COMA

Newsletter February 2023

by
Smitha Nishant

More than a month has already passed since the new year! February is all about celebrating love in all its forms – romantic, familial, friendships, and even radical self-love. Some of my best Valentine’s Day memories are of getting hand made cards from my son during his kindergarten years. Whether your plans for Valentine’s Day include a romantic night out with your partner, or cooking a nice meal for your family, I recommend taking the opportunity to show appreciation for all the love you are blessed to have in your life.

I hope you did not miss the COMA February event with the indoor games and the evening entertainment. The event was a grand success, and a huge thanks to the executive committee for organizing such a memorable experience for everyone. They have set a new standard for COMA events and I can’t wait for the next one. Special shout out to Pradeesh Puthiyattil for his bold and groundbreaking idea of hosting a stand-up show and for uncovering hidden talents from our Malayalee friends. A big round of applause to all the comedians who performed like pros despite this being their debuts, and I hope this is only a step towards bigger and better performances. Job well done to the young musicians in the Coconut Trio band who supported the stand-up and party game events. Congratulations to all the winners, and best wishes to everyone else who participated for next time.

In this edition, we are introducing member contributions. If you would like to submit content for future editions, please reach out to the EC team (coma.officials@gmail.com). Content should be 250 words or less.

I would like to gently remind everyone that February is also American Heart Month. Love your heart, make healthy choices, and stay protected!

Smitha Nishant

Diplomas and more – Aadhira Pramod

Aadhira

(Aadhira is the daughter of Priya and Pramod Pudhiyattil. She is a neuroscience graduate from UC and her interests include writing and traveling.)

Well, mom and dad, I just graduated from college. I’m a new grad all over again. Crazy, right? I can go around saying I have a bachelors now. I got a physical copy of my diploma a couple days back and every time I pass it as it sits on my dressing table, I am still marveled by the fact that the 4 years passed by. I’m in the midst of applying again, but this time I’m applying to graduate schools and let me tell you, I don’t miss it at all. I forgot what it was like to write essays that sum up your whole personality in 800 words. I also forgot what it was like to wait for your dream school to let you know if you got in or not. However, one thing that is different this time around is that I have in-person interviews which is something that I have been struggling with considering how much I dread interviews.

Other than graduate school applications, I have got to say I am enjoying the post grad life – I am back in the city of Columbus, sitting on kitchen countertops as I complain to my mom about pretty much anything life related, going on Costco trips with my dad, and dealing with my brother’s mood swings. Also, I finally got a job after consistently applying which is how I pass most of my time. My 12-hour shifts consist of seeing patients of all ages, taking their vitals, running tests on them if they need it, and sending out their labs. On the days I don’t work long hours, you can find me on the couch reading and listening to music. One of my new year resolutions this year was to write more. I lost touch with writing for a bit while in college but it’s nice to get back into the rhythm of it and thanks to Smitha aunty, I was able to write to you guys for this month’s edition of the newsletter.

That pretty much sums up my whole life as a new graduate. While it may not be the typical route one takes right after graduating from undergrad, it’s nice to take a break and see where life takes you. So, yeah, I may not have my life completely planned out, but that’s okay. In fact, now that I had the time to see my career goals in a different light, I feel more passionate about pursuing my desired career path. With that being said, I’m excited to see what this year will bring. Hopefully, an acceptance letter.

I hope the new year is good to all of you!

Sreejith Chandran’s Random Ramblings

Sreejith Chandran

(One half of his brain has gone nomad and the other has gone in search of the first. Glorifying his random ramblings and packaging it is his main hobby! Otherwise sane and grounded.)

മൂഞ്ചിയ പ്രണയങ്ങൾ (1)

അടുത്ത ജന്മത്തിൽ ഞാൻ നിനക്ക് സ്വന്തം എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു അവൾ നടന്നു നീങ്ങി. . . ആ ക്ഷണം മരിച്ചു പുനർജനിച്ചാലോ എന്നാലോചിച്ചു നിൽക്കുമ്പോൾ തലേന്ന് നിലവിളക്കു കൊളുത്തിയിട്ടു അമ്മ പറഞ്ഞതോർമ്മ വന്നു. . . ഇനിയുള്ള ജന്മങ്ങൾ നായായും നരിയായും ആണ് പോലും. . . !! നാൽക്കാലി പ്രണയം ഓർത്തു ചിരിവന്നു, ശിഷ്ടകാലമെങ്കിലും ഒരു നല്ല മനുഷ്യനായി ജീവിക്കാമെന്ന് തീരുമാനിച്ചു, അടുത്ത ബീവറേജസിലോട്ട് വെച്ച് പിടിച്ചു!!

