Best Wishes - India Festival

R X 

Care 

Pharmacy 

14306 7th Street • Dade City, FL 33523 

(352) 567-2238 

Best Compliments 

from 

Haresh Patel & Rakesh Patel 

Hours: 

Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. • Sat. 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

• Diabetes Products 

• Greeting Cards 

• Household Products 

• Soda & Beer 

Kwik-Mart 

We Are More Than A Corner Drug Store! 

Best Wishes 

from 

Cypress Medical Care, P.A. 

Tulsi Pipalia, M.D. 

Harsha 

Mayoor 

Amrish 

• Medical Equipment 

• Stationary 

• Tabaco Products 

• Discounted Prescriptions 

3102 W. Cypress St. 

Tampa, FL 33607 

tel: 813-875-3444 

fax: 813-878-2110 

With Best 

Compliments 

from 

Dr. Rajesh and 

Devyani Patel 

Palak, Poonam 

(727) 937-3010 

With Best 

Wishes From 

Dr. TIYYAGURA S. 

Reddy MD, PA 

GASTROENTEROLOGY 

His Family & Employees 

e 

7614 Jacque Rd. Suite B 

Hudson, FL 34667 

Ph: 727-863-2105 • Fax: 727-862-2512 

52 “To loose patience is to loose the battle”

Unforgettable India Trip 

What better way is there to spend a vacation 

then go to India India is an amazing 

place filled with a variety of things to do and 

places to see. My trip to India is one that I 

will never forget. I went on the medical mission 

trip with a group of doctors, visited the 

many parts or north and south India, and my 

favorite part of all was going to the city to 

shop and hang out. 

Going to India for a Medical Mission trip 

was a real eye opener. I had the opportunity 

to help people in small rural villages where 

not many people visit. Working with a group 

of doctors, organized by Doctors Goodwill 

Foundation, got me interested 

in the medical field. The sensation 

of helping people is 

wonderful. Through out the 

medical mission my eyes were 

opened to the different types 

of people that are in India, 

and the different ways of living 

compared to the United 

States. The medical mission 

helped me grow as a person 

and made me more aware of 

the people around me as I got 

to help the society. The sites in India are 

thrilling. No matter where you are, India can 

never get boring. There is always something 

to do and sites to see. When I went to South 

India, it allowed me to better understand my 

culture because I visited so many temples. 

The hand carved temples and the statues of 

Krishna and the other gods were breath taking. 

I never imagined how a temple could 

have such an impact on my own culture. I 

learned more about the different Gods and 

their purposes. This allowed me to gain more 

knowledge about what I did not know before. 

After visiting the south I went up north to 

Agra. Here lies the famous Taj Mahal. It is 

one of the prettiest buildings in India besides 

the temples. I never knew 

the meaning behind it 

until I visited and found 

out the king had made it 

for his wife. The Taj 

Mahal has meaning 

behind it which is why it 

is admired along with its By Rina Bhalani 

beauty. 

The best part about going to India is shopping 

and eating food. Riding the rickshaw 

into town is adventurous because hundreds 

of cars are zooming by honking their horns 

for no reason. As I was going down the main 

street, I see hundreds of clothing 

departments and places to 

eat. The first thing I wanted to 

do was eat Pani Puri. Even 

though everyone in the US says 

its “bad” and you might get 

“sick,” I decided to eat it anyways 

and find out. It was spicy 

but I continued to eat, and 

never got sick! There are a variety 

of foods in India that will 

never keep you hungry. I would 

live there to eat food all day. 

And who could forget shopping. I can not 

even remember how many sari and Panjabi 

stores I went to. I bought 10 new panjabis all 

in different colors. Every time I go to India, 

my closet grows bigger because of the 

amount of clothes I buy each time. 

India is a fascinating place and my visit 

there made me discover new things. The 

medical mission opened my eyes to how people 

really live. The different sites allowed me 

to get a better understanding of what India is 

really made of and the meaning behind it, 

and of course shopping and the food make 

everything better. My visit to India was exhilarating 

and definitely one I will never forget. 

“Woman is the companion of man, gifted with equal mental capacities” 53

India Festival 

2008 

Mehul Patel, M.D. 

Alka Patel, D.D.S. 

Tej Patel 

Palm Harbor 

SLEEP STUDIES 

• Polysomnogram 

(NPSG - Diagnostic Study) 

• Polysomnogram with CPAP Titration 

(Therapeutic Study) 

• Polysomnogram with Multiple Sleep 

Letancy Test (NPSG with MSLT) 

Alok Kumar, M.D. F.C.C.P. 

Nagesh Salian, M.D. F.C.C.P. 

