Rooted in Love, Blooming in Peace: VT Seva Maryland Hosts Highly Successful 3rd Annual SAMATHA Celebration

By: Sobana Vasudevan, VT Seva Maryland Branch Director

VT Seva Maryland successfully hosted its 3rd Annual SAMATHA Celebration, centered around the deeply meaningful theme, "Rooted in Love, Blooming in Peace." The prestigious event brought together local community leaders, distinguished scientists, passionate youth volunteers, and dedicated advocates to celebrate service, culture, and philanthropy.

A crowning moment of the evening was the presentation of an official proclamation document from the county. Frederick County Council President Mr. Brad Young formally recognized the SAMATHA event and VT Seva's profound impact on youth development, humanitarian service, and civic engagement across Maryland.

The Visionaries Behind the Scenes: Adult Leadership

While our youth shined brightly on stage, the overwhelming success of SAMATHA 2026 was powered by a dedicated team of adult leaders, directors, and officers. Working tirelessly behind the scenes, these individuals expertly orchestrated the event's strategy, administrative governance, financial compliance, and community outreach:

• Mr. Vasudevan Akkoor (Youth Director, VT Seva Maryland): Serving as the foundational operational bridge for the event, Mr. Akkoor played a monumental role in designing and executing the overarching strategies for SAMATHA. He took the lead on speaker relations, successfully bringing together the event's distinguished guest panel, and engineered the high-impact operational framework that transformed community funding into transformative youth opportunities.

  
  

• Mr. Srinivas Putthana (Secretary & Board Officer): As the official custodian of records and administrator of governance, Mr. Putthana ensured the structural integrity of the event. He managed all venue bookings, collaborated directly with the facility hosts, and handled the extensive, complex logistics required to securely house our large celebration.

  
  

• Mr. Dillibabu (Treasurer & Board Officer): Acting as the primary financial officer, Mr. Dillibabu provided the strict fiscal oversight necessary to protect the event's financial health. He built the initial event budgets, tracked operational expenses across all committees, and ensured absolute transparent accountability for every dollar raised.

  
  

• Mrs. Prashamsa Muppavaram (Donor Engagement Leader & Education Branch Coordinator): Mrs. Muppavaram drove the event's philanthropic sustainability by cultivating corporate and individual sponsorships. Beyond fundraising, she authored the comprehensive master emcee script based on the event agenda and personally coached and prepared our youth speakers to anchor the event confidently.

  
  

• Mrs. Deepa Parida (Outreach Lead & Volunteer Manager): Operating as the central hub for manpower, Mrs. Parida successfully converted broad community interest into organized human resources. She managed, screened, and mobilized the entire volunteer force, carefully vetting and assigning each volunteer to the correct operational task to ensure zero friction on event day.

  
  

• Mrs. Sandhya Kaakani (Feeding Hope Program Lead & New Market Branch Lead): Coordinating grassroots community infrastructure, Mrs. Kakani bridged regional operations. She mobilized student challenges and localized civic initiatives in the New Market area, using her regional branch network to support statewide food-security and sponsorship campaigns.

  
  

• Mrs. Padmaja Vedantam, Mrs. Ramya and Mrs. Sudha Konduri (Samatha Decoration Leads): As our creative designers, they established the visual identity, thematic elegance, and cultural ambiance of the showcase. They directed the design and setup of the main stage, interactive photo booths, and welcoming entrance boards, transforming the theme "rooted in love, blooming in peace" into a vibrant physical reality using traditional accents and sustainable materials. They also successfully managed a team of youth volunteers to coordinate props and signage safely within strict venue timelines, beautifully elevating audience engagement.

• Mrs. Swetha Timmuru & Mrs. Chaitanya Arem (Cultural Leads & Heritage Coordinators): Serving as the creative storytellers of the evening, they were responsible for organizing and preserving cultural authenticity on stage. They carefully coordinated the traditional performances and diverse artistic showcases, ensuring that the programming remained deeply rooted in heritage and inclusivity.

  
  

• Mrs. Shwetha Keranahalli (Communication Lead): Mrs. Keranahalli serving as the central public voice of the celebration, driving the public narrative and non-profit brand consistency. She manages all digital and print promotional channels, curated compelling impact stories, and steered media outreach to maximize the event's regional visibility.