മൂഞ്ചിയ പ്രണയങ്ങൾ (2)

ഏറെക്കൊതിച്ചൊരീ യാത്രയിലിന്നെന്റെ,
തോളോട് ചേർന്നു നീ ഇല്ല…
നിൻ മൃദു സ്പർശനം തേടിയലഞ്ഞൊരെൻ
വിരലുകൾ നിന്നിലേക്കെത്തിയില്ല…
ആ മരത്തണലിൽ വെറുതെയിരിക്കുമ്പോൾ
നെറുകയിൽ നിൻചുടു നിശ്വാസമില്ല…

ചിത്രങ്ങൾ മാഞ്ഞൊരാ പുസ്തകത്താളുകളിൽ
നിൻപ്രണയ കുറിപ്പുകളില്ല…
പാതി മുറിച്ചൊരാ ചിത്രത്തിന്നൊരുപാതി
നെഞ്ചോടു ചേർത്തുഞാൻ നിന്നു…

നിന്റെ തൊടിയിൽ കൊഴിഞ്ഞുവീണൊരാ
ചെമ്പകപ്പൂക്കളാണു ഞാൻ…
പാദങ്ങൾക്കടിയിൽ ഞെരിഞ്ഞമർന്നാലും,
വേദനിപ്പിക്കില്ലൊരിക്കലും, പ്രണയമേ…

What I believe in – Deepa Menon

Deepa Menon

(Deepa Menon among her friends and family is best known for someone who is always living on the edge, loves travel, adventure sports, trekking, and diving (underwater and sky). On a sunny nice day she can be found hiking, and is always working on her next bucket list item.)

Motivation and Inspiration are two sides of the same coin. Motivation involves outside forces whereas inspiration comes from within. We can be motivated by a motivational speaker, but that doesn’t last long, however when we are inspired by something or someone, that stays within for a longer time.

The three things that have inspired me and have always worked for me are:

  • “The Alchemist’s Law”
  • “What you will, shall come to you”
  • “Embracing shades of gray”

“The Alchemist’s Law” is a reference to Paulo Coelho’s novel “The Alchemist”. The novel follows the journey of Santiago, a shepherd boy, who sets out on a quest to fulfill his personal legend, or life’s purpose. Throughout the journey, Santiago encounters several obstacles, but he is guided by a series of universal laws, and the most important law of all, is: “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” It’s easier said than done, the point here is, even for the universe to conspire to help you with something, first, you need that desire, want, or self-drive to achieve it. Setting goals or wanting to come out of a difficult situation is easy, but then the constant push and struggle to make the “desire” to “reality” will be the true test.

Similarly, the phrase “What you will, shall come to you” suggests that our thoughts, desires, and intentions have a powerful impact on our lives. It suggests that the universe responds to our will and helps us manifest our deepest desires if they are in alignment with our true selves and our life’s purpose. The idea is that if we focus our thoughts and actions on what we want, we can create positive outcomes and attract abundance and joy into our lives. However, it’s important to keep in mind that manifestation is not just about positive thinking, but also about taking inspired action and being open to opportunities as they arise. The idea is to align your will with the flow of the universe and trust that what you truly desire will come to you in due time.

The last and my favorite one is, “Living positively and embracing shades of gray”. Life is never black or white, or for the computer geeks, it’s not always 1 or 0. We need to be finding joy, gratitude, and meaning in life while also recognizing that not everything is simple or easily classified as good or bad, right or wrong. This approach involves being open to multiple perspectives, embracing ambiguity, and striving for balance and understanding, rather than rigidly adhering to black and white thinking.

I feel that by combining a positive outlook, and embracing grey with a nuanced and inclusive perspective, one can lead a more fulfilling and meaningful life. I always believe!

COMA Meals on Wheels program

If you would like to sign up for the Meals on Wheels program (2nd and 4th Sundays of each month), please join this WhatsApp group. When joining, please announce yourself as not everyone may have your number in their contacts.

Event Gallery

Here are some photos from the COMA Valentine’s Day 2023 event. Click on an image to see the full size version.

Photo Credits : Mekha Aravind

Event Videos

If you missed out the online cook-along session with chefs Pradip Ramachandran and Anjana Nair, you can watch the recording here.

Here are the videos from the COMA Valentine’s Day event.

Thank You from the EC Team

Dear COMA Patrons,

We wanted to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for all the hard work and dedication that went into making our Valentine’s Day show such a tremendous success. Your unwavering commitment to excellence was truly inspiring and helped to create an unforgettable experience for all those in attendance.

Whether you were responsible for organizing the event, managing the logistics, or volunteering your time and talents to ensure everything ran smoothly, your contributions were truly invaluable. Your passion and enthusiasm were evident in every aspect of the show, and it was a privilege to witness your hard work come to fruition.

So, from the bottom of our heart, thank you for all the great work. Special mention to Mekha, Pramod, Anoop, Linda, Lisa, Arun Chand, all the standup performers, the Coconut Trio band, and all the early birds who helped with decorations.