5453 Gulf Drive, Suite 1, New Port Richey, FL 34652 

WWW.PASCOSLEEPCENTER.NET • Fax: 727-846-0923 

(727) 845-0459 • (727) 847-2214 

54 “All true art must help the soul to realise its inner self”

A Trip to Remember 

Many people have been on outstanding 

vacations everywhere in the world but have 

they ever been to India India is a country 

where you can find thrilling things. The 

sightseeing is one of the best features India 

can offer whenever you go. It’s always an 

entertaining trip to look forward to and to 

look back upon. 

I visited the small towns where my parents 

were born in Gujarat. There were dirt roads 

and, and no auto vehicle in village. We 

arrived in the village and my grandfather 

came with a Ox cart to receive us. I was 

scared to sit on the Ox cart, but when I did I 

had an immense experience. In the front 

yard there were cows, buffalos, ox, birds, and 

peacocks and I enjoyed watching them. My 

aunt taught me how to milk the cow. At dinner 

time we sit on the floor; no dining table, 

and had delightful food, like bhajara no rotalo, 

khichadi, bangan bharthu, and pickle. I 

learned how to cook on a Indian clay oven 

(chulo). After dinner all the neighbors’ kids 

came and sit with us and asked us questions 

about USA. What a great time I had, and I 

always remember it. 

The second day I went to the gigantic 

farm. They grew tomatoes, corn, wheat, and 

garlic. We had lunch at the farm; we had to 

sit down on dirt under the tree. It was a 

breathtaking environment, with no pollution. 

The water was pumping out from the well, 

and we took shower straight from there. I 

think all kids should have a chance to visit 

India because its spectacular. 

When you go to India there is no doubt 

that you will come back with more stuff. Your 

bag will probably be bulging out. There are a 

plethora of stores to choose from when I am 

shopping in India, I never know where to 

start. Once you get into the store you sit 

down on a mattress. We usually spend about 

an hour or more in a store 

that we really like. Owe 

stay for a while they start 

asking if we want food or 

any drinks. Of course my 

answer is always, “yes!” 

The food in India is 

delightful! There is nothing 

to compare to it. 

By Meera Bhalani 

Every time I go there I always want Bhajipav, 

Dalwada, snow cone (baraf no golo) from the 

lari. People say you will get sick if you eat it. 

I think that’s funny because I eat food from 

lari and drink bottled water and I don’t get 

sick! I always look forward for the food when 

I go to India, its one of best parts! 

It’s hard to imagine how many temples 

there are in India. The biggest temple that I 

have seen so far is the one in New Delhi it’s 

built by the BAPS group. Just looking at all 

the designs on the outside walls and the 

sculptures of all the Gods made me wonder 

how long it really took to build this breathtaking 

temple. India celebrates lots of festivals 

every year like Holi, which is the festival of 

colors it’s the best because you get to throw 

color powder at everyone. Another one 

would be the Kite Flying day. Everyone is 

outside on their roofs flying kites and the 

next day you can see all the stringing hanging 

everywhere. There is also Diwali is the festival 

of lights. 

A trip to India will leave you breathless for 

the rest of your flight home. I can guarantee 

you will have a good time no matter who you 

are with. When you go to India you are automatically 

coming back with 500 pictures 

because you don’t want to miss anything and 

you can look back at all the amazing things 

India can offer for you. You are sure to come 

back home and miss India. 

“Suffering opens the eyes of understanding” 55

BAY-VIEW NEUROLOGY 

Compassionate Service is our Practice 

4754 U.S. Hwy. 19 • New Port Richey, FL 34652 

Ph: (727) 848-0800 / Fax: (727) 843-8157 

Hasmukhbhai / Ramaben 

Smita 

Toral, Sejal, Kinjal 

With Best Wishes 

from 

Siddharth H. Shah, M.D., P.A. 

Rakesh P. Shah, M.D., P.A. 

Popatlal / Nirmalaben 

Rajul 

Pooja, Shreya 

56 “The platform of service is as big as the world”

Amrit Yoga connects yoga practice with its 

ancient roots and fundamental principles that 

are at the core of all branches of yoga. By 

adding the mental and spiritual disciplines of 

Raja Yoga, inwardly focused attention and 

meditative awareness, Amrit Yoga combines 

the strengths of Hatha and Raja Yoga into one 

system. 

Amrit Yoga can be a powerful extension for 

yoga teachers and students from all traditions 

who wish to add the spiritual dimension into 

their personal practice and professional skills. 

It uses the body as an entry point to explore 

experience and release psychosomatic blocks 

that prevent us from tapping 

into the source of the infinite 

potential within. It creates new 

possibilities for widening the 

range of healing modalities and 

self-discovery. The concepts 

are adaptable to various types 

of healing professionals, as well 

as for spiritual growth. 

Amrit Yoga cultivates inward 

focus and meditative awareness 

along with the practice of 

postures and pranayamas. 

