P.C.S. Chicago celebrates:

Seventh Annual “Punjabi Youth Graduation Night,”
&
“Rangla Punjab 2007”Awards Night

Chicago, USA
Rajinder Singh Mago
P.C.S. of Chicago

Chicago: Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago organized it's seventh annual “Punjabi Youth Graduation Night” on Sunday, June 10, 2007, at Viceroy of India Banquet Hall, Lombard, Illinois. More than 300 community members attended the celebration. The night was to honor the class of 2007, both high school and college. The celebration included recognition awards, keynote address, delicious dinner, DJ music, and Bhangra music dance party. Mr. Paul Chawla of The Chawla Group, Ltd., Attorneys and Counselors at Law and wife Mrs. (Dr.) Jasmine Singh were the chief guests.

PCS Scholarship of $1000 to a college bound high school graduate was won by Jojhar Singh Bagri, who graduated from Barrington High School in Barrington, IL. The scholarships and the Graduation Night celebration was sponsored by Dr Robert Singh, Dr Surjit S. Patheja, Western Union, Onkar Singh Lall, Surinder Kaur Singh, Abraham Haque, and Surinder K. Jain of Viceroy of India.

The scholarship was presented by Dr. Jim Treleaven, President DeVry University Chicago Metro Campus.

The Keynote Speaker Dr. Darsh T. Wasan, Vice President Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), motivated the graduates to pursue excellence in everything they do, to learn many skills and languages and experience education abroad.

Dr. Darsh Wasan and Dr. Rupinder Kaur Kular handed out PCS certificates of honor to the class of 2007.

Student Speaker: Rubinder Kaur Lall who graduated from Loyola University Chicago, enumerated her experiences as a student and encouraged the new graduates, to work hard and have fun as you go along.

“Follow your dreams, but rely on past experience of elders,” said Taran Paul Singh Chawla, the chief guest who also is PCS legal advisor. “Do not allow society to give you an excuse to forget your faith,” he added. Mr. Chawla also stressed determination and deep commitment for education.

Mr. Paul Chawla announced among a thunderous applause that he and wife Mrs. (Dr.) Jasmine Singh will fund one PCS scholarship per year for the next ten years.

The acting Counsel General of India in Chicago Honorable Jagdish Rai congratulated the graduates for their success and P.C.S. for promoting the noble cause of education. Honorable Rai also presented awards to the guests of honor.

“I think this event is an excellent community service opportunity to promote education among next generation, I urge all the community to support such PCS Chicago projects,” said Dr. Harbans Lal of Arlington Texas who was a special guest at the event along with Narinder Singh Bhullar editor Punjabi Tribune, Chandigarh India.

"The purpose of this program is to celebrate achievements, and encourage our community youth towards higher education. Functions like this will help form support groups, and social networks," said Bhinder Singh Pamma P.C.S. president.

“This event is also to honor all the performing artists of "Rangla Punjab 2007," a Vaisakhi cultural program, for their participation, hard work, and dedication to promote Punjabi culture and performing arts,” said Balwinder Singh, the PCS chairman who also presented the awards to PCS officials.

The “Rangla Punjab 2007” participants were given trophies by guests of honor Dr. Navdeep Kaur Sandhu PCS ex-chairperson & Harjinder S. Sandhu of Sandhu Petroleum, Dr. Hargurmukh Pal Singh, Dr. Jaspal Singh, Lovedeep Singh Dulat, Jasbir Singh Sahota, Harcharan Singh Sidhu, Bhagwant Kaur Sidhu, and Prof. Jagindar Singh Ramdev.

Three $1000 each DeVry University tuition scholarships are still available through PCS to qualified students who already have or are planning to apply to DeVry University at Chicago, Addison or Tinley Park campus. Contact PCS to apply for the scholarships. Last date is October 15, 2007. If you have not already applied to DeVry, contact Alice V. Dungey to schedule an admissions interview. 773-697-2242.

The DJ music was provided by Rishpal Singh of Sunshine DJ. The photography was by Indermohan Singh of Sikh TV.

The program was organized by Sunny Kular, Bhinder Singh Pamma, Baljeet Kaur Sangha, Parminder Singh Ghotra, Amarjit Kaur Atwal, Ronny Kular, Onkar Singh Sangha, Mohinderjit Singh Saini, Thakar Singh Basati, Sukhmel Atwal, Paul Lail, Jeetu Kaur, Kirpal Kaur Lall, Kevin Atwal, Jaspaul Saini, and Rajinder Singh Mago.

Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago's next event is Basketball Tournament on July 14th. 9am-7pm at Birchwood Park in Palatine, and the13th Annual “Punjabi Sports Festival 2007,” on Sunday, July 15, 2007, 9:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. at Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Avenue, near Devon Ave. in Chicago.

The 6th annual “PCS Chicago International Bhangra and Gidha Competition” is on October 27, 2007.

The Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago is a not-for-profit community organization devoted to promoting education, good citizenship, Punjabi culture, language, performing arts, healthy life style, and sports in the metropolitan Chicago area.