Central Ohio Bengali Cultural Association

From the handful of members, the group has grown significantly in past years. Every year the group organizes & celebrates several social & cultural events that include Festival of knowledge (Saraswati Puja), Picnic, Fall festival (Durga Puja & Bijaya), and New Year. Each year the participation had increased and we celebrated our roots with greater and greater vigor and enthusiasm.

In these social cultural events our members (adults their children) worked in perfect harmony as a community and produced several astonishing performances of music (vocal & instrumental), dance, musical & theatrical plays or dramas, skits, and recitations.

We also organized drawing competition for the kids. These events served as a platform to promote the cultural awareness through participation thereby enriching the community life by promoting diversity. Our young dancers and musicians now routinely perform in the Columbus Symphony Cadet Orchestra, United Nations festivals, MartinLuther King birthday celebrations, community organizations, different schools, other states and even outside the United States. Every year COBCA had also actively participated in "India Day" celebration organized by Federation of Indian Association (FIA), which serves as an umbrella to all organizations of Asian-Indian origin of Central Ohio. The highlights of "India Day" include Cultural programs, blood donation camps, free medical check up, food and cultural stalls. People from all walks of life benefit from this day long humanitarian program.

COBCA also organized several cultural events performed by internationally acclaimed artists from India. For instance, Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravishankar's niece world renowned folk and contemporary dancer Mamata Shankar accepted our invitation and performed (with her 15-member ballet troupe from India) in Capitol Theatre, Columbus on July 1st, 2000. The show was endorsed by Ohio Arts Council and was covered in several newspapers and other media's (radio & TV). She also received recognition from the State of Ohio, Governor and Key to Columbus from the City of Columbus, Mayor Office. Several other singers, actors, and dancers from India who mesmerized the audiences by their performances also visited us in past 14 years. On August 2, 2003, COBCA presented, first time ever in Columbus, an exquisite evening of grand illusion by world famous magician, P. C. Sorcar, Junior, (with his 30 member troupe) in Southern Theatre. Mr. Sorcar is the eighth generation in his family performing this highest type of illusion successfully, and the only Indian winner of "MERLIN AWARD", the greatest award for the magician's world. Mr. Sorcar's shows in pomp and grandeur were much befitting to the arena of this ancient theatre, and most of his illusions were highly applauded with clapping from every section of the hall full to the brim with spectators. People from all ethnicity, far and near to Columbus enjoyed the show illusion jovially. Even the representatives from Honorable Governor of Ohio and Honorable Mayor of Columbus got on the stage and extended their warmest greetings to Magician Sorcar and honored him.

On June 23rd, 2006 the famous Bollywood singer Abhijeet mesmerized the audiences with his captivating performance. The program was highly appreciated by the local Indian community at Columbus. COBCA has also collaborated with other cultural organizations to produce unique programs in the city of Columbus. For instance, in May 17th, 2003, a cultural evening was organized at Ohio Union Conference theatre. The program comprised of two segments. In the first segment, a "Ekhaney Bangla" (Bengali in US) was jointly presented by COBA & BACO (Bangladesh Association of Central Ohio). In this presentation, an effort was made to pay tribute to the rich heritage of undivided Bengal [During the independence of India, Bengal was divided into two part, the east part became East Pakistan and finally became Bangladesh, the west part "West Bengal" became a state of India]. In the second segment artists from India performed a drama "Braja Sanbad". These famous artists perform routinely in Indian movies and television.

COBCA has also raised funds and donated generously to flood, Tsunami and other natural disaster affected victims in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. COBCA also successfully organized food drive activities and participated in feed the hungry program. Our members had also participated actively in several community service events organized by FIA and other organizations.

COBCA has also formed a cricket team and is actively participating in the Midwest Cricket Tournament. The team was group champion for year 2004 & 2005 and became the tournament champion this year (2006). Teams from West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana regularly participate in this tournament. There are about 150 families/individuals who are members of COBCA. The events organized by COBCA are well participated.