Cultural Language Indian Connections (CLIC) successfully conducted an executive review meeting at the Royal Reev Hotel to finalize the blueprint for the upcoming International Sweets Festival. Hosted by Mr. Hemant Singh, the meeting gathered the organization’s Hyderabad-based leadership to prepare for the three-day event scheduled from January 13 to January 15, 2026.
Empowering Women Through Tradition
The festival features a unique grassroots initiative: ladies representing different states of India will prepare authentic, traditional sweets in their homes and bring them to the venue. This initiative serves a dual purpose:
Women Empowerment: Providing a commercial platform for home-based culinary experts to showcase and sell their crafts.
National Integration: Bringing the diverse flavors and languages of India together under one roof to foster unity.
Leadership and Representation
The meeting was led by Mr. Libby Benjamin, the Festival Convener, who assigned key responsibilities to the executive committee. Although the representatives are based in Hyderabad, they represent the rich heritage of their respective home states:
Bihar: Mr. Parmanand Sharma, Mr. Sanjay Singh, Mr. Anil Shrivastava, and Mr. Hemant Singh.
Kerala: Mr. Libby Benjamin, Mr. Ajith, and Mr. Manoharan.
Uttarakhand: Mr. Jaypal Singh, Mrs. Deepti, and Miss Aarohi Rawat.
Gujarat: Miss Komal and Mr. Kalpesh Shah.
Tamil Nadu: Dr. Maran and Mr. Ramalingam.
Telangana: Mrs. Veena Reddy.
Maharashtra: Mr. Shyam Sundar.
Karnataka: Mr. Surendra Ketgiri.
Odisha: Mr. R. R. Mahapatra.
”This festival is a tribute to the unsung culinary experts in our homes. By bringing home-made traditional sweets to a professional stage, we are celebrating both women empowerment and the spirit of National Integration.”
— Mr. Libby Benjamin, Festival Convener
Event Highlights
The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Shyam Sundar, followed by a lunch session. The committee confirmed that the venue is prepared to host the influx of participants and visitors expected between January 13 and 15.
