NETWORK OF SOUTH ASIAN PROFESSIONALS (NetSAP-Boston) PICKS NEW LEADERS

December 15th, 2006, Boston, MA - The Boston Chapter of the Network of South Asian Professionals (NetSAP-Boston) held its annual holiday gala celebration and Executive Board Election at News Restaurant and Lounge in the heart of Boston's Downtown on Saturday, December 9th. The event featuring a delicious Indian buffet catered by Dakshin restaurant, music by DJ Bombay and an awards ceremony was attended by over 115 people including NetSAP-Boston's alliance partner representatives, speakers from their past events and sponsors. The response to the event was so overwhelming that quite a few people had to be turned away at the door since the tickets were sold-out.

As people decked up in their best formals and Indian ethnic wear mingled and networked with each other while having dinner, DJ Bombay entertained them with some lively lounge music. A presentation on the television screens in the restaurant showcased a variety of popular NetSAP events from 2006. Later in the evening, NetSAP-Boston surprised their 2006 board members by announcing leadership awards to recognize their contribution to the organization. Raj Melville, Special Interest Groups Chair from TiE-Boston and Ranjani Sehgal, Co-founder of Lokvani gave away the tokens of appreciation. Speaking at the event, Raj Melville said "NetSAP-Boston and TiE-Boston have had a great year in 2006 where we collaborated on several events. I hope we can build on that relationship and collaborate on many more initiatives in 2007."

The new Executive Board is looking forward to continuing the traditions and chapter legacy of NetSAP-Boston as one of the premier professional networking organizations in the New England area. Consisting of many Board members from the past albeit in different roles the election brings a combination of experienced and new officers to the organization's Executive Board.

The group's 2007 officers include: Tushneem Dharmagadda, President; Pallavi Chhabra, Vice President; Vijay Daryanani, Treasurer; Sheila Rajan, Secretary; Sundip Arora, National Liaison; Renee Sinha, Membership Chair; Niranjan Bose, Avni Jhaveri and Aarti Sood as Social Chairs; Kiran Ganda and Swarupa Purandare as Professional Chairs; Manoshi Vin and Usha Govindarajulu as Cultural/Theatrics Chairs; Siddharth Pandit, Community Service Chair; and Vignesh Kuppusamy, Website Director.

Outgoing President Kas Sharma said, "Serving NetSAP-Boston for the last 5 years in various capacities has been a great experience. In the last two years NetSAP-Boston has taken long strides to grow at an amazing pace. We intoduced several unique events catering to Theater, Cultural Awareness, Social and Professional Networking. I wish the new team luck in carrying this forward and building the organization further." Kas will continue to serve as an Advisor to the Executive Board throughout 2007.

Incoming President, Tushneem Dharmagadda who most recently served as the Advisor of NetSAP remarked "I am excited to lead NetSAP in 2007. It is challenging because we need to perform much better and live up to the high expectations of our members and patrons that we set in the prior years. We have established strong partnerships with many organizations in the Boston area including The Indus Entrepreneurs - Boston, our platinum sponsor. By leveraging the strengths of each other, we have taken advantage of the synergy to create events that appeal to a wider audience. My goal next year is to develop these relationships further and build the NetSAP-Boston Brand." Pallavi Chhabra, Vice President, added "The objective of our annual holiday gala was to gather all the NetSAP members together for a night of food, music and fun and to give a taste of the organization to new members. It marked the end of a successful year for NetSAP-Boston and signifies the beginning of a great year ahead. We were also honored to have some special guests present with us on this special occasion."

Holiday Gala set the trend for a successful year ahead for NetSAP-Boston. Number of people signed up for NetIP membership taking advantage of the discounted pricing at the event. The party and socializing continued till late in the night. For more pictures from the event which will be posted soon, visit the NetSAP-Boston website. Promotions for 2007 membership are open till December 20th 2006. Members and patrons are encouraged to send their feedback on the event and enquiries on voluntering opportunities to the NetSAP Board at board@netsapboston.org.

About NetSAP-Boston:Founded in 1995, the Network of South Asian Professionals of Boston (NetSAP-Boston) is a professional, 501c(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving the professional, political, cultural and civic needs of the South Asian community in the Greater Boston area. We seek to unite South Asian professionals, nurture leadership, and build partnerships in the New England area through professional programs, networking events, and community service efforts. NetSAP-Boston is part of NetIP-NA, The Network of Indian Professionals, North America. For more information on events, membership and other initiatives, visit http://www.netsapboston.org/. To learn more about NetIP North America and other chapters in other cities, visit http://www.netip.org/.

Press Release: Social Entrepreneurship Event provides Opportunities to Connect

November 14, 2006, Boston, MA. NetSAP-Boston and TIE-Boston hosted the Social Entrepreneurship panel on November 8th at the MIT Tang Center as a part of the ongoing community events schedule. The event was well attended by close to 70 people who came in, despite harsh weather, to listen to Amir Alexander Hasson, Shefali Sunderlal, Jay Paap and Azad Oommen talk about their organizations work in the different spheres of Social Entrepreneurship.

The panel discussion was preceded by dinner which allowed the attendees to network with these seasoned professionals in the social sector as well as with each other. Fernande Raine from Ashoka , in her inimitable style set the tempo of the discussion by elaborating on Social Entrepreneurship from its inception to its modern ubiquitous form. Amir, Founder of United Villages, talked about developing low-cost wireless technologies that will connect people at the bottom of the pyramid and enable them to access internet. By creating entrepreneurs in villages in Cambodia and India to promote these technologies, Amir's company empowers community with tools for development. Shefali, President of CRY-America, talked about CRY’s work in building sustainable development through dialogue and collaborative efforts with the governments, private sector and people to mitigate children rights violations in India. Jay Paap from Community Consulting Teams (CCT) talked about his organization's efforts in the local Boston area to help non profits build their organizational efficiency by providing voluntary management consultation. Azad, Director of Chapter Development, AIF, illustrated AIF’s efforts in eradicating poverty through holistic approaches to the problems. Each panelist also gave specific examples where their organizations have created impact in different ways.