  
  

• The Event Lead Coordinators - comprising Mr. Murali Divi, Mrs. Bhanu Priya Viyyuri, Mr. Aditya Komperla, Mr. Venkat Konnala, Mrs. Swathi Chava, Mrs. Sirisha Chintalapatti, and Mrs. Mounika Shriramoju - act as the main logistical hub coordinating venue operations, vendor contracts, sound production, and specialized internal committees. Within this team, Mr. Murali Divi directs general decor, crowd management, and volunteer care, while Mrs. Bhanu Priya Viyyuri manages the technical decoration setup. Mr. Aditya Komperla controls microphone and sound operations, Venkat Konnala handles post-event cleanup, and Swathi Chava bridges both the initial setup and final cleaning workflows. Additionally, Sirisha Chintalapatti leads the dedicated chess competition, and Mounika Shriramoju coordinates guest management and registration. Ultimately, they serve as the vital conductors who manage the master timeline, direct rehearsals, and troubleshoot on-site challenges to ensure that the visual efforts of the decoration team, the marketing of the communication team, and the dedication of the volunteers unite seamlessly to deliver a polished, impactful guest experience.

Impact and Donor Appreciation

This incredible program is made possible entirely through the generosity of our community and corporate donors. Through the SAMATHA 2026 initiative, VT Seva Maryland successfully raised enough funds to sponsor the education of 22 visually challenged and underprivileged students.

We extend our special gratitude to the following key donors, each of whom generously sponsored the education of at least one visually challenged student: 

• AATS Financial – Mrs. Teja Pusunuri

• Minnodi LLC – Mrs. Santhana Shanmugam

• Frederick Desi District – Mr. Sam Mullapudi

• Uday Nasini Photography – Mr. Uday Nasini

• Roots Product Lab Associates LLC – Mr. Vasudevan Akkoor

• Swaraalaya School of Music and Arts – Vidushi Sobana Vasudevan

• Best Brains Learning Centers (Monrovia) – Mrs. Swathi Kapoor

• Mrs. Aparna Hemchandra

• Mr. Ashok Aedla

• Mr. BalaPrakash Rajan

• Mr. Dillibabu Pammi Venkateswaralu

• Mr. Chandu Kankanala

• Mrs. Swathi Chava

• Mrs. Prashamsa Muppavaram

• Mr. Adharsh Nair

• Mrs. Anjana Konduri

Volunteer Felicitations

VT Seva's core mission thrives on grassroots community and family involvement. To honor this spirit, our distinguished chief guests presented special felicitations to our dedicated community leaders, individual youth helpers, and core family teams (including students, mothers, fathers, and siblings) who stepped up to serve together. 

The following volunteers were recognized for their outstanding service, sorted in alphabetical order along with their respective local chapters: 

• Abhinav Komperla (The Komperla Family – Monrovia)

• Abhinav Sathvik Taritla (New Market)

• Adithiya Venkatakrishnan (New Jersey)

• Akanksha Subramaniam (The Subramaniam Family – Monrovia)

• Akul Pallerla & Anay Pallerla (The Pallerla Family – Monrovia)

• Anwesha Parida (The Paridas Family – Monrovia)

• Arjun Chintalapati & Nayan Chintalapati (The Ratnakar Family – Monrovia)

• Aryan Krishna Shriramoju (The Shriramoju Family – Monrovia)

• Chetan Sai Kankanala (The Kankanala Family – New Market)

• Dillibabu (The Dillibabu Family – Monrovia)

• Divya Putthana & Rohan Putthana (The Putthana Family – Monrovia)

• Eshaan Konala (The Konala Family – Monrovia)

• Ethan Joseph & Neil Joseph (New Market)

• Inika Keranahalli (The Keranahalli Family – Monrovia)

• Isheeta Shree Taritla (New Market)

• Joshua Cabral (Monrovia)

• Kaviya Karthick Kumar & Dheesidan Karthick Kumar (Monrovia)

• Keerthi Siripurapu (Monrovia)

• Manasvi Divi & Tejasvi Divi (The Divi Family – Monrovia)

• Misha Nabeel (The Nabeel Family – Monrovia)

• Mridula Vasudevan & Taara Vasudevan (The Vasudevan Family – Monrovia)

• Rathish Pandian (New Market)

• Reyansh Takallapally (New Market)

• Sameer Khan (The Khan Family – Monrovia)

• Sana Shenoy & Family (Monrovia)

• Sanjay Guda (The Guda Family – Monrovia)

• Vihaas Ventrumulli (The Ventrumulli Family – New Market)

