Urban Milan is the ultimate source for the latest happenings in the City. Visit this section for non-profit, for profit event coverage or recommendations in the City!
Gamble Your Way to a Great Cause!
Dice, Cards, Drinks and Food--The Share & Care Gala was a great event for a great cause! The event was held on April 13, 2013 at the Prince George Ballroom in NYC. The theme of the night was "Casino Night" the event included Roulette, Blackjack and Craps tables. The guests played the casino games to win tickets that would be used for a raffle to win great prizes! Prizes included items such as a scarf, liquor, hotel stays and much more...More...
Want to Be Treated Like Royalty?
Get Treated Like Royalty On the Maharajas’ Express! Awarded "Best Luxury Train" by CNBC in 2010 and named 1st runner up in the Readers Choice Award for Conde Nast Traveler in 2011, India’s newest luxury train...More...
Rang Barse!
Bright colors filled the air on March 30, 2013 on In Group's sixth annual "Rang Barse" Holi cruise. Hundreds flocked for this fun-filled three-hour cruise that offered beautiful views of New York City & New Jersey, Indian Food, Cash bar and a chance to attack all your friends with bright colors!
Not only South Asians were onboard the "Hornblower Respect" yacht, there were many different ethnicities taking part in this Indian celebration. Keri Crump who attended the cruise stated "Had a super fun time. Felt similar to celebrating in India (yes I celebrated in 2010)...More...
Maharaja's of Comedy Cause a 'Big Bang"!
The Maharaja's of Comedy
Hosted by Comedian Kunal Nayyar from the show "Big Bang Theory", hundreds flocked to Mason Hall in New York City for the launch of “The Maharaja's of Comedy” show. The 'stand-up' comedy show, which featured the performances of some of the world's top comedians of South Asian origin, was a huge success with three performances on February 15th & 16th, 2013. The show was filmed in front of live audience and is set to air on a major television network this spring.
Besides the famous star host, the other comedians included Dan Nainan who has recently performed for President Obama, Anish Shah...More...
Got Gifts?
UM's Guide to Gifts for the Holidays: Looking for that perfect gift for your friends/family/patner this Holiday season? With the Holidays just around the corner, Urban Milan has put together a Holiday Guide that can help you find the perfect gift! Urban Milan 2012 Holiday Gift Guide!
Varli Culinary Awards: A Tasteful Ceremony
The first ever Varli Culinary Awards was held on November 15, 2012 at the Altman Building in New York City. A panel of international culinary organizations, food experts, and the public attended this upscale event. Some of the guests had traveled from as far as Dubai and India to be there. Guests included Ambassador Manjit Singh Puri, actor Chandrachur Singh, singer Biba Singh and many more. Guests got a chance to mingle with the celebrity stars, and taste food from ten different Indian Restaurants.
Actor and Singer Manu Narayan, hosted the event and admitted that much to his mother’s dismay he could not cook at all... More....
Andaaz: Season Three Launch
NEW YORK: Fashion, Glitz and Glam were showcased at the Andaaz Season 3 Launch Party on Friday, November 11, 2011 at The Flomenhaft Gallery.
Andaaz, a life style talk show on Sony Entertainment Television Worldwide, currently airs in 150 countries worldwide . Andaaz is the first show that Sony has ever aired and distributed that is completely shot and produced in the United States. Season three of Andaaz will premiere in January 2012.
The festivities for the launch party began with... More...
Euphoria: New CD Release & 10-City US Tour
Euphoria is an iconic Indian rock band with a twist, considering they play rock music in Hindi. With an unparalleled mass appeal and critical acclaim, Euphoria is widely considered as the biggest band in the subcontinent. Put together by Dr. Palash Sen and his friends in New Delhi in 1988, 20 years later, they are the sole survivors of the pop music wave that hit the nation in the mid-nineties....More...
First Global IIT Conference Comes to NYC
More than two thousand Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) alumni, comprised of distinguished business executives, government officials, and leading entrepreneurs from around the world, will descend upon New York City for the first-ever global IIT conference to be held in "the city that never sleeps" from September 30 to October 2, 2011, at the New York Hilton Hotel. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the inception of the "IIT System." The seven IITs--each built on the pattern of MIT in India--are globally recognized as the premier engineering and science universities and regularly make the Top 50 list in global rankings. The IIT graduates have...More...
