PASADENA, CA: It was a colorful and festive evening on a recent Sunday night when many of Arcadia Methodist Hospital physicians and their significant others gathered at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, CA to celebrate the upcoming Winter holidays.
Jay Bharat Catering added a new twist to their otherwise well-known Gujarati cuisine by offering various paneer appetizers, non-vegetarian dishes and Manchurian delights. The ballroom looked like a new Indian bride’s fairytale wedding reception, all courtesy of intricate details offered by Utsav Event Planning. The décor illuminated by the lighting of Special Occasions DJ, Lighting and Production Company. Finally, the audience was left in awe by the magnificent performance of Bollywood Step, including a private traditional Bollywood dance lesson from well-known choreographer and dance partner to several Bollywood actors, Yogen Bhagat.
So why did so many physicians from a Methodist hospital participate in this Bollywood Winter Holiday party? All of the planning and design of this yearly event came on behalf of Jay Kumar Shah, MD, Chief of Staff at Arcadia Methodist Hospital. “We have about 640 doctors on the staff. Every year, we do an annual dinner and dance. And this year, because I was Chief of Staff, I thought why not something different. We just passed our New Year and Diwali, and I wanted to have a New Year and Diwali Party; but then I thought it was too close and it would be too much. So I thought let’s combine it together”.
It is the first time in the 100-year history that Arcadia added a cultural twist to their annual winter dinner/dance event. Dr. Shah and his wife, Ramila Shah, solely planned this remarkable event, filled with Indian culture, tradition and cuisine. Men and women attending the event had the opportunity to work with representatives from Sital Indian clothing store in Artesia, who personally came to the hospital to help the physicians select traditional Indian attire to wear to the party.
Over half of the non-Indian guests stood proudly in their sarees and sherwanis, which were custom tailored to fit each person; including adding additional clips to facilitate placing the outfit on for the event. Finally, several women were able to accent their Indian attire with beautiful mehndi designs offered at the party.
According to their mission statement, Arcadia Methodist Hospital values integrity, respect, and compassion. These values were clearly characterized by the actions and interactions demonstrated by all the guests attending this event. It was clear just how much this hospital embraces diversity by welcoming this Bollywood style celebration.
India Post News Service
