HIGH FLY!

The Pune Kite Festival 2011 aims to help expats get introduced to Indian culture!

Colorful kites will dot the sky when the Pune Expat Club (PEC) hosts the Pune Kite Festival 2011 for the first time on January 15. The event is an initiative of PEC to familiarise foreigners living in the city over an extended period with Indian culture. The expats are generally here due to work and hold senior management positions. In short, the event looks poised to be a package deal as it’s not only about flying kites, but one will also get to learn more about traditional Indian arts as there will be Lac bangle makers and mehendi artists doing stuff. “We are trying to do something different. While it’s easy to host an event at a five-star hotel, finding the right venue for the kite festival took almost two months”, says Vikas Roongta, Cofounder, Pune Expat Club.

Besides the students of Mercedes Benz International School are also invited to be a part of the event. “It’s not just the students, we are also extending the invitation to their parents as well,” adds Vikas. And that’s not all, a kite maker will work in tandem with the art and craft teacher of Mercedez Benz International School and teach the students how to make kites. Besides, on the day of the event, kite experts will be available to help those facing problems get their kites flying. “We have also asked our members who have gone abroad on a holiday to bring kites from their country,” says Vikas. The Pune Expat Club was formed in June 2010 and since then has hosted various events for expats living in the city.