INDIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

Last two years, in the month of August, Akṣarā has been celebrating Indian Independence Day with families by playing cricket. 

Why cricket of all sports? 

Cricket is a sport of colonial British rule that rose to a national sport in India after the country gained its independence. So what better sport to play on Indian Independence Day?! Also, cricket is one sport that gets the entire country united irrespective of various differences.

In 2022, Akṣarā organized a family cricket workshop in collaboration with Hudson River Park. The 3-hr workshop was open to both kids and adults and was led by Coach Dyon Ravello and Coach Chelsea. Coach Dyon is a US level II Coach Umpire and, program director of the Cricket Let’s Play program in New York City. He has led youth teams in the East Coast Youth Cricket League and introduced cricket to over 8000 students and Teachers across New York City. The workshop attendees reviewed fielding, batting, and bowling drills and eventually played a demo match of adults vs children. Those not participating in the cricket workshop were engaged with meaningful creative arts where they explored concepts of freedom, control, and power.

In 2021, Akṣarā organized a family cricket workshop in Central Park. The 3-hr workshop was open to both kids and adults and was led by Coach Dyon Ravello. The workshop attendees reviewed fielding, batting, and bowling drills and eventually played a demo match of adults vs kids. Those not participating in the cricket workshop were engaged with making art on kites and learning to fly them even when there was no wind in the park. Through these drawings, kids with the help of adults explored various symbols of Indian culture.