ELINEPA’s Annual Indian Dinner 2018
The Hellenic-Indian Society for Culture and Development (ELINEPA) organized its annual Indian Dinner on Sunday, May 27, 2018 at Royal Indian Chef Restaurant in Athens.
The Guest of honor, H.E. Ms. Shamma Jain, Ambassador of India to Greece, thanked the attendees for their love for India and Indian culture and expressed the willing to contribute to the further improvement of Greek-Indian cultural relations by organizing an Indian cinema festival and by supporting the translation of books from Indian languages into Greek and Greek to Indian languages. She also referred to the upcoming visit of the Honourable President of the Republic of India to Greece and its importance for the further improvement of bilateral relations between the two countries.
President of ELINEPA Dr Dimitrios Vassiliadis and Gen. Secretary Mr. Anthony Papadopoulos with members of the Board of Directors, First Secretary of the Embassy of India Mr. Ram Gopal, President of the Hellenic Yoga Association Mr. Aris Karagounis with members of the Board of Directors, President of the Greek-Indian Association for Culture and Welfare Mr. Maghar Gandhi, President of the Indian Entrepreneurs in Greece Mr. Ramesh Kumar Basra, the Director of the Artistic Studio Oriental Expression Ms. Alexandra Vafideadou, the President of ISKCON Greece Mr. Michalis Deligiannakis, the President of Art of Living Hellas Ms. Judi Miles, President of Nectar of Love Mr. Dimitris Mexis, Film Director Mr, James Mimmikos, President of the Greek-Chinese Friendship Association Dr Stratos Soubasakis, Representative of the Lefkadios Hern Association in Greece Mr. Takis Efstathiou, men of letters and arts, university professors, lawyers, businessmen, teachers of yoga, musicians, students of Indian languages, philosophy and culture as well as other friends of India attended the dinner.
The cultural program started with traditional Indian songs performed by Kostas Kalaitzis, accompanied by Giorgos Mitsikaris in tabla. who also played a solo bansuri flute. Mihalis Deligiannakis (Namasankirtan Das) followed with his wife Tatiana Kesari (Vaishnava Seva Devi Dasi) who sang devotional songs (bajans) from the Vaishnava tradition with the accompaniment of three traditional Indian musical instruments, “khartal” (cymbals), “mridanga” (drum) and “tabla” (drum). Popular Indian singer Nadi Nadia Zahoor sang a classic song from Bollywood cinema and a Greek adaptation of Voula Palla. Finally, Vedic hymns for health and well-being were chanted by Dimitris and Ioanna Mexis as well as by the student of the Sanskrit language Alexandros Papagrigoriou.
The menu was pure vegetarian from the rich Indian cuisine.
The dinner was followed by a lottery with prizes from our sponsors:
Rigas Apartments, Achladies Skiathos
M. VELIDOU & ASSOCIATES OE – Artistic Creation
1st Bollywood Dance Academy Greece
Shakti Yoga Studio, Mets
Alexandra Sagana – DXN Hellas
Photo: President of ELINEPA
