Greetings BANA,

It is with great excitement and humility that I write this first letter to the BANA community. Some of my fondest memories growing up were attending BANA. The two years between each BANA felt excruciatingly long -- I couldn’t wait for a fresh trip to a new city, a time to catch up with old friends, meet new friends and participate in some youthful shenanigans.

While my parents enjoyed going to BANA to keep a connection with friends and family from the motherland, I enjoyed bonding with Bunts who shared the experience of being first generation Indian-Americans. I am increasingly of the conviction that community and real human interaction is important in this age of ever-growing isolation.

Nevertheless, we recognize that for BANA to continue to thrive, we need to remain relevant to the needs of its members. With that in mind, we revamped our on-line presence with fresh takes on the website, BANAvani and social media.

The Tri-State area has a proud history of hosting BANAs and we hope to build off the success of those great events. Our New York-based executive team is focused on continuing that tradition for years to come. We have assembled a talented team that is committed to keeping BANA fresh and vital.

We recognize that we are stewards of a great tradition. We want to hear what is important to the community at large. Please share your suggestions and thoughts as we endeavor to keep BANA as relevant for future generations as it has been for the past.

Warm regards,
Ashish