South Asian Student Association

"The South Asian Student Association (SASA) is an undergraduate student organization at William & Mary dedicated to promoting cultural identity, unity and awareness in the college community and among its members. It is one of the College’s multicultural organizations, consisting of members with heritage from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other South Asian countries, and members with an interest in learning about South Asian culture. The South Asian Student Association was previously known as the Indian Cultural Association (ICA). ICA was founded by students Abita Sachdev (‘93) and Raxa Desai (‘92) in 1991. ICA was renamed SASA in 2002 to better represent its members.

Main Objectives of the Organization

Educate the William and Mary community about South Asian heritage through educational, charitable, and social events 
Encourage students to learn, experience and continue South Asian culture 
Present forums to address critical issues that pertain to South Asian students living in the United States 
Provide a nurturing and positive atmosphere for members of the College community interested in learning more about South Asian culture

Executive Board and Membership

1991 – 1992 

32 members

Co-Presidents: Abita Sachdev, Raxa Desai
Treasurer: Soumya Viswanathan
Secretary: Saroj Sheshadri
Publicity Chair: Brian Caton
Social Committee: Shefali Sharma, Nadini Koka

1992 – 1993

42 members

President: Abita Sachdev
Vice President: Soumya Viswanathan
Treasurer: Fiasal Riaz
Secretary: Shawn Sharma
Asian Student Union, Representative: Nidhi Singh
Publicity Chair: Saroj Sheshadri
Social Chair: Jaya Chimnani

1993 – 1994

  28 members  

1994 – 1995

  57 members 

1995 – 1996

61 members

  President: Dharmesh Vashee 
Treasurer: Rafay Alam
Secretary: Harshad Daswani
Publicity: Sarah Watson
Asian Student Union, Representatives: Kaustuv Chakrabarti, Crisha Chachra
Social Chair: Nisha Rao

1996 - 1997

83 members   

1997 – 1998

  58 members   

President: Maria Igbal
Vice President: Arti Shah
Secretary: Taha Haidermota
Treasurer: Pamela Kanal
Publicity: Gazala Ashraf, Rabia Tajuddin
Historian: Sarah Watson

1998 – 1999

President: Kulwant Singh

2001 – 2002 

President: Davina Vaswani
Officers: Hamza Azim, Joshbeen Grewal, Martha-Alice Kiger, Nirav Mehta, Kishor Nagula, Nisha Patel, Rehana Raza, Amola Shertukde

2002 – 2003

President: Harsha Nagaraja
VP: Rehana Raza
Secretary: Nisha Patel
Treasurer: Palak Oza
Publicity: Dnyanesh Kamat
Historians: Nirav Mehta, Ahsan Iqbal
Webmaster: Devang Patel

2003 – 2004

President: Davina Vaswani
VP: Harsha Nagaraja
Secretary: Amol Patel
Treasurer: Palak Oza
Publicity Chairs: Amola Shertukde, Vivek Ramakrishnan
Webmaster: Devang Patel
Social Chairs: Neha Patodia, Richa Gandhi, Historian: Shivani Desai
Freshman Rep: Nadina Perera
Webmaster: Devang Patel

2004 - 2005

President: Etaf Khan
VP: Shivani Desai
Treasurer: Richa Gandhi
Secretary: Amol Patel
Social Chair: Meera Doraiswamy
Public Relations: Akshay Jakatdat, Krishnan Vasudevan

2012 – 2013 

President: Prateek Reddy ‘13
Vice President: Pratik Thakral ‘13
Secretary: Nuha Naqvi ‘15
Treasurer: Sitara Sundar ‘15
Social Chair: Konark Bhasin ‘14
Public Relations Co-Chair: Hareesh Nagaraj ‘15
Public Relations Co-Chair: Shyam Menon ‘14
Historian: Sonia Talegaonkar ‘15
Outreach Chair: Soumya Tippireddy ‘15
Freshman Representative: Sudeep Kalkunte ‘16
Expressions Co-Chair: Deepak Chitnis ‘13
Expressions Co-Chair: Richa Patel ‘15
NKD Co-Chairs: Harmeet Kamboj ‘16, Bindu Sagiraju ‘15

Annual Events

Expressions

Expressions is SASA's largest annual performance and entertainment night which occurs every year in the fall semester. ICA began hosting the Expressions Night to celebrate Indian culture with Indian food and entertainment. SASA expanded Expressions Night to include celebration of cultures from South Asia in 2002.

1994 – “Expressions of India: An Evening of Indian Food and Entertainment” on Oct. 22, 7 p.m. in Tidewater 
1996 – “Expressions of India: An Evening of Indian Food and Entertainment” on Nov. 9, 7 p.m. in Chesapeake 
1997 – “Expressions of India: An Evening of Indian Food and Entertainment” on Nov. 15, 7 p.m. in Trinkle Hall 
1998 – “Expressions of India: An Evening of Indian Food and Entertainment” on Nov. 7 in Chesapeake 
1999 – “Expressions of India: An Evening of Indian Food and Entertainment” on Nov. 12 in Chesapeake  
2001 – “Expressions of India: An Evening of Indian Food and Entertainment” on Nov. 9 
2002 – “Expressions: A Celebration of Cultures from South Asia” 
2007 – “Expressions: A Balancing Act” 
2011 – “Expressions: The Princess and the Frog Goa Edition” on Nov. 11 in Commonwealth

Nach Ke Dikha (NKD)

Nach Ke Dikha is an annual intercollegiate Bhangra & Fusion Dance Competition hosted by SASA and William and Mary. SASA began hosting NKD in 2011.

Material in the Special Collections Research Center

Guide for conducting research related to the College of William & Mary
South Asian Student Association in the SCRC database.
The Flat Hat student newspaper; search the index available in the SCRC by person's name, student group name, event, or topical heading
Colonial Echo yearbook at [1].

References

http://web.wm.edu/so/sasa/?svr=www, South Asian Student Association website, accessed on 4/6/2009.
NKD website

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Questions? Contact the Special Collections Research Center at spcoll@wm.edu or 757-221-3090, or visit the Special Collections Research Center in the Earl Gregg Swem Library at William & Mary.

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The information available in this wiki is the best available from known documents and sources at the time it was written. Unfortunately, many of the early original records of William & Mary were destroyed by fires, military occupation, and the normal effects of time. Information in this wiki is not complete as new information continues to be uncovered in Swem Library's Special Collections Research Center and elsewhere. Researchers are strongly encouraged to use the Special Collections search tools for their research as the information contained in this wiki is by no means comprehensive.

South Asian Student Association

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