My WATA Journey

The commencement of the new year marks a significant transition in my cherished organization, the Washington Telangana Association (WATA), which stands as one of Washington State's foremost Indian community-serving nonprofit organization. It’s a blend of emotions for me as my tenure as President concluded precisely at the stroke of midnight on January 1st, 2024. Reflecting on seven years of dedicated service to the community fills me with pride.

I owe immense gratitude to our esteemed founder and dear friend, Mr. Vamshi Reddy Kancharakuntla, who introduced me to the realm of community service and particularly to the WATA family. Our paths intertwined during an urgent situation involving a mutual friend. Vamshi Reddy not only answered our call at midnight but also extended assistance to the family in need. As an outsider, this incident profoundly impacted me, revealing the enduring effects of community service—whether facilitating final farewells, arranging repatriation to families in India, offering aid in employment, healthcare, or supporting underprivileged yet promising students.

Upon his call, I embraced WATA as a volunteer and steadily ascended through its ranks, eventually serving as President in 2023, coinciding with WATA's 10th anniversary. The foundation of WATA, fortified by the dedication of Vamshi Reddy, our founders, numerous Presidents, and countless volunteers over the past decade, aims to perpetuate Telangana culture in the USA, impart our customs to new generations, and aid both the USA and Indian communities. I can attest that, over the last decade, every member of WATA's leadership and founders invested uncountable hours to fulfill this mission, culminating in WATA's resounding success.

Today, the younger generation actively embraces their heritage, participating in festivities like Bathukamma, Vanabhojanalu, Bonalu, and celebrating Telangana Folk culture, thanks to WATA's efforts.

WATA has been instrumental in my personal and professional growth. Its structure mirrors that of a corporate entity, where our Executive Council mirrors the C-suite, and the Board functions akin to the managerial suite. Our community members are akin to corporate's customers , while volunteers represent our workforce. Ensuring the happiness of our community involves adhering to our mission statement and fostering enthusiasm among newer generations to engage in our events, which typically draw 2000-3000 attendees, necessitating meticulous planning months in advance.

Board members dedicate their personal time to scrutinize minutiae, ensuring event smoothness, resilience, and readiness with contingency plans. The executive team crafts the roadmap, overseeing and guiding the board to align with WATA’s vision and mission. The beauty of this role lies in harnessing volunteer support, where interpersonal skills trump titles or authority. Earning the trust and respect of volunteers is paramount for their involvement and event execution. Thankfully, we are blessed with countless volunteers dedicated to our cause.

Apart from catering to our community's needs and executing events, we collaborate with local and Indian officials, artists, influencers, community leaders, and other nonprofit organizations. Managing such a diverse spectrum offers a constant learning curve, fostering personal growth. Empathy forms the cornerstone of WATA, and during the COVID-19 crisis, we assisted numerous families, arranging emergency visas, hospital beds, remdesivir injections, oxygen cylinders, or medical consultations without hesitation.

I urge everyone to engage with nonprofits. They strengthen local communities by bridging cultural gaps and offer invaluable lessons in empathy, leadership cultivation, large-scale event management, crisis handling, interpersonal conflict resolution, influence without authority, and collaboration. The gratification derived from serving others knows no bounds.

Working alongside incredible individuals at WATA, I am immensely proud to entrust the organization into the capable hands of my dear friends, Ravinder Reddy Sadu and Sandeep Bushnam. Their proven leadership was instrumental in my successful tenure as President.

This journey would have been inconceivable without the unwavering support of my wife, Bhargavi Gangireddy, and my children, Haasini Sen Sriramoju and Sameera Sen Sriramoju. Their understanding, allowing me the freedom to dedicate myself while managing the household largely independently, deserves my deepest appreciation. My heartfelt thanks extend to my parents, sisters, friends, and volunteers whose relentless support and countless hours of sacrifice facilitated numerous large-scale events. THANK YOU ALL!

On day one, Mr. Vamshi Reddy shared invaluable advice: our service is to the community, and they may need us at any moment. Adhering to his counsel, prioritizing our community and serving them empathetically, I tried my best to make a meaningful difference within WATA and the broader community.

.