Date:01/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/01/stories/2005010103420500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

TANA conference at Detroit in July

By Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM, DEC. 31. The Telugu Association of North America (TANA) will hold its biennial conference at Detroit from July 1 to 3 next.

The TANA president, Navaneeta Krishna Gorrepati, told presspersons here on Friday that Detroit has a sizable Telugu population and was within driving distance of other cities where a good number of those from the State lived. Fifteen members of the TANA board of governors are in the State to invite the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, and the former Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, and artistes for the occasion and also in connection with the third TANA folk festival held at Tirupati on December 22 and 23. Over 450 folk artistes representing 33 arts had participated in the festival. ``TANA proposes to hold its next folk festival at Visakhapatnam,'' Mr. Gorrepati said.

Telugu in US varsity

As a part of its activities, TANA has donated $20,000 for teaching a Telugu language course in Michigan University, he revealed. During the current year, 15 persons, including some Americans, are taking the course.