The Kati Roll Happy Hour
The Kati Roll Company, (49 W. 39th Street, New York, NY 10018; 212.730.4280) well-loved for introducing India’s street-cart “kati” rolls to New York City, is pleased to announce a Happy Hour at the midtown location. Well into the dog days of summer, and with long lines at all times of day, The Kati Roll Company is excited to present this new offering to enhance their menu - the option of crisp, refreshing beers and wines to go with their spicy street food; the perfect compliment to the savory spices of Indian cooking.
Launched on July 27th, 2011 and continuing every weekday from 4:30-6:30pm, The Kati Roll Company’s Happy Hour will feature a deal of $2 off a beer and roll ordered as a combo and one rotating weekly special combo for $7. They will kick off with the ‘Early Bird’ Special, 1 chicken roll and 1 Kingfisher, a $9.50 value, for $7... More...
IIFA Awards: The Winners!
In what turned out to be a home away from home for the Bollywood elite, Toronto, Canada provided some of the most raucous and sensational outpouring of enthusiasm for the stars at the IIFA awards this year. The host city was abuzz and the excitement culminated with the awards taking place at the city's largest event complex, the Rogers Centre.
"Dabangg" matched the monstrous nature of the venue by snagging an astounding eight awards...More...
IIFA Rocks Toronto!
Lights, camera, action!! The IIFA opening night ceremonies kicked off on Thursday night not by a Bollywood movie but by a combination of a fashion show and musically charged event called "IIFA Rocks". This event showcased models, musicians, and Bollywood Stars.
MCs of the event were none other than Karan Johar and Anushka Sharma. They kept the full attention of the jam-packed audience with their funny banter, wit and charm....More...
TIECON East: An Entrepreneurs Dream
TIECON East
Passion, Vision and Ideas filled the air at TiE-Boston's 13th Annual TIECON East conference held on June 2-3, 2011 at Westin Waltham. Over 550 people were in attendance at this year's conference which included established Entrepreneurs, aspiring Entrepreneurs and Venture Capitalists. Top notch speakers delivered valuable insights on how innovation remains key to success in business. The theme of the conference was "Innovate Now"Launch ~ Leverage~ Lead", which they expressed to participants through various panels....More...
Fighting for a Cause at the Ogilvy Gala
“The Big C” is a hit show on cable dedicated to Cancer, and on June 1, 2011 at the Ogilvy Cares Inaugural Gala, “The Big C” stood for care. This event was full of life, hope, dedication, strength and determination. Nothing speaks strength as hosting this event at the Intrepid Air and Space Museum. This museum is dedicated to heroes who fought for a cause. On this night, the heroes were everyone who is somehow connected to cancer dedicated to raising awareness and providing support...More...
BEA: A Book Lover's Dream
Tyra Banks
Celebrities, publishers, authors and librarians filled the packed Jacob Javits Center in New York City for a three day BookExpo America Conference from May 24th- May 26th. Participants were invited to special events, author talks, cocktail receptions and book signings. Celebrities such as Tyra Banks, Ice-T, Mr. Food and many others promoted their new books by offering autographed copies of their newly released books. This year BEA had over 1000 exhibitors and took over the entire first floor of the Jacob Javits Center...More...
The Cake Designer's 1st Anniversary
The Cake Designer celebrated their 1st Anniversary last Tuesday, May 17th with a fabulous party at the beautiful Modani Gallery (40 East 19th Street) in New York City. The festivities were attended by 100 select guests, including various members of the media, celebrities, wedding industry professionals, prominent members of the Indian community friends and family.
Among the celebrities who attended the event were Zenobia Shroff (actress from "When Harry Tries to Marry" and Mira's Nair's film "Little Zizou")...More...
Cocktails with the Prince
Ever wanted to meet a Prince? On Tuesday, May 17th, guests of the “Find a Cure Cocktail Extravaganza” at Pranna Restaurant in New York City had a brush with Royalty. Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil graced guests with his presence to raise awareness and funds for his non-profit organization Lakshya Trust.
