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PRIME MINSTER David Cameron paid tribute to the “immense contribution” made by British Sikhs at a Vaisakhi reception in Downing Street last week.   More than 200 guests, including politicians, community leaders and members of the armed forces, attended the event in London last Thursday (April 18).   Next year marks the 160th anniversary of the first Sikh arriving in the UK back in 1854, and Cameron noted the progress of Sikhs in the country.   ]]>
SPECIAL prayers marked the birthday celebrations of Lord Ram at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in north London last Saturday (April 20).   Young people and devotees dressed in sadhus’ robes enacted various scenes from the llife of Lord Swaminarayan as the main assembly hall at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was transformed into a scene from 1800s Gujarat.   Earlier, festivities began with the traditional annakut (a ceremonial offering of food) displayed b]]>
FEEDING a 1,000 underprivileged people in Hong Kong and clearing 80 sacks of litter in Southall - these were just some of the selfless acts of kindness which were recognised in front of leading politicians at the Sewa Pioneers Award.   Held last month at the House of Commons, the awards honoured individuals and organisations who devoted time to the service of others through the global volunteering initiative, Sewa Day.   Sewa, which means “be of service”,]]>
HOME secretary Theresa May paid tribute to women "who selflessly help others" as she visited the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden last Saturday (March 9), a day after International Women’s Day (March 8).   May, dressed in a turquoise salwar kameez, spoke of her privilege being in the company of hundreds of motivated women at the Women’s Day celebrations, held at the north London temple.   She called upon women to realise their ]]>
YOGA enthusiasts from all over the world gathered in Rishikesh, northern India, for a week-long spiritual retreat in the foothills of the Himalayas.     Parmarth Niketan Ashram has hosted the International Yoga Festival since 1999, and this year there were nearly 800 participants from 50 countries.     A variety of yoga classes were on offer, including Kundalini yoga, Iyengar yoga, Sukshma yoga, Jivamukti yoga, Vinyasa yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Yoga Nidr]]>
TENS of dozens of children from all over Britain and Europe gathered to showcase their talents in Leicester and London last month.   The Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Children’s Forum embarked on a year-long Kidz Ultimate Challenge (KUC) event in January last year, when more than 1,000 children, aged between three and 14 took part in a variety of events held across the UK and Europe.   Last month, two grand finale events were ]]>
WHO was William Shakespeare? Who are the Beatles? If you don’t know the answers, you may not get British citizenship. From the poetry of Shakespeare to the athletic prowess of Jessica Ennis, immigrants who wish to settle in the UK will now have to learn key facts about British history to pass their citizenship test.   The Life in the United Kingdom test, introduced under the previous Labour government, has been re-designed to make historical and cultural facts about the cou]]>
      A CONFERENCE on ‘Cancer Care: Living with Cancer’ will be held atBAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, London on Saturday (January 5).   The conference will provide information to the South Asian community about living with and beyond cancer, either as a carer or patient.   The topics discussed will include major signs and symptoms of cancer, the role of the hospice, financial support and guidance, help for carers, and]]>
    A TRADITIONAL stone and marble BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was inaugurated in Chino Hills (Los Angeles), California on December 23, 2012.   The temple, built over a period of six years, was completed with the help of hundreds of volunteers ranging from doctors to lawyers to engineers who put in dedicated hours of volunteer work.   The majestic temple was inaugurated in the presence of Assemblyman Curt Hagman, senior BAPS guru Sadguru Pujya Kot]]>
HINDUISM is the third largest religion of the world after Christianity and Islam, according to a study.   Ninety-seven per cent of all Hindus live in three Hindu-majority countries – India, Nepal and Mauritius. India, which accounts for majority of the world’s Hindus, is also home to almost all the major religions of the world, a Pew research said.   Pew demographic study – based on analysis of more than 2,500 censuses, surveys and population regist]]>
