India House Completes Building in Time for Rath Yatra
By Pramod Kulkarni
Last Updated: July 18, 2008

India House features a glass-framed atrium at the front entrance. The building was festooned with flags and banners in celebration of the Rath Yatra. India House officials and Rath Yatra organizers held a havan to mark the completion of the building.

HOUSTON: India House facility in southwest Houston near the intersection of South Gessner and West Belfort came alive on Saturday, July 12 in time for the Rath Yatra celebrations later that day.

The completion of the Phase I of the India House building represents the fulfillment of a community dream for the past 30 years.

The 10-acre property, where the India House building stands, was purchased in 2002 by India Culture Center.
A India House Inc. was formed in 2004 to begin raising funds to design and build the facility. The construction of the Phase I building started in 2006.

The 30,000 square foot Phase I building will include a Senior Citizens facility, a free Health Clinic, Legal Assistance Center, library, computer lab, adult education and after-school program. The building includes a 600-capacity multipurpose hall with kitchen.

A grand opening of the building is expected to take place in the Fall, although activities in the building have already begun with the Rath Yatra celebration.

“Words cannot express the feeling of satisfaction we feel at the completion of the building,” said Ashok Dhingra, India House Vice President of Operations, after the havan that took place at India House last Saturday morning.

Jugal Malani, IH Board Member and a major contributor ,was pleased with the quality of the construction and said the facility will be suitable for a variety of community functions.

“Phase II of India House will include a performing arts center to present the arts and culture of all the 28 states,” explained Dhingra, India House Vice President of Operations, “A large banquet hall will enable us to celebrate festivals such as navratri, eid and deepawali, and observances such as Independence Day.”

Phase III will consist of a youth center, food court, coffee shops, media and game room. “We plan to use the roof to fl y kites during Makar Sankrant and other seasonal festivals,” Dhingra suggested.