Kerala Association of Greater Washington

Kerala Association of Greater Washington (KAGW) is a non-profit,
non-sectarian, non-political and non-commercial organization.
The Association belongs to all Keralites or to anyone who has
an active interest in matters related to Kerala or Malayalis.

Most of the Malayalees who arrived in Washington area in the
late fifties and early sixties were employees of the Indian Embassy
or the World Bank or students who studied at the Catholic University
and other area schools. The Malayalees participated in the Independence
day and Republic day celebrations organized by the Embassy. Participation
in these functions and celebrations of Onam and Christmas in family
get-togethers developed the fraternity among the Malayalees. In
early seventies, immigration law changes resulted in an increase
of Malayalees in the area. Malayalam movies were regularly shown
in 1972 and Ganamelas of Jesudas and P.Leela were held in 1973
and 1974 respectively. These activities gave the momentum to start
a formal organization. A small group of Malayalees met at a local
church auditorium on March 23, 1975 and formed a committee to
draft a constitution for the Association. Onam and Christmas were
celebrated as a community for the first time in 1975 when more
than 300 people participated in each function. KAGW constitution
was finalized and approved on May 9, 1976. Deacon P.C. Varghese
was elected as the first President of the Association in 1976.

The Association activities were not limited to Onam and Christmas
celebrations. Picnics were organized, receptions were held for
prominent personalities who visited Washington. Association News
Letters were published regularly, staged dramas and participated
in inter-association activities. A Kathaprasangam for the first
time was presented by by Association members in 1979. Also, a
proffessional-like drama (DIYVA BALI by Parur George) was also
presented in 1979. The Association’s Junior Club was organized
in 1980. This new wing of the Association gave an opportunity
for our youth to meet together and appreciate the Kerala culture.

The Association celebrated its fifth anniversary by publishing
a very impressive souvenir in 1981. It consisted of about 200
pages and included both English and Malayalam sections. This Souvenir
contained many poems, short stories and articles written by many
KAGW members and also by prominent literary figures from Kerala.
This Souvenir clearly demonstrated the literary talents of the
Association members at that time. The hard work and the dedication
shown by the members in publishing the Souvenir are a lesson for
the future generations to follow.

The Association members were very active in the eighties and
the nineties with numerous community activities. Many members,
especially medical doctors and other medical proffessionals, participated
in a free medical clinic for people in Washington D.C. Also, the
Association participated in Montgomery County’s ADOPT A ROAD program
by cleaning the Cipriano road near the S.V. Temple on a regular
basis. Many members contributed money to start a scholarship fund.
The Association awarded plaques and savings bonds to high school
graduates. Also, the Association started an Emergency Fund to
help the members who face financial difficulty due to sudden death
or illness.

For a long time, many members felt that there should be a permanent
place for the Association to keep the Association property and
a place for the executive committee meetings. Over the years,
the long range planning committee conducted many fund raising
events to collect the necessary funds for a permanent place. Since
the collected amount is still a very small fraction of the total
amount needed, the reality is that still it remains as a dream.

Site: http://www.kagw.com

Photo: Trivandrum Skyline Cropped by TVM Frames, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.