Paul Lail and the presidents of both the organizations declared that this year P.C.S. and P.H.O. will  jointly organize  “Punjabi Community Sports Festival”  on July 16, 2005, at Busse Woods, Elk Grove Village.

"We congratulate PCS & PHO for agreeing to host a joint Sports Festival. We support this first step towards unity between two organizations in Chicago," said chief guests Mr. Harjinder Singh & Dr. Navdeep Kaur Sandhu.

 “P.C.S.’s objective is to create awareness of Punjabi festivals, and rich culture among our own next generation and also the mainstream community,” said Rajinder Singh Mago, PCS past president, “there is an ample evidence of our success when we see Ajay Randhawa, Sukhi Basati, Iqbal Lall, Sahib Gill, Geena Saggu, Baljit Sangha, Kevin Atwal and many other young people shining at this event,” he added.

“More than 200 local artists young and old participated on stage rendering about 30 items,” said Harwinder Pal Singh Lail, PCS managing director.

“Rangla Punjab show provides encouragement and opportunity to our youth to learn about Punjabi music and dance art forms,” said Mohinderjit Singh Saini, who also sang a song and participated in a comedy skit.

“All the participants will be honored at "Punjabi Youth Graduation Night 2005," an event on Sunday June 12,  2005, at 5 pm at Sher-A-Punjab Banquets at Devon Ave. Chicago, Illinois where "Class of 2005 Graduates" will be recognized,” said Bhagwant Singh Sandhu, PCS managing director.

”P.C.S. will also award $1000 and $500 scholarships to qualified High School Seniors & college undergraduate Punjabi students. Last date to apply for the scholarship is May 8, 2005.

PCS seeks Sponsors for PCS Scholarships and the Graduation Night to be held on June 12^th,” said Harbir Singh Virk.

P.C.S. will be hosting its annual dinner banquet "PCS Night 2005" on November 19, 2005 with it’s fourth annual "International Bhangra Competition" along with a popular singing group.

P.C.S. also announced their "Rangla Punjab 2006" to be held on Saturday, April 8, 2006 at Gateway Theater, Chicago.

The program was sponsored by Dr. Bhupinder Singh Saini, Harjinder Singh Sandhu of Sandhu Petroleum, Mr. Iqbal Singh Randhawa, Vikramdeep Singh, Tri Star Petroleum, All American Bank I.O., Morgan Stanley, Punjabi Heritage Organization, Sher-A-Punjab Banquets, Palatine Park District and Rangla Punjab Organization.

Mr. Kulwant Singh Lall and Rishpal Singh of Sunshine DJ were honored for their outstanding voluntary community services for PCS.

The event organization committee included the following PCS officials and many community volunteers: Onkar Singh Sangha, Jasbir Singh Palia, Bhinder Singh Pamma, Jagmeet Singh, Amarpal Singh Matharu, Yadwinder Singh Grewal,  Vandana Jhingan, Thakar Singh Basati, Manjit Singh Gill, Sukhmel Singh Atwal, Mohinderjit Singh Saini, Harwinder Paul Singh Lail, Bhagwant Singh Sandhu, Sunny S. Kular,  Baljeet K. Sangha, Kamal Battu, Jasdeep K. Sangha, Jaspal S. Saini, Jasbir K. Mann, Kirpal K. Lall,  Harjinder S. Samra, Harminder Heiser Singh, Mrs. Khera, Dr. Amrit K. Gill, Daljit Saini, Surinder S. Bhatia, Pinki Sarangabany, Geena Saggu, Isha Dhingra, Hardeep Singh, Gurpreet Singh Atwal, Rahul Gill, Rishpal Singh, Kulwant S. Lall, Indermohan Singh, Jasbir Suga, Parminder Singh, Kevindeep Singh Atwal, Baljit Sidhu, Ronny Kular and Rajinder Singh Mago.

"Rangla Punjab 2005" DVD will be available from PCS for $10 by hand or $15 by mail.

E-mail: RanglaPunjab@PCSChicago.org
P.C.S.’s 24 hour Punjabi hot line Phone: (847) 359-5PCS, Fax: (847) 359-1107,
Or write to: P.O. Box 1244, Palatine, IL 60078,
E-mail: punjabnews@aol.com, or visit P.C.S. Website:http://www.PCSChicago.org/ 

Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago is a not-for-profit community organization devoted to promoting Punjabi culture, language, performing arts, sports, and healthy life style in metropolitan Chicago area.