BARRY Gardiner, MP for Brent North tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) welcoming the president of the Leuva Patidar Samaj USA (LPS) in parliament last week.   It acknowledges the contribution of the Leuva community to the cultural, religious and business life of the UK; recalls that many of the Leuva community people were refugees from discrimination and violence in Africa 40 years ago this year; and looks back on the community’s achievementsand success throughout ]]>
AN INDIAN schoolboy has been chosen as one of the winners of a global film competition about faith, organised by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.   Mudit Muraka, 15, from Apeejay School in New Delhi, won in the Face to Faith category; his film The Mirror explores the social pressures that youth face each day.   Liat Har-Gil, 25, from Israel, won in the 18-27 category, for her film Death Bed the Musical, about a dying man and his nurse debating the existence of god an]]>
Golden Mile Shopping Festival When & Where: Friday 9 November-Sunday November 18 @ Belgrave Road & Melton Road, Leicester LE4 6AS. What: Held in association with Star Plus, the event features shops offering special deals, discounts and one-time-only bargains, as well as free activities, entertainment, celebrity appearances and fabulous prizes. Information: Call 0116-222 1013/0780-772 2294 or visit www.leicestersgoldenmile.com     Diwali Mela When ]]>
HINDI channel Sahara One pushed out its competitors Sunrise TV, Zing and Sony SAB TV to grab fifth position for the first time in the UK Asian TV ratings battle.   Sahara One had its best ever weekly reach since joining BARB ((Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board), the organisation responsible for providing the official measurement of UK television audiences, in July.   The channel got 420,000 people tuning into watch the channel with Sunrise TV getting 389,00]]>
SECONDARY school students will have the chance to spend a day with former England cricket captain Alec Stewart, as part of a national competition by a leading provider of money transfer services.   MoneyGram announced on Monday (September 17) that Stewart, the most capped Test match England cricketer of all-time, will serve as the company’s ambassador for events leading up to its sponsorship of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 (T20) international champ]]>
BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron has praised the contribution of British Asians after Shailesh Vara MP raised the issue of expelled Ugandan Asians at Prime Minister’s Questions.   Addressing the prime minister in a packed House of Commons, Vara who represents North West Cambridgeshire, reminded MPs that this month marks the 40th anniversary of the arrival to the UK of Asians expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin.   Vara recalled that Asians arrived in the UK wit]]>
FORMER prime minister Tony Blair’s Faith Foundation has been working with students in India to help spread awareness about malaria among slum dwellers in Delhi.   Students from the DLF Public School in Delhi travelled to Savda Ghevra in the city to hand out bed nets to slum residents suffering from disabilities or old age.   While in the slum, the students, who are different faith backgrounds, performed a play about the dangers of malaria and how it can be prev]]>
TRIBUTES were paid to Baroda’s former ruler and founding member, Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad, at an event in London to mark the 105th anniversary of the foundation day of Bank of Baroda UK.   Virendra Sharma, MP for Ealing Southall, joined guests at a special event to mark the milestone in a central London hotel on July 20.   The MP also launched the bank’s internet-based transaction facility. Anand Kumar, the bank’s head of retail, gave a brief pres]]>
A STUDENT has raised more than £6,400 for a charitable organisation that provides meals for 1.3 million school children in India.   Sabina Ranger, a second-year university student, organised a five-kilometre walk for the Akshaya Patra Foundation, a non-governmental organisation in India.   The walk took place in Northwood, London on August 5, the same day that the foundation served its billionth meal.   Sabina was joined by her family and Dipika Kh]]>
ONE of the oldest Indian community organisations of its type in the UK is to hold a special memorial programme in memory of murdered student Anuj Bidve.   Maharashtra Mandal London, which is 80 years old and represents people from the Marathi-speaking state that includes Pune from where Bidve hails, is organising a day of events on September 16 at the Indigo02 in Greenwich, London.   Among the highlights will be a Q&A with legendary Indian cricket star Sunil Gava]]>
BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron has paid tribute to the Muslim community on the occasion of Eid, which falls this weekend.     In his message, Cameron acknowledged the contribution British Muslims make to the country.     He said: “I want to say a particular thank you to those Muslims who have helped to make the London Olympics so successful. From those who volunteered and gave visitors such a warm welcome to our country. To members of ou]]>
A BIOGRAPHY about a leading Indian spiritual leader has become a best-seller among books on Hinduism on Amazon.com, the online retailer.         By God’s Grace is the story of His Holiness (HH) Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji (HH Pujya Muniji), head of Parmarth Niketan of Rishikesh and founder of Ganga Action Parivar.         Almost 300 pages long, the coffee table book has a foreword written by His Holine]]>
THOUSANDS of devotees are expected to gather in a London suburb to celebrate Janmashtami festival, the birth of Lord Krishna, this weekend (August 10-12).     Every year the Bhaktivedanta Manor in Watford attracts hordes of followers who mark the festival with gaiety and fervour.     Thousands of children are expected to dress up like Lord Krishna by painting their faces blue, carrying flutes and wearing peacock feathers in their hair.   ]]>
A SERIES of special events highlighting Indian tea will be held during the Olympic Games in London, the Indian High Commission announced on Monday (July 16).   A range of teas, including the Darjeeling or Nilgiri varieties, will be on offer for sampling and sale at Heathrow airport, Harrods and the South Bank, where there will be two days of activities from August 1.   The Flavours of India initiative will see experts and entrepreneurs talk about the trade in tea and]]>
RAMADAN is synonymous with charity and one organisation hoping for more donations is the Smile Train, which funds surgery for children with a cleft lip or palate.         Muslims are urged to try to donate more to charity during the holy month of Ramadan.         Most children born with a cleft lip cannot eat or speak properly. In parts of the developing world, those with a cleft lip are not allowed to attend scho]]>
THE Prince of Bhangra, Jazzy B, is set to be the headline act in one of the biggest celebrations of Asian culture in London this summer.   The Birmingham-based Punjabi singer/songwriter (pictured) is performing live at the East London Mela with H-Dhami, Imran Khan, Bonafide and Avina Shah at Barking Park on Sunday (July 1).   Ray Siddique, managing director of Asian Star radio, organisers of the East London mela, said: “Melas are an excellent opportunity for th]]>
A UNIQUE musical collaboration will mark a special anniversary for what is Europe’s largest Asian festival. The O2 London Mela will be 10 years old when it takes place on Sunday, August 19, at Gunnersbury Park in Acton, west London. Thousands of visitors will witness the debut of the Philharmonia Orchestra performing a premiere of Indra, composed by one-time local resident, Gustav Holst. Pop singer Jaz Dhami, classical musicians from the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in]]>
  A LEADING Indian housing finance company is hosting a exhibition in London this weekend, with 37 leading Indian developers showcasing their properties. The Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) is hosting India Homes Fair, a property exhibition exclusively for non resident Indian buyers, on Saturday and Sunday (June 23-24), at the Hilton London Metropole, from 10am-7pm. This weekend exhibition will feature more than 37 leading developers exhibiting prime properties fro]]>
  THOUSANDS of revellers are expected to come together this weekend in one of the biggest celebrations of Asian culture. The annual Slough Mela, which attracts 25,000 people, will feature some of the biggest music acts on the circuit. Bhangra legend Sukshinder Shinda will entertain visitors with his full live band, offering traditional bhangra music with a modern twist. Other big-name artists lined up to perform on Sunday, June 17, in Upton Court Park in Slough, Berkshire, incl]]>
  A SPECIAL initiative which aims to empower women by helping them recognise their talents and achieve their goals was launched in London on May 24.   Prominent women from the world of politics, business and the entertainment industry shared inspirational, personal stories at the first meeting of Women Empowered.   Keynote speaker Baroness Sandip Verma, the minister for women and equalities and cabinet office whip, pledged her support to inspire women who do]]>
