East Indian Association Hosts Visitors from India
East Indian Association of Timmins is hosting a dinner get-together for some
visitors from India, which is of cultural, educational and economic significance for
Timmins.
Northern College is in the process of signing an articulation agreement with the
Vidya Prasarak Mandal (VPM), Thane, India, under which the students of VPM
Polytechnic will study their advanced semesters of the Diploma Programs at
Northern College in technical programs like Computer Engineering Technology
and Instrumentation Engineering and Electrical Engineering Technology. The
articulation agreement initiated by Northern College interim-president, Fred
Gibbons, will have a positive impact on the student enrollment at Northern’s
Porcupine and Haileybury campuses as there is a potential for 40 – 60 students
coming from India every year under this program.
Dr. Dulip Nayak and Dr. Prabhakar Kelkar, senior academicians from VPM
Polytechnic will be in Timmins from May 10 to 13 to visit Northern College’s
facilities and meet with faculty and staff in addition to City Officials.
“Vidya Prasarak Mandal is a respected Technical Institute in India whose
graduates are in great demand in a country whose economic competitiveness
has become one of the most dominant on the globe. Northern College is pleased
to partner with this institution to provide access to training in some of our
advanced technology programs. This is good exposure for our students, our staff,
and the community as we broaden our appreciation of other cultures and in our
own right increase our own global competitiveness. Post secondary education
today knows no boundaries; and we would certainly encourage our own students
to seriously consider incorporating an element of international study within their
own education plans”, said Fred Gibbons, interim- president of Northern College.
East Indian Association of Timmins will be hosting a dinner get-together in honor
of the visitors at 6pm, Sunday, May 10 at Northern College cafeteria. The
function will be attended among others by, Fred Gibbons, interim-president of
Northern College, Peter McLean, Executive Regional Director, South Region,
Carol Halt, Chair, Board of Governors, and Mayor Tom Laughren. Members of
the East Indian Association will be organizing a potluck dinner.
“Northern College works very closely with the community. It is important for
Indian students to feel at home away from their homes and families. Timmins is a
friendly and welcoming community. As a member of the community, East Indian
Association will provide all the necessary support to Northern College to facilitate
this articulation agreement.”, says Raj Mohanty, President of the East Indian
Association and Professor of Marketing at Northern College.
During the dinner get-together, there will also be a Yoga presentation and
demonstration by Yogi Bharadwaj, the well known Yoga expert from the Toronto
Yonge-Bloor Yoga Centre. Yoga is an ancient Indian holistic process that cures
many common physical ailments like Diabetics, Hearts Problems and Obesity.
“The Yoga practices that we currently see in Canada and USA is not true Yoga.
People think that Yoga is some sort of a physical exercise like aerobics, which is
not true. I am here to show people what true Yoga can do for you. It is a
simplistic process, but can bring revolutionary impact on the health of your body
and mind”, says Yogi Bharadwaj.
“We are exploring the possibility of starting a Yoga Centre and Ashram in
Timmins that will serve the entire Northern Ontario. I believe there is a great
potential for Yoga practices to be incorporated into the student life at our
educational institutions to develop the mental, spiritual and intellectual resources
of our students, which forms the basis of a strong economy”, says Raj Mohanty.