The non-profit started by the Prince in 2000 is dedicated to HIV/AIDS education and prevention. Lakshya Trust is a registered public charitable trust and a community-based organization working for HIV/AIDS prevention among gay men....More...
Light of India Awards 2011: The Winners
NEW YORK: Glitz and glamour filled the halls of the Waldorf Astoria on April 22, 2011 for the first ever “Light of India Awards” presented by Remit2India. This annual event was established to to recognize exemplary achievement by Non-resident Indians in the fields of business leadership, corporate leadership, political leadership, science and technology, journalism and literature, and arts and entertainment.
Over two hundred of the South Asian’s elite were in attendance... More...
Seeds of Peace: The 6th Annual Peace Market
Passionate, Caring and Respectful are the words to describe the volunteers of the Seeds of Peace Young Leadership Comittee. The Committee held a grand event at Pacha in New York City on April 7, 2011. With over 1000 professionals from from various industries, ethnicities and religions in attendance, the event was a tremendous success. The Seeds of Peace is an organization dedicated to promoting tolerance, youth leadership and ultimately peace in the Middle East and in South Asia.
The well organized event featured celebrity musical entertainment by Macy Gray, the largest hummus taste-off in New York City, a live auction that included items such as VIP Grammy Tickets, NCAA Final Four Tickets and much more. The event also featured a market place...More...
Varli: Food for Thought
Tantalizing smells, vibrant colors and delectable cuisine filled the Altman Building at the Varli Food Festival held in New York City on April 7, 2011. The festival was organized by Varli Singh, the founder of Varli Magazine. Over 800 people were in attendance for the sold out Festival that was focused on Indian culinary cuisine. The festival featured over 35 restaurants and a number of celebrity chefs.
Celebrity Chefs participated in various activities during the course of the event; including cookbook signings, cooking demonstrations and a silent auction. Sanjeev Kapoor, celebrity chef, indulged guests with a live cooking show and cookbook signing...More...
A Toast To Tomorrow: AIF's 4th Annual Benefit
Guests at the AIF Benefit
Feathers, guests and sounds filled the Metropolitan Pavillion on April 9, 2011 for "A Toast to Tomorrow," AIF Benefit. Since it's formation in 2001, AIF has directly impacted the lives of over 1.5 million people through its support of over 115 nonprofits in India.
The sold out benefit had over 300 young professionals from the New York City area in support of AIF's initiative for 2010-2011....More...
As Flawless As Can Be: Perfection Party
A night of enchantment and elegance set the tone for The Flawless Foundation Perfection Party held in New York City at the grandeur Otto Kahn & James Burden Mansions on April 9, 2011. Flawless Foundation, founded by Janine Francolini is a non-profit organization that takes a stand for children living with brain differences by promoting educated awareness of child mental health issues, advancing preventative psychiatric research and applying evidence-based, holistic treatment programs....More...
A Ship Full of Colors: Holi Celebration
Blue! Yellow! Green! Red! -- Colors filled the air aboard South Street Seaport’s anchored Peking Ship on Saturday, March 19, 2011. IN Group hosted an event filled with music, colors and excitement as guests celebrated Holi. Over 250 people were in attendance for the 4th year of “Rang Barse” ...More...
Wine Down At the New York Wine Expo
Whites, Reds and Blush scented the air at the Jacob Javits center on February 25, 2011 during the 4th Annual New York Wine Expo (www.NewYorkWineExpo.com). Attendees learned how to impress their friends with wine knowledge and have more confidence in ordering off a wine list by attending special educational seminars that turned the most inexperienced wine lover into a seasoned connoisseur...More...
Fashion for a Cause: Tusk's Spring/Summer 2011 Collection
TUSK (www.tusk.com) revealed it's Spring/Summer Women's & Men's Collections at the Tusk private charity event on February 23rd at their Showroom in NYC. During the event, Celebrity Dentist Dr. Debra Glassman (www.glassmandentalcare.com) showed off some of her new products, INCOCO (www.incoco.com) had a special Nail Bar for guests...More...