Thank you.
2023 Executive Committee

Newsletter January 2023

by

Welcome to 2023! I hope everyone enjoyed holiday celebrations with family and friends. As I reflect on 2022, I feel grateful for all the fun experiences COMA created for all of us. It was incredible to watch the outpouring of participation and support from our community in COMA events, and it was pure joy to observe the remarkable growth our organization has achieved in recent years.

This year’s Executive Committee is already busy at work, planning for some great things for us. Our 2023 President Shibu Nair has shared below his vision for our organization this year.

As we enter the new year with renewed hopes and plans, I am looking forward to a new year of continued community service, lasting memories, new friendships, fun celebrations, and most of all, the connection that we make with each other. Let’s make 2023 our best year yet.

Wishing everyone a happy and successful new year!

Smitha Nishant

Presidential Address – Shibu Nair

I am happy to take up this second stint in the COMA Executive Committee in 2023. I feel it is a much-needed give-back to the Malayalee community in Columbus that has been a significant part of my immigrant Malayalee life in the United States, my home away from home. I am very excited to share that my team has a myriad of events and ideas planned for this year.

In addition to bringing you cultural, sport, and entertainment events, my team would like to take the opportunity to reassess COMA as a cultural organization, the values we uphold and its relevance to the Columbus Malayalee diaspora. We have made leaps and bounds since our formative years. However, as an organization, there is room for further growth, including but not limited to better managing the upkeep of our organization’s assets, promoting youth member participation, enhanced use of our website and social media presence to better engage and communicate with our members. A lot of thought is being put on those lines and you will see some major steps being initiated on these fronts.

Coming back to the planned events this year, in addition to our annual Picnic, Onam, and Christmas events, we plan to have a Valentine’s Day event and several sporting tournaments (Cricket, Soccer, Shuttle Badminton, also involving other Indian association members). Weather permitting, we plan to have an outdoor entertainment event as well. Also in the works are the development of communities for outdoor activities such as hiking and biking.

We hope to seed initiatives that the community can take advantage of not just this year but in the coming years too. I trust that each and every one of you will support us in achieving our goals as one big family. I wish you all a happy, prosperous, and healthy 2023.

Know your EC Team

All of our Executive Committee members have been associated with COMA for the past several years and hardly need an introduction. Here is some fun trivia they shared with me that highlights how we are all in for a fun ride with them this year.

Shibu Nair (President)
LocationPowell
HometownTrivandrum
Years in Columbus12
Favorite snackCrispy Parippu Vada
Favorite songAnagha Sankalpa Gaayike (Movie: Aniyara)
Favorite TV showFriends
Favorite movie punch lineNee thankappan alleda  ponnappananu, ponnappan
  • As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
    • Pilot, maybe?
  • If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
    • Madagascar.
  • What would your superhero power be?
    • Of course, fly!
  • If you could meet anyone, who would you meet?
    • Sabu bro.
  • What will people say at your funeral?
    • Eda bhayangara!
  • What’s something you think everyone should try at least once?
    • Have a dog at home.
Arun Davis (Vice President)
LocationDublin
HometownKalady, Ernakulam
Years in Columbus13
Favorite snackPazham Pori
Favorite songThaniye mizhikal (Movie: Guppy)
Favorite TV showMaanasaputhri
Favorite movie punch lineIppo shariyaakki tharaam
  • As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
    • Vice president of a malayalee samajam.
  • If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
    • Kalady.
  • What would your superhero power be?
    • Teleportation.
  • If you could meet anyone, who would you meet?
    • Tutankhamun.
  • What will people say at your funeral?
    • Nalla oru manushyan aayirunnu.
  • What’s something you think everyone should try at least once?
    • Touch your nose with your tongue.
Pradeesh Puthiyattil (General Secretary)
LocationDelaware
HometownChennai, Tamil Nadu
Years in Columbus13+
Favorite snackMasala Peanuts and Kerala Mixture
Favorite songPudhu Vellai Mazhai (Movie: Roja)
Favorite TV showComedy Utsavam (Flowers TV)
Favorite movie punch lineKedaikarthu Kedaikama Irukathu; Kedaikama Irukardhu Kedaikaathu (Superstar dialog)
  • As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
    • To play for the Indian Cricket team as a batting all-rounder.
  • If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
    • New Zealand.
  • What would your superhero power be?
    • Power to save people on earth from evil elements.
  • If you could meet anyone, who would you meet?
    • Lalettan and MS Dhoni.
  • What will people say at your funeral?
    • I lost my honest and great friend.
  • What’s something you think everyone should try at least once?
    • Watch World Cup Soccer live from the stadium.
Sachin Sugathan (Joint Secretary)
LocationGalena
HometownKannur
Years in Columbus11
Favorite snackPazham Pori / Kallumakai Kadukka
Favorite songDevanganangal kayyozhinja tharakam (Movie: Njan Gandharvan)
Favorite TV showMalgudi Days
Favorite movie punch lineEda Dasaa, ethaa ee alavalathy?
  • As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
    • Bus-ile kili.
  • If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
    • Bangalore of late 90’s.
  • What would your superhero power be?
    • Swap all the healthy food to unhealthy and all unhealthy food to healthy.
  • If you could meet anyone, who would you meet?
    • Vaikom Muhammad Basheer.
  • What will people say at your funeral?
    • Kidakkana kidappu kanda? Emathiri veruppikkalayirunnu!
  • What’s something you think everyone should try at least once? 
    • Take a year’s break from work and do things for which you didn’t have time for.
Roopesh Sathyan (Treasurer)
LocationDublin
HometownKochi
Years in Columbus12
Favorite snackParippuvada
Favorite songBillie Jean
Favorite TV showMalgudi Days
Favorite movie punch lineNamuk oro naranga vellam angu kachiyalo?
  • As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
    • Pilot.
  • If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
    • Kochi.
  • What would your superhero power be?
    • Superman.
  • If you could meet anyone, who would you meet?
    • Family and friends, but if someone famous, maybe Sashi Tharoor.
  • What will people say at your funeral?
    • Kurachukoodi nerathe avaayirunnu!!!
  • What’s something you think everyone should try at least once?
    • Don’t plan your vacation, just hit the road.

