Philadelphia: The Telugu community in America, represented by ‘Mana American Telugu Association’ (MATA), is not only expanding at an impressive pace but has also set the stage for a groundbreaking milestone. In a recent board meeting hosted in Philadelphia under the leadership of Founder & President Srinivas Ganagoni, the ‘MATA’ Board not only celebrated the organization’s swift growth but also unveiled plans for its inaugural annual conference. This marks a significant step in the journey of ‘MATA,’ highlighting its commitment to unity and inclusivity within the Telugu community across America. The Board meeting, hosted at the Crowne Plaza-King of Prussia, Philadelphia witnessed active participation from ‘MATA’ board members.
The board expressed delight at ‘MATA’s rapid expansion, transforming into a recognized entity with a membership exceeding 3 thousand families across 25 cities that counts to 7500 total membership to date. The board attributed this success to ‘MATA’s inclusive approach, aimed at uniting Telugu people irrespective of caste, religion, and regional differences.
Within its short existence of eight months, ‘MATA’ has orchestrated numerous programs throughout America. Board members took pride in the organization’s diverse initiatives, ranging from participating in rare events like the India Independence Day celebrations to conducting health camps in India and USA, Educational Training Courses to the job seekers, Yoga Training for the entire year, Ayurveda Seminars and SAT training classes for youth and many other awareness programs, reflecting their commitment to fostering unity and justice among Telugu communities.
Looking ahead, the board discussed ‘MATA’s future programs, culminating in the unanimous decision to host the annual convention at the Royal Albert Palace in New Jersey on April 13 and 14,2024. Remarkably, the ‘MATA’ board successfully raised $225,000 in the board meeting through their board members to fund this landmark event. Additionally, kick-off events are planned for December 9 in Chicago, December 16 in Seattle, and December 17 in the Bay Area.
The executive team, including Praveen Guduru( General Secretary), Gangadhar Vuppala(Treasurer), Kiran Dubbagi(Executive Director), Tony Jannu ( Joint Secretary), Venkat Sunkireddy(Joint Treasurer), Vijay Bhaskar Kalal ( National Co-ordinator) and other key members Raj Anandeshi (IVP), Sreedhar Gudala(IVP), Srinivas Tatipamula(IVP), Nagesh Chilakapati ( Community Services Director) and Swathi Atluri ( Programs/Events Director) played an integral role in shaping the future direction of ‘MATA’. Advisory Council Members: Jitender Reddy and Pradeep Samala pledged their support towards the board meeting.
Honorary Advisors Dr. Hari Eppanapally, Prasad Kunisetti, Baburao Samala, Venkatesh Muthyala, attended the Board meeting and Jaideep Reddy provided valuable advice to the ‘MATA’ Board Committee.
Leaders from the ‘TANA’ community and members of the ‘AAA’ organization attended the board meeting, expressing their support for ‘MATA.’ Following the meeting, a community dinner was organized, featuring cultural programs and live entertainment from various local singers and Shruthi Sogattur (Padutha Theeyaga) Winner 2023.
All the Board of Directors includes Mallik Bolla, Mahender Naralala, Dr. Saraswathi, Krishnasree Gandham, Pavani Sanam,Ram Mohan Chinnala Pavani Sanam, Vijay Gaddam, Prashantsri Perumbudoor, Yadagiri Reddy across USA presented and supported Annual Convention.
In addition to the active participation of board members, RVPs, Standing Committee, and RCs from various chapters enriched the discussions, making the board meeting a resounding success in charting the path forward for ‘MATA’.
