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Details: Category: Latest; Published on Wednesday, 11 December 2013 22:21; Written by WebMaster; Hits: 50477

"What an amazing event.... So much to absorb and a genuine REAL contribution to British Hindu life - Good luck"

(Ms S Dhokia)

manch002

On Thursday 3^rd July Committee room 14 was filled to capacity, with a further dozen Hindus happy to stand at the back, as the Hindu Temples’ community celebrated 35 years of Hindu service to the religious life of the United Kingdom . “The full hall is proof of how important the BBHS is” commented Pt Madhu V Shastri, Communications Officer of the NCHTUK “.. .and with attendees coming from as far as Newcastle, also shows how much support this NCHT project has from the Hindu grass roots”.

At a time when the world is beginning to increasingly appreciate the beauty and depth of perception of Indias academic and intellectual heritage, the NCHT UK has established the Board to help meet this specific need. Following an inspiring launch, please join us to help publicise the BBHS in a manner befitting the oldest academic tradition known to the modern world.

(click image below to zoom in)

- PRESS RELEASE –

National Council of Hindu Temples (UK) celebrates 35 years of service and launches the British Board of Hindu Scholars at the House of Commons.

For over 35 years the members of the Council of the NCHTUK, have been steadily and with gentle determination helping the grass roots Hindu Temple communities to evolve and to find a voice and the current members of the Council seem to be continuing this honourable tradition. The current team of volunteers, led by Cllr Shri Rashmikant Joshi and comprised of the senior executives of over 30 temples, continues to forge ahead with a vision worthy of what is being recognised as the leading national British Hindu organisation.

“If you do the work, the results will come and we are just getting one with what our member Temples have confirmed needs to happen ” commented Satish K Sharma, General Secretary of the NCHTUK. “One thing is absolutely certain, Sanatan Dharma, the oldest and most harmonious of all paths to Divinity, needs a contemporary voice here in the UK, and so the NCHTUK has established the British Board of Hindu Scholars and we hope it will develop into the premier source of academically sound religious guidance on all matters pertaining to Hinduism. ”

The launch at the House of Commons was hosted by Conservative MP Alok Sharma and supported by Conservative MP Bob Blackman who is also the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hindus. “I’m proud to be British and proud to be a Hindu, especially today when our ancient tradition of Scholarship is being promoted” said the Alok Sharma, MP for Reading . . Mr Blackman a well known staunch supporter of British Hindus in his own constituency and nationally, commented on how important it was for this element of Hindu traditions to also become a part of the British academic and religious scene. Noticeable by their absence were the Labour MPS with not a single one attending, even the Hindu ones such as Virendra Sharma MP for Ealing and Seema Malhotra MP. Congratulations and messages of support were received from Sailesh Vara, Minister for Justice and Baroness Verma, Minister of Energy and many other international wellwishers.

News of the BBHS has spread far and wide and over a hundred messages of good will had been received from every corner f the world not least from India itself. Good wishes for the initiative from India came in the person of Col Pravat Panda, a recipient of the Indian Armies’ Gallantry Medal and member of the BJP National Executive, who flew all the way from India to be Guest of Honour and keynote speaker at the event. “Its well known that the ancient Hindu sages gave the world the gifts of their scholarship, gifts like Yoga, the decimal system and mathematics and its wonderful to see that a new generation of young British Hindus are so involved and are now going to be adding their voice to this work. It’s important that people have pride in both their nation and their religion and I’m proud to say that I am a Hindu Indian Nationalist. Hindu’s in this country should be proud to be British Hindus and also proud of their achievements all over the world as well. Their achievements are the product of their culture and I am very proud to see that the BBHS has been launched and can assure everyone that it has the blessings of Hindu’s in India, including those at the highest levels”

Also in attendance were members of Sikh, Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths and other representatives of the multi faith community and their feedback was also very appreciative and encouraging. “It was a very interesting and enjoyable afternoon from beginning to end (though I had to leave before the end, just after the passionate speech on the environment). You kept the programme moving very well and there was a lot of variety in the presentations, questions etc. I thought the poem was beautiful and the young man (Vivek) was stimulating and very clear. All the presentations were thought provoking in different ways, including Satish’s! The audience participated in a very lively way too! So thanks very much again and I look forward to what comes next from the group.” commented a senior member of the Church of Englands Evangelical tradition.

“Hindu Scholars have a unique contribution to make and as has been said by so many, the consistently peaceful, harmonious Hindu communities in every corner of the globe are not freaks of nature, they are products of the deepest wisest understandings and non-Hindus who are genuinely interested in learning why and how they can exist in this gentle successful manner, would do well to study the Hindu scholars and their scriptures” said Satish K Sharma, Chair of the BBHS.

Videos and pictures of the launch will be appearing on the BBHS (www.bbhs.nchtuk.org) website and the NCHTUK website (www.nchtuk.org) or directly from event