Inward focus becomes an 

anchor for engaging scattered 

attention. Withdrawing attention from internal 

and external disturbances (pratyahara) 

and focusing on bodily sensations (dharana) 

heals the body-mind split, bringing the mind 

and body into a harmonious, co-creative 

friendship. This internal focus is the single 

Best Wishes to 

Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay 

From 

Manojkumar Patel M.D., FCAP 

Mrs. Ashaben Patel, Viral and Nisha 

Board Certified Dermatopathologist 

Anatomic Pathology 

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated 

(813) 866-3215 

Amrit Yoga 

most powerful tool to prevent 

chronic unconscious, 

unproductive mental dialogues, 

images and emotional 

reactions. These 

unconscious habits 

accompany us through 

every activity all day long; 

the yoga mat is not an 

exception. The vigorous 

By Gurudev Shri 

Amritji 

traditions of Hatha Yoga provide powerful 

results and are intended to serve as a foundation 

for the mental and spiritual dimension of 

yoga. Hard work can silence the mind during 

vigorous practice, but has no 

power to transcend or alter 

emotional and karmic patterns 

held securely in the unconscious. 

Vigorous practice combined 

with internal focus 

engages the mental and emotional 

bodies into the practice 

of yoga—expanding its scope 

and deepening the experience 

of Hatha Yoga many fold. For 

your body to be the temple of 

the divine, your yoga practice 

must harness and harmonize 

the conflicting forces and disturbances 

that arise from the body, emotions 

and mind. 

These unconscious 

forces keep you divided and fragmented 

in your thinking, feeling and doing. The 

practice of Amrit Yoga has the power to 

engage you totally, absorb you completely, 

and integrate you fully in your body, mind, 

heart and soul. It empowers you to enter the 

experience of unity and ecstasy, which is integral 

to the experience of yoga. 

Amrit Yoga is a metaphor for life. The skills 

of mindful attention and meditative awareness 

you develop on the yoga mat extend to 

challenges you encounter in life. Painful transition 

periods, relationships and crises can 

become opportunities and openings for personal 

transformation. 

“The true source of rights is duty” 57


21st India Festival 

From 

Holiday Inn Express 

HOTEL & SUITES 

3528 COMMERCIAL WAY -US 19 

SPRING HILL, FL 34606 

PHONE: 352 - 683 - 5100 

FAX: 352 - 683 - 5454 

Harish Aroda 

Jay “Jimmy” Panjabi 

Dinesh Gandhi 

Mark Amin 

With Best Compliments to the 

21st India Festival 

from 

Kirti K. Patel, M.D. 

Mrs. Indira K. Patel & Mrs. 

Kantaben Patel 

Kavita, Komal, Kajal & Kush 

Largo Primary Care, LLC Internal Medicine & Primary Care 

1258 West Bay Drive, Suite A • Largo, FL 33770 

Phone: 727-585-5431 

58 “God turns his back on those who quarrel amoung themselves”

Knowledge of scriptures will help us to properly 

evaluate the values we ascribe to the objects of 

material life. These are the values we attach to 

money, physical comforts, power and prestige, 

ego satisfaction, unless one realizes the hollowness, 

worthlessness, for the primary aim of happiness, 

there will be no need to reconsider their values 

in life. Such evaluation can help us to overcome 

six enemies that trouble us. These are 1. 

“Kama”: Desire for material objects. 2. “Krodha”: 

Anger when desires are not fulfilled. It can be in 

the form of dislike, hatred, disrespect and strong 

desire for revenge. 3. “Lobha”: Greed Expecting 

more than one deserves, dissatisfaction tendency 

to snatch everything from other, theft, robbery, 

looting. Resort to scams, fraud, cheating etc. 4. 

“Moha”: It is undue attachment, emotion, misconception 

about real or just value, believing false 

to be the truth. 5. “Mada”: It is superiority complex, 

strong ego. 6. “Matsar”: jealousy. Effort to 

run down others better placed. Conquest of 

“Shad Ripu” is only negative aspect of spirituality. 

After conditioning, conquering six fold negativities, 

one should try to develop positivities. These 

are described in Geeta Ch. 13, verses 6-11. When 

these qualities become effective, the characteristics 

of person of steady intellect, “Sthita Pragnya” 

develop characteristics of a wise devotee, “Jnani 

Bhakta”. For such evolved and advanced souls, 

freedom from misery “Dukha Nivruti” is easy. For 

gaining peace and happiness in worldly life spirituality 

is useful in this way! However, the supreme 

goal of life is self realization, liberation, “Moksha”. 

Let that be for the rarest of the rare. 

The positive attitudes referred above are: 1. 

Amanitvam” humbleness. Not expecting to be 

honored. This can lead to work as an agent for 

supreme “Nimittabhava”, and further to egolessness. 

