The birth-centenary celebrations of Shri Guruji, the second Sarsanghachalak of RSS, began in London on March 12, 2006. Organised by the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, UK, the function was held at Shri Kutch Leva Patel community hall in North London. In spite of the bitter cold, more than 800 people attended the programme. The hall was full beyond capacity with many people remained standing on the back throughout the function as all the seats were full even before the function began. The function began with lighting the traditional lamp and followed by Ishwar Vandana by a group of swayamsevaks and sevikas.
A film on Shri Guruji, important pictures of Shri Guruji and books, documents of Shri Guruji were demonstrated in the meeting hall. Welcoming the guests, Shri Pravin Ruparalia, HSS Karyavah, UK, spoke about Shri Guruji'sadvice to Hindus living overseas that wherever they live, they should be faithful to their adopted country but at the same time should keep their culture alive.
Shri Ashish Patel, an HSS activist and a management consultant from Ilford, presented a paper on Shri Guruji'sviews on globalisation. He said Shri Guruji believed that spirituality and not materialism, should be the basis of life, and how efforts for world unity, being attempted at that time, were flawed as they were centred on materialism.
A book Yuga Bhagirath?Shri Guruji, was released by Shri Nathuram Puri, a well-known businessman and philanthropist. The book has been authored by Shri Naresh Arora. Smt. Sandeep Verma, an upcoming social and political activist from Leicester, urged the audience to embrace the basic messages of Shri Guruji to break the shackles dividing Hindus and provide service to others.
Shri Nathuram Puri chief guest on the occasion spoke of his pride in being a Hindu and said that he also attended the RSS shakha in India in the 1940s and that it made him feel proud. The audiences were enthralled by a solo song, Chahiye aashisha Madhav, by Kumari Rina Patel from Woolwich, South East London.
The keynote speech was delivered by Professor Ved Prakash Nanda, an internationally renowned jurist and eminent professor of Law at the University of Denver, USA. Prof. Nanda is also the Sanghchalak of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, USA. The University of Denver has honoured him by establishing the ?Ved Nanda Center for International and Comparative Law? in Denver. Professor Nanda stated his good fortune at having close contact with Shri Guruji due to his being a swayamsevak and at one time being the national president of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). He described how Shri Guruji constantly reminded him not to develop false ego with his responsibility and how he was guided by that great personality. He mentioned how Shri Guruji taught him that the goal and means to achieve it should not be divorced. He spoke about how Hindus around the world are being persecuted and implored all those gathered to raise their awareness of such persecution and use that awareness to speak out against such persecution.
The programme was attended by a host of dignitaries and community leaders including Shri C. B. Patel of Gujarat Samachar/Asian Voice, Shri Rami Ranger, Shri Pravinbhai Amin, president, Sardar Patel Society, Shri Lalubhai Parekh, president, NCGO and vice president, OFOBJP, (UK) Sardar Himmat Singh Sohi, president of Shri Guru Singh Sabha, Southall, Piya Dassi of Buddhist Centre of North London, Shri Sanjeev Singh of Maa Charity, Shri Kanti Nagda, Shri Veni Harania MBE, Shri S. L. Kejriwal, Dr G. L. Bhan, president, VHP, Smt. Nirmalaben of Hindu Council, Brent, Kumari Archanaben Patel, Shrishbhai Joshi of Swadhyaya Parivar, Shri Haribhai Halai, president SKLP, Shri Arjan K Vekaria, Hindu Aid, Shri Sudarshan Bhatia, Sanskar Bharati, Sardar Bhamra, Birmingham and councillors Shri Rameshbhai Patel (Brent),
Smt. Kantaben Patel (Woolwich), Shri Navinbhai Shah (Harrow),
Smt. Anjanaben Patel (Harrow), Shri Virendra Sharma (Hounslow) and Shri Vijay Kumar Shah (Brent).
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