Save the dates

Here is a preliminary list of events being planned this year and their dates. Mark your calendars so you don’t miss any.

  • Feb 11 – “Thuruppu Gulan” cards tournament and Valentine’s Day celebrations.
  • Apr 22 – Shuttle Badminton tournament.
  • May 20 – Cricket tournament.
  • June 18 – Outdoor Gaanamela (Franco).
  • July 4 – COMA Float for FIA.
  • July 22 – Annual Picnic: Vinodayathra, Vallamkali, Idli eating competition, and other fun events.
  • Sep 9 – Onam (with Shingari melam and onsite live cooking).
  • Sep 30 / Oct 7 – Soccer tournament.
  • Dec 2 – Christmas.

We have more activities where dates are not finalized so stay tuned for more information:

  • Live cooking sessions (multiple, including one with chef Suresh Pillai)
  • Bicycle Challenge – TBD
  • Trekking Challenge – TBD

Youth club activities

The COMA Youth Club will be conducting monthly meet ups. Plans are underway for TV station visits, OSU airport tower visit, fire-station visit, and camp-outs as well as charitable events including cloth drives and blood donation drives.

Membership

January is a great time to take your COMA Membership if you haven’t already. The current membership for 2022 will be valid until June 30th, 2023.

Membership benefits include:

  • Early access to event tickets
  • Discounted tickets for regular COMA events

Also, certain benefits are exclusive to COMA members:

  • Malayalam class for adults and kids
  • Opportunity to participate in charity/volunteering events
  • Access for your children to COMA Youth Wing

You can purchase Membership here: https://www.comaohio.org/membership-account/membership-levels/

If you have questions related to the newsletter or if you would like to submit content, please reach us at: coma.officials@gmail.com

February 2022 Newsletter

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നമ്മൾ വീണ്ടും ആറാടുകയാണ്

-Girish Sasankasekhar

ഏകദേശം ഒരു 2 വർഷം ആയി കാണും. കൃത്യമായി പറഞ്ഞാൽ നമ്മുടെ ഇറ്റലിയിലെ അച്ചായൻ കേരളത്തിൽ വന്ന സമയം. ഒടിയൻ’നു കഞ്ഞി കൊടുത്ത കേരളം പുച്ഛത്തോടെ പറഞ്ഞു ” ഓ..നമ്മൾ ഇതൊക്കെ എത്ര കണ്ടതാ നിപ്പ , പ്രളയം, പൾസർ….. പിന്നല്ല ! ടീച്ചറമ്മ അച്ചായനെ പൂട്ടിയാൽ പിന്നെ എന്ത് കോവിഡ്.. നാട്ടിൽ ഇറങ്ങിയ പുലിയെ പോലെ അച്ചായനെ പിടിച്ചു അങ്ങ് പൂട്ടി. ശ്വാസം മുട്ടിയ പ്രതികാരദാഹി ആയ കോവിഡ് , സടകുടഞ്ഞു പല രൂപത്തിൽ, പല ഭാവത്തിൽ ഉണർന്നു. കേരളത്തിൽ മാത്രമല്ല, ഈ ലോകം മുഴുവൻ കീഴടക്കാൻ തുടങ്ങിയ ആറാട്ട്.

