Over 200 attendees had a fabulous time partying aboard a cruise boat at Boston Harbor on Saturday July 9, 2005. The cruise was organized by Network of South Asian Professionals (NETSAP). People came from as far off as New Hampshire and Connecticut to party aboard the cruise boat.

As the boat got ready to set sail, one could sense the excitement among the attendees. “We can’t wait to get on the boat. We love to dance and hope the music is good “said a group a biochemists who came from University of Massachusetts at Worcester. The group was not disappointed. From popular Bhangara numbers to the evergreen Rang Barase, the music kept every one on the floor for nearly three hours.

“We are really pleased with the turn out” said Binita Patel who is the Vice President of Netsap Boston. “We were afraid the rains would deter people from coming”

For those who did not enjoy dancing, standing on the deck and watching the skyline was enjoyable in itself. While there were many single professional men and women aboard the boat, the cruise also attracted young professional couples who were seeking a nice way to relax after a busy week.  “We are very excited to be here. It is the first time we are attending a NETSAP event. The idea of a cruise is very appealing” said a young professional couple who work in the IT industry. “We just moved into the area and it is nice to meet link minded young people” said another couple.

Ashmi and Amit Meherotra who grew up in the suburbs of Boston and now live in New York decided to bring their cousins who were visiting from Nigeria. “Investment Banking keeps us very busy in Manhattan. We came to Boston to meet our cousins and were delighted to hear about this cruise. It is a great way to relax and have a good time”.  The cruise ended at 11 :oo pm but the party did not. Everyone proceeded to Umbrios to continue partying through the wee hours of the night.

NetSAP Boston (The Network of South Asian Professionals) is a professional, not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving the professional, political, cultural and civic needs of the South Asian community in the Greater Boston area.

The specific purposes and goals of NetSAP Boston are:

- Create and facilitate the growth of a socially responsible network of highly talented South Asian-American professionals and entrepreneurs.

-  Strive to foster a dynamic and interactive environment for its members to establish and maximize their professional networks ~ Provide opportunities to lend time and financial support to grassroots community groups and charitable organizations.

 - Provide professional diversity with members working in the financial services, legal, medical/healthcare, information technology, engineering, consulting, government, marketing and biotechnology industries.

Binita Patel was very excited about the new committee and its work. “This year has been especially exciting for us.  We have a very strong and energetic executive board, and have been able to bring a wide variety of events to our members.  Some of our biggest events this year include our Holi Hungama, Mini Golf Tournament, Bollywood/Bhangra Party, and Sunset Cruise. We've got a lot more planned for the rest of 2005, and hope to have each event be even more successful than the one before.”

 To learn more about NETSAP , please check out their website at http://www.netsapboston.org/

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