The overriding theme of the panel discussion was participation in the first step to make sustainable changes to the lives of the people around us. The attendees were enthusiastic to know about different ways through which they could contribute to these organizations. This was evidenced by them staying long after the scheduled time to talk to the panel members. NetSAP-Boston introduced this idea in order to open to its members, the opportunities to contribute to the society and this panel discussion helped to galvanize that effort. Buoyed by the success, this event should be a permanent fixture in the forthcoming years for the NetSAP Boston chapter.

NetSAP-Boston organizes several community service events throughout the year. These events not only provide members the opportunity to contribute to the community but also serve as fund raisers for charities. Some events from the past include the Organic Farm volunteering, Food Bank volunteering and WGBH volunteering.

The organization encourages members and patrons to send their feedback and ideas on various community events to Siddharth Pandit, community service chair at NetSAP @ community@netsapboston.org . If you are interested in volunteering for NetSAP activities or sponsoring any event contact the NetSAP Executive board at board@netsapboston.org

About NetSAP-Boston:
Founded in 1995, the Network of South Asian Professionals of Boston (NetSAP-Boston) is a professional, 501c(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving the professional, political, cultural and civic needs of the South Asian community in the Greater Boston area. We seek to unite South Asian professionals, nurture leadership, and build partnerships in the New England area through professional programs, networking events, and community service efforts. NetSAP-Boston is part of NetIP-NA, The Network of Indian Professionals, North America. For more information on events, membership and other initiatives, visit http://www.netsapboston.org. To learn more about NetIP North America and other chapters in other cities, visit www.netip.org.

Press Release: Communication Skills Strengthened at NetSAP's "Speak with Confidence" Workshop

October 2, 2006, Boston, MA -- NetSAP Boston today announced that its professional workshop event, "Speak with Confidence & Move ahead in your Career", was successfully held on September 21, 2006 in Brookline, MA. The event featured Professional Coach Jean DiGiovanna, who led the audience through a series of exercises designed to strengthen communication skills in the workplace.

DiGiovanna covered situations that young professionals commonly encounter on the job on a day-to-day basis. Scenarios included phone conversations, large meetings, one-on-one meetings such as with one's manager, and conflict resolution. The focus was on communicating clearly and effectively, while maintaining confidence and purpose in delivery. Attendees actively engaged in an interactive discussion throughout the course of the event, allowing theory to be put into practice. Many of the attendees left the event citing a renewed perspective on workplace communication.

Jean DiGiovanna's background includes IT and management consulting. She has also worked with individuals and companies from technical backgrounds, which resonated well with the NetSAP community. In 1998, DiGiovanna founded her own coaching and consulting firm, ThinkPeople, through which she continues to deliver coaching services around a variety of personal and professional needs. For more information, please visit www.thinkpeople.com.

Pictures from this workshop event are posted on the NetSAP photos page at http://www.netsapboston.org/photos. NetSAP plans to organize more workshop events in future that will contribute to the career development of professionals. The organization encourages members and patrons to send their feedback and ideas on various topics to Kiran or Payal, professional chairs at NetSAP @ professional@netsapboston.org . If you are interested in volunteering for NetSAP activities or sponsoring any event contact the NetSAP Executive board at board@netsapboston.org

About NetSAP-Boston:
Founded in 1995, the Network of South Asian Professionals of Boston (NetSAP-Boston) is a professional, 501c(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving the professional, political, cultural and civic needs of the South Asian community in the Greater Boston area. We seek to unite South Asian professionals, nurture leadership, and build partnerships in the New England area through professional programs, networking events, and community service efforts. NetSAP-Boston is part of NetIP-NA, The Network of Indian Professionals, North America. For more information on events, membership and other initiatives, visit http://www.netsapboston.org. To learn more about NetIP North America and other chapters in other cities, visit www.netip.org.

Call for Proposals for upcoming theatrics event

Netsap Call for Proposals for Upcoming Theatrics Event
The theme of this event is "9/11 and its impact on the South Asian diaspora"

With the 5 year anniversary of 9/11, awareness in our community is pre-eminent. Netsap-Boston would like to hold a half-day event in which we invite South Asians to demonstrate their creative work under the theme of the effect and ramification of 9/11 on the South Asian diaspora in at least 3 categories of works:

Literary (prose, fiction, non-fiction)
Visual arts (movement, dance, skits)
Artwork (photography, sculpture, paintings)

We are currently seeking proposals for works in each category. The work can reflect any aspect of the artist’s interpretation or rendering of the impact of 9/11 through a South Asian perspective. This is a chance to highlight your creativity for a good cause as proceeds from this event will go towards charity. Proposals must include the category of work (one of three listed above), explanation of how the work embodies the theme of this event, and description of the how the work will be presented.

• Please limit this description to 1 page and plan for a presentation of your work not to exceed 20 minutes in length
• For artwork, these will be displayed rather than presented. Visual arts should be presented through demonstration or short audiovisual presentation. Literary works should be presented in the format of a book reading.

Due Date: Proposals are due November 1, 2006 (Note: Actual event to be held in January/February 2007 in Boston, MA (details will come later)

Contact: Please RSVP as soon as possible that you plan to submit a proposal by the due date. Then please email proposals and any questions to: Usha (cultural@netsapboston.org). Decisions will take up to 2 weeks. Will be notified by email.