പക്ഷെ നമ്മൾ എപ്പോഴെങ്കിലും ചിന്തിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടോ കോവിഡ് നമ്മളെ തേടി വന്നതാണോ, അതോ നമ്മൾ തന്നെ ക്ഷണിച്ചു വരുത്തിയതോ? ഒരു വശത്തു കോവിഡ് നമ്മുടെ ഉറ്റവരെ എടുക്കുമ്പോൾ , മറു വശത്തു ബെറ്റിയിട്ട ബാഴത്തണ്ടു കണ്ടു നമ്മൾ ചിരിച്ചു കൊണ്ടേ ഇരിന്നു . അതിൽ ചിലർ അഹങ്കാരത്തോടെ ചിരിച്ചു, ചിലർ പുച്ഛത്തോടെ..മറ്റു ചിലർ ഇതിൽ ഒളിച്ചിരുന്ന വ്യവസായം കണ്ടു. സിനിമകളെ വിഴുങ്ങുന്ന ഓ.ടി.ടി കച്ചവടം, മുഖസംരക്ഷണം നോക്കാതെ നടന്നവരെ അതിശയിപ്പിച്ച ത്രിവർണ മാസ്കുകൾ, , അങ്ങനെ പലതും നമ്മൾ കണ്ടു. സത്യമാണ്, നമ്മൾ അതിജീവിക്കാൻ പഠിച്ചു. പക്ഷെ , അതൊക്കെ നമുക്കു തന്ന തിരിച്ചറിവിൽ നിന്നാണോ എന്ന് എപ്പോഴെങ്കിലും ചിന്തിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടോ?

അമേരിക്കയിലെ മാഡം മസാല ദോശ കഴിച്ചു പുകഴ്ത്തിയ നമ്മൾ , അവർ ഇപ്പോ ഒരു ഇഡലി എങ്കിലും കഴിക്കുന്നോ എന്ന് അനേഷിക്കുന്നുണ്ടോ? അതിനൊക്കെ എവിടെയാ സമയം, നാട് ഓടുമ്പോൾ നടുവേ ഓടണ്ടേ.. നമുക്കു പലപ്പോഴും ഒന്നിനും സമയം കിട്ടാറില്ല . പക്ഷെ ഒരു നിമിഷം തിരിന്നു നോക്കി ഒന്നു അനേഷിച്ചാൽ , ഈ വിലപ്പെട്ട സമയം കോവിഡ് നമുക്കു തന്ന ഒരു ഇളവ് അല്ലെ ?നമ്മൾ പണ്ട് അറിഞ്ഞോ അറിയാതേയോ ചെയ്ത ചില നല്ല കാര്യങ്ങൾ കണ്ട് , ഈശ്വരൻ ഈ ലോകത്തു ജീവിക്കാൻ നീട്ടിയ സമയം.

“ഈശ്വരൻ നിൻറ്റെ മുന്നിൽ വിളക്കായി തെളിയുമ്പോൾ അതിൻറ്റെ നേർക്കു നീ തുപ്പരുത്”. ഇത് ഞാൻ പറഞ്ഞതല്ല. പണ്ട് ഏതോ സിനിമയിൽ വിവരം ഉള്ള ഒരു കഥാകൃത്തു നമുക്കു തന്ന വിലപ്പെട്ട ഒരു സന്ദേശം. പക്ഷെ ഇതൊക്കെ കേൾക്കാൻ നമുക്കു എവിടെയാ സമയം. ഈ ഉലകം നമ്മളെ ഇന്നും പരീക്ഷിക്കുമ്പോൾ, നമ്മൾ ഇപ്പോഴും ആറാടുകയല്ലേ ? പരസ്പരം നെഞ്ചത്ത് ചവിട്ടി ആർത്തുചിരിച്ചു , നമ്മൾ വീണ്ടും ആറാടുകയാണ്. !

Stepping into a new decade

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This January we are stepping into a new decade. January is the month related to making resolutions and new beginnings. According to T.S.Elliot’s quote, “Every moment is a fresh beginning,” points that you can make goals and start new things at any moment in your life. Usually, 35% of people who make a New year’s resolution break them by the end of January and only 23% of people carry out their resolutions for the whole year. Making a resolution every month and executing it, is much better. Are you one of that 23%? Do let us know in the comments section of the COMA newsletter.

Hello from COMA EC team 2020,

Many thanks for letting us bring joy to you. This year we promise to work towards making us more stronger and closer, bring fun-filled gatherings to you. Of course nothing of which would be possible without the tremendous support and the community spirit from each one of you.

We also request every one of you to purchase your membership , which is our working capital to progress and maintain a place where we can re-invent & our kids can invent their Malayalee identity.

COMAngam 2020

We would like to take this opportunity to kick off this year’s events with a bash with our first event “COMAngam 2020”, on 29th of February.We are hoping to create some good memories on a date which comes once in 4 years. The venue of the event will be DCRC. The event will follow the popular format of having teams among us.
This time there will 2 teams each lead by 2 captains. We encourage everyone to reach out on coma.officials@gmail.com to get included in the team.Watch out for the registration opening notification on COMA’s social handles.We are thrilled to see you all there. 

