CHICAGO: The Punjabi Community of Midwest, Chicago hosted a welcome lunch for the newly appointed Indian Ambassador to USA, Navtej Sarna during his first visit to Chicago on April 5 at the Chicago Yacht Club. Dr Harjinder Khaira, Amrish Mahajan and Darshan Singh Dhaliwal were the chief organizers.
Dr Gopal Lalmalani, Mayor of the Village of Oakbrook, was a distinguished guest at the event.
Consul General Ms. Neeta Bhushan, Consul O.P. Meena and First Secretary Manhar Yadav accompanied the Ambassador and they were greeted with flower bouquets by the organizing team. Welcoming all the guests, Dr. Khaira shared Sarna’s experiences and accomplishments with all those present.
Addressing the guests, Sarna stressed the importance for the Sikh community to have a consistent outreach to spread the real meaning of Sikh religion to the world.
Dr Khaira thanked the participants from the various Punjabi Social and Sikh religious societies from all over Midwest that enthusiastically attended the Dignitary Welcome lunch. They were the Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago, Punjabi Americans Organization-Chicago, Punjabi Heritage Organization, Punjab Sports & Cultural Club, Crowne Pointe, the Palatine Gurdwara, the Wheaten Gurdwara, to mention a few.
Navtej Singh Sarna, a Delhi University graduate with degrees in Law and Commerce is a career diplomat having served in several diplomatic capacities in Moscow, Poland, Bhutan, Geneva, Iran and Washington. He is the author of novels ‘We Weren’t Lovers Like That’ and ‘The Exile’ as well as a short story collection ‘Winter Evenings’. His non-fiction works include ‘The Book of Nanak’, ‘Folktales of Poland’ and ‘Indians at Herod’s Gate’.
Bhai Mohinder Singh and Darshan Singh Dhaliwal presented Siropa to Sarna and the event concluded with luncheon.
Asian Media USA