Several West Windsor residents have organized a dinner dance to honor civic leaders and volunteer service organizations through the Indian American Civic Forum. The event will be held at Chutney Manor Banquet Hall, 3793 Route 1, South Brunswick, on Saturday, November 17, at 6 p.m.##M:[more]##
The comedian of the evening is Anu Kalra, a former West Windsor resident. A product of West Windsor-Plainsboro Schools, he attended Hawk, Dutch Neck, WW-P Middle School, and WW-P High School (for two years). He graduated from a high school in California and later earned his degree in information systems from DeVry. His parents, Bal, a computer programmer, and Shasha, a social worker, live in West Windsor.
Although he has been doing stand-up comedy for five years, he finds that his style is still changing and that now he is focusing on observational humor (a la Seinfeld). He has performed in Atlanta, Toronto, and Miami, but most of the time he can be found in New York at clubs in Times Square, Soho, or the East Village.
Kalra, who was not on stage until he was in a play during this senior year in high school, admits to being a rebel while growing up. “I would clown around with friends but did not have the guts to go on stage,” he says. “From the first time on stage I loved it.”
He feels that he is still finding himself and that it takes 10 years to have a solid career. “I play towards the crowd and plan to mix it up that night.”
Kash Delory, a West Windsor resident since 1988, is the founding president of the Indian Voice of West Windsor (IVOWW). “The group was formed in 1989 at the advice of former West Windsor councilwoman, Rae Roeder, a good friend of the Indian Community,” he says. “We saw the need to embrace the neighboring towns as we were getting A lot of members from them.” Over the years the group expanded and changed its name to Indian American Civic Forum.
He and his wife, Avinash, an assistant director of nursing at the Greystone Psychiatric Hospital, have three grown children. She has been working for the State for 24 years.
Their eldest daughter, Sonia, graduated from West Windsor-Plainsboro High School, Class of 1992, and received her bachelor’s degree in computer science from Rutgers University, Class of 1996, and her master’s in business administration in 2005 from Bapson College, Boston. Married since 1996, she is living with her husband and three sons in North Andover, Massachusetts.
Their son, Vikas, graduated from the WW-PHS, Class of 1997, and graduated from Rutgers with a double major in computer science and economics. He is a clients relation manager with Merrill Lynch.
Their younger daughter, Meenakshi, graduated from WW-PHS, Class of 1998, and received her bachelor’s degree in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University. Married in 2005, she lives in Hoboken. A former project manager with Merrill Lynch, she is an assistant vice president with Lehman Brothers.
Delory was born in Delhi, India, in 1947. He attended the public school system and graduated from high School in 1964. He received his bachelor’s degree in math in 1968 and his master’s degree, also in math, in 1970, from Delhi University. Delory was an investigator in the Bureau of Economics and Statistics in the Delhi Administration, India before coming to the United States.
He began his career as a computer operator with Automated Data Processing Company in New York City. He was later a computer programmer and an information officer in Manufacturer’s Hanover Trust and Chase Manhattan banks, both in New York City.
In 2001 Delory became a math teacher in the Essex County Vocational Schools District. “The idea of teaching in the inner city schools is a by product of ‘We Serve,’ the motto of the West Windsor Lions Club,” he says. “It was a rough start but during the learning curve I discovered that the winning attitude was treating the students as my own children and showing them the dreams for a bright future.” — Lynn Miller
Felicitation Dinner and Dance, Indian American Civic Forum, Chutney Manor Banquet Hall, 3793 Route 1, South Brunswick, 609-273-1955. www.iacf.org. $10 for high school and college students. $50. Jackets required for men; festive attire for women. Register. Saturday, November 17, 6 p.m.
