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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                  JUNE 19, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 28

               GMOCO’s Rangtaali 2026 – Midwest

            Garba-Raas Championship Concludes

                               with Overwhelming Success

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            ilies, performers, and volunteers
                                                                                                                  across the Midwest under one shared
            Columbus, OH
                                                                                                                  cultural vision. GMOCO’s efforts to
                  he Gujarati Mandal of Central                                                                   bring together multiple cities and as-
                  Ohio (GMOCO), in collabo-                                                                       sociations demonstrated the growing
            Tration  with  Gujarati  organi-                                                                      strength and collaboration of the re-
            zations across the Midwest, proudly                                                                   gional Gujarati community as Unity
            celebrated the successful conclusion                                                                  is Strength.
            of  Rangtaali  2026  –  Midwest  Gar-                                                                 Preserving the Past. Empowering the Future.
            ba-Raas Championship, held on May
            16, 2026, at Westerville North High                                                                       Rangtaali celebrated Garba and
            School in Central Ohio.                                                                               Raas not merely as performances,
                The  first-of-its-kind  regional                                                                  but as living expressions of Gujarati
            Gujarati folk dance championship                                                                      identity, devotion, rhythm, and joy.
            brought  together  18  talented  teams                                                                By investing in cultural arts and inter-
            from 6 Midwest cities — Columbus,                                                                     generational participation, the event
            Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Pitts-                                                                ensured that Gujarati traditions
            burgh, and St. Louis — to compete                                                                     continue to be lived, celebrated, and
            on one stage in a vibrant celebration                                                                 passed on for generations to come.
            of culture, youth, heritage, and com-                                                                     This is a great initiative by GMO-
            munity unity.                     ba, Raas (Dandiya), and Fusion/Folk   nect deeply with Gujarati traditions   CO to bring together the Gujarati
                The event drew over 900 attend-  categories, showcasing extraordinary   through performance, teamwork,   community in the Midwest to cele-
            ees from across the US Midwest and   creativity, synchronization, costumes,   leadership, and artistic expression.   brate our culture, our traditions, our
            received an overwhelmingly positive   musicality, and cultural storytelling.   The event empowered younger gen-  folk dances, and provide this amazing
            response from participating cities,   The championship atmosphere com-  erations to proudly embrace their   platform for our children, youth, and
            performers,  choreographers,  volun-  bined the excitement of competition   roots  while  building  confidence  and   adults,” said Rupam Chokshi, cur-
            teers, families, and community lead-  with the warmth of Gujarati hospital-  lifelong cultural connections. GMO-  rent trustee and former president of
            ers alike.                        ity and togetherness.             CO’s youth group - YUVAConnect    GMOCO.
                One of the most inspiring aspects   Rangtaali proved to be a tremen-  participated in the competition and   GMOCO expressed heartfelt
            of Rangtaali was the incredible age   dous  success  because  it  fulfilled  all   announced a Summer Workshop Se-  gratitude to the choreographers,
            diversity among participants, ranging   three of its core objectives:  ries at the Rangtaali event.   participants,  judges,  volunteers,
            from 8 years old to 80 years old. From   A Platform for Gujarati Youth  Regional Unity: Ohio+ Gujarati  sponsors, partner organizations, and
            young children taking the stage for                                                                   attendees whose dedication and sup-
            the very first time to seniors proudly   Rangtaali  created  a meaningful   The championship successfully   port made Rangtaali possible.
            celebrating traditions they have cher-  and inspiring stage for youth to con-  united Gujarati organizations, fam-  As one of the largest Gujarati
            ished for decades, Rangtaali truly                                                                    cultural stage events in the Midwest,
            embodied the spirit of a multigenera-                                                                 Rangtaali 2026 has laid the founda-
            tional community celebration.                                                                         tion for a lasting regional tradition
                The event was built for families,                                                                 centered around culture, collabora-
            run entirely by volunteers, and pow-                                                                  tion, and community pride.
            ered by tradition.                                                                                              About GMOCO
                GMOCO is honored to have re-
            ceived official recognitions from both                                                                    The Gujarati Mandal of Cen-
            the State of Ohio and the City of Co-                                                                 tral Ohio (GMOCO), established in
            lumbus  for  hosting  Rangtaali  2026                                                                 1967, is a nonprofit cultural organiza-
            – Midwest Garba-Raas Champion-                                                                        tion dedicated to preserving and pro-
            ship. These proclamations recognize                                                                   moting Gujarati heritage, language,
            GMOCO’s leadership in promoting                                                                       arts, and community engagement
            cultural diversity, empowering youth,                                                                 in Central Ohio. Serving more than
            preserving Gujarati heritage, and fos-                                                                1,000 families,
            tering regional unity by bringing to-                                                                     GMOCO continues  to foster
            gether communities from across the                                                                    cultural pride, unity,  and intergen-
            Midwest through the shared celebra-                                                                   erational connection through edu-
            tion of Garba and Raas traditions.                                                                    cational, social, and traditional pro-
                Participants competed in Gar-                                                                     gramming.

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