2. “Adambhitvam” No hypocrisy. Not showing 

what one is not. Consistency in thought, 

speech and action should be achieved. Reason of 

inconsistency can be to protect one’s image, social 

etiquette, diplomacy etc. This takes one away 

from integration of personality, truth. 3. “Ahimsa” 

Non injury to others in any way, physical, mental 

or intellectual. Not hurting anybody’s feelings, 

Positive Attitude 

By Niranjan Shroff 

respect etc. even thoughts to harm or cause pain 

to others, is called “Himsa”. 4. “Kshanti” 

Forgiveness. 5. “Arjavam” Straight forwardness. 

Open heartedness. No scheming, evil designing 

etc. 6. “Acharyapsanam” Service to teacher 

“Guru” 7. “Shaucha” means cleanliness of body, 

mind and the environment. Mental cleaning 

means taking out the negative tendencies. 8. 

“Sthairyam” means steadfastness. The seeker 

should be able to keep firm on goal of liberation 

unmoved by the failures in attempts for goal. 9. 

“Atma Vinigraha” Self control on natural inclination 

to sense pleasures. 10. “Indriyarthesu 

Vairagyam” means detachment of a seeker who is 

not driven by objects and five fields of senses, 

such as sound, touch, form, taste, smell. 11. 

“Anahankara” No pride or self esteem 12. “Dukh 

Doshnu Darshanam” Visualize painful nature of 

worldly life, such as birth, death, old age, poverty, 

unemployment, dishonor, failure etc. and their 

transient nature. 13. “Asakti” Detached from 

body,sense objects, etc. 14. Anabhishvanga” Lack 

of misconceived identity with any objects, person, 

family, house, land, money etc. 15. “Nitya Sama 

Chittatvam” Sameness towards reactions to all 

happenings, desirable or otherwisewhich keeps 

on coming to us as a result of destiny. 16. “Ananya 

Yogen” Not harboring any thought other than of 

Supreme self. Firm “Dharana” and “Dhyana” can 

take a seeker to this state. 17. “Bhakti 

Avyabhicharini” Devotion which do not waver 

from one deity to the other., but is faithful, steady 

for chosen one ‘Istha deva’ . 18. “Vivikta Desha 

Sevitram” Residing in a holy place. Suble vibrations 

of the holy place can be conducive to spirituality. 

Staying alone, solitary will reduce worldly 

attractions. 19. “Arti Jana Sansadi” No desire for 

contact with others. 20. “Adhyatma Jnana 

Nityatvam” Always absorbed in the study of the 

self or the scriptures. 21. “Tattavrtha Jnana 

Darshanam” Realization. 

As a result of these qualities, one can adopt 

path that suits him/her of Action (Karma), 

Devotion (Bhakti) or Knowledge (Jnana) for 

attaining supreme objective of life- liberation 

(Moksha). 

“To serve is my religion” 59

Florida Cardiology Group 

GOPAL CHALAVARYA, M.D. FACC 

MICHAEL MOORE, DO, FACC 

HARISH PATEL, M.D. FACC 

s 

NAGARAKA SHARMA, M.D. FACC 

JOSE AUGUSTINE, M.D. FACC 

Best Wishes to India Festival 

From 

All of us at 

Florida Cardiology Group 

7614 JACQUE ROAD, SUITE C, HUDSON, FL 34667 

727-862-8383 

s 

PASCO HERNANDO ONCOLOGY 

ASSOCIATE 

Board Certified Hematologists - Oncologists 

K.S. KUMAR, M.D. 

RAJU V. RAO, M.D. 

GAJANAN KURKARN, M.D. 

RAMANA DUTT, M.D. 

5802 Stake Road 54 

New Port Richey, FL 34652 

Phone: 

(727) 842-2795 

14529 Cortez Blvd. 

Brooksville, FL 34613 

Phone: 

(352) 596-1401 

60 “Non-violence is made of sterner stuff”

Fosamax & It's Effect on your 

Dental Health 

Fosamax ® is a bisphosphonate medication 

used for bone loss. Users of Fosamax have 

suffered Osteonecrosis of the Jaw, also known 

as Jaw Necrosis, ONJ, Bis-Phossy Jaw or 

Dead Jaw. This painful and disfiguring condition 

causes the jaw bone to decay and die. 

Symptoms of osteonecrosis may lead to infection 

of the jaw and exposed portions of bone 

inside the mouth. Merck, the manufacturer 

of Fosamax, failed to warn users of this side 

effect. Similar problems have been linked to 

Fosamax's bisphosphonate competitor, 

Actonel, which is marketed by Procter & 

Gamble. Other similar bisphosphonates have 

also been implicated in the serious necrosis of 

the jaw. In the U.S. Package Insert for both 

Aredia and Zometa, the following information 

on osteonecrosis had previously been 

added to the Adverse Reactions section 

under Post-Marketing Experience 

"Cases of osteonecrosis (primarily involving 

the jaws) have been reported in patients treated 

with bisphosphonates. The majority of the 

reported cases are in cancer patients attendant 

to a dental procedure. Osteonecrosis of 

the jaw has multiple well documented risk factors 

including a diagnosis of cancer, concomitant 

therapies (e.g., chemotherapy, radiotherapy, 

corticosteroids) and co-morbid conditions 

(e.g., anemia, coagulopathies, infection, 

pre-existing oral disease). Although causality 

cannot be determined, it is prudent to avoid 

dental surgery as recovery may be prolonged." 