Move Ahead in Your Career: 7 tips for starting a new job successfully

As a prelude to our upcoming professional event "Move Ahead in Your Career", I thought this article in EETimes maybe interesting to those people who have recently moved into a new job. Though this article focuses more on the Dos and Don'ts at a new job, our seminar will focus on the communication techniques in your current jobs that will enable you to get your point across in the best way possible. For more information on the seminar click here Here is the article... To read the original version on EETimes click here 7 tips for starting a new job successfully
Randy Block
TechCareers (08/28/2006 3:07 PM EDT)
Congratulations. You have accepted a new position. All that work in your job search has paid off handsomely. Take a breather. But not for too long as it's time to switch gears. Your next objective is to integrate yourself into the new organization. Here are seven steps to making it happen: Day One: Maintain Old Contacts Start off by saying sending out 'thank yous.' Contact all the people who helped you get the new position. Often people don't make this effort because they feel they'll be in the new job for a long time. But today, when the average American changes jobs every four years, the odds say you're going to change jobs again soon. You need to keep the network alive. Avoid "Big Projects" The First Three Months On your second day, you think: "Here comes a big project! I'll take this one on and really impress them." This is a mistake that many people make in the first three months of employment. It's critical that you acquire knowledge about the system and the people. You cannot comprehend the implications yet of certain decisions you make. Your company isn't going to expect you to know everything in the first couple of weeks. Take your time to learn how things work. Get To Know The Stakeholders These are those people who have a huge stake in your success. And they don't necessarily have a fancy title. Find out who they are. Ask for their support and offer yours to them. Start the bonding process. Identify Priorities And Challenges Most of the world's unhappiness stems from the unmet expectations. Develop a plan that demonstrates how you will address your most critical challenges and the time frames that you expect completion. Communicate this with your boss. Keep An 'Up' Attitude Do not share any concerns or misgivings about the job. Even if your boss appears to be going back on a promise, be careful. So when the boss (or anyone) asks you in the first three months, "how is it going?" the only good answer is "things are going wonderfully." You are still learning. Give Precise Meaning To Your Job When asking for information, listen carefully to the input offered by fellow employees regarding ways to add more value to your new employer. Ask the question 'how was this job done before?' This will give you insight into how you might achieve some early successes. Keep Managing Your Career It's understood that no one is going to watch out for your career but you. Setting vision and long-term goals is critical in the career management process. This certainly comes into play when projects come up. If a project fits into your long term career plans, then do it. If not, then gracefully decline (you are "too busy"). The more proactive you in taking on assignments that help you achieve your career goals, the quicker you will attain them. Final thought: Have fun!

NetSAP provides activities to network & party hard

All work and no play makes professionals a dull lot
By Dermot Whittaker (India New England)

The Network of South Asian Professionals provides activities that bring young South Asians together for professional development, community service and fun. White water rafting trips (above) are part of NetSAP’s schedule.

BOSTON — Where would you rather be? In a conference room on a work night, listening over the struggling air conditioner to every word of advice on getting into business school? Or camping on a cool July night in Maine, sleepless with anticipation of the next day’s whitewater rafting trip on the Penobscot River?

NetSAP Boston — The Network of South Asian Professionals of Boston — is determined that members should have their choice.

The panel discussion “Getting into Top MBA Schools” held on June 22 and the “3rd Annual White Water Rafting at Penobscot River in Maine” trip on July 22 and 23 represent NetSAP Boston’s two distinct faces: one practical and serious, the other fun-loving

Click here to Read more

For information on NetSAP Boston go to www.netsapboston.org

Press Release: MBA Panel Discussion - A Success!

June 22, 2006, Boston, MA -- NetSAP Boston today announced that its MBA panel discussion, "Getting into a Top MBA Program", was successfully held on June 22, 2006 in Brookline, MA. The panel discussion featured a mix of speakers, including alumni from top MBA programs, as well as representatives from Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions and Cambridge Essay Services.

An audience of prospective MBA students heard varied perspectives on the MBA experience, including how to prepare for the GMAT, what to include in a meaningful essay, and how to put together a solid application. After listening to the panelists give thoughts and perspectives on the process, audience members engaged in an interactive Q&A discussion.

Alumni panelists were: Anu Chitrapu, Alumnus, MIT Sloan; Kiran Ganda, Alumnus, Boston College; Al Kapoor, Alumnus, Harvard Business School; Nikhil Mehdiratta, Alumnus, Boston College; and Puja Sehgal, Alumnus, Harvard Business School. Kandace Kukas, Marketing Director, Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, provided information on the GMAT exam, and Sandy Kreisberg, a frequently cited business school admissions expert and founder of Cambridge Essay Services, provided key statistics and insights on acceptance rates and essay strategies and tactics.

As a sponsor of the panel event, Kaplan held a raffle for Kaplan books and additionally provided attendees with a $100 discount on the Kaplan GMAT course.

About NetSAP-Boston:
Founded in 1995, the Network of South Asian Professionals of Boston (NetSAP-Boston) is a professional, 501c(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving the professional, political, cultural and civic needs of the South Asian community in the Greater Boston area. We seek to unite South Asian professionals, nurture leadership, and build partnerships in the New England area through professional programs, networking events, and community service efforts. NetSAP-Boston is part of NetIP-NA, The Network of Indian Professionals, North America. For more information on events, membership and other initiatives, visit http://www.netsapboston.org/. To learn more about NetIP North America and other chapters in other cities, visit www.netip.org.

MBAs ROCKIN EVERYWHERE!!!

Update: This event is on Thursday, July 26th, 2007.
Check event details - Getting Into Top MBA Programs!