Revive & Building A Dream With YOUR DIL
NEW YORK: An elegant ballroom, musical performances, celebrity guests and delicious cuisine welcomed hundreds of supporters of YOUR DIL New York for their sixth annual gala entitled “Revive-Rebuilding a Dream”. The gala which is held annually raises funds for the eradication of illiteracy in Pakistan by establishing schools for underprivileged children.
The annual gala was held at the beautiful Prince George Ballroom in Manhattan on December 4, 2010 and was a tremendous success. Aasif Mandvi from the Daily Show...More...
Breakthrough Makes a Breakthrough of Ten Years!
Cynthia Nixon, Eve Ensler & Mallika Dutt
NEW YORK: Inspiring millions to take action for justice and equality, Breakthrough has made a huge impact across the globe and is celebrating it’s ten years as a global human rights organization.
Over the years, this non-profit organization based in New York has started numerous campaigns across multiple platforms such as media, pop culture and community mobilization to spread its human rights messages across. Some of their recent campaigns have included, "Is This Justice", which has drawn attention to women living with HIV/AIDS in India that are forced out of their homes by family members after their husbands deaths; "Restore Fairness"...More...
King Khan Arrives in Times Square!
Shah Rukh Khan in Wax
NEW YORK: Bollywood actor, producer and television host, Shah Rukh Khan is now immortalized in wax at the Madame Tussaud's New York City location in Times Square. Press was invited on August 12, 2010 for an unveiling of the King of Bollywood with a dance performance by Bollywood Axion. Khan, who has acted in over fifty films throughout his career will have his wax figure located in the 'Bollywood Zone' in front of a replica of the Taj Mahal and will be in the same room as Amitabh Bachchan...More...
Bollywood Calling Hollywood
WASHINGTON, DC: Washingtonians got a bite of Indian glamour and fashion when organizers Manan Katohora and Tejash Natali put together an event called "Bollywood Calling Hollywood" at the The Indian Experience restaurant on July 17, 2010.
This event, which drew in a crowd of a few hundred people was a fundraiser for the South Asian non-profit Sankara Eye Foundation which collects funds to help develop eye care centers in India. With over twenty models, the Comedian Dan Nainan as the MC for the evening, and a variety of fabulous music played by an amazing DJ, this event really was the place to be seen that night...More...
Sharing is Caring: Share & Care Foundation 4th Annual Gala
Supporter Masquerading
New YorkCity: Share and Care 4th Annual fundraising Gala on June 4, 2010, held at the Midtown Loft. Held in a seductive loft overlooking Midtown’s rooftops, gathered New York’s glamorous supporters of this very unique Foundation. Share and Care takes pride in addressing women’s empowerment, education, and entrepreneurial development of rural India. The Share & Care Foundation, started over 25 years ago, has not only raised an astonishing amount of funds for its causes, but also an awareness and deeper understanding within all that support these causes. The Foundation had great impact at the Gala through a presentation of its efforts...More...
Knowledge is Power: Nanubhai's Celebrity Gala for Education
Kirsten Hill, Raj Shah & Lyndi Milton
New York City: Nanubhai Education Foundation Second Annual Gala held on May 21, 2010 at the Chelsea Art Museum.
A sunny day welcomed a gala, celebrities, fundraising for a great cause, gorgeous outfits, and art: all in one place. Located on the Hudson River, the Chelsea Art Museum was perfect for the occasion. The Nanubhai Education Foundation was created in 2004 to help provide equal access to education for children in poor rural areas. Nanubhai sends fellows and teachers to India where they spend time teaching children and adults in villages. One of the primary goals of the Foundation is to lay down an infrastructure...More...
SAYA!: In Action!
Elmhurst, NY: South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!) celebrated its 2009-2010 End of the Year Talent Showcase on Saturday, May 22nd, 2010, from 12-4pm, at its center in Elmhurst, Queens.
On a sunny spring day, SAYA! youth came together to showcase their talents at the annual end of the year event. Through art, photography, video, skits, and dance; youth presented to the community the different projects they had been working on throughout the year...More...
