Desi parties are for times of dancing, laughter and fun, and that’s exactly what happened Friday night in the Maintenance Shop at the Indian Students’ Association’s Desi Night.

Bumping Bollywood music and colorful, flashing lights flooded the room where students of all nationalities enjoyed a night of modern Indian culture. With big smiles on their faces, students let loose for a night of fun and relaxation.

While many attendees’ favorite part of this event was the music and dancing, Simrita Varma, public relations officer for the Indian Students’ Association and sophomore in global resource systems, said she loves this event because “it’s relaxing, and it’s a good time of the semester when everyone is stressed to give them a place to let loose.”

The Indian Students’ Association is the second largest international students’ club, and it considers itself to be perhaps one of the most involved on campus. According to their website, the Indian Students’ Association has two major missions: they strive to “educate everyone about India, its culture, food, dance, people and preserve the Indian traditions even this far away from home.”

The transition from India to the United States can be a tough one, as it can be for any international student. Every year, the Indian Students’ Association helps more than 100 new Indian students settle in to their new environment, providing step-by-step instructions and guidance while they navigate their new homes.

Events such as Desi Night, Diwali Night and Dandiya Night let Indian students connect with their culture that they haven’t been able to experience or be surrounded by in a while. The events help them feel more at home by bringing home culture to them. Also, these events are helpful for non-Indian students to learn about a new culture to them and educate themselves on a new topic.

“Desi Night as well as our other events are absolutely the best way for Iowa State students to experience Indian culture,” said Latif Masud, the association’s president and senior in electrical engineering.

With such a large Indian presence on campus, The Indian Students’ Association encourages all ISU students to get involved with their events. For example, Holi is the traditional Spring Festival of Colors coming up this semester, where people enjoy the new colors of spring and have fun with paint to get “colored up.” Holi is one of Indian Students’ Associations most popular events and a great way to connect with Indian culture.