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Tech celebrates Diwali Night

HOUGHTON – Indian students at Michigan Technological University and other members of the community enjoyed a night of Indian food, music, dances and skits at Saturday’s Diwali night celebration at the Rozsa Center.

The night commemorates Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, symbolizing the victory of good over evil. The festival typically takes place over five days.

Dishes for the meal includes aloo kofta (a potato curry), Naadan chicken, shahi tukda (bread pudding) and others.

The dinner was followed by a program combining skits and both traditional and modern music and dancing. It followed a group of students from India to Michigan Tech as they navigated the student visa process, cultural differences and Career Fair.

“I have never seen so many people in Houghton in the same place,” one of the students in the skit said. “It feels like home.”

Nandhini Pollachi Sabiriraj, a graduate student in chemical engineering, said her favorite part of the night is the dancing.

“This is my first Diwali night here, so it’s pretty nice,” she said.

The dances were also the favorite of Surya Kiran Chittiboyana, a graduate student in electrical engineering. He said the night is a good chance to bring Indian culture to people in Houghton.

“There we celebrate Diwali to celebrate it,” he said. “Here we celebrate Diwali to remember it.”

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