Introducing the new Newsletter team

Smitha Sasindran

She is from Trivandrum and live in Powell with her husband Sanjay , daughter Saanvi and son Saatvik. She is very excited to be a part of newsletter team this year  and would  like to take this opportunity to connect with the community in creative and fun ways and hopefully provide valuable content along the way.

Nithya & Sreejith Menon

They both landed in the US in 2011 & made Columbus their home since then. They originally hail from Palakkad and Thrissur districts. They have two kids – Shriya and Pranav.

Ravi Hariharan

He is from Cochin and has been living in Columbus since 2011. Currently lives in Powell with his wife Ramya, daughter Sahana and son Saanav. He loves listening to songs, watching movies and playing cricket, tennis and ping pong.

Gaurinanda

Daughter of Sudheesh and Lekshmi is a 6th grader at John Sells Middle School. She has lived with her parents and her brother, Gautham in Dublin since 2016. Her hobbies are reading, writing and playing with her brother.

We have some new volunteers for Malayalam classes

Sophia Kurien

She is a Master’s degree holder in Software Engineering from TKM Institute of Technology & Science.She was working as an Assistant Professor at the department of Computer Scinece at MBITS college Kothamangalam for 4.5 years before coming to the USA .

Veena Binoop

Veena is from Aluva, Ernakulam. She completed her Masters in Malayalam from Mahatma Gandhi university and was working as teacher in Christava Mahilalayam public school till mid 2017 before moving to Columbus. She is living in Brittonwoods Dublin with her husband Binoop and two sons Devarsh & Aaarush. She loves reading, cooking, hanging out with friends & family and watching movies.

Volunteers for our Meals On Wheels

January 26,2020 Thomas Pullumpallil,Reuben Varughese,Shome Thomas,Rianna Shome

January 12,2020 Nish Nishant, Pradeesh, Anoop Nair

December 22,2019 Joseph Abraham, Nancy Joseph, Joshua Abraham, Rachael Abraham

December 8,2019 Valsan Palika, Gopi Haridass, Maya Achen

November 24,2019 Nish Nishant, Austin Pereira, Ceby Philip

November 10,2019 Sunil Balkrishnan, Jerry Zachariah, Vipin Nair

Your dedication and compassion should be well praised!

Obituary

Shantha Gopalakrishnan, 75, wife of P.G.Gopalakrishnan, former chairman of Institute of Engineers (India) died in Kochin on January 8th 2020. She belonged to the Kettidathil family, Mayyanad, Kollam. She is survived by son Vikas Gopal (Columbus Ohio), daughter-in-law Arati Krishna, and grandchildren Varun Gopal and Karun Gopal.

We convey our heartfelt condolences to the grieving family . Please keep them in your prayers.

Onam 2019

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COMA Newsletter – Jan 2019

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2019 – A refreshing New Year

We hope all of you had a great kick start to this New Year with new hopes and resolutions which we all look forward to. To quote a famous author “In inner life it’s just one revolution which matters which is to move unwillingness to willingness”. We wish you all the very best in fulfilling your dreams and reaching your miles stones in 2019.  

Message from 2019 COMA EC Team

Hello All,

2019 EC team is looking forward to serving you this year. Our goal for 2019 is to continue the growth of COMA with major focus on having fun, being active, giving back to the community, empowering  youth, provide socializing opportunities and welcoming new members to the community. We are planning a number of exciting events this year and hoping to have all of your support to make it another memorable year for COMA.

We are very excited to kick off 2019 with a fun filled event ‘Oru Adipoli Night’ on Saturday, February 23rd at DCRC. This event is based on a competition between teams over several fun categories. In addition we are planning to have some interactive games for kids and adults. Registration for this event is now open. The earlier you sign up, the more fun it will be for you as you get to be part of a team and prepare. We hope that you and family will join us on Feb 23rd to have fun, meet your friends and make new ones!

Looking forward to seeing you all on Feb 23rd!

EC team (Girish, Rajesh, Sheeja, Arun & Ravi)

Introducing our 2019 Newsletter team

Priya and Praveen

We moved from St Louis to Columbus in late 2011, since then we have been part of the COMA family and enjoyed all events hosted by COMA. We are very grateful to be part of the community and will be the newsletter editors for COMA this year. We are looking forward for your support and inputs.

Manjula Nair

I am settled in Columbus since 2001 and currently lives in Powell with my two boys Adithya (Freshman in OSU) and Arvind (Sophomore in Olentangy Liberty) and Maximus, 5 year old German Shepherd and the love of our lives.
I work for Nationwide Insurance and have been with COMA family since 2001 even before it officially became COMA. I am very grateful to be part of this wonderful group of friends who have become family over the years. I have been at the receiving end of the kindness and empathy of this group and have seen how everyone comes together as one solid family in the face of crisis. I hope to continue to be part of this group into the future.

