BY NEHA SARIN
NORWALK , CA - The Southern California chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA felicitated Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu and Padma Shri Ganpat Patel for their achievements and making the Indian American community proud, at an event at the Santan Dharam Mandir here on Feb 16. Sidhu is the newly elected Mayor of Anaheim.
NORWALK , CA - The Southern California chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA felicitated Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu and Padma Shri Ganpat Patel for their achievements and making the Indian American community proud, at an event at the Santan Dharam Mandir here on Feb 16. Sidhu is the newly elected Mayor of Anaheim.
Patel was declared to be the recipient of the Padma Shri, the third highest civilian award for his contribution in the field of literature and education, by the Government of India.
Sidhu’s public service contribution include serving as a councilman for the City of Anaheim, being on the board of directors for the Orange county water district, and the Santa Ana Watershed Authority board of directors, before he was elected as a Mayor last November. Sidhu was being honored for being Anaheim’s first Indian –American mayor.
Patel is the founder and chairman of Cherokee International, based in Tustin. He is also a patron-in-chief of Ganpat University, in Mehsana, Gujarat. A strong supporter of uplifting the community by means of the education, Patel initiated the Ganpat Voluntary Teaching Movement which has adopted eight villages in Mehsana in north Gujarat, providing support to over 750 disadvantaged students and is continuing to grow.
The event started with executive secretary of HSS SoCal Sabitha Hebbar welcoming the gathering. HSS USA president Dr. Vinod Ambastha, Sardar Amarjit Dhillon of Buena Park and representatives of over 10 Hindu organizations from the SoCal area attended the event. HSS-SoCal president Babubhai Gandhi, HSS Irvine-Cerritos president Rajkumar Maini addressed the gathering and congratulated Sidhu and Patel. Leaders and prominent community members took to the stage to highlight the various contributions of both Sidhu and Patel to the Indian American community.
Sidhu addressing the gathering said,” It’s a great honor to be recognized by my own community. It was long overdue. I’m proud to be the Mayor of Anaheim, the 10th largest city in California and it’s my upbringing, my heritage and my roots in India that have given me everything. When people ask me about my religion, I say it is humanity. No one can teach you giving and volunteerism, it has to come from within. This country gives you everything as long as you work hard.” Patel in his remarks to the audience said,``Tthe best way to change is through education. You can give man a fish but if you can teach him to fish, he is set for life.’’
Founder and President of the Indian American Friendship Council Dr Krishna Reddy said that it was a great honor to be recognizing Sidhu for being a leader and Ganpat ji for his education initiative and the message he was spreading. He also expressed sympathy for victims of the Pulwana terror attack.
Cerritos Pro tem Mayor Naresh Solanki in his address mentioned that Anaheim is run by Caucasians and to become mayor of that city is not easy. He also pointed out that Sidhu got Disney, a Fortune 500 company, to endorse him and that was no small feat. He congratulated Patel for getting the Padma Shri.
B U Patel, Amarjeet Dhillon ,Dr Gadasali, Amrit Bhandari and Dilip Butani were among the others who congratulated and lauded Sidhu and Patel on their achievements. Telegu Association of So Cal and Los Angeles Telegu Association also lauded Sidhu and Patel for their leadership roles.
Sidhu’s public service contribution include serving as a councilman for the City of Anaheim, being on the board of directors for the Orange county water district, and the Santa Ana Watershed Authority board of directors, before he was elected as a Mayor last November. Sidhu was being honored for being Anaheim’s first Indian –American mayor.
Patel is the founder and chairman of Cherokee International, based in Tustin. He is also a patron-in-chief of Ganpat University, in Mehsana, Gujarat. A strong supporter of uplifting the community by means of the education, Patel initiated the Ganpat Voluntary Teaching Movement which has adopted eight villages in Mehsana in north Gujarat, providing support to over 750 disadvantaged students and is continuing to grow.
The event started with executive secretary of HSS SoCal Sabitha Hebbar welcoming the gathering. HSS USA president Dr. Vinod Ambastha, Sardar Amarjit Dhillon of Buena Park and representatives of over 10 Hindu organizations from the SoCal area attended the event. HSS-SoCal president Babubhai Gandhi, HSS Irvine-Cerritos president Rajkumar Maini addressed the gathering and congratulated Sidhu and Patel. Leaders and prominent community members took to the stage to highlight the various contributions of both Sidhu and Patel to the Indian American community.
Sidhu addressing the gathering said,” It’s a great honor to be recognized by my own community. It was long overdue. I’m proud to be the Mayor of Anaheim, the 10th largest city in California and it’s my upbringing, my heritage and my roots in India that have given me everything. When people ask me about my religion, I say it is humanity. No one can teach you giving and volunteerism, it has to come from within. This country gives you everything as long as you work hard.” Patel in his remarks to the audience said,``Tthe best way to change is through education. You can give man a fish but if you can teach him to fish, he is set for life.’’
Founder and President of the Indian American Friendship Council Dr Krishna Reddy said that it was a great honor to be recognizing Sidhu for being a leader and Ganpat ji for his education initiative and the message he was spreading. He also expressed sympathy for victims of the Pulwana terror attack.
Cerritos Pro tem Mayor Naresh Solanki in his address mentioned that Anaheim is run by Caucasians and to become mayor of that city is not easy. He also pointed out that Sidhu got Disney, a Fortune 500 company, to endorse him and that was no small feat. He congratulated Patel for getting the Padma Shri.
B U Patel, Amarjeet Dhillon ,Dr Gadasali, Amrit Bhandari and Dilip Butani were among the others who congratulated and lauded Sidhu and Patel on their achievements. Telegu Association of So Cal and Los Angeles Telegu Association also lauded Sidhu and Patel for their leadership roles.
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