As I reflect back on my career endeavors in the past 6 months, while simultaneously humming that Bubba Sparks song in my head.."Booty, booty,.. booty, booty rockin everywhere..", I remembered that the MBA Panel session is quickly approaching us. Everything I wanted to know about MBA options in Boston as well as real-life stories from former students and admissions reps..all at one info session on June 22nd, 2006.

So, this morning I figured I would do a little research of my own. How successful are these "MBA holders"??, there must be great achievers that exist now in society that hold MBAs. I personally admire individuals that stem from both higher education, as well as those that succeed thru determination, drive and perseverance. After a 2 minute search..this is what I found. In my case, I am particularly interested in Harvard, however also found a few things on MIT as well....

FYI: all Harvard Grads from only 1 class, the class of 1979. Try to imagine what some of the MBAs from the past 10 years may strive to become over the next 15 years.

1. US Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, Chao jumped off the corporate track years ago to run the Peace Corps and, later, the United Way of America.
2. Computer technology produced the first famous member of the class well before graduation. Dan Bricklin developed Visicalc, the first electronic spreadsheet for personal computers (this was when he was a student!)
3. In 1978 Clay Christensen became a leading academic voice on managing the stress companies faced from developing technologies.
4. '79 alum and billionaire Meg Whitman runs the world's most successful Internet company as chief executive of eBay Inc. Today, Whitman is probably the most successful self-made woman in American business history.
5. Classmate George McMillan runs CMGI Inc. in Charlestown.
6. Jeff Skilling, the former Enron Corp. president
7. John Thain, who gave up his job as president of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to become chief executive of the New York Stock Exchange
8. Ron Sargent, the chief executive of Staples Inc., came from a blue-collar Kentucky family and went to work as a manager for Kroger Co., the supermarket firm that had paid him to bag groceries as a teenager.
9. Jim Bender, the former chief executive of Aware Inc. of Bedford;
10. Charlie Cuneo, the head of a small New Hampshire manufacturing company;
11. Lisa Churchville, the general manager of WJAR-TV in Providence
12. Corning's Wendell Weeks, earned a Harvard MBA.

MIT MBAs hit headlines:

A former MIT student and computer-publishing magnate, Patrick J. McGovern Jr., and his entrepreneur wife, Lore Harp McGovern, recently presented MIT with a $350 million gift. The donation - trumpeted by newspapers, including the Harvard Crimson, as the biggest in US academic history - occurred mere months after an MIT student-turned-entrepreneur, Kenan E. Sahin, dropped $100 million on his alma mater.

Local news compares Harvard vs. MBA:
"These days, MIT's apples seem to shine just as brightly as Harvard's oranges.

In technology, Harvard is behind in a race led by MIT. Harvard is forging more links with private industry and teaching undergraduates how to be entrepreneurs. It has become cliche, in business circles, to note that William H. Gates dropped out of Harvard to devote himself to Microsoft Corp.
Would Gates have dropped out if he had gone to MIT instead?"

So there you go! If these over-achievers all came from only one class, meaning 26 additional classes have graduated since, then MBAs are truly rockin everywhere!!

Come to our MBA Panel Info Session on June 22nd to find out how you can make your mark in history!

Tuhin

Getting Your MBA - Part Deux

So, the date has been set for June 22nd. The event is going to have a tight theme and provide you with vital insight and information to get your application considered!

We are jam-packed with speakers, so make sure to clear your calendars, from 6:45pm (registration and pre-event networking) to 10:00pm. We will start the discussion sharply at 7:15PM!

Do you have specific areas you want to see covered? We are determining the topics now, so send me your questions (professional@netsapboston.org).

The general areas we will focus on are:
a) Should I get an MBA?, and
b) What strategies and techniques do I need to employ to get into a top ranking school?

We have admissions and financial aid reps from local schools who have a lot to share - Brandeis, Babson and BC. It is unfortunate that HBS and Sloan reps could not join us. The reps will discuss methods of evaluation and provide strategies that are aligned with the criteria used. I would recommend you review the websites of these schools for basic information. This will allow you ask more penetrating questions at the event.

We also have recent alumni from HBS and BC. They will share their experiences with the application process and provide insights into what you should highlight throughout your application, including the essays. They will also tell you what they know now, ie after having completed their MBAs. What do the schools focus on? What kind of experiences do they want to provide their students (and therefore which areas would interest them in your candidacy).

We will round out this information with a discussion on writing essays - always a challenging part of the application. Sandy Kreisberg, a well-known expert in this area, will provide his insights. You can read more about him here: http://world.std.com/~edit/index.htm.

Registration will open in the first week of June. Please contact Jagjit at professional@netsapboston.org with any questions.

Press Release: NetSAP Comedy Mela - A Success!

May 17, 2006, Boston, MA--The Theatrics group at the Boston Chapter of the Network of South Asian Professionals (NetSAP-Boston) staged "Netsap Comedy Mela" at the Comedy Connection in Faneuil Hall in Boston on May 17. It was a successful event with just over 100 people in attendance (a great draw on a weekday nite)! The theatrics group, "Team Masti Boston", practiced for 2 months this spring to stage this event, and their hard work paid off!

The show was directed by Usha Govindarajulu, Theatrics Chair, NetSAP-Boston and produced by Vijay Darynani, Treasurer and Sports Director, NetSAP-Boston. The cast included: Prashanth Cherukuri, Pallavi Gupta, Sarbani Hazra, Raghu Kotrike, John Meehan, Ravi Shahani, and Corey Manning. The crew included: Rekha Chikka, Neesha Tandon, and Raghu Kotrike. Everyone including the director, cast, and crew put in a concerted effort to bring about this fortuitous event.

