Club 24 Members Visit Houston PBS, Preview Upcoming Story of India Series
by Pramod Kulkarni
Last updated: December 12, 2008
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HOUSTON: Club 24 member availed themselves of an exceptional opportunity to tour the facilities of the Houston PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and preview the upcoming TV series Story of India, a 6-hour program produced by BBC. The event took place last Sunday, Dec. 7 afternoon.
Club 24 is a Indo-American organization in Houston, which fosters a tradition of building bridges with mainstream organizations in Houston as well as participating with major organizations to develop programs of need and significance to the Indo-American community in Houston. This year, Club 24 made cash awards ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 to several organizations: Rotary Club of Memorial, St. John’s School, Lighthouse for the Blind, Kids Meal of Houston, Literacy Advance of Houston and Pratham.
Houston PBS was America’s first public television station and was one of the founding stations of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in 1969. Houston PBS broadcasts its programs on Channel 8 for the greater Houston area.
Houston PBS shares its facilities on the University of Houston campus with KUHF Radio (FM 88.7), which is affiliated with National Public Radio.
The Houston PBS reception and tour was facilitated by Dr. Vivek Kavadi, who has recently joined the Houston PBS Board. The reception was held at the Performance Hall of KUHT radio, where many musicians of Indian origin have performed. Each Club 24 member and guest received a CD of Indian music performed live in recent years at the Performance Hall.
During the reception, General Manager John Hesse provided background information about the Houston PBS and its ongoing fund raising program.
Ken Lawrence, Director of Programming, provided a synopsis of the Story of India series, which will be broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 on three Mondays, January 5, 12 and 19, from 9-11 pm.
Narrated by English historian Michael Wood, the series shows the 10,000-year history of the Indian subcontinent in six episodes.
Club 24 members saw the first episode, titled The Beginnings during which Wood travels throughout the subcontinent, tracing the richness and diversity of its peoples, cultures and landscapes. Through ancient manuscripts and oral tales Michael charts the first human migrations out of Africa. He travels from the tropical backwaters of South India through lost ancient cities in Pakistan to the vibrant landscapes of the Ganges plain. In Turkmenistan dramatic archaeological discoveries cast new light on India’s past.In Turkmenistan, there they find a civilisation named “Zorashtrian”, and there they also find some of carts, same as which is specified in “Rig Veda”.
Wood also discovers a drink made from a plant called “som”, this drink was used in ancient times and is recorded in “The Rig Veda”.
Afte the preview, Club 24 members were escorted on a tour of the television and radio facilitiy by on-air radio personality Eric Ladow.
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