Past Events
While Archana is our primary fundraiser, we are so proud to share with you the many other events we have held in an effort to both share our work and to bring our community together!
P. Sainath, The Last Heroes
India Friends Association hosted an inspiring lecture by India's renowned author and photojournalist P. Sainath on November 27th, 2023, at the Thousand Oaks Library. He discussed his latest book; The Last Heroes: Foot Soldiers of Indian Freedom. The book records the life stories of 15 very ordinary Indians from diverse religious and socioeconomic backgrounds and how they took on British Raj. They tell a compelling story about the courageous and selfless roles played by countless Indians in our freedom struggle.
Click Here to watch and listen to the recording of the talk and discussion.
Zoom Baraabar Zoom!
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to cancel Archana 2020. Nonetheless, we kept our spirits up and worked hard to bring you all our very first live-streamed event on September 27, 2020: Zoom Baraabar Zoom!
The event features the music of RD and SD Burman presented by our local community musicians, a COVID-19 townhall with an Infectious Disease specialist, and updates on the relief work done by IFA and our fellows during this pandemic.
Click below to watch the complete live-streamed event!
IFA Fall Forums
One of our very first events, IFA Forums have been an opportunity for IFA donors, volunteers, and appreciators to meet with prominent change agents and social activists from India. At each forum, a few such agents are invited to speak to an open audience about their work in the nonprofit sector and their related experiences. The event is entirely free and open to the public, and is followed by a complimentary dinner prepared by IFA volunteers.
Use the following links to hear lectures from some of our prior IFA Forums!
Click here for our November 2024 Fall Forum - a panel discussion on the agrarian crisis in India centered around the screening of the film ‘Deja Vu’, with Bedabrata Pain, the award winning director of the film, and S.R. Hiremath, the acclaimed Indian activist.
Click here for our September 2015 IFA Forum with Dr. Ravi Chopra, founder of People's Science Institute in Dehradun, India. The topic was 'Climate Change: It can be reversed'.
Click here for our February 2014 IFA Forum with Medha Patkar, organized by India Friends Association and UCLA's Center for India and South Asia.
Medha Patkar giving a TV interview on UCLA Campus.
IFA Founding Member, Prithvi Sharma, giving an introduction at the 2014 IFA Fall Forum held at UCLA.
Medha Patkar during the 2014 IFA Fall Forum held at UCLA.
Guests in line for the Q&A Session during the Fall 2014 IFA Forum with Medha Patkar at UCLA.
Aruna Roy - Ramon Magsaysay Award Winner, member of National Advisory Council to Government of India For Social and Public Policy - speaking at the 2012 IFA Fall Forum held at UCLA.
Nikhil Dey - Lawyer by profession, Founding member of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan Organization - speaking at the 2012 IFA Fall Forum held at UCLA.
An engaged audience as Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dev spoke about policies and issues in India at the 2012 IFA Fall Forum held at UCLA.
The highly respected Dr. Ravi Chopra, founder of People's Science Institute in Dehradun, India and our speaker at the 2015 IFA Fall Forum.
India Festival
India Festival is a celebration of India's vibrant culture through her cuisine, textiles, arts, crafts, music and dance. Come prepared to learn a dance step or a yoga pose! Taste food from the different corners of India - sure to satisfy any palate. Unique handicrafts from all over India on display and available for purchase; a good opportunity for easy Christmas shopping! This event is free and open to the public. While it has been several years since our last one, we hope to share India’s beautiful culture with you in a similar fashion soon!
Click here for photos from India Festival 2015!
For local news coverage of India Festival 2016,
click here to read the Acorn article and click here to read the piece by Ventura County Star!
Part 1 of our very first India Festival, held in 2011.