Corey Manning, a local area comedian, who had gotten a flavor of South Asian comedy earlier this year by performing in Rahul Siddharth's show, hosted the Comedy Mela. The host lead the show and kept the audience going in between skits and standup acts, by juicing up the show with his own standup comedy routines, especially an entertaining headliner with another standup comedian. There were six comedy skits, written by the director, which were spaced between standup pieces.

All acts were well received by the audience who laughed watching skits making fun of online dating, American Express, and airport security. Standup pieces were performed by newcomers to comedy, Masala Mami (Sarbani Hazra) and Roger and Pat (Prashanth Cherukuri and Ravi Shahani). Masala Mami paved a new path for desi female comedians and Roger and Pat gave an extended standup piece from the desi male perspective.

After last year's success of "Bend It Like Auntie", which Usha wrote and produced, she was very pleased by the success of the "Comedy Mela". Her experiment from a play with comedy into a show with comedy skits was a dream come true. She remarked, "All my life, I thought about writing comedy, but I never thought I would have a real opportunity to make this happen and the chance to write some material and stage it was exciting. The addition of standup pieces by the cast made it a solid show. I'm very proud of the cast and crew for their commitment and performance."

NetSAP-Boston was pleased by the success of the event. Vijay noted, "First a resoundingly successful play and now a wonderfully entertaining comedy mela...who could imagine that NetSAP Boston has come so far in such a short time..." Tushneem Dharmagadda, NetSAP Advisor and Web Director, stated "NetSAP Theatrics continued on the success of "Bend it Like Auntie" with a successful "Comedy Mela" this year. The event gave an opportunity to fellow South Asian Professionals to show their talent in standup comedy. We plan to make theatric events an annual feature to promote theater in the community and encourage interested people to join us in this endeavor."

Comedy Mela was sponsored by Kabob & Curry of Providence, Kashmir Foods & Spices and TiE-Boston.

Keep an eye out on their website, www.netsapboston.org, as NetSAP-Boston continues in its effort to support the South Asian theatrics community.

About NetSAP-Boston:
Founded in 1995, the Network of South Asian Professionals of Boston (NetSAP-Boston) is a professional, 501c(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving the professional, political, cultural and civic needs of the South Asian community in the Greater Boston area. We seek to unite South Asian professionals, nurture leadership, and build partnerships in the New England area through professional programs, networking events, and community service efforts. NetSAP-Boston is part of NetIP-NA, The Network of Indian Professionals, North America. For more information on events, membership and other initiatives, visit http://www.netsapboston.org/. To learn more about NetIP North America and other chapters in other cities, visit www.netip.org.

PaintBall Adventure with NetSAP !!!

Its almost summer and time to enjoy some outdoor sports! Join us for an adventurous day at a Paintball field in Tewksbury on Saturday June 3rd.

For those of you who haven't played paintball before, it is a more challenging, high-stakes version of tag, hide-and-seek, or capture the flag. It is a game where you shoot and get shot at and have loads of fun. It is kind of like Holi where you shoot water color using guns, but this is not a game where you will get wet.

Have never played Paintball before?? No problem. Players of all levels are welcome to join the NetSAP Paintball outing.

Throughout the day we will be playing lot of games like Road Kill, Mission Recon, Attack and Defend, and capture the flag. Don’t miss out a day of fun and excitement.

The fee includes Paint Gun, 50 rounds of Ammo (50 shots), Masks and Goggles, Free CO2 refill (to power up your gun) and ALL YOU CAN EAT BBQ!!!

Please RSVP by June 1, 2006

Date: Saturday June 3rd
Time: 8.30 am - 2.00 pm

Location: Action Paintball, Tewksbury MA (20mins from Boston)

Charge: For NetSAP Members: $25
For Non-members: $30

Buy tickets online at www.netsapboston.kintera.org/paintball or www.netsapboston.org/tickets

Please contact Swarupa Purandare at social@netsapboston.org for more information.

Getting Your MBA? Should You Fork Out the Big Bucks?

So, our business school seminar is right around the corner. Have you thought about getting your MBA?!? Should you shell out the big bucks for it? In my opinion, of course you should if you can! In today's highly competitive business world, the MBA can and will make all the difference in your career growth and your lifetime earnings. To state the obvious, some of my friends, who completed their degrees from Haas, HBS, BU, and Babson, talk about the boost the MBA has had on their careers - it matures your career (and paycheck) to another level immediately.

Should you do the full-time program or maximize and do it part-time while working 40 hours per week? Does that make any material difference? Are you after the degree or do you want to create the network too?

Some links for you to review:
http://mitsloan.mit.edu/mba/studentlife/anu.php

http://management.monster.com/articles/mba/
"You no doubt know that having the degree will very likely increase your income over the life of your career, even after you factor in paying back whatever loans you end up taking out. The estimates vary tremendously, of course, but you can expect probably to increase your lifetime earnings by at least several million, even if you don't make it to the top of the corporate ladder."

http://www.forbes.com/2005/08/16/cz_05mba_business_schools_gain_calulator.html

The tentative date is June 22nd, to be confirmed soon, mark your calendars.

Tuhin and I are working to make sure your needs and desires are met (I hope you took that in the right way) as you pursue your career and educational goals, questions are answered, new ideas are generated, energy is created, and encouragement is provided!!

Plan to come by and meet everyone and be sure to say "hello" to us also!

Jagjit

Fireside Chat with Women Leaders Set the Example for Professional Events in 2006

In the past few weeks, several colleagues and friends of mine have asked me when the next Professional event would be...and if would it be similar to the Fireside Chat we had a few weeks ago with Indira Patel, CEO of New England Office Supply, Inc., and Shelley Chhabra, entrepreneur and owner of Shelley Chhabra Indian Bridal. After some contemplation, I realized that the Fireside Chat was a success due to the fact that we didn't target just Indian Professionals, or Indians in Boston (after all, aren't all desis professionals in some way or another..;), but instead we narrowed and targeted a select audience within our NETSAP affiliate..which would be women and minorities that have interest in entrepreneurship , starting their own business, or those that wish to follow through with their dreams...even with obstacles that they may face. In this regard, I see the Fireside Chat with Women Leaders to set the example or "Model the Way" for what I expect our Professional Events to encompass in 2006.

