Winter-Spring 2010

President’s Corner:

Hi Everyone,

We are now in a new year - 2010. For MSADA, it is not just a new year but the beginning of a new chapter in our history.

For the first time in its history, MSADA is proud to host an exciting social event on April 17th to celebrate the Sri Lanka
New Year. And we invite you all to join us and learn the meaning of the 'Aluth Avurudha' and Sri Lanka traditions.

Click the Sri Lanka New Year Flyer - "EARLY BIRD" Ticket Deadline April 7th 2010

We plan to host two presentations on April 11th at Gallaudet. Dr. Vicki Shank, a Gallaudet professor, and her husband
Barry Harlan, a retired teacher, will share their experience working in school for the deaf in South India. MSADA's own
Madan Vasishta will share his experience doing volunteer work in India in January and February. Exact time and site
for their presentations will be posted on our website.

The annual Diwali & Eid that MSADA organizes each year was celebrated in collaboration with Global Reach Out (GRO)
last November 2009. It was successful. It was a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the culture.

From an awesome Sri Lanka presentation (September 2009) by Tissa Peiris and Shamila McCluskey, we raised some
funds, a portion of the proceeds will go towards the Sri Lanka Deaf community.

As we promise every year, we want MSADA to succeed – we are inspired by your dedication, passion and continued
commitment to MSADA. We certainly appreciate all that you do.

We wish you all a very Happy Spring.

Sincerely,
Ramesh Mirchandani,
President

Paneer Tikka Masala Recipe
(Tofu instead of paneer)

Iris Gomes

Paneer is a soft cheese, traditionally used in South Indian and Middle Eastern cooking. The combination of creamy paneer and crisp peppers, in a spicy tikka masala sauce, makes a quick and easy to prepare vegetarian curry.

Ingredients:

• Paneer
• Green/red peper
• Chopped onion

For Marinade:
• 2 tsp cumin seed
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 5 cloves Garlic
• 3 tsp tandoori masala
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Lime juice
• 1 green chile (whole)

Roast each seeds/garlic above then all are grind with yogurt and some oil for marinade paste

Method:

Cut the paneer into square or rectangle pieces. Fry paneer cubes deeply in oil. Soak them in water after frying.
Mix masala with fried paneer and green/red pepper triangle pieces for overnight or few hours for marinade.
Heat the oil in a dish and stir it with chopped onions, bay leaves, curry leaves, cinnamon sticks, black cardamoms, then add tomatoes.
Add fried paneer cubes, add little water to cook for 10 minutes. The tikka should be red in color. Serve hot with green coriander leaves.

Enjoy!

MSADA is proud to sponsor Anjali Dalal's cause in Nicaragua through a special program at the Richard Montgomery High School. This program will allow her to enhance her understanding of global poverty and its solutions from the ground up and to be a part of the solution. In addition, she will have the opportunity to further her foreign language skills in Spanish.

We at MSADA are glad to be of help to Anjali. Our gift to Anjali would help her achieve her dreams. She would gain skills in interacting with children from a different country. These experiences would be rewarding. The MSADA Board is proud that one of our "children" can accomplish the dream of giving one's time and efforts and sharing one's kindness, knowledge and leadership across countries.

Anjali Dalal is the daughter of Ms. Kamini Dalal, who is an Indian parent and a great supporter of MSADA. Anjali has helped take care of our children at most events organized by MSADA.

We wish Anjali the best of luck and look forward to having her share her experiences with us at a future event.

Pah! Deaf will also be driving! Everything goes well, the country's streets deaf (who can not hear) the car will look Dudhate. Central government is considering giving driving licenses to Bdiron. The Delhi High Court for final decision to the central government has three months. National Association of Dif (NAD), a public interest petition filed seeking to issue licenses is Bdiron. Chief Justice AP Shah and Justice S. R. additional Muralidhar before the Central government said Chandihok Solisitr General Amarjeet Singh. The Government is considering licensing the Bdiron. To grant licenses to others on the road Bdiron lives could be at risk. As far as other countries are concerned, there was special equipment in the vehicles, which we are not here.

Now the government is considering setting up special equipment in vehicles. Government to take final decision on this issue from three months to the court demanded, which was accepted. PIL than 26 countries including India as in many other countries also Bdiron driving license is given.

Interpreting Services in India/Sri Lanka

MSADA is happy to note that the government India and Sri Lanka are recognizing the needs for the Deaf people

India and Sri Lanka have set up the interpreting service for the deaf people. Hooray!

Many Thanks for those who made the tremendous efforts to recognize the needs for the disabled people

MSADA Booth – MSSD Basketball Tournament - Sagar Kothari & Ramesh Mirchandani

On January 23, 2010, MSADA enjoyed a fun-filled day at the Men’s & Women’s Basketball Tournament, organized by the Northern Virginia Club for the Deaf (NVCD),
at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD) on Gallaudet campus.

Zeke who is an active athletic director of the NVCD invited MSADA to set up a food booth at the basketball tournament. MSADA used the MSSD’s kitchen
next to the gym to sell Samosas, Chicken and Paneer pitas and beverages to the fans and visitors at the basketball tournament. MSADA learned to adapt the menu to match the audience's taste. While the attendees enjoyed the Indian entrees, they preferred American food. MSADA's fare of Indian food such as samosas and chicken wraps, however,were not much competition to the regular tournament fare of hotdogs and hamburgers.

It was a learning experience for MSADA, and we now know how to plan for future events by considering who the audience is in order to provide/serve food.
The good news is that the Northern Virginia Club for the Deaf has invited MSADA for the opening a food booth in the future events.

On behalf of MSADA and the MSSD Basketball Tournament, Sagar and Iris contributed the $87.70 to Eve Minton, an employee in Human Resources Services, Gallaudet University, to support the school for the deaf in Haiti during it's earthquake disaster.Also, Apu and Kalpana donated the medical supplies to Eve.

Special thanks goes to Zeke for giving the MSADA an opportunity to enjoy the interaction with NVCD and MSSD folk.

Dr. Madan

Vasishta conducted a group exercises at the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and Deaf Enabled Foundation (DEF), Hyderabad (India) jointly organized two workshops namely the Advanced Leadership Training and the Women’s Leadership Training, on the 1^st & 2^nd of February 2010.

There were about 110 participants for these workshops of which 70 were Deaf men and 40 Deaf women who came from the several cities around India. At the workshop Dr. Vasishta taught the participants about the relevant laws and rights they could exercise to live better lives. Most of women expressed that there was a need for educating women about the laws and their rights providing information on pregnancy, birth and health awareness, and also providing awareness about abuse.

During this workshop, the women shared that they had many complaints to make their parents or schools concerning:

In the