LONDON mayor Boris Johnson has hailed the “incredible” contribution of the Asian community in Britain. The mayor, set to be re-elected to his post, visited the Shree Kadwa Patidar Samaj in Wembley and met members of the community on Saturday (April 28). Johnson said: “When the world comes to this city in the summer they will see an object towering over the Olympic Park. “It is designed by an Asian artist (Anish Kapoor); built by an Asian architect (Cecil Ba]]>
A ‘HUMAN’ herd of cows tried not to hoof around earlier this month, as they cycled, ran and walked to raise funds for an organic milk producer. Around 100 volunteers got dressed up in cow costumes on April 15 for the ‘Eight London Bridges Great Cow Challenge’. Participants went past London’s famous landmark bridges which included the Tower Bridge, London Bridge, among others. They were raising funds for the Ahimsa Dairy Foundation, the UK’s firs]]>
EALING Southall MP Virendra Sharma opened the new branch of the State Bank of India in Southall earlier this month. He joined key executives and the bank’s customers at an unveiling on the high street. Among the bank’s executives at the event were M Mahapatra, the regional head of SBI UK, Rajnish Kumar, the current regional head, and Manoj Kakkar, the Southall branch manager. The bank used to be located at Kings House, along the Green in Southall, for more than 30 year]]>
BRITAIN’S first state-funded Hindu school was given the honour of hosting the Queen last month as part of her Diamond Jubilee tour. Accompanied by Prince Philip, the Queen visited the Krishna Avanti Primary School in Harrow, London on March 29, as a crowd of more than 1,500 local residents welcomed the monarch. The royals watched a three-minute fusion performance of Bharatanatyam by dancers from the Srishti-Nina Rajarani Dance Creations, one of the resident companies at Harrow A]]>
LORD Sheikh, the Conservative Peer, who has been a Member of the House of Lords since 2006, will make a presentation on the first four UK Indian Members of Parliament on Monday (November 24). Organised and held at the Nehru Centre in London, the presentation acknowledges the four men who were Members of the House of Commons. Dadabhai Naoroji was elected as a Liberal in 1892 and was the first Indian to become an MP. Sir Mancherjee Bhownagree sat for the Conservative Party between 1895 and 1906.]]>
A RECENT report, carried out by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) have given the UK’s first Hindu school a seal of approval on Tuesday (November 25). The report commended the Swaminarayan School in Neasden, London on the ‘high’ standards of education and ‘excellent’ pastoral support offered to all its students from all ages. ‘Most of what the school provides is either good or outstanding and fully supports the school’s aims to develop pupils&r]]>
A BRITISH animal welfare charity said on Saturday that it would donate a cow to a Hindu temple north of London, in a bid to repair relations that were damaged last year when a sacred cow was put down. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) said it was apologising for the offence caused when the 13-year-old Belgian Blue-Jersey cross, Gangotri, was killed last December because it was in pain, but added that it was not apologising for putting the animal down. H]]>
HINDUS are celebrating after Crawley councillors granted permission to continue building work on a new Hindu temple on Monday (January 5). Part of the conditions laid out by Crawley council was to ensure that car parking and flooding precautions were addressed. Ted Beresford-Knox, head of planning, said councillors were satisfied with the measures now being taken and that the issue of flooding is to be dealt with on a 'much wider basis'. The approval comes just weeks after the banks of]]>
STUDENTS will now be able to study Hinduism online in a new education scheme run the by the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS) on Monday (February 2). The Understanding Hindu Identity course will be structured into seven sessions covering scriptures, practices, caste and gender, and modern trends in Hinduism. The online course will be closely modelled on the classroom courses taught by the OCHS for the past seven years in Oxford, Leicester, Harrow and Birmingham. OCHS Director, Shaunaka ]]>
PRIESTS and devotees at the Bhaktivedanta Manor Temple in Hertfordshire offered prayers on Sunday (January 18) to celebrate the arrival of a new cow, courtesy of the RSPCA. The cow, called Aditi, was a gift from the Royal Society of Prevention to Cruelty of Animals, a year after it put down another cow, Gangotri, suffering from bovine tuberculosis. The pregnant Aditi, which means 'the free one' and 'archaic mother', is seen by the Hindu community as a symbol of 'reconciliation'. It is due to gi]]>