• Vihaan Krishnan & Ishaan Krishnan (New Market)

• Vishan Das Mukkapally (The Mukkapally Family – Monrovia)

Special Competitions and Events

Beyond the main stage, the SAMATHA celebration featured a diverse lineup of engaging tournaments and shows, expertly coordinated by our youth and community leaders:

• Chess Tournament

  • Led by: Arjun Chintalapati

    • Tournament Report by Arjun Chintalapati: 

      
      

      The 2026 SAMATHA Chess Tournament concluded as a resounding success, filled with memorable moments, laughter, and high-level strategy. Serving as the event lead, Arjun Chintalapati oversaw close to 30 enthusiastic participants of all ages. The tournament showcased an incredible array of skills, highlighting intense, high-pressure games where participants displayed fierce competitiveness while maintaining a wonderful spirit of sportsmanship. Reflecting on the leadership role, Arjun noted gaining invaluable personal growth in logistics, time management, and multi-sectional tournament coordination. Special recognition goes to Akul, Aryan, Deechu, Collin, and Abhinav for their indispensable assistance in organizing tournament boards, managing the room atmosphere, and solving technical issues during active play. Heartfelt appreciation is also extended to the entire VT Seva Maryland core team, whose collective marketing and logistical planning made this annual tournament possible. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the tables in 2027!

      
      

• Spelling Bee Competition

  • Led by: Akul Pallerla, Anay Pallerla and Chetan Kankanala

  • (Activity summary pending completion)

• Kids Fashion Show

  • Led by: Taara Vasudevan and Mridula Vasudevan

  • (Activity summary pending completion)

• Women's Ramp Walk Show

  • Led by: Akanksha Subramaniam and Mridula Vasudevan

  • (Activity summary pending completion)

Cultural Highlights and Teacher of the Year

The prestigious SAMATHA stage came alive with incredible classical showcases and musical expressions. A primary highlight of the evening was the special announcement honoring Vidushi Aparna Gurumurthy of the Nrityasamarpan School of Bharatanrityam as the SAMATHA 2026 Teacher of the Year for her exceptional dedication and contribution to arts education and community service. 

We extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our participating academies and educators for their tireless support in bringing their schools to perform:

• Nrityasamarpan School of Bharatanrityam – Vidushi Aparna Gurumurthy (SAMATHA 2026 Teacher of the Year)

• Padma Paadam School of Performing Arts Inc. – Vidushi Thejashwini Ramarao

• Swaraalaya School of Music and Arts – Vidushi Sobana Vasudevan

• Thumak Dance Academy

Distinguished Guests and Speakers

The celebration was honored by the presence of several prominent Maryland leaders who shared inspiring insights and voiced their strong support for VT Seva’s humanitarian mission:

• Mr. Brad W. Young: President of the Frederick County Council and lifelong financial planner. He brought decades of civic expertise from his prior leadership on the local Board of Education and the Frederick Community College Board of Trustees.

• Ms. Christina Wong Poy: Administrative Director for the Governor's Commissions on Asian Pacific American and South Asian American Affairs. She highlighted the vital state resources connecting minority constituents to economic and healthcare opportunities.

• Dr. Yang Yu: Chair of the Governor's Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs and Dean of the Liberal Studies Division at Howard Community College. She emphasized state-level advocacy and community resource connectivity.

• Dr. Balamurugan Kuppusamy: Acclaimed cancer researcher at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Principal of the Frederick Tamil School, recognized for his contributions to both oncology and grassroots cultural preservation.

• Dr. Mahesh Aitha: Biomedical research scientist at the NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and dedicated education advocate, known for his work with the ManaBadi Telugu language program and legislative advocacy for inclusive curricula.

• Dr. Amit Kumar: NCI Program Director and Founder of Urbana STEMM. He was celebrated for his federal scientific portfolio management and his award-winning local youth mentorship initiatives.

• Ms. Kathleen Reilly: Highly accomplished Speech-Language Pathologist with over 20 years of experience helping children overcome communication challenges. The VT Seva family extended its deepest gratitude to Ms. Reilly for her invaluable time, unwavering support, and beautiful dedication to community service. 

Conclusion

VT Seva Maryland extends its heartfelt thanks to all attendees, donors, performers, and distinguished guests who made SAMATHA 2026 a resounding success. Together, we continue to cultivate a global community rooted in love and blooming in peace.