North Carolina Bengali Association

The general body meeting of the NCBA was held on March 28, 1999, at Duke International House. The program dates for the year have been decided as follows:

Rabindra-Nazrul Sandhya	June 12, 1999
Bengalee Night	July/August (TBA), 1999
Durga Puja - Bengali Style	October 9, 1999
Durga Puja - Hindu Temple	October 17, 1999
Vijaya/Picnic	October 30, 1999

A policy was adopted regarding donation to a charitable cause and/or sponsorship of cultural programs: 50% of the total expense of NCBA in 1998 will be kept in an "emergency" fund for the expense of the organization in 1999. The rest of the money, if any, will be considered for the above causes at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

As you all are aware, the ASHA project promoting education in rural West Bengal has been considered for donation. The NCBA seeks your one-time, tax-deductible contribution for this cause. Please make check payable to NCBA and write ASHA on the check. Your contribution should reach Arup Roy, (contact NCBA for address), by May 15, 1999. For more information, please contact Paula Banerjee at banerjee@wfubmc.edu.

The NCBA is pleased to sponsor a platform for fund-raising for the Jagadish Bose National Science Talent Search Foundation in India. The JBNSTS organization identifies, rewards and nurtures talent in science and technology fields among the graduating high school seniors in eight northeastern states in India including West Bengal. Mrs. D. Sen, the Director of JBNSTS, wishes to meet you all on April 18, 3-5 pm, at Duke International House (direction next page), to explain the JBNSTS activities in details. The session is free and all are welcome. For more information, please contact Rudra Dutta at rdutta@eos.ncsu.edu or visit the web site at: http://www.geocities/com/Athens/Troy/8983/.

The NCBA is also pleased to sponsor a Kathak dance program by the renowned dancer Ms. Amita Dutta on July 10, 1999. The venue will be decided upon later and will be communicated to you. The tickets will be sold for the event at a minimal price; this win act as a fund-raiser for the NCBA. For more information, contact Anindita Sen at sen31@hotmail.com .

Annual memberships contributions are due for 1999. If you have not already done so, please mail the enclosed form and the check to Arup Roy, as above.

NCBA would like to get all Bengalees and the friends of the Bengalee community to be involved in all of our functions. We would also appreciate your comments on how to improve NCBA. We need your moral and financial support.

Directions to Duke International House