THE
E-Newsletter
May 22, 2008
Report for the Month of May '08
by Swarn Rajpal Chair, Board of Trustees
After more than fifteen years of devoted service to the Bharatiya Temple, Rao and Sudha Chalasani and their daughter, Pushpa,
will be moving to Bangalore, India at the end of this month. The temple has benefited greatly from their hard work, unselfish devotion and service to the community.
The Board of Trustees acknowledges their contributions and wishes them good health, prosperity and peace.
A Tribute to Rao and Sudha Chalasani
by Minal Engineer
Rao has volunteered in many different capacities over the past twenty years.
He always jumps in to help wherever there is a need, solving maintenance issues as well as administrative issues.
Rao was an active member of the Temple Board of Trustees (BOT) from 2002 to 2006.
As Chairman of the BOT for 2005 and 2006, he was one of the main forces behind the Temple expansion project.
He worked on the business plan and with Long Range Planning Committee. He also was an active member of the
fundraising committee and was instrumental in bringing in several large donations from the community. He also worked very
diligently in securing financing for the expansion through loans and bonds.
Rao was also involved in starting Gurukul which has helped to generate income
for the Temple. He worked on the business plan and the financing.
Similarly, Sudha has been a dedicated devotee involved in planning various religious
activities and working long hours to make them successful. In addition, she reaches out to everyone and is always available to help with health
fairs, bone marrow drives and raising funds for natural disasters.
She is always ready to help with decorations for fundraising events
and religious functions and finds time to help cook prasad and serve it.
As Chairperson of the Religious Committee and the Special Projects Committee, she organized many
activities to raise funds for the Temple. She was a leading force in organizing the Bhagvad Katha
by Shri Jeeyar Swami, the Bhoomi Puja by Shri Adhyatamananda, and the Ramayan Katha by Smt. Prema
Panduranga, all of which were well-attended by devotees and raised significant funds for the Temple. Sudha also helped
with the Walk-a-thon project to make it an annual event.
In her own quiet way, Sudha has contributed greatly to the success of the
Temple without ever looking for appreciation for her hard work.
Rao and Sudha have been dedicated devotees of the Temple who have always contributed
generously with Tan, Man and Dhan. They have also been very generous as Maha Daani of the Temple (Donation of $45,000+).
The Temple will miss their energy and devotion when they leave for India on a special assignment through GM.
We wish Rao and Sudha all the best in life and pray that blessings of Lord Lakshmi Narayan shower upon them.
Construction Progress of the New Temple
The hole in the ground is now occupied by a Grand Banquet Hall. The steel frame is giving shape to the Rotunda
with a grand staircase and the Main Prayer Hall. The Classrooms and Connector are apparent, linking the
old and the new buildings. The Domes forming the roof of the Main Prayer Hall are impressive. Very soon, the concrete
floors and roof will be in place. This base structure will take us to the next phase of construction.
The progress of future construction can only be in tandem with funds
collected. The shape and use of the new temple will be dependent on the level of financial support at this critical
juncture. Our goals are to meet the needs of our devotees and to serve our community.
General Membership Meeting
Sunday June 29, 2008
1:30 to 3:30 PM
A meeting of General Membership will be convened on Sunday, June 29 2008
from 1:30 to 3:30 PM in the Multipurpose Hall. The focus of this meeting will be the status of the expansion
project. Reports will be presented by the Long-Range Planning, Fundraising and Finance committees. The Business Plan - 2008 will
be reviewed. There will be ample time for dialogue and discussion. New ideas and support from the attendees
will be solicited. All temple members and persons with interest in the temple expansion are invited to attend.
Thank you
Swarn Rajpal
Chair, Board of Trustees
Phone 248.879.2552 • Fax 248.879.2094 •
www.bharatiya-temple.org
A Non-Profit Ecclesiastical Corporation • Tax ID# 23-7437912