COMA Christmas 2018

In 2018, COMA events ended with a spectacular Christmas event on December 8th 2018 at McCoy Center, Hilliard. A huge thank you to everyone who attended this holiday party to make it a special one indeed. We had beautiful Christmas carols rendered by the very talented musicians from OMCC, spectacular dance performances by our very own COMA members, a traditional Margam Kali performance , a heart-warming nativity skit by sweet little children from Syro Malabar Church and a nice presentation and malayalam song by Malayalam class students. The night came to an end with everyone on the dance floor showing their awesome moves!

Event photos are available here.

COMA – Oru Adipoli Night – Feb 23rd 2019

Get your tickets for the upcoming event “Oru Adipoli Night” soon. Since the seating for this event is limited, ticketing will be closed as soon as it is sold out. Remember to get your membership before taking tickets to be part of a lucky draw and avail the membership pricing for this event and all future events. Email coma.officials@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Click here to buy “Oru Adipoli Night” tickets.

 COMA Youth Corner

“It’s only after you’ve stepped outside your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow, and transform.”, quoted by Roy T. Bennett, author of The Light in the Heart.  For many of us, it is hard to step into a role where all eyes are on us. But we decided it was time to break out of our comfort zone and take on this new role of leadership. Our favorite event this year by far has been our youth led YWCA event. The two of us called into YWCA to check their availability, planned the menu out for the breakfast, and ordered all the food for that day. It gave us an experience of how to deal with people in the real world and it made us see how much effort gets put into making meals for someone else. On the day of the event, we each played our part and worked as a team to serve 150 people.

Moreover having this role, taught us what it means to be a part of a team. A lot of the activities behind the scenes required a hardworking group of people. We learned how much effort goes into organizing events and the importance of communication among all members of the team. From working at the front desk to helping decorate venues, they really gave their time to all of the events. Without their support, we wouldn’t be able to help our community the way we do today. Through these events, we learned to work stronger as a unit and we hope to strengthen this idea with the upcoming youth.

Overall, we are grateful for this experience. We were glad to give back to our Malayalee community and gain something back in the process. Speaking from personal experience, the Youth Wing has had a lasting impact on us and the valuable leadership and team building experiences that we gained from being a part of this has been incredible. – Aishwarya Arun and Megha Rajesh

COMA Youth Wing Committee

Anju Anilkumar – President

Hi, my name is Anju Anilkumar and I am this years Youth Wing President. I am currently a junior at Olentangy Orange High School. This is my third year as an active participant in COMA, and I feel so welcome! Music is my most loved hobby. I love to sing and dance. I am in school choir and the Columbus Children’s International Choir. I also have learned indian classical Carnatic music since I was five. I am looking forward to all the beautiful events that will take place this year. It’s a honor to be apart of such an organized and loving association.

Neelima Gopinath – Vice President

My name is Neelima Gopinath and I am 16 years old. I am a Junior at Thomas Worthington High School. I was born in Ohio and have been living in Columbus since 2004. My family and I have been part of COMA for as long as I remember and I always enjoy taking part in all of the programs and activities. I enjoy watching Indian movies and cooking and trying new foods. I have been learning Bharatanatyam and playing the violin since I was young. I’m very excited to be this year’s Youth Wing Vice President, I hope to do a lot to support and improve the community with my peers.

Community Corner

In this edition of new letter some of our members have graciously offered to share some of their creations. Let us explore what they have in stock here.  

“Blossoming hopes of 2019” by Krishna Nimil

“A simple flower cake , orange flavored cake with “Swiss Meringue Buttercream” and used Russian piping technique for the buttercream flowers. I am a  self-taught baker. What keeps me pushing forward is my love for baking. I failed too many times and I stood up as well, trying to correct it. Every cake that I baked, bad or good, it all had my passion and love for baking.”  


Eggplant curry recipe  by Pradip Ramachandran

Pradip calls this as a very “different eggplant curry” which requires a few “unexpected” ingredients that gives a slightly unusual flavor twist to please your palate. The goal is to have a balance blend of heat, sourness and sweetness.  

Here are the ingredients you will need:

Group 1

  • One large Eggplant cut into small pieces , you can peel the skin off based on personal choice
  • Salt to taste
  • Four table spoons of oil
  • For tempering one tea spoon mustard seed and two teaspoon of channa daal

Group 2

  • One small onion chopped,
  • One tea spoon ginger paste
  • One tea spoon garlic paste.

