More than 200 senior members of the community gathered for the Christmas celebrations at Mt Roskill War Memorial Hall on Saturday, December 17. Bhartiya Samaj Charitable Trust has hosted the celebrations every year for the last 20 years.
Community leaders, parliamentarians, and prominent faces of the community graced the event. Newly-elected Labour MP for Mt Roskill Michael Wood, National List MP Dr Paramjeet Parmar, Shefali Mehta QSM, Bhartiya Samaj patron Hon. Dr Bruce Hucker, former Labour MP Dr Ashraf Choudhary, Inspector Rakesh Naidoo, Asian Liasion Officer Jessica Phuang, Labour Party member Priyanca Radhakrishnan, and Principal Advisor Panel in Auckland Council Austin Kim attended the celebrations.
Auckland district court judge Dr Ajit Swaran Singh and his wife were the chief guests for the day.
Elderly couple Mr Madhubhai Patel and Mrs Sadguna Patel perform at the celebration
Senior member couple Madhubhai Patel and Sadguna Patel shook a leg on the dance floor while Jagdish Punja, an actor, singer, and prominent businessman entertained the attendees as he hummed a Bollywood number.
“Every year, we host Christmas celebrations for the senior members of our community and one can see the glow and a big smile on their faces. It is so fulfilling,” Jeet Suchdev, founder of Bhartiya Samaj, said.
Bhartiya Samaj Charitable Trust is a not-for-profit organisation serving the community since 1995 and is the largest multi-faith South Asian group with members from all over Auckland.
Bhartiya Samaj has already marked the programmes to be hosted in 2017. The organisation will have an annual summer camp for kids aged between six and 14 years from January 9 to 13, a camping activity for senior community members, Republic Day celebrations and more in the following months.
“I admire the work of Bharatiya Samaj for organising such colourful events for us. We couldn’t have ended the year a better way,” a senior community member at the event said.
“With our constant efforts for the society, we try to bring about a positive difference to establish a community with better skills and values, which contribute to the formation of a better society,” Mr Suchdev added.