By Nandakumar Shraavan (24S03B)
Vibrant costumes, tantalising food, superhit songs like ‘Why this Kolaveri’—do these come to your mind at the mention of Indian culture? Well, there is certainly more to it than these pop culture staples.
RI’s Indian Cultural Society (ICS) will give you a fantastic opportunity to experience and learn about the rich and multi-faceted Indian culture. Read on to learn more about our CCA!
ICS convenes once a week, usually on Fridays from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm. CCA sessions typically last 2 hours. Though, time flies by when you’re having fun so sessions can last longer. Almost every session is fun and games, even when planning and rehearsals sessions are conducted for upcoming events!
So, what do we do in ICS? We organise competitions for other schools like Sangamam (Confluence), which is a highlight of our CCA. We participate in competitions like Sorsilambam (Word martial art: the play of words)—a national Tamil debate series for students from various institutions and polytechnics.
We also take part in other literary competitions such as Naanum Oru Padaipalli. ICS also conducts school-based events for festivities such as Deepavali and Pongal!
Sangamam 2.0 2023
Sangamam made a comeback this time as a competition-based event organised by RI ICS. In 2023, it was staged live. We organised three competitions: Tamil RAP; Fusion Dance and Thirukkural (Tamil proverb) stating competitions for non-Indians. The Overall Champion walked away with our RI-ICS Challenge Trophy.
Participants welcomed these competitions for their novelty and were very hyped to participate in the competitions. Our very own members showcased their innate talents like singing, dancing and acting. It was staged in front of a sell out crowd and the total proceeds from the ticket sales were donated to The National Kidney Foundation.
Sangamam 2.0 was extensively featured in Tamil Murasu and Vasantham Indian Beat – Taalam. We were indeed very honoured to have revived Sangamam 23.
Sangamam ‘23
In 2024, we plan to organise a similar event on a much bigger scale! It will be a drama based on a theme and RI’s ICS members will partake in it. It will be a special event, so please look out for it and join us too! Preparations have already begun, and we are actively gearing up for it.
Sorsilambam 🎤
We participated in Sorsilambam ‘23 (A National Tamil Debate Competition) and we are proud to announce that we emerged as 2nd runner-up in the competition. Those who can express their ideas in Tamil fluently and deliver arguments coherently are most welcome to participate in this competition.
Plans for 2024 🗓️
This year, ICS will be actively involved in various activities. In January, we will be preparing for Pongal celebrations and RI’ Open House. In April, we will hold many events and activities for Singapore’s Tamil Language Month and organise Sangamam.
Finally, ICS will be getting ready for Deepavali celebrations from October to November and are also looking to volunteer with community partners like SINDA.
Conclusion
Now that you know what we do during ICS, you might wonder why you should join us.
Interested in movies? Well, we watch them together during Movie Marathon!
Love taking part in Indian festivities? ICS enters a joyful mood during these times and organises numerous activities for its members and the school to participate in actively.
Major food-lover? Be prepared for tasting whether it is Jangiri or Jalebi (Indian sweets).
If you are open and curious to know more about Indian culture, ICS is the place for you! More than just about learning and appreciating Indian culture, our members eventually bond to form a loving second home, and you can expect to forge meaningful friendships in our CCA.
So, do you want to experience the joy and fulfilment of learning about Indian culture while having loads of fun? Then, you should join us; we will welcome you with open arms!
