South Dakota Mines India Club hosts “Festival of Colors” event for students and the community

RAPID CITY, S.D. — The South Dakota Mines campus received a vibrant dose of culture over the Easter weekend as the school’s India Club hosted its annual Holi celebration.

Holi, coequally known as the “Festival of Colors,” traditionally marks the arrival of spring and signifies the start of a new year in many Indian cultures. Although Holi itself occurred back on March 13 ^th through the 14 ^th, the South Dakota Mines India Club held their event a little later this year. Organizers said the timing allowed students to focus more on completing their dissertations and theses, before joining the festivities.

“Most of the cultures, like, they have their own calendar year and Holi is like the start of each calendar year of each culture back in India,” said Varun Pushpa, president of the India Club, “So we celebrate with colors, like, just showing, you know, it doesn’t matter what color, what race, what culture, what caste, we’re all the same. It’s just like that.”

Participants were encouraged to wear white clothing specifically for the event. Attendees then threw brightly colored powders at each other, transforming the white attire into a walking masterpiece symbolizing the vibrancy of spring and the coming together of the community.

The India Club plays a key role in the cultural life at South Dakota Mines beyond the springtime Holi event. The student group also has a big hand in organizing the university’s annual Cultural Expo and puts on the popular campus Diwali dinner and show in November. To know when these and other events will happen, head to the South Dakota Mines website at

www.sdsmt.edu/news/releases/

Per grew up in Sioux Falls and graduated from South Dakota Mines. He found his passion for weather reporting by the impact it has on the community, both in how people work and how it brings people together through severe weather preparation. He also has a passion for preventing health issues with Air Quality Index awareness. Per can be found enjoying outdoor activities in the Black Hills when the weather allows.