As I mentioned above, and in accordance with the audience that I saw, I would say there was a majority of women that attended, and perhaps a majority of those that recently started their own business, attend business school or come from an accounting/finance background, or have dreams to break away from their current discipline and pursue business. So, if I use this event as an example, here is what I saw. We had a perfect mix of business "entrepeneur types" with those that just were interested in hearing the women leaders' stories, as well as the right number of individuals that were genuinely interested to ask the right questions, keep the discussion moving, and provide entertainment to everyone in the attendance.

Contrary to a monthly happy hr, it wasn't loud, there was no hip-hop music, and the event did not end at last call. It was intimate, educational and enriching, and in slang terms.."chill". Even with the calm environment, networking continued prior to and after the event. There were many individuals that came out of the "woodworks" so to speak..and said "I don't normally come out to monthly HH, but saw this posting on Women Leaders, etc..and it sounded interesting..."
Delxi Fernandez commented "I went to the Fireside Chat meeting and loved it!... The knowledge I gained and respect for all entrepeneurs is priceless...Quote for the day:"Without passion or risk", you'll always wonder whatif".

So the Fireside Chat sets the example by first targeting a select audience, and second provides a special, unique, and different atmosphere to the Happy Hour atmosphere. Calm, relaxed, quiet contrary to loud and busy. There is one more distinction of why the Fireside Chat sets the example.

Well besides the obvious one, discussing a professional topic like business or entrepeneurship, the final particular feature from this event that really sets the example is the fact that there was someone to actually "set the example". 2 people to be exact. 2 Women Leaders led the discussion within a group of eager, inspired, young, desi professionals. By having someone to lead, then modeling the way naturally occurs...mentoring is emphasized....and simply enough, a story is told. Everyone loves stories!! We naturally want to hear of human struggles, trials and tribulations, and success over barriers. In this professional event, we have inherently incorporated mentoring, following a dream (doesn't this always start with a vision anyway??), and ...the big one...leadership.

So I would envision that with the Fireside Chat as an example, we make good use of audience, atmosphere, and leadership (which may be a mentor, a speaker, expert, or prominent figure in our professional society).

Be sure to keep updated with our events list for the rest of 2006. Jagjit and I expect to utilize these 3 features through the course of our upcoming Professional Events.

Tuhin

Press Release- Wine N Greet, An Overwhelming Success!

April 13, 2006, Boston, MA--The Boston Chapter of the Network of South Asian Professionals (NetSAP-Boston) had an overwhelming response to a new event this year “Wine & Greet” organized on Thursday, April 13th. The new concept enables people to make many contacts in a short amount of time. The event was attended by 50 people from the Boston area. Many NetSAP members and non-members RSVPed for this event, but due to the size of the venue, seating was limited. NetSAP plans to pursue this event again in a couple of months.

The setting for this event was at the intimate and cozy Vinalia Restaurant, located on Summer Street in Boston. The entry fee included a complimentary glass of wine and a chance to network with individuals, in a non-traditional manner. The concept of the event was well-thought and was set up in such a way that everyone in the room gets to spend at least 5 mins with each other. The individuals sat across each other and conversed about various interests and topics. A few ice-breaker questions were given to each person to provide ideas for conversation topics. Inbetween coversations, people also got to taste different wines. The event put both "outgoing" and more "reserved networkers" on a level playing field. An after event mix and mingle session ensured that people got to interact more. Everyone came away with meeting new people and building a wider network.

One attendee, Pankaj Gupta, mentioned that he liked the idea of the “Wine & Greet” and that it was “really helpful to establish new connections because the setting compelled people to interact with each other. This is a very good initiative.”

Another attendee, Kiran Ganda, had a few words to say about the event: “It was such a good idea as it really facilitated interaction and introductions. In the past, I have attended a couple of NETSAP events (happy hours) and found it difficult to talk to people because most people seemed to know each other. The Wine and Greet really drew people who a) wanted to meet new people and b) needed a non-intimidating, secure, relaxed atmosphere to do so. I think NetSAP should continue to hold such events where interaction is easy. I would definitely go to another Wine 'n' Greet event”.

Bhairav Mehta, who moved to Boston recently and was attending the event with his wife felt that the Wine 'n' Greet event definitely helped them know more people in the Boston area and build their network.

Pallavi Chhabra, NetSAP Social Co-Chair and the organizer of the event, mentioned that, “Wine ‘n’ Greet was definitely a huge success. It gave people the opportunity to get together in a very comfortable environment. At the end of the event, it was like a ‘big happy family’. Wine ‘n’ Greet was more so targeted towards people who are not very relaxed in talking to others in a regular bar environment but on the other hand are certainly interested in meeting new people. The event drew people closer to one other and built new friendships to cherish! We would definitely like to host similar events in the future. It was a great way to represent NetSAP as a social organization!”

Pictures from the Wine 'n' Greet event will be posted soon on the NetSAP photos page at http://www.netsapboston.org/photos. The next NetSAP event is the monthly happy hour at Caprice on April 27th. A community service event is also planned for April 29th, 2006, Saturday at the Long Island Shelter Farm. Please contact Siddharth Pandit, NetSAP Community Chair, at community@netsapboston.org for more information on this opportunity!