Levin Papantonio is investigating claims 

and Fosamax lawsuits nationwide for 

Fosamax users who have suffered damage to 

their jaw bone as a result of the popular medication. 

Oral Surgeon Warns about "bisphossy 

jaw": Bisphosphonates, a class of 

drugs taken by millions of patients for osteoporosis 

and bone-related complications of 

metastatic cancer may actually contribute to 

By Dr. Gaurangi N. Patel D.D.S 

the onset of osteochemonecrosis, or "bisphossy 

jaw," a painful, potentially disfiguring 

jaw condition, according to an article published 

in the May issue of the Journal of Oral 

and Maxillofacial Surgery. 

Further reading: Osteonecrosis from 

bisphosphonate medications for bone loss: 

Side Effect Watch: Femur Fractures in 

Fosamax Patients: A study in the current 

issue of the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma 

links Merck's osteoporosis drug Fosamax to a 

rare type of fracture in the femur. 

Suit Alleges Merck Negligently Promoted 

Osteoporosis Drug Fosamax: Merck & Co., 

which is already facing a raft of cases over its 

pain reliever Vioxx, may need to hire additional 

attorneys to fight a recently filed lawsuit 

alleging the company was negligent in 

promoting its osteoporosis drug Fosamax. 

Wall Street Journal says industry moving 

slowly on dead jaw problems: After eight 

operations on patients whose jawbones 

turned out to be dead, oral surgeon Salvatore 

Ruggiero began doing some research in 

February 2001. He scoured the patients' 

medical records and discovered they had 

something in common: They were cancer 

patients taking a drug called Aredia to combat 

bone loss... 

USA Today - Dead Jawbones linked to 

drug: Over a three-year period, the jaws of 

dozens of patients who had undergone oral 

surgery at his hospital had failed to heal properly. 

Part of the jawbone had died and 

become exposed. 

Biphosphonates and Jaw Necrosis: Cancer 

patients given drugs called bisphosphonates 

to control hypercalcemia – too much calcium 

in the blood – or the growth of bone metastases 

can develop bone death in the jaw the 

FDA warns. 

“Our fear paralyses our thinking power” 61

Nandkishor Shah, M.D. 

Sonal Shah, M.D. 


Imitation of Birds and Animals 

in Yoga 


Q 

l 

Best wishes from: 

Mahender Reddy 

Vasudha Reddy 

Pranav 

Preetham 

l 


from 

Deeva - Dilan 

Prity - Bhupendra Agravat 

THE DRUG SHOPPE 

Lowest Prices, Fast Services & Courteous Staff 

813-870-3939 

Fax: 813-870-3933 

Q 

Thanx! 

4002 Fiesta Plaza 

Tampa, Florida 33607 

Junction of Armenia & Tampa Bay Blvd. 

M - F: Hours 9 am - 6 pm • Sat: 9 am - 1 pm 

With Best Wishes 

from 

Maansi, Bansari, 

Jyoti & Bharat 

Best Compliments 2008 

Indian Festival From 

Professional Psychiatric 

Associates 

Dr. Jayendra & Shaila Choksi 

Drs. Rushir & Neha Choksi 

PHARMACY 

- Prescription Delivery - 

- Excellent Service With Low Prices - 

216 Oakfield Dr., Brandon, FL 33511 

(Across from Brandom Hospital) 

Phone: (813) 662-9926 • Fax: (813) 662-9936 

Cell: (813) 748-2521 

www.medicineshoppe.com 

Nilay Choksi 

e 

2630 W. Waters Ave. 

Tampa, FL. 33614 

(813)930-9310 


Math Genius: Preet Patel 

Preet Patel, son of Drs. Girish Patel and 

Kirti Bhargava-Patel of St. Petersburg, has 

been part of the Florida High School Math 

Team and has participated in several 

National Math Competitions. He won first 

place (overall individual competition) at the 

PUMaC - Princeton University Math 

Competition, a National Math Competition 

sponsored by Princeton University in Junior 

Division for the year 2007-2008. As part of 

the Florida team he also participated in the 

Harvard-MIT Math Competition where the 

Florida Team was placed first, in 2007-2008 

academic year. Preet is a 

sophomore in the 

International Baccalaureate 

program at St. 

Petersburg High School 

this year and is the cocaptain 

of the Florida 

High School Math team. 

