Rajatam celebrates 25 years of India Heritage Club

A woman performs during the 2017 India Night.

Rajatam means silver in Sanskrit, a play on the student club’s silver anniversary.

“IHC is one of the oldest student-run cultural clubs at St. Cloud State. It’s a milestone achievement,” said club President Riya Patel of the anniversary. “Our predecessors have year after year made the event a huge success and this year the pressure is on to live up to all those previous achievements.”

Rajatam features an action-packed show with groovy Bollywood dances and a medley of performances with folk dancing and nostalgia. The show will take the audience through 25 unique aspects of India she said.

The entertainment will be accompanied by a meal of Indian favorites including vegetable dishes, entrees and dessert.

India Heritage Club has been living its mission of bringing India closer for Indian students studying at St. Cloud State and for the larger St. Cloud and Twin Cities communities since forming with just 15 members in the 1993-94 school year.

The aim then was to help students studying here and missing festivals and family get-togethers feel more at home by celebrating those important events together and sharing Indian culture with their fellow students.

Unlike other student groups, our club is open to anyone who wants to learn about Indian culture, values, traditions and beliefs, said Dipika Pillay, Indian Heritage Club vice president.

Today the organization averages about 100 members each year and serves students from Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Trinidad and Tobago along with students from India.

Indian culture is an interest for many people all around the world because of the large fan base of the Indian film industry. The Bollywood industry produces the most films annually of anywhere in the world. The films are popular throughout Central Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South Central Asia.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to learn about Indian culture,” she said of being part of the club or attending an event. 

In addition to putting on India Night each fall, the India Heritage Club hosts a welcome party for incoming students, a Bollywood Night each fall and a dance dedicated to peppy numbers and Holi, the festival of colors, each spring.