DC Area College Students Show Moves for Pratham

Local university students have found a way to combine their enthusiasm for dance while supporting child literacy in India.

Organizers of Maryland Masti, an annual intercollegiate garba/raas competition hosted by students at the University of Maryland, College Park, have selected Pratham as their charity of choice for a second year in a row. Proceeds from the 2019 competition, to be held on February 19, will again be donated to Pratham. Eight teams competed in this year’s Masti, which aims to spread awareness about the traditional folk dances from the Indian state of Gujarat, with UConn ThundeRaas taking top honors followed by Rutgers Raga and HooRaas from the University of Virginia.

Surya Radhakrishnan, a director of the club, said that she and the other organizers appreciate what Pratham stands for and did not hesitate to continue their support in 2019: “After going to Pratham’s gala last year, our organization’s excitement for the cause grew. As we spread our culture and our passion for dance through our annual competition, we also want to spread awareness about Pratham. We hope that by doing our part now, one day in the future, every child will have access to a quality education.”

Similarly, organizers of the University of Virginia’s East Coast Showdown have also agreed to support Pratham for a second year. The garba/raas and bhangra dance competitions give students the opportunity to show their talent while promoting the rich and vibrant culture of South Asia. This year’s inaugural event included 14 bhangra and garba/raas teams from California, New York, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland and, of course, Virginia.

Learn more about how you can take action for Pratham.