Masala Bhangra Tenth Anniversary/DVD Launch
Sarina Jain
The "Indian Jane Fonda", Sarina Jain just launched her latest 'Masala Bhangra' workout DVD during the ten-year anniversary of the "Masala Bhangra Workout". The anniversary and DVD launch celebrations were held in New York City at the Red Bull Space in Tribeca on May 8, 2010. A percentage of the ticket sales benefited the Greater New York City affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The event featured a performance by the musical group "Red Baraat", a henna artist, Indian themed cocktails and food...More...
Manavi's 25th Anniversary Gala
Actress Zeenat Aman
Celebrating 25 years of helping in the struggle to eradicate violence against women, Manavi has come a long way from its humble beginnings to a well established organization that has its voice heard at the state and national level. Manavi celebrated their accomplishments by organizing a formal gala at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Jersey City, NJ on May 8, 2010. The event included a beautiful venue overlooking the New York skyline, a guest speaker who is known for her work in Indian cinema, delicious Indian cuisine, and most importantly words from survivors of domestic abuse. Joya Dass (AVS host), emcee of the gala honored Ellen Pence, who has dedicated 30 years to ending violence in lives of women and children. Zeenat Aman was a guest speaker who spoke about the controversial roles that dealt with social justice issues that she took on during her career in Indian cinema, survivors spoke...More...
BookExpo America 2010
BookExpo America, or BEA is an annual trade show for the publishing industry, it is also known as the largest publishing event in North America. BEA was held in New York City at the Jacob Javits Center on May 26-27th, 2010. BEA showcases hundreds of publishing organizations booths that aim to promote their upcoming summer and fall titles. The industry converges to discuss and plan for the future of publishing...More...
Ragas & Rhapsodies
The non-profit organization Neerupama organized a tasteful event at the Aicon gallery in New York City on Friday, April 30, 2010 to raise funds for their organization while giving its guests a glance into global poverty and it's movement to empower the lives of street children in Kolkata. The event featured renowned director of Columbia University's Earth Institute, Jeffrey Sachs who discussed the issues that surround global poverty.
After the moving speeches and getting a glimpse of the movements in process in helping to eliminate poverty and educate the underpriviledged, guests were given an incredible classical and fusion concert by sitar maestro Purbayan Chatterjee and tabla player Samir Chatterjee. Guests were treated with champagne, wine and Indian appetizers, and got a chance to take home a gift pouch made by Neerupama's students...More...
Engendered's "Indophile"
Engendered has once again organized a successful night that has shattered the boundaries created by race, gender, sexuality and religion. This event brought together well known South Asian comedians from around the world on one stage at the Broadway comedy club in New York City, "Carolines". The "Indophile" event was hosted by comedian Anu Kalra, who is a regular performer at Carolines. The headliner for the night, Vidur Kapur was recently nominated for a NewNowNext Award by MTV Network's Logo channel. Other comedians included Shazia Mirza, a British Pakistani comedian that has appeared on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” and NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”, Monrok, California based comedian that recently won the title "California’s Funniest Female" and Hari Kondabolu, who has appeared on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live"...More...
YOUR DIL's "La Nuit Mystique"
La Nuit Mystique was a memorable night full of dancing, delicious food, excellent entertainment and most of all for a great cause. The YOUR DIL fifth annual gala was sold-out and very well organized by the YOUR DIL volunteers. The gala was held on December 12, 2009 at the Prince George Ballroom in Manhattan. YOUR DIL is a chapter of Dil which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that works toward eradication of illiteracy in Pakistan by raising funds to establish schools for underprivileged children. Dil's fundraising activities with contributions from YOUR DIL have helped to operate 150 schools in the rural areas of Pakistan...More...
Pratham's Annual Gala
Set against the backdrop of the beautiful ballroom of the Pierre hotel in Manhattan, Pratham's Tri-State Gala was held on December 3, 2009. Pratham USA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization for India's underprivileged children with an opportunity to better their living situations by providing with what we may take for granted here in the US, reading and education.
The Gala served as a platform to increase awareness about the need for education in India as well as honoring Mr. and Mrs. Nilekani from Infosys Technologies, Ltd. The couple are the Chairpersons of the organization and have helped to contribute over $37 million to Pratham USA...More...