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Charotar Patidar Convention a Huge Success

Nitish S Rele in Tampa

Matchmaking and medical sessions ruled the roost during the three-day convention of the Charotar Patidar Samaj in Tampa during Thanksgiving weekend.

"We saw several matrimonial candidates interacting and getting to know one another," said convention chairman P D Patel. "Some have promised to get together in the near future." About 