We are brining you the Interview of Mr. Anjaiah Chowdary Lavuwho held multiple positions with TANA as TEAM Square Chairman, Joint Treasurer and TEAM Square mentor and currently Community Service Coordinator in Executive committee for Telugu Association of North America, Popularly known as TANA. He is also a director of Vensai Foundation that helps Orphaned children in India. He organizes numerous food drives for foster children in the State of Georgia. He also organizes Toys for Tots drives on behalf of Georgia Department of Family and Children’s Services. He is also involved in blooddrives, Bone Marrow drives, Health fairs, Food and cloth drives etc. and also volunteered to help during Tsunami and other natural disasters. Mr. Anjaiah Chowdary the real voice of Telugu People in America and a true Community Servant trying to help the people during catastrophic incidents, retain Telugu Culture, Language and Ethics in America.
Questions::
1)Hello sir, thanks for giving your valuable time for MaaStars.com Please share about your journey to US and your family background
A) My heartfelt thanks to Maastars for this opportunity. I did my Maters of Engineering in Power electronics from India. Came to USA in 1998 to pursue my career and blessed with Wife Natasha Lavu ,Son Srikanth chowdaryLavu(10th grade) and daughter Akshina Sri chowdaryLavu(Kindergarden).Currently settled in Atlanta.
2) After coming to US, how was your journey started?
A)Initial days w ere regular like work, family and trying to settle here but then felt that this is not what I wanted alone and wanted to do Community Service to our beloved Telugu community in whatever way I can and was continuing the activities at an individual level but later realized that I needed a bigger platform to make a difference that I envisioned and that’s how I ended joining TANA.
3) How was your journey began with TANA
A) Though I was involved with TANA and Community Service Activities for long my official position with TANA started as Chairman for TEAM Square (TANA Emergency Assistance and Management team) from 2011-2013.Worked as Joint Treasurer and Mentor for TEAM Square from 2013-2015 and Currently serving as Community Service Coordinator in EC for 2015-2017 and heading TANA CARES(New Service initiative for people living in North America with Community Service programs related to Education, Immigration and Health related).
4) Share your experiences about mingling with fellow NRI’s in TANA Events
A) You can see me active in all the TANA events be it TANA conventions, Chaitanya Sravanthi programs in India or any TANA organized events. I have Organized/Part of organizing committee for many TANA events in Atlanta and in India during TANA Chaitanya Sravanthi programs and also coordinated multiple TANA CARES Events throughout USA. Always a Team player and share very good relation with TANA Leadership and members and always available for any help the Telugu community needs.
5) As a part of TEAM Square and TANA CARES,what is your contribution and how do you guide the team?
A) Very blessed to be a part of the two Service Initiatives.
TEAM Sqaure: As a chairman of TEAM Square, I’ve handled multiple catastrophic incidents like road accidents, water accidents, health related, immigration, domestic violence among several other incidents that may have been smaller in scale but have demanded same effort and dedication. Apart from motivating the team to tackle any issues with perseverance, I’ve ensured TANA leadership is abreast of the progress made in each and every incident. I also made sure timely updates about incidents are posted on TEAM Square’s Facebook group and lastly, provided comfort and solace to the affected family members involved in these incidents.
Now that we have expanded TEAM Square Squad we all work hand in hand to help the Telugu Community in need and Special thanks to Mohan Nannapanenigaru for spear heading TEAM Square entity.
TANA CARES: Ournew service initiative for Telugu people in North America to address emerging needs at a community level. It encompasses a series of service and educational initiatives and activities in many spheres (health, education, immigration etc.) that will benefit the Telugu community.
Very glad to be a part of this and currently leading the TANA CARES effort and TANA’s goal is to Organize at least 50 Community Service events like Bone Marrow drives, Blood drives, CPR Training Workshops, Immigration, Tax filing and preparation Seminars, College Admission seminars, Health fairs, Food drives, Toy drives etc. and with the scheduled events we will complete 50 events by May end much faster than the target time and we will still continue to organize more events in future.
6) Please tell us your contribution thru TANAfor your mother land
A) During the TANA Chaitanya Sravanthi programs which TANA organizes once in every two years before the TANA Convention I have Organized and sponsored TANA Services day at my native Peddavutapalli,Krishna Dist and list of charitable events includes:
TANA Foundation Initiative Cancer screening camp in association with Basavatarakam Cancer Hospital, Heart screening camp, donated artificial limbs to handicapped, donated clothes and back packs to needy poor students and old age home, planting trees program, donated benches to schools and sponsored several student scholarships.
7) Please tell us your contributions apart from TANA,If any.
A)Services and donations through other organizations:
- Instrumental in organizing several blood donation camps for American Red Cross.
- Key contributor for Telugu Association of Metro Atlanta (TAMA) coordination and organizing key events and also TAMA’s 30th year celebrations, TAMA’s yearly cultural events.
- Instrumental in organizing several Health fairs through local associations.
- Have been on the advisory board of local and national Telugu associations.
- Organized fund raising drives for several educational events and institutions.
- Donated and solicited donations for calamities like floods, hurricanes and Tsunami.
- Ongoing annadanam activities to poor and old age people in India for 20 years.
8) You are also the Director of vensai foundation, which helps the Orphaned children in India. How you are managing these multiple roles?
A) This foundation is formed by my friend Srinivas Nimmagadda to help the Orphan children in India and am glad to be a part of the team and I believe if we have passion for service we always can find time and can prioritize and can fit things accordingly.
8) Recently you shared a video on YouTube which shows your support for new capital Amravathi inAndhrapradesh and Praising CM Chandrababu Naidu garu. Please share your opinion about it
A) Yes I support Chandrababu Naidu garu as he is visionary leader and at this juncture he is the only person who can build a new capital Amaravathi and provide bright future for our next generations.
8) Are there any plans for entry into politics in future?
A) No plans. Community Service is my passion and will continue what I am doing.
9) Every year top celebrities, singers, musicians, artists grace the TANA Conference and the major events and Functions conducted by the TANA. Share details about TANA-TOLLYWOOD relations.
A) We share a very healthy relation and have mutual respect for what we do in our daily lives and looking forward for more association in future.
10) In the span of 2013-2016, the U.S market for Tollywood movies has been registered over 200% growth which is almost lone share of Nizam area. Share your View about this
A) Yes the growth is abnormal for U.S market for Telugu movies as many immigrants are flooding USA and also you can see many NRI’s producing movies of late and this will increase the relation of NRI’s with Tollywood and market is expected to grow much bigger in future which is very good sign.
11) Is there any plans for making movies with TANA in future
A) NO, TANA is a nonprofit organization formed 40 years ago to help Telugu people in USA and Mother land.
12) Who is your favorite actor in Films?
A) Sr.NTR
13) There is a myth that NRIs doesn’t show love towards their origin. what is your opinion
A) That is not true. So far TANA has spent around 250 Million dollars for the past 40 years through TANA Foundation for various charitable activities in India.
14) Any plans for helping the poor and needy of the motherland
A) Yes, TANA has many programs through which poor and needy are beneficiaries and also at a personal level I have plans to serve my native place in association with government initiative of smart village programs.
15) What changed in your life when you became famous
A) Life became busy with TANA community service activities and family time was reduced.
16) Who do you attribute your success to?
A) I am a community Servant and for me service to people is continues process and don’t feel that there is end and hence success factor does not come into picture.
17) Please give suggestions to the student who wants to come to the US for higher studies and wants to build their career in US.
A) They should be very careful in picking the right universities who has good credentials and recognized ones. Also to be well prepared with their pre requisites and financial assistance and also should be competent to survive and complete their studies here.
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