KEITH Vaz, Labour MP for Leicester East, was announced the winner of the inaugural Diabetes UK Parliamentary Champion at a House of Commons parliamentary reception on Tuesday. The award recognises politicians who have gone beyond the call of duty in raising the issue of diabetes in parliament. The event marks the 75th anniversary and recognises the progress made in diabetes care during this period. Diabetes UK chief executive Douglas Smallwood said: “Keith’s contribution to]]>
WANT to know more about creative traditions and cultural forms of India or enjoy classical dance performances and shake a leg to peppy bhangra beats? A three-month-long exhibition, currently on in Coventry, is offering a selection of drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs and films by emerging artists from India and Pakistan. Curated by Gerard Mermoz during a three-month journey which took him from Kochi in India to Lahore in Pakistan via Bangalore, Mumbai, Bhopal, Vadodara, Delhi, Kolka]]>
PRINCE Charles has praised the Bohra community for their contribution to British society and business while on a visit to the Husaini Masjid in Northholt, London, on Wednesday (February 4). The heir to the throne, who was accompanied by Camilla Parker Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall, said: “I am impressed by you what you have achieved here. “I cannot applaud enough the invaluable example of your belief that patriotism is part of faith. This makes an enormous contribution to moder]]>
PATRONS and students of the Hindu Academy gathered in London's Brent Town Hall on Friday (February 6) to celebrate high achievers from the institution. Nine awards were given to students who excelled in their Hinduism courses, run by the academy. Lynne Sedgmore CBE, a patron of the Hindu Academy and chief guest Anthony Little, headmaster of Eton College, joined 150 guests and students at the annual ceremony. The academy is known for training the largest number of candidates in studying modu]]>
FOURTEEN marble idols imported from India have been installed in a prominent UK temple, in a ceremony attended by hundreds of people from across Britain. People attended the 'consecration ceremony' of 14 marble idols imported from northern Indian state of Jaipur and installed in the Geeta Bhawan temple in   Derby. The statues cost £40,000 and were paid by donations from worshipers, who also contributed to the building of the new temple, which opened last summer. Colourful proc]]>
PRINCE Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Neasden’s Swaminarayan Mandir and school on Wednesday (March 4) to celebrate the Holi, the festival of colours. The royal couple were greeted at the London temple in the traditional manner with a chandlo, nada chadhi and garlands by the head sadhu, Yogvivek Swami. Prince Charles offered flower petals at the shrine, and was later shown around the temple by Yogvivek Swami and chair of the board of trustees, Jitu Patel. The BAPS (Bochasa]]>
A SENIOR academic from the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS) will take part in this year’s London Marathon on April 26, making him the first Oxford Professor to do so. By taking part in the race, academic director Professor Gavin Flood will raise funds and awareness for the centre. He said, ‘We intend to develop OCHS as a source of intelligent commentary; it can be a resource for scholars from Hindu communities to critically examine and engage with their own tradition.’]]>
CHELSEA have launched an initiative aimed at identifying promising young players from a south Asian background in a bid to address the community's chronic under-representation in English football. Chelsea's initiative is being backed by the Football Association, the anti-racist organisation Kick it Out, and the Asian Media and Marketing Group, the parent company of Garavi Gujarat, GG2 and the website www.gg2.net. Britain is home to over three million people with family roots in India, ]]>
THREE youngsters from the Asian community will have the chance to join Chelsea Football Club’s Academy this summer and fulfil their dreams of becoming professional footballers. A’ameer Kstantin Murphy, Jordan Sadhu and Jhai Singh Dhillon were winners in the club’s Search for an Asian Soccer Star initiative which took place over the May Day bank holiday weekend. The trio will now go on to take part in a three-day residential trial in the summer to get a place at the club&rsquo]]>
LAVISH artwork and sensational gardens all with an Indian hue will help to make it a very Indian summer in Britain this year. HSBC bank has turned to the country for inspiration and has sponsored Indian Summer with an eye on the Asian economy’s growing strength and its traditional cultural appeal. The aim is to create a little India in the heart of London with an India landscape at the British Museum, complete with marigolds and lotuses. The celebration also includes a wide array of exh]]>