Spark that Lit a Community. Moment that Shaped SIC History.

During the 2015 Ganesh festival celebration at my home, Raj Pusuluri—new to Spokane—was surprised to see over 60 people gathered. He remarked, “This is a community in itself; why not organize and form a structured group?”

Soon after, about 30 community members came together to explore that idea. Hrishikesh (Rishi) Joshi presented a vision:

"To create a simple, inclusive forum where the Spokane Indian community could connect, support one another, and organically promote cultural and artistic events, especially those meaningful for first-generation Indian Americans. Recognizing the small and transient nature of our local population, the focus was to build something accessible and sustainable."

The group rallied around three core questions: Why? How? When?—and by late September 2015, Spokane India Community (SIC) was born. What began as a casual conversation quickly gained momentum. Within two weeks, 70 families (about 150 individuals) had joined the effort. SIC was formally registered as a non-profit organization with the state of Washington on October 10. 2015.

This was an exciting step for everyone involved to go from a loosely connected community to a registered organization. Just two months later, on November 15, 2015, the first SIC Diwali celebration was organized by its founding committee members- Rishi Joshi, Sowmya Surapaneni, Nishant Puri, Rupali Joshi, Jayesh Modha, Raj Pusuluri, and with the help of generous, like-minded community members who shared their belief in the vision.

Guided by its co-founders, supported by dedicated committee members, and encouraged by the community between 2015 and 2019, who upheld the organization’s founding vision and bylaws, the community experienced a deep sense of belonging, inclusiveness, and a meaningful connection to India’s rich cultural heritage. During this time, the SIC membership roster grew stronger as more community members came together, resulting in vibrant cultural events that celebrated and strengthened our shared identity. While the Spokane India Community was formally dissolved as a registered organization in Fall 2022, its legacy continues to inspire.

www.sic-legacy.com

From Vision to Temple: The Birth of Spokane Hindu Temple

What began as the Spokane Hindu Society—an early offshoot of the SIC initiative—was spearheaded by founding member Nishant Puri and supported by like-minded visionaries. Their efforts culminated in the formal establishment of the Spokane Hindu Temple and Cultural Center in the fall of 2018. The founding committee included Nishant Puri, Dr. Vishwanath, Rupali Joshi, Himani Agrawal, Shesh Parlapalli, and Ambalavanan Balasubramanian. And the rest, as they say, is history.

With an organized community, a growing SIC membership roster, and an online presence through the official SIC website and SIC Facebook page, many initiatives have sprouted since 2015.