CHICAGO: Patan, a former capital of Gujarat, is going to steal the honor over Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad to be on the international map of Sister Cities soon. Tulsa, the capital of Oklahoma in USA and Patan will soon forge Sister City links.
An agreement to formalize this arrangement will be inked coming January 23 in Patan in the presence of dignitaries from both the sides – Tulsa and Patan. A 14-member Tulsa delegation is scheduled to arrive next week and the Paten team led by Mayor Hemantbhai Tanna will meet them for the signing ceremony planned at North Gujarat University named after the famous Jain Acharya Hemachandra Suri.
The initiative for the Sister Cities deal was taken by Dr Dayal Meshri, a long time resident of Patan who studied at MN High School and graduated from Gujarat University, First Class First in Chemistry. He migrated to USA and in eighties started his own company, Advance Chemicals that currently employs 250 plus employees.
Dr Meshri is Director of Tulsa Global Alliance, a no profit body that has been a key player of the deal. Dr Meshri is leading the Tulsa delegation. In a talk to this paper, he said that the Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett was to lead the Tulsa delegation but could not make it for family considerations. TGA CEO Collins Becky is likely to represent him.
The main objectives in forging the Sister City relationships are promoting all-round understanding and stimulating economic development between the two cities. This will be achieved by connecting cultures through friendships, business alliances, student and teacher exchanges, exchanging ideas on customs, sports, current events, other activities and topics of interest, according to Dr Meshri.
The purpose of this visit is to explore a potential Sister City relationship between the City of Patan, India and Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. The initial trip to India is approximately from January 20 to February 2, he told this paper
Patan, an ancient fortified town, was founded in 745 AD by Vanraj Chavda, the most prominent king of the Chavda Kingdom. He named the city Anhilpur Patan or “Anhilwad Patan” after his close friend and Prime Minister Anhil shepherd.
Tulsa Global Alliance (TGA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing global understanding and linking people and institutions worldwide. To achieve its mission, Tulsa Global Alliance hosts international visitors, facilitates Sister City activities, promotes global education and economic development, collaborates with international organizations and serves as a resource for area governments, businesses, educational institutions, organizations and residents.
Ramesh Soparawala
India Post News Service
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