Some engineering students do more than just go to classes and do homework. The group of students shown in the first photo comprised of two IEEE officers, two from the Engineering Student Council panel, a College of Engineering Representative to the SGA, and three Indian Student Organization (ISO) officers, were four engineering students out of many whom participated in the Gujarat Earthquake Relief Fundraisers held at the UAH campus from February through March of 2001.

Sitar Benefit Concert at UAH Pei-Ling Chan Auditorium on March 16, 2001. Left to Right: Venkatesh Balasubramanium, College of Engineering Representative to SGA, Engineering Student Council panel, ISO Treasurer; Tina Ellson, IEEE Student Branch Chairperson and Engineering Student Council panel; Venkataramanan Krishnaswamy, ISO President; Abhishek (Jhen) Krishnamurthy, IEEE Staff Correspondence Secretary and ISO Secretary. (Photo by Tina Ellson)

This spring semester, the Indian Student Organization comprising almost entirely of engineering students raised $1,000.00 within a period of six weeks to fulfill fundraising goals for the Gujarat Earthquake Relief Fund. The IEEE Student Branch raised $250.00 cash in seven days to meet deadlines. The Student Branch was the largest single contributor in the city of Huntsville to the ISO's fundraiser. Moreover, IEEE SB was also the only university engineering organization to have participated. They have the encouragement and contributions of members of the local Section and the Student Branch Mentor, Wayne Wolf, to thank. As a noteworthy comparison, the US Government donated 25 million while private Indian businesses in the United States donated 50 million to the Relief Fund.

Furthermore, a group of engineering students did not miss the once-in-lifetime Sitar Benefit Concert event co-sponsored by the Indian Student Organization and the Huntsville Indian Association on Friday March 16, 2001. Accustomed to such halls as New York City's Carnegie Hall, the internationally acclaimed sitar virtouso, Kartik Shesadri, performed to a mesmerized audience at the UAH Pei-Ling Chan Auditorium. A once child prodigy, Katrik is a foremost disciple of the world's greatest sitar maestro, Ravi Shankar.

Two IEEE officers, Tina and Jhen with the internationally acclaimed sitar player,Kartik Seshadri on the stage at the Sitar Benefit Concert.

While a number of American musicians grilled the performer many technical inquiries during a "Question and Answer" session, a few engineering students queried the musician if he liked any other music, or American music in particular. To this the performer of ageless music replied, "I like all kinds of music. As for American music, I like jazz and rock."

A couple of engineering students whom are also music students of guitar, and expecting a cultural enrichment in stringed instrumental music, were instead taken on a once-in-a-lifetime "journey" through timeless Universal musical reality. Indeed, this event was an enriching and educational experience that is not likely to be repeated in Huntsville. The 2000-year-old system of Indian Classical Music, the Raga Sangeet, is not learned music, but it is "received knowledge" accomplished only through many years of study from a guru. Thus, performances of the "unstruck sound," the sound of the Universe, are correctly termed as "improvisations," rather than performances. Undeniably, the spectacular and scintillating sitar improvisation was a rare treat for UAH as well as Huntsville.

IEEE Student Chairperson, Tina Ellson, with the colorfully attired Indian ladies of the Huntsville community at the Sitar Benefit Concert.