Atlanta, GA, October 7, 2022: Greater Atlanta Telangana Society celebrated their annual event Bathukamma and Dasara Sambaralu on October 2, 2022 at DeSana Middle School, Atlanta.
Bathukamma is a floral festival celebrated predominantly in Telangana, India. GATeS has been celebrating Bathukamma for the last 17 years in Atlanta. With every passing year, GATeS has been setting a new standard for Bathukamma celebrations with memorable events.
The festival began with the lamping of the light with EC, BOD, Founding Members, Past Chairmen and Presidents and their families, followed by cultural activities.
GATeS EC, BOD Team, especially cultural Secretary, Naveen Battini worked diligently with local artists to perform wonderful Bathukamma folk songs focused on bringing out the true importance of the festival and the bounty of Telangana’s nature.
Folk singer Mallika Swaram performed songs and played the Dappu (drums).
The MCs Mana TV Anchor Lavanya Guduru started the celebrations, with several local artists and singers taking part. Mallika, KT Sravanthi, Shruthi Layalu Music Academy were applauded for their musical performances.
Dance performances were by Neelima Gaddamanugu’s students, Garima Dance Academy, Sahitya Dance School, Kinkini Dhwani Kuchipudi Nithyanikethan, A2Z Funtime, Shiloh Besties, Battini Sisters and others. There was a special violin performance by Vishwakteju Pannela and songs sung by Aneesh Gosangari and Veda Gosangari.
Bathukamma immersion happened with a Dappu performance by Mallika which was the highlight of the celebrations. BOD-JyothsnaPalakurthy and Geetha Narannagari Chair of Bathukamma worked with all women groups to prepare Bathukkammas on the special day. Best Bathukamma prize categories in group winners, individual winners, teen winners were awarded as were the sports and games winners, notably the Dasara Sambaralu Tennis tournament 2022 winners.
Lead by GATeS President and Chairman, all sponsors and community leaders were recognized and felicitated.
The Late G.S Reddy (GATeS Founder) Memorial Award was presented to Prabhakar Boyapally for his continuous Support to GATeS and community services back in India. The Volunteer Award was presented to KishanTallapally for his volunteering and dedicated services to GATeS and other organizations in Atlanta.
The award presentation was followed by Gauri Pooja and the playing of Bathukamma accompanied by live singing by Mallika.
Women joined in the live singing and played by clapping their hands and dancing around the Bathukamma, synchronizing their steps and claps in unison to provide a splendorous look to the festivities.
The festivities ended with Bathukamma nimmajanam with live dappu, mangalaharathi and prasadam.
GATeS President Sunil Gotoor, Chairman Prabhakar Madupathi briefed the attendees about GATeS services, Bathukamma & Dasara Sambaralu celebrations and memories of GATeS past years’ celebrations.
They thanked event sponsors Softpath System and reddyCPA, and all generous sponsors splashBI, RAPIDiT, eGlobal Doctors, ABR Productions, Infosmart Technologies, Shekars Realty, Cumming Dental, Symphony Solutions,Your Booking Travel, Veda Dental Hospital, AHP Real Estate Ventures, 27 Cares, SS Lending, eficens, ecovue, Chariot Technology Solutions, screamnuts,KB Zaveree, Universal Roofing, EdGuruAcademy,Dr. DamodharNerellaM.D,Venkat Sattoor Realtor, Sri Kandala Mortgage Loan CoOrdinator,and Individual donors ,Chandu Peddapatla, Dr. Satish Cheti, Dr.VenkatVeeraneni, Ramana Gandra, RamuVenigandla, VijayKumarVinjamara,Madhava Rao Kusum, Dr. Jayasimha Sunku, Dr. Gopal Rao, Rahul Chikyala, Nanda Chatla, Ravi Kandimala, Dr.Vittal Kusuma, Srinivas Varavooru, Vishnu Bysani, Anoop Goguri, Bhaskar Narannagari for their continuous support. Thanked Advisory, EC, Board of Directors, committee chairs, volunteers, singers, dance academies, Photographers and Videographers (SRI Photos), Audio(Trendy Events), Decoration (MadhuRamaEvents)and media partners (TV9, TV5, nri2nri,Mana TV) for their many hours of work and commitment to celebrate Bathukamma and Dasara festival successfully in 2022.
GATeS BOD Jyothsna Palakurthy thanked all the ladies for their support and time spent in making the Bathukammas and who were instrumental in making GATeS Bathukamma signature event successful. The judges were thanked for their participation in evaluating the bathukammas.
Representatives from IFA, TAMA, GATA, TDF Atlanta Chapter, and national organizations ATA, TANA, NATA and TTA attended the celebration.
GATeS has several community service programs locally as well as in India including – Feed the Needy, Monthly Food Drive, Winter Clothes Distribution to the Needy, community Sports, Helpline support, scholarship program, Digital and Lab Material to Government Schools, Support Orphans for education, Yoga – Virtual Classes, Awareness Seminars, Back home –COVID Support and needy projects in rural areas of Telangana.
The GATeS EC & BOD includes: Sunil Gotoor (President), Prabhakar Madupathi (Chairman), Janardhan Pannela (Vice-President), Srinivas Parsa (General Secretary), Sandeep Gundla (Treasurer), Naveen Battini (Cultural Secretary), ChalapathiVennamaneni (Event Secretary), Kirthidhar Goud Chekkilla(Sports Secretary), Ramana Gandra (Technology Secretary), Ganesh Kasam (Media Secretary), RamacharyNakkerty (Director), Naveen Vujjini (Director), KishanTallapally (Director),JyothsnaPalakurthy (Director), Raghuveer Reddy Gudipalli (Director), all Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs and Volunteers – GATeS Team 2022.
