Damjibhai Rathod- General Secretary
Dear Community
members,
This year’s annual
Diwali and Priti Milan function of Shree Gurjar Kshatriya
Gnati Mandal, London-UK on 12th November 2005 was very
successful and reminded us of the successful functions
of the previous years. This year, over 325 members of
our community were present and I am glad to say this
year’s function was one with a difference. We had
the evening full of cultural stage programmes and also
a live music band in attendance. Kids had a wonderful
time as they were kept busy exploring their artistic
talents in the Kidz Korner. Dinner was served by very
helpful volunteers and after the satisfying, delicious
food, members had their inquisitive eyes on over 16 raffle
prizes and there was an overwhelming rush on the services
of raffle-selling volunteers. In the midst of all this
hustle and bustle members also enjoyed the DVD of our
2003 Diwali function projected on the temporary screen
on the stage.
The special surprise
of the evening was the live Launching of our community
website www.shreegkg.com. Soon
the lights in the hall went out; there was an excitement
in the air and pin drop silence as the website introduction
music started. Audio visual presentation of the website
live from the laptop and through the projector was beamed
onto the screen by the web team. Members enjoyed the
whole presentation with interest, especially when each
and every link clicked upon revealed a webpage full of
rich information. The web co-ordinator in his presentation
explained our community’s migration from Rajasthan
to Kutch and Saurashtra, to East Africa and to the United
Kingdom - showed in the pictorial reflection on the top
header of our website. With the launching of our website,
we now have access to all community information, activities,
articles on social and health issues, religion, records
of births, marriages and deaths in our community. The
meaning of our community logo design, our constitution,
our roots, our cultural heritage and information on our
36 villages back in India will form interesting reading
for all. Working couples, young working men and women
as well as students with a passion for cooking will have
access to a variety of recipes on our website.
For the first time in
the history of our London Samaj, newly elected young
President of our Leicester Samaj, Shri Nakulbhai Gohil
attended our annual function. In his speech, we were
delighted to hear his words of wisdom, motivating us
to plan out mutually beneficial programmes for our community
members both in London and Leicester. His presence with
us that evening, together with more than half the members
of his Executive Committee, was appreciated by the London
members. We will be able to work together and break
new ground together. Many of us here in London are also
members of Leicester Samaj and are either paying annual
subscriptions or have paid for the life membership. We
would therefore encourage members of our community in
Leicester to become members of our London organisation
to increase the cooperation and interactions between
the two organisations.
For the benefit
of our community members in the United Kingdom, Canada,
USA, Africa, Australia and India; besides the website,
the Executive Committee of Shree GKG Mandal, London-UK
has also decided to publish community Newsletter “GKS
FOOTPRINTS” to start
with quarterly issues with a view to increasing to
monthly publications. The newsletter will have relevant
community news, articles on social issues, health issues,
political news, financial issues, and business related
issues. We also intend to bring out talents by inviting
the young men and women to write articles in their
areas of expertise. We also intend to interview and
publish the profiles of the educated minds within our
community, profiles of successful businessmen, professionals
as well as other talented members. These efforts will
change our image among other communities and our young,
educated minds will be involved in changing the mindset
of our community and create a space for our community
in these countries.
The Executive Committee
of Shree GKG Mandal, London-UK has also decided this
year to compile and publish a pocket-sized directory
of all our community members in the UK, Canada, Africa,
Australia and the USA. This directory will be available
to all our community members residing in the countries
mentioned above.
As rightly said by our President Avsarbhai Parmar, the momentum of
taking our Samaj forward has begun so, let us all work together to
bring our whole community into the 21st century and work harder to
unite our Samaj that is spread out worldwide and take it to even greater
heights than ever reached before.
God bless you all.
Damji Rathod
General Secretary
Shree GKG Mandal, London-UK
1st December 2005