He is gearing up for several 

National Math com- 

Preet Patel 

petitions again this 

spring. Kudos and best of luck to Preet. 

National Scholar: Ankit Gandhi 

Beginning with college algebra 

in the seventh grade, Ankit 

Gandhi took 16 classes at the 

University of South Florida 

before he even graduated from 

the rigorous International 

Baccalaureate Program at C. 

Leon King High School. 

Gandhi was admitted to 14 schools, including 

UPenn and MIT but selected the accelerated 

6-year medical program at Penn State (US 

News). 

Ankit was named a National AP Scholar 

and received the highest IB exam score in 

Hillsborough County. By the end of his high 

school career, Ankit attained an 8.36 GPA, 

the 2nd highest GPA in the state of Florida. 

Aside from his plentiful academic accomplishments, 

Ankit has taken leadership roles 

in many extracurricular activities. For 

instance, he was president of the Key Club, a 

service organization devoted to the education 

of children, and president of the Math Club, 

where he successfully competed in regional 

and state competitions. Furthermore, he was 

production manager of the high school newspaper 

and performed pediatric oncology 

research at St. Joseph’s Hospital, where he 

wrote two papers for publication. 

He also did more than 

200 hours of volunteer work 

during medical mission trips 

to India with the Doctor’s 

Goodwill Foundation. By participating 

in all of these 

endeavors, Ankit was been 

awarded over 102 trophies. Through his 

achievements and distinctions, Ankit has 

been featured in the “St. Pete Times” and the 

“US News and World Report”. 

At Penn State, Gandhi enters as a junior 

with over 80 college credits and, two years 

later, will transition into Thomas Jefferson 

Medical College in Philadelphia. He says that 

his diligence and hard work in high school 

will help him make the most of his time in 

higher education. "I will have the opportunity 

to focus on the activities and subjects in 

which I truly have an interest," he says (US 

News). 

“Success is not about intelligence,” said 

Gandhi, now pursuing a six-year accelerated 

medical degree. “We’re not geniuses. Well, 

I’m not at least. If you work hard at something 

that will lead you to success” (St. Pete 

Times). 


Renal Hypertension Center 

Kidney Diseases • Hypertension • Dialysis • Transplantaion 

Proudly servicing Pasco, Pinellas and Hernando 

for 30 years 

M.K Acharya, MD 

P.M. Reddy, MD 

Linda Badillo, MD 

S.K. Hariachar, MD 

Prakas D’Cunha, MD 

Kedar Shetye, MD 

Michael Brucculeri, MD 

Daisy Reyes, MD 

Sudhin Pudur, MD 

14134 Nephron Lane, Hudson, FL 34667 • 727-863-5418 • Fax: 727-869-8629 

2967 Landover Blvd., Spring Hill, FL 34608 • 352-684-5323 • Fax: 352-684-5315 

4113 Little Rd., Suite 101, New Port Richey, FL 34655 • 727-376-3725 • Fax: 727-376-3742 

1501 Alt. 19, Suite D, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689 • 727-376-3725 

1840 Mease Dr., Suite 410, Safety Harbor, FL 34695 • 727-712-0807 • Fax: 727-797-6973 

13644 Walsingham Rd., Largo, FL 33774 • 727-595-2704 • Fax: 727-596-6976 

1124 Lakeview Rd., Ste. 3, Clearwater, FL 33756 • 727-442-6245 • Fax: 727-447-3793 

1201 5th Ave. North, Ste. 308, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 • 727-595-2704 • Fax: 727-596-6976 


Nirja Patel, a Swim Athlete 

Nirja Patel, a 7th grade student at 

Independent Day School in carrollwood has 

already collected numerous 

honors in short course and long 

course swimming competitions 

throughout the state of Florida. 

She started swimming at the 

age of five and has participated 

in major swim meets for past 

three years. Nirja got her first 

breakthrough on 07/07/07 during a major 

swim meet held at Brandon where she finished 

50M breaststroke in 45.61 seconds and 

qualified for Florida State Junior Olympics 

(FLJO) of the year 2007. She attended 

FLJO in July’ 07 and again qualified for 2008 

FLJO and participated in 50M and 100M 

breaststroke events at the University of 

Florida, Gainesville. Nirja has also participated 

in West Zone FL championship held at St. 

Petersburg, where she got gold medal for the 

first place in 100Y breaststroke and silver 

medal for the second place in 50Y freestyle. 

In last six months Nirja has received eight 

Reading 

By Punnet 

major championship medals for securing top 

three positions and thirty seven ribbons for 

the placement in top eight. 

Nirja is an avid breaststroker 

and her current seeded ranking 

in the FL state is third for 50M, 

100M and 200M breastroke. 

