CHICAGO: Indian American Judge Maria Kuriakose conducted the oath-taking ceremony of the incoming Board of Directors of the Indo-American Center at the installation luncheon held at the Center last week.President-elect Narinder (Ned) Gauri along with incoming Vice President Prem Balani and Secretary Ralph Nicholas were sworn in during the ceremony.

Treasurer Sher Mohammed Rajput could not make it to the ceremony.President elect Narinder Gauri in a brief speech highlighted the accomplishments of the Center, described its multidimensional activities in the service of not only the Indian American Diaspora but also other nationalities in a true spirit of human service, in keeping with the best traditions of Indian culture and values.

The outreaching wing of the Center, Narinder Gauri mentioned, served well over 25,000 clients and in the coming years will extend its arms to reach many more needy members of society living in the farther suburbs of Chicago. Jay Luthra, Executive Director of the Center welcomed the distinguished guests and further adumbrated the services offered by the Center to the community.

He acknowledged with gratitude the funding support of major institutions and government agencies like IL Department of Human Services, Veterans Administration, etc. and urged many Indian American institutions and businesses to extend support to continue their yeoman services.Dr Dayal Meshri, an Indian American research scientist and industrialist residing in Tulsa OK., announced a hefty donation of $50,000 to the Indo-American Center.

The Meshri gift is a very important step in the Center's efforts to fulfill its mission of serving the South Asian community in the Chicago land area and will be a big help to the Center's Capital Campaign, said Prem Balani. The IAC Capital Campaign has set up a goal to raise $1.5 million to ensure that the Center has adequate physical infrastructure to fulfill its mission and objectives. The money will be used to renovate the existing building to make it accessible for everyone, and add necessary classroom and office space for the Center's ever expanding programs.

The statue would be installed at a prominent place in the main hall of the Center. Dr Meshri will bear all the expenses related to the making, shipping and installation of the statue. The Center will look after its upkeep.

The Indo-American Center is a not for profit community service organization established to promote the well being of South Asian Americans and immigrants through services that facilitate their adjustment, integration and friendship with the mainstream society, nurture their sense of community, and foster appreciation for their heritage and culture.

Programs and services offered by the Center include Immigration & Citizenship Assistance, Adult Literacy Program, English classes, teach reading, writing, speaking and listening skills besides civics programs, viz., US history and government tutoring, mock citizenship interviews, voter registration to name but a few.

The Center also conducts health seminars, computer literacy classes, basic typing classes, E-mail setup, web browsing, Microsoft Office tutorials and Cyriac D. Kappil Legal Aid Clinic.