Christel House celebrates India Day on Aug. 16

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

INDIANAPOLIS – Experience the Indian culture in Indianapolis this weekend. On Sunday, Aug. 16, the sixth annual India Day Celebration will take place on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis. The event, hosted by the India Association of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Hyderabad Sister City Committee, and the Mayor's Office of International Cultural Affairs, is an annual celebration of India’s Independence Day. It features a parade, vendors, cultural performances and cricket matches.

Anita Lerche, internationally acclaimed singer, will appear at the event. Lerche is the first Western woman to record a solo album in Punjabi. She has performed in more than 16 languages for crowds of up to 50,000 people.

“My passion is to spread happiness and unite different cultures together through my singing,” Lerche said.

This fall, Lerche will perform at a free concert to benefit the children of Christel House. The “Christel House Concert” will take place at the Athenaeum on Oct. 16, 2015. There’s no cost for the event. However, guests must reserve their seats by Oct. 2 at www.christelhouse.org/concert.

Want to learn more?

Christel House International is be happy to connect media with Anita Lerche for an interview and provide high-resolution photos of Lerche as well as Christel House students from around the world.

About the “Christel House Concert” on Oct. 16, 2015

When: Friday, Oct. 16, 2015, 6:30 p.m.

Where: The Athenaeum, 401 E. Michigan St.

Why: To celebrate—and benefit—the children of Christel House

There is no cost for the event, but seating must be reserved by Oct. 2.

Register at www.christelhouse.org/concert.

The evening’s performance—a fusion of music and dance—will showcase the art and cultures of Christel House. Anita Lerche will perform with the Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre, which specializes in social engagement and cultural fusion.

During the show’s intermission, audience members will preview a new video featuring Christel House students from India, Mexico, South Africa and Indianapolis. All proceeds from a silent auction, as well as voluntary donations, will benefit the Christel House schools and its 4,100 students.

www.christelhouse.org (Click on “our schools” to see details on each global school.)

“The obstacles facing Christel House students are daunting—daily exposure to gang warfare, drugs, alcoholism, hunger, abuse, negative role models, violence, suffering, and discrimination—but every day our students come to school, learn, and set their sights on a better tomorrow. They have dreams, and while at Christel House their aspiration is to make those dreams become reality. We celebrate their determination and courage. They are breaking through the barriers of poverty to build a new and better life for themselves and a future for their families. They are our heroes, and role models for others to follow.”—Christel DeHaan, Christel House Founder and CEO

About Christel House International

The mission of Christel House is to transform the lives of impoverished children around the world—breaking the cycle of poverty and building self-sufficient, contributing members of society. A focus on academic excellence through a robust K–12 curriculum is combined with a strong character development program and holistic human development to give students the skills and competencies necessary to compete successfully in complex 21st Century society.

Much more than a school, Christel House was established in 1998 by Founder and CEO Christel DeHaan, and currently serves more than 4,100 impoverished children through seven learning centers located in India, Mexico, South Africa and the U.S.A. Christel House graduates are confident, hardworking, responsible and ethical, with a passion for giving back to their communities and caring for their families. For more information, please visit www.christelhouse.org.