Group 3

  • Two tablespoon of sambar mix which contains following ingredients corainder, chilli, turmeric, fenugreek and asafoetida. (this can be substituted with four teaspoons of coriander powder , one teaspoon of chilli powder , one teaspoon of turmeric powder and a pinch of fenugreek and asafoetida powders ).
  • One teaspoon of cumin powder.
  • Half cup crushed tomato.
  • Three to five tablespoons of vinegar ( use as needed , this provides sourness along with tomato).
  • One half to two teaspoon sugar to provide little sweetness to the dish .
  • Two tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter to provide a creamy texture.
  • Two teaspoons of crushed kasoori methi.
  • Two table spoons of chopped cilantro.

Now that you got all the ingredients let us get to work here.

  • Heat oil in pan splutter mustard seeds add channa and cook until slightly brown.
  • Add onion and saute  for three to four minutes until the mix is translucent.
  • Add ginger and garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes..
  • Add washed and drained eggplant , then add salt and stir well . Cook for 8-10 minutes covered on low flame until eggplant is soft and mushy . Please note that no water is needed .
  • Now you can add all the items in group 3 and cook for another 8-10 minutes until the mixture starts thickening and all the spices have cooked thoroughly.
  • Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Roti , Naan , Chappathi or any other Indian bread.

Upcoming Local Events

Meals on Wheels – 

  • Sunday, January 27th.
    • Joseph Abraham, Joshua Joseph
  • Sunday, January 13th.
    • Nish Nishant, Kurian Uthup, Keziah Uthup, Marissa Uthup
  • Sunday, December 23rd :
    • Shibu Nair, Sachin Sugathan, Roopesh Sathyan
  • Sunday, December 9th :
    • Thomas Pullumpallil, Rachel Varughese, Reuben Varughese

Get Involved!

COMA has a whatsapp group to socialize coma events, community news and so on. Please use the following link to join the group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/67hzscBz4Su8fQmpFtodpJ. Please let us know at coma.officials@gmail.com if you would like to get involved with any of the following:

  • YWCA Cook a Meal
  • COMA Youth Wing
  • Malayalam Class

C.O.M.A Newsletter Oct – Nov 2018

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Hello friends,

We are getting ready for the final event of C.O.M.A 10th Anniversary Celebrations!

Preparation for Christmas this Saturday is in full swing. Registration for the event is closed; we have more than 250 guests registered to attend the event. Everything you need to know about the event is listed below! Come and join us for celebrations & C.O.M.A 10 year anniversary Finale!!

Can’t believe the year is coming to an end so soon! We feel like we just took over at EC for 2018 not long ago! What an eventful year it has been; we went from height of excitement in May with the mega musical event of Chitra to the despair and helplessness with devastating floods in Kerala in August!

We have tried our best to make this a memorable 10th anniversary year for C.O.M.A by conducting a variety of events to suite the tastes of everyone in the community. We started with a small gathering for bowling in January, celebrated Valentines Day in Feb, organized community 5K Run in April. As we heard feedback from several participants on fitness and their interest in joining a regular activity, we started ‘Active C.O.M.A’ and organized morning walks on Saturdays in several different parks and trails!

After the mega musical event, which drained most of us, we had a magical evening with Dr Gopinath Muthukad where he displayed his magical prowess and also discussed about his dream project to support differently-abled children with his dream project ‘Magic World’. This was followed with the Picnic in July. The flood disaster stuck Kerala while we were almost set for celebrating Onam. The plight of our brethren has shifted our focus on supporting the flood relief efforts, rather than celebrating. We were able to collect more than $43,000 and donate to Kerala CM’s Disaster Relief Fund.

Halloween costume competition was a fun event for kids and adults alike, towards the end of October! We had several kids (and a few adults)  in variety of costumes showing off!

See you soon for Christmas Celebrations!

-EC-2018

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C.O.M.A Newsletter Aug-Sep, 2018

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Hello friends,

That was a quick summer wasn’t? Year’s most beautiful season is here and we are just loving this great fall weather. Can you believe we are in the last quarter of 2018? Time surely does fly! COMA EC team is eager to finish the year with a bang. So wait till you hear what we have in store. 😉

A BIG THANK YOU!!!

Kerala Flood Relief Donations: As communicated in the previous newsletter, the support we received from our Malayalee Community and other Indian Communities in Central Ohio to our Fund for supporting flood relief efforts in Kerala was overwhelming. With your generous donations, our target of 25K was achieved in two days! The executive committee and trustee board of C.O.M.A cannot thank you enough for all the support we received. We have sent $43,571.38 till date to CMDRF.
The following Organizations/Business also has contributed to C.O.M.A for our flood relief efforts:

Upcoming Events – Mark your calendar

  1. Halloween Costume Competition
    Bawarchi Indian Restaurant
    Saturday October 27th, 7 PM
    .
  2. C.O.M.A Christmas and 10 Year Anniversary Finale
    Bridgewater Banquet & Conference Center, Powell
    Saturday December 8th, 6-10 PM

(Registration Details and Links will be sent out Tuesday)

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