She does four to five miles of 

swimming every day while 

receiving her training from 

Sickles High school (2007 state champions) 

coach, Scott Parlett, a national champion of 

freestyle and breaststroke events. Nirja has 

received many invitations and offers to swim 

with high school senior girls’ swim teams and 

various other swim teams of the Tampa bay 

area. 

Along with swimming, Nirja loves mathematics 

and science. She participated in Duke 

University TIP program and scored 99th percentile 

in last two years in a row. We congratulate 

Nirja for her achievements and wishing 

her future success. 

“The true source of rights is duty” 67

Key Club 

Key Club is the oldest and largest service 

program for high school students. Key Club 

is successful because it is a student-led organization 

that teaches leadership through serving 

others. Key Club is merely the high 

school branch of the Kiwanis family which 

extends from elementary school (K-Kids), 

middle school (Builders Club), high school 

(Key Club), college (Circle K), all the way to 

adults (Kiwanis). Key Club members build 

themselves as they build their homes, schools 

and communities through their passion for 

service. 

Today, Key Club International exists on 

more than 5,000 high school campuses, primarily 

in the United States and Canada. 

Growth efforts, however, have taken the Key 

Club experience internationally to Canada, 

the Caribbean nations, Central and South 

America, and most recently to Asia and 

Australia. 

Locally in the Tampa area there are 

approximately thirty high schools instilled 

with a chartered Key Club. From the basic 

club member all the way up to International 

President of Key Club International, each 

individual makes a positive contribution to 

society in their means of service. 

The service organization has played a vital 

role in my life, as it almost determines the 

person I want to be as I mature throughout 

the years. Holding the position of Lieutenant 

Governor in the Tampa area, I serve as a liaison 

between the schools and the Mighty 

Florida District of Key Club. I relay messages 

of important changes, goals, and district 

projects that affect all the schools in Florida. 

My duty entails holding monthly divisional 

meetings, producing newsletters, attending 

Kiwanis congregations, and still finding some 

time to commit some hands-on community 

service. The greatest benefit of holding this 

office is earning the opportunity to meet various 

kinds of people with all different backgrounds 

with the common goal of service. 

One of the major events in any Key Clubber's 

life is attending the District Convention 

which is held every year in the five star Rosen 

Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando. At convention, 

new district officers are inducted, club 

officers are trained in workshops, and Key 

Clubber's have a great time at the Governor's 

Ball dance. 

As I've been a member of Key Club 

throughout my high school career and climbing 

the ladder of offices, the lessons I've 

learned and the memory of the unique people 

I have met will stay with me throughout 

the years. Key Club is more than just a service 

organization, it is a family of people based 

off the foundations of Caring, Character 

Building, Leadership and Inclusiveness, and 

it is because of this that makes this Club so 

great. 

Yours In Service, 

Jay Ghiya 

Lieutenant Governor 14A 

(813) 784-7646 

68 “God turns his back on those who quarrel amoung themselves”

Success Story of 

Nimisha Chheda 

Florida Medical Association Alliance 

recently honored Nimisha Chheda with 3 

awards for her hard community work in 

Hillsborough County. After studying medicine 

at B. H. M.C Homeopathic Medical 

College in Bombay, India, she worked for 

major Hospitals in Bombay. When she 

came to US after marriage, she studied to 

get her Masters in Public Health. Her giving 

nature led her to work for volunteer 

organizations; including Hillsborough 

Medical Association Alliance Where she 

was elected President in 2007-08. She had 

taken up two community health projects, 

“Screen out!” and “Breast Cancer 

Awareness”. Screen Out! project is a campaign 

which deals with taking smoking out 

of the films aimed at 

Children. Both of these 

projects were successful 

because of her uphill 

struggle. Her success 

story is published on the screen out website; 

she won the international week of 

action award for the Screen out! project 

FMAA President-Elaine Hale, FMAA 

President-elect. Ann Anderson giving 3 

awards to Nimisha Chheda on 2 August 

2008. 

from AMAA, and she also, received a grant 

for the project from the State. Florida 

Medical Association Alliance honored her 

with first Place awards for both the community 

health projects. She is now the 

spokes woman for the Screen Out! project 

for the State. She has improved the 

Association’s newsletter and the State honored 

her with the award for that also. She is 

now promoted to work with the Florida 

State Medical Alliance on various positions 

including representing State Medical 

Alliance on FMA Public Health Council. 

Nimisha has also received full scholarship 

from AMA Alliance to attend their LDC 

conference in Chicago this year. 

“To serve is my religion” 69

Om Divine College Folk Dance 

Sitting (from left to right): Sita Patel, Teja Burri, Dhara Patel, Hiteshi Patel, Rika Burri, Shreya Narayanan. Standing (from left to 

right): Puja Patel, Meera Patel, Radhika Patel, Juhi Desai, Shivani Desai. 

