NEW JERSEY: Hindu Students Council hosted its first Global Dharma Conference fundraiser and awareness dinner on April 25 at Royal Albert’s Palace in Edison, New Jersey.
The event was the first in a series of fundraisers to be held by the organization across North America. Prominent members of the New York and New Jersey Hindu community as well as students from Rutgers University came together to support the youth organization’s mission.
The fundraiser commenced with a two minute silence in honor of the victims of the tragic earthquake in Nepal. The program then began with an invocation to Lord Ganesha, sung by nine-year old Sanjana Balaguru.
Nikunj Trivedi, Chairman of Hindu Students Council (HSC), announced an ambitious goal of raising $1 million to support the ongoing activities of the organization and the conference. HSC is organizing the Global Dharma Conference, which will be held September 11-13 in Edison, New Jersey in commemoration of HSC’s 25th Anniversary.
“The conference aims to provide a platform for Hindus to reconnect to the deeper aspects of their heritage and to give others a holistic understanding of Dharma and how to appropriately and sensitively engage with it,” explained Ravindra Jaishankar, President of HSC.
Attendees watched a recorded interview of Trivedi with ITV Gold Anchor Ashok Vyas. In the interview, Trivedi spoke about the Global Dharma Conference’s goals, his experiences as a former student of Rutgers University and HSC’s activities at the local and national levels.
Members of the conference Core Planning Committee presented an overview about the conference objectives, program format and available sponsorship opportunities for individuals and corporations.
The keynote speaker for the evening was Gokul Kunnath, one of the original founders of HSC and the President of United States Hindu Alliance (USHA). Sharing his experiences based on his leadership during HSC’s founding years and his thoughts on challenges faced by Hindu youth, Kunnath presented a convincing case on the need to support HSC’s activities and projects on college campuses.
“The future of Hindu youth in America is directly connected to the future of HSC,” emphasized Kunnath, as he concluded his presentation and appealed for funds from the community.
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