About Advertising in The Lotus –
1. Please send inquiries for advertisement rates, obituary, etc. at this email address: lotus.ficacleveland@gmail.com2. Ads must be received by the LOTUS Editor in camera-ready high-resolution format (JPG, TIF, PPT, MS Word, PDF, etc.) or the format discussed with the editor via phone/email conversations.
3. Since 2019, LOTUS/FICA is published every quarter. This quarterly publication will be emailed or mailed as requested. FICA has decided to go Green and save paper and mailing costs. As of now, the families/businesses who have subscribed in the past are getting newspaper delivery at their home/business addresses. We are requesting and encouraging everyone to please opt for email copies instead of newspaper deliveries to your addresses. Please send your requests to lotus.ficacleveland@gmail.com.
4. Please be assured that it is our utmost desire and aim to have the quarterly issue distributed by the end of the month of that particular quarter. Please note: copies of documents that are not print-ready will result in blurry images for which we will not be responsible.
5. We hope that you will support the LOTUS, currently distributed to thousands of households and businesses which are primarily of Asian Indian heritage. In the future, we plan to distribute the LOTUS to libraries and other institutions which show interest in ethnic heritage.
Board AdvisorDeepa Rao,
Editor-in-Chief
I live in Olmsted Township, OH with my husband, Arun Rao my mother-in-law, Pramila Rao, and my 10-year-old daughter Anika Rao. I have been in the software industry for the past 20 + years. We moved to Cleveland from San Antonio Texas 9 years back. In my spare time, I love to volunteer with non-profit organizations. I am the current president of Kasturi Kannada Sangha (KKS),Secreatary FICA,Vice Chair FICA Shiksha Daan , Board Advisor of Northeast Ohio Women in Technology (NEOWIT), Indian Ambassador – of Cleveland People, Past President of the Association of Asian Indian Women in Ohio (AAIWO), Past HOA Board Member of Evan Miller Trail Community (EMT) and Key Communicator in Olmsted Falls School District. It’s my privilege and honor to be a part of the Lotus FICA which has been serving Cleveland Communities for the past 56 years. I am an avid reader and if I don’t have anything I love to read. Looking forward to working and serving all the communities in and around Cleveland.
Mrs.Mahima Rao
Managing Editor
Namaste! I have proudly called Cleveland home for the past 18 years, where I live with my husband, children, and my mother. With over 15 years of experience as a financial professional, I currently work for the Federal Reserve. In addition to my career, I am a passionate Bharatanatyam dancer and a member of the Association of Asian Indian Women in Ohio. In my free time, I enjoy reading, origami, swimming, hiking, and exploring the world of art. As a people person, I take great pleasure in interviewing others and emceeing events. I love being involved in the arts and cultural scene in Cleveland and beyond. It is my honor and privilege to be part of FICA and Lotus Newspaper, where I hope to serve the community alongside a fantastic editorial team.
Ms.Anika Rao, Youth Editor
Anika Rao is a 7th grader. She is also a youth volunteer for AAIWO. She is in the LEAD Club and Girls STEM Club at her school. She has won several awards in PTA reflections and talent shows. She has participated in many organizations in and around the Cleveland area, such as the Cleveland Cultural Gardens-OWD, AAIWO, India Fest, Cleveland Asian Festival, Cleveland Thygaraja Festival, NEOMM, FICA, and KKS. She is an avid reader and is learning Bharatnatyam and Carnatic Music. She has completed the Level Exam in both Carnatic Music and Bharatnatyam. She is also a student of Kasturi Kannada School.
Santosh Bhandari,
Managing Editor
Hello!
My name is Santosh Bhandari, mom to 2 handsome boys Tanay (aged 13) & Viaan (10 years). I live with my husband and kids in Twinsburg and have been in Cleveland for 17 years. We as a family like taking trips and love trying different foods with ice cream being our all-time favorite food. I am a fun-loving, creative person and an artist by passion. Professionally, I have a degree in graphic design with a recent certification in Data Science, and am looking for a job in the field of analytics. Excited to be a part of FICA’s Lotus team.
