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The Bluegrass Indo-American Civic Society (BIACS) is a registered not for profit organization (Tax ID 61-1145155) founded in 1988. It is a civic and charitable organization comprising Kentucky residents of Indo-American heritage and others interested in the Indo-American culture.
The executive board comprises the President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer and Past-President. In addition, several councilors assist the board members in managing the activities of the society.Executive board members serve annual terms, while councilors serve bi-annual terms. A nomination and election process is used to elect board members and councilors at the annual board meeting A youth board comprising middle and high school students (13 yrs and up), also works closely with the executive board. Youth board leaders are elected through an open process. The BIACS youth board is actively engaged in civic and volunteer activities year-round. We welcome all interested youth in our society.
Provide an avenue for people of Indo-American heritage to positively engage with communities in the Bluegrass Region. Create opportunities for Indian Americans to serve the communities they live in via civic and charitable activities. Increase awareness of the rich Indian culture within the Bluegrass region.
Build empathetic, accepting, and engaged communities by educating the youth, being of service, and generating enthusiasm and acceptance for the South-Asian Indian culture.
Membership in the Bluegrass Indo-American Civic Society is open to any person residing in Kentucky who is committed to civic engagement and is interested in the Indian culture. Membership is available through a written application and payment of nominal dues and is not restricted to those of Indian heritage.
Consistent with its charter, BIACS has spearheaded a variety of social, educational, cultural, charitable and civic activities in the Bluegrass region. Some examples are listed below.
- Annual educational scholarships awarded to college-bound graduating high school seniors. Scholarships are open to all Kentucky students irrespective of gender, race, and ethnicity. These scholarships are possible because of generous support of BIACS members and local corporations such as Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky.
- Annual banquet to raise funds for the scholarships as well as to honor the recipients and donors. We typically invite notable dignitaries as guests of honor of keynote speakers at the annual banquet. Examples include, past presidents, university leaders, industry leaders, best-selling authors, federal judges, politicians, etc.
- Cultural activities (including an annual “India Day” fall event) to increase awareness of and showcase the India culture.
- Civic activities in and around the Lexington area.
- Youth members activities that align with the overall mission of the society.
- Free health clinics in the Lexington area. These are ,organized with support of the local government, sponsored health board and volunteer physicians. We provide checkups, basic screenings and consultations from physicians including internists, cardiologists, pediatricians, pulmunologists, allergists, dentists, etc.
It is an understatement to say that we are living in challenging times. There are tectonic shifts happening all over the world that are placing new demands on social institutions such as BIACS. Opportunity beckons us to grow our local community connections, by emphasizing what is common and celebrating our differences. My vision for BIACS in 2020 is to continue to grow our social giving programs, be it through scholarships that benefit Kentucky high schoolers or our time volunteering at other institutions. Arts, Culture and Food are other avenues that we will continue to strengthen and increase awareness about BIACS and Indian culture/heritage. I welcome your participation as together we can make progress and show how a connected civic organization can positively unite us.
Hemant Gandhi,
President BIACS 2022