Sangh Mail
Date : 30th December 1997
1) Correction: In our last Sangh Mail (3 December 1997) and also in the annual Karyawaha's report, it was mentioned that Croydon Nagar celebrated Diwali as well as 50 years of Sangh work outside Bharat on 14 November 1997. In fact, it was to celebrate Diwali that the function was organised, not 50 years of Sangh work outside Bharat, which was actually celebrated earlier in the year. Mistake is regretted.
2) The annual National Youth Conference of NHSF was held on 6 December 1997 at the University of Manchester. Around 100 students from various Universities participated. The speakers included Lord Navneet Dholakia, Shri Jaiprakash Jena, Dr C Ramprasad of Oxford University, Dr Sanjiv Oza (Sangh Pracharak), Dr Nawalkant Prinja (Sangh Bouddhik Pramukh) and Shri Pratish Sthanakiya (Publications Secretary, NHSF). The theme of the conference was "Hindu Phenomenon - the past, present and future".
3) Before the conference, NHSF office bearers and speakers were interviewed by media e.g. Dr Sanjiv Oza was interviewed twice on BBC Radio Leicester, Sushree Darshana Shah on BBC Radio Asian network in Birmingham.
4) Samiti & Sangh Shakhas of Slough Nagar celebrated 50 years of Bharat's independence on Sunday, 7 December 1997. It was a day long event attended by some 80 swayamsevaks, sevikas and their families. The theme of the celebration was "Swaraj Mera Janma Sidha Adhikar Hai" (Freedom is my birthright) - the famous slogan of Lokmanya Tilak. The programme included workshops, speeches, songs and meal. The main speech was given by Smt. Sushilaben Gohil (Bouddhik Pramukh of Samiti). A well prepared exhibition on Bharat was also displayed.
5) Geet Bharati Pratiyogita 1997 took place in Birmingham on Sunday, 21 December 1997 at the Krishna temple. Total of 8 Nagars participated - which were Birmingham, Manchester, West Bromwich, Bradford, Coventry, Rugby, Leicester & Leeds. Over 600 people attended the day long event. The whole programme was compered Gurusharan Singh and Babita Patel. The chief guest was Smt. Nirmalaben Parmar, presenter of Gujarati programmes on BBC Asian Network Radio. The chief judge was Shri Jasbir Singh Woura, a professional singer and one of the directors of East End Foods 9 a multi million company). In the solo geet group, Leicester Shakha took the trophy.
In the chorus (Sanghik Geet) group Bradford took the trophy. The standard of music and songs were very high. A booklet of these songs with meaning was published. Fund was raised for 'One teacher School' project of Sewa International.
6) A very successful Sangh Shiksha Varg was held in South Africa from 10-17 December 1997 in Durban. There were three Vargs at the same venue - Vanprasthi Varg (for pensioners - Sankhya was 27); Sangh Varg (Sankhya was 78) and Samiti Varg (Sankhya was 73). There were 10 Shikshaks and 4 Vyavastha Karyakartas. From UK Shri Amit Shah (Manchester) and Shri Bhavesh Mistry (Brent) attended this Varg. Shri Amitji was Mukhya Shikshak and Shri Bhaveshji was Saha-Bouddhik Pramukh. Man. Shankarraoji, Dr Shripathy Shastri (Saha Bouddhik Pramukh, Bharat) and Dr Yashwant Pathak (Africa Zone Pracharak) were also present.
7) The annual shibir for Kenya took place from 10-14 December 1997. 268 participants including 62 Sevikas attended the shibir. Mananeeya Iqbalji Datta and Mananeeya Jagdishji Sood attended the shibir from the UK.
8) Vibhag and Nagar Karyawahas are requested to post their adhikari lists to Keshav Pratishthan, 46-48 Loughbororugh Road, Leicester. LE4-5LD. Please include full postal address and their phone number. If they have a fax number or email address for contact, please also include them.
9) Sad news:
a) Bahanoi (brother-in-law) of Man. Laxmidasji Kotecha, Shri Girdharlal Madlani passed away in mid-December. He was 89 years of age. Tel. contact of Man. Kotechaji:
b) Mother of Shri Prabhudas Sikotra (Karyawaha of Vivekananda Shakha, Leicester), Manekben, passed away last week. She was operated upon and suddenly suffered a massive cardiac arrest.
10) Enclosed is an article which could be distributed to our swayamsevaks as well as sympathisers.
11) National Karyakarta Varg will take place at Birmingham on 25 January 1998. Vibhag Karyawahas will pass on the Soochana to those expected for the Varg. Details of the Varg will be sent in due course of time.