Saheli Sange Adult Garba 

Sonal Patel, Payal Patel, Nima Viradiya, Jagruti Ajvalia, Archana Patel, Sejal Parbhoo, Alpa Desia, Mamta Choksi, Front Row: 

Maria Desai, Hetal Chugani, Sonal B Patel, Isabel Shaw, Nipani Shah, Dwiti Shah. 

70 “Non-violence is made of sterner stuff”

Rangeelo Minor Raas 

Vishnu Premkanth, Keerti Premkanth, Parth Patel, Keshav Shah, Sohom shah, Rushubh Shah, Devan Shah, Jaysan Shah, Dev Patel, 

Jeena Patel, Karina Shah, Milani Patel, Riyanna Patel, Ruchi Korde, Heta Patel, Heather Amin, Meera Patel, Anaya Patel. 

Ghoomer Minor Folk 

Anika Virmani, Tanvi, Tara, Palomi, Yesha, Yashvi, Suchi, Simran, Karishma, Richa, Rounak, Vedic,Yash, Goutami, Niyati Shah 

“Our fear paralyses our thinking power” 71

Dholida High School Raas 

Back row standing from left: Bhavin Patel, Forum Shah, Rahul Vyas, Shrina Reddy, Harsh Parikh, Nikki Patel, Shahana Bhattacharya, 

Anil Sedani. Front raw starting from left: Nirav Shah, Sweta Shah, Aarsh Shah, Heena Joshi, Karna Mangrola. 

Om Divine Junior Raas 

Sitting (from left to right): Deepal Patel, Uvarshi Patel, Dhara Patel, Bansari Kaasindra, Riddhi Patel, Anisha Patel, Roshni Patel, 

Ami Patel. Standing (from left to right): Juhi Desai, Adam Gordon, Anuj Desai, Jigisha Desai, Jay Patel, Parthik Patel, Shivani Desai. 


Panther College Raas 

Girls: Shina Patel, Sanngeeta Macko, Bhavika Bhakta, Leena Augusty, Kimberly Maharaj, Nikita Patel, Blanca Cuervo, Sheetal Sujan. 

Guys: Jai Nebhrajani, Atit Shah, Anuj Gupta, Fayaz Adam, Abhishek Sinha, Moulin Lalaji, Dale Parsan, Shail Parikh. 

Rangeeli College Garba 

TOP: L to R: Sena, Sohini, Payal, Pomy, Kinita, Avinash, BOTTOM: Pareen, Marilyn, Shriya, Puja, Jeena, Aneesha 


Reshmi Minor Folk Dance 

Sitting girls from right to left: Radha Patel, Nandita Shah, Reeya Arora, Davina Patel, Shreya Shah, Shivani Patel, Mansi Patel, 

Standing girls from right to left: Nisha Desai, Mira Rajani, Maansi Patel, Divya Arora, Riya Patel, Isha Patel, Nandini Patel, Anika . 

Balle Balle Kids Minor Bhangra 

Girls from right to left: Shayla Emandi, Sonia Desai, Sonia Amin, Riana Amin, Aashi Patel, Isha Patel, Boys from right to left: 

Shivan Desai, Samir Rajani, Kishan Patel, Viraj Mithani, Rudrik Desai, Suraj Panara, Rohan Patel, Raj Shah, Dasuni Chathurika. 


Tornados Junior Raas 

Boys: Ishaan Parikshak, Ashish Amin, Rahul Bapna, Amar Desai, Kamal Makati, Om Derasari, Ankit, Shilpen Patel 

Girls: Shreena Parikshak, Yasmin amin, Megha Patel, Anaysha Singh, Malvika Bapna, Divya, Vivekha, Reena Patel. 

Thunder Minor Raas 

Kush Patel, Kunj Patel, Roshan Patel, Devan Patel, Jayan Thakkar, Ashesh Soni, Rajan Patel, Ravi Patel, Roshni Patel, Mira 

Makanji, Asmi Patel, Orisa Patel, Mansi Patel, Tvisha Patel, Sneha Bhakta, Riya Patel. 


Meethi Gudiyas Minor Folk Dance 

Back Row (L to R) Saritaa Singh, Rashmi Gupta, Shreya Patel, Anjali Shah, Mira Patel, Janki Patel 

Middle Row - Divya Desai, Amanda Jagannath, Aditi Patel, Dayita Wable, Sneha Patel, Dr. Kirti Bhargava-Patel (Director) 

Front Row - Celine Shameer, Alexa Azeez, Rena Upadhyay, Priya Patel, Anjali Mistry 

Aalaap Adult Folk Dance 

Margi, Nila Shah, Seema Desai, Kirti Bhargava, Lopa Dalal, Geeta Kapadia, Hemali Shah, 

Dr Rashmi Nanda, Dr Pratibha Desai, Vaishali Patel, Anju Anand

Best Wishes - India Festival

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