About NetSAP-Boston:
Founded in 1995, the Network of South Asian Professionals of Boston (NetSAP-Boston) is a professional, 501c(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving the professional, political, cultural and civic needs of the South Asian community in the Greater Boston area. We seek to unite South Asian professionals, nurture leadership, and build partnerships in the New England area through professional programs, networking events, and community service efforts. NetSAP-Boston is part of NetIP-NA, The Network of Indian Professionals, North America. For more information on events, membership and other initiatives, visit www.netsapboston.org. To learn more about NetIP North America and other chapters in other cities, visit www.netip.org.

Articles and Information on South Asian Women Entrepreneurs & Business Owners

As our April 20th fireside chat comes closer, I thought you might find these interesting. Some of the articles are on or about South Asian women. Others are about Indian women in general, which highlight some common issues faced worldwide.

Feel free to add more links that you found interesting.

Women business owners have three top goals: to enjoy their daily work, increase profitability, and have the freedom to put into practice their own approach to work. Three quarters (75%) of women attributed importance to having greater flexibility for personal and family life, fulfilling a personal vision, and having more satisfying work relationships.
- Center for Women's Business Research, Capital Choices: Volume 1, What Matters and What Works. September 2005.

The No-Sari Zone: South Asian Women At Work

Top Facts About Women-Owned Businesses

Women Business Owners

Minority Groups Increasing Business Ownership

Developing Women Entrepreneurs in South Asia: Issues, Initiatives, and Experiences

IIM Ahmedabad - A Reflection of the Indian Women in Entrepreneurial World

Microcredit Helps Women Entrepreneurs in India

Investment in Indian Women Entrepreneurs Leverages Economic Growth

Focus on Professional Networking

Event Registration & Professional Networking
NetSAP Boston is increasing our professional networking opportunities. Each event has a 30 minute registration and mingling session at the beginning. This is your chance to talk with other South Asian professionals in the area. I want to encourage you to introduce yourself to everyone! Make it your goal to walk away with 3-4 business cards of people in your field or in a field you are interested in. If you do this and attend the rest of our events this year, you will have increased your network by 30 to 45 people of common interests by the end of 2006!

Our next professional event is on Thursday, April 20th. Please click here for more details.

Informal Discussion, Happy Hour & Professional Networking
Holiday Inn, where we will hold our professional events, has a bar on the main floor. After each event, you will have an opportunity to continue an informal discussion with the speakers. Since you took the time to attend the event, why not spend 45 minutes to an hour more and make a few contacts over drinks.

Please email professional@netsapboston.org if you have any questions.

NETSAP Promotes Social Growth..and I Have the Numbers to Prove It.

It only hit me last month, that a fair portion of my Boston social network (perhaps 15-20 friends) stemmed from an initial meeting at a community or social NETSAP event. The unexpected statistic is that prior to this month when I actually joined as a member and a board member, I only attended 3 events in the past 10 months. And the 15-20 people aren't 20 people that all hang out with each other..actually most of them don't even know each other. I just happen to know them in groups of 3 or 4, or even 2 or 1. Here's my story....

Last July, I relocated here to Boston for work, from the Philly area. My main core of friends have been Philly based, South Jersey/CHILL..hellz ..the rest of Dirty Jersey..Penn Staters..and a plethora of Penn State Desis that now reside in D.C, NYC, Philly, or on the East Coast, and their networks. Moving to Boston for me, was kinda like breaking out of my "shell" (or groups of friends that I was comfortable with). It was in many ways (career and socially), starting from scratch. I only had 2 friends in Boston before moving here. One is still a great college friend from PSU, doing her residency here. The other is a friend of a friend, who is a film director..as you may have guessed..I have still yet to touch base with him.

So as expected, coming to work for the largest employer in the Boston area, there were many many young, single professionals and entry-level college grads that got hired on around the same time. I'm talking in the hundreds to thousands... Several of these guys and girls are some of my best friends here. We have tv/movie marathons during the week, or a restaurant of choice to check out and happy hr socials or apt parties and clubs to attend on weekends. I've had to socialize and network with individuals that have come here to Boston from everywhere from ASU in Arizona, to LSU, to Carnegie Mellon, to Rutgers..actually pick a school, basically anywhere in the U.S. It's like a Technical UN forum. However, with the exception of 1-2 desi friends from work, by the time August came..I really felt deprived of Indian culture and socializing, that I was soo used to back at home, or even at school.

So, the first NETSAP event I attended was Food Bank Volunteering for Greater Boston Food Bank. In summary, it was an easy 4hrs to volunteer on a saturday morning, you were able to pick whether you wanted to move carts, package, or the preferred task..sort..in this case sort boxed or canned foods. My take away was that I met individuals that later became to be friends..in a non-alcoholic environment!! Eventhough, I was still hung over from the night before..it was refreshing to meet new people at a community event, and alcohol didn't play a factor..no expectations, no digits, no thinking "is she into me?, should I ask her out?"..just people there for one common cause, volunteering for the needy. Right away I became friends with 3 individuals (actually throughout this entire blog, I am keeping these people anonymous, but I apologize if it gets confusing by leaving out names). Anyway, since then, the 4 of us meet about 1-2 times a month..it started with one of their Birthday parties at a hot lounge, then we continue now with brunches, or whenever we are available. Although, we all come from different backgrounds and our professions range from medical to engineering to finance, we still keep in touch and make it a point to have a social get together, even if we miss the monthly happy hr (which happens every month), we'll still meet to eat or grab drinks.

Event 2: My first happy hr..yes..memorable or not?? I did end up with 6 highly valued friends..a few of my best friends here in Boston. Ironically I ended up working with one of them, and the rest I had some odd bond to that whether it was a girl from Cally, or two recently married couples, we liked hip-hop, we talked trash, and whether it was a few of us that just moved to Boston, while half of em lived and grew up here all of their lives, it was easy and a fun time to make new friends. In this case, and like the others I will mention in the blog, I was unable to get my friends from Food Bank Volunteering to come with me to Event 2, so I have proved multiple times..that going to these events alone, forces you to put yourself "out there", meet new people, make professional contacts (i have so many business cards), and make new friends. Actually, even by the 2nd event, I met people that knew friends of mine from Penn State, PA, or Dirty Jersey. Boston is small like that though..it doesn't take too long before you start running into the same people on the T, or at Felt on Fridays or 33 on Saturdays, etc, etc.
btw, I believe this HH was at the used to be 180 lounge in the financial district...

Ok, finally Event 3: This Happy hr was set further out..like on BU campus off of the B Line so the problem I was confronted with again was 1. Conflict in schedule for my other friends to accompany me 2. My schedule since at this time I was on businees travel for about half of the month, 3. None of my previously established or newly founded desi friends wanted to trek all the way down Comm Ave for this HH location. Eventhough this place was mad hot! Tonic..I think it was called. So, at this point, when many of my friends were unable to accompany me, it was more like an invigorating challenge for me..how many new contacts can I meet??, what in the world is down there at the end of the B-Line anyway??, so...sure enough it was the next Thursday Happy Hour I was available to attend, which was in the start of 06, and the last I went to was ..Sept I think. At the end of the event, I made a number of new professional and social contacts, I occasionally meet with friend for dinner who's from the midwest, made a Bengali contact who wanted to accompany me to the Saraswati Pujo that I was attending the month following, made a business venture contact that I can not get into on this blog, some biological science professionals in Framingham, and made some friends that I saw out partyin in Boston in multiple occasions...and have warmly invited me over for home cooked Indian food.

So in summary, let's do the math: 5+6+6...through 3 events..and I forgot to mention on the way I've made over5 board member friends which actually drove me to become interested enough to impact more of the South Asian Professional Community here in the Boston area, by contributing as a board member. That's over 22 recurring contacts that I touch base or spend time with ~weekly, not to mention countless other individuals that I may interface with in the future on a professional or cultural level.

So Tushneem..I think that's the success story you might have been looking for!! :)

Tuhin

Support NetSAP by becoming a Member

NetSAP is a 501c(3) not-for-profit organization. By becoming a member you will not only support the organization but will also support our programming activities.

We provide our members with professional development events, social and cultural events, networking opportunities, community service and outdoor activities. We are committed to making your membership worthwhile while making a difference in society. Whether you are new to the city or have been in Boston for years, NetSAP is a great way to expand your network. We have memberships available for students, singles, and couples!

For a list of events planned for 2006: http://www.netsapboston.org/events
For a list of past events: http://www.netsapboston.org/pastevents.html
For member testimonials: http://www.netsapboston.org/testimonials

NetSAP Membership Benefits

• Get discounts at all NetSAP events (Happy Hours are free versus the $5 for non-members)
• For the year 2005, a typical NetSAP member would have gotten discounts worth more than $100 for a membership fee of just $35.
• Access to Member-only events. Preference is given to members for all events.
• Discounted access to Alliance Partner events (TiE-Boston, MITHAS, AID-Boston, IWL, AIF, SAMTA, IAGB, Project Impact and many more… )
• Receive a membership card
• In the process of creating “NetSAP Membership Miles”- after so many events, an event is free
• We are also in the process of speaking with area businesses to give discounts specially to NetSAP members

Events

• Community Service - Participate in our volunteer work projects to encourage and support the larger Boston community in need of assistance.
• Professional Development - Define and achieve academic and career objectives and improve professionals skills such as leadership, management, interpersonal, and communication
• Professional Network - Meet not only other professionals in your field, but also interact with men and women from other areas which may encourage you to explore complimentary fields and aspirations.
• Political Awareness - Understand the legal issues affecting the South Asians today.
  

Membership Fees (Membership expires on December 31, 2006):

• Student Membership- $20
• Individual Membership - $40
• Couple Membership (Married) - $70
  

For more information regarding membership, please contact Renee Sinha, Membership and Marketing Chair at membership@netsapboston.org.

Volunteer at the Organic Farm

Come join NetSAP for a fun filled day at the Long Island Shelter Farm to make a difference. The farm is a 4 acre organic vegetable, flower, and herb farm located on Long Island in Boston Harbor and produces 30,000 pounds of high quality food serving over 850 homeless individuals every day. NetSAP volunteers will help in harvesting/ landscaping activities around the farm. Enjoy the start of spring by spending a day out in open fresh air with your friends and other professionals, helping on the farm and helping to make a difference in local community.

NetSAP provides community service opportunities several times in a year. To see pictures from our volunteering event at the Greater Boston Food bank click here. These events are fun and a great way to meet like-minded people.

We have only 25 spots available for this experience. So sign up soon . The last date to RSVP is 29th April. For more details on the event click here

Wine & Greet

Registration has closed for this event, but please contact Pallavi (information below) in case there are some openings.

Are you new in town?

Do you want to make new friends?

Do you want to meet people who share common interests as you do?

Have you always wondered what wine is?

So here is a great chance… Come and participate in the most anticipated event since the 2004 world series: WINE n GREET- Build your Network!

Date: Thursday, April 13, 2006
Time: 7:30 pm
Location: Vinalia, 34 Summer Street, Boston MA

Charge: NetSAP Members: $10

Non-Members: $15

Entry fee includes a complimentary glass of wine

For more information on the event, please contact, Pallavi Chhabra, Social Chair at pallavi.chhabra@netsapboston.org

For sponsorship details, please contact: Dom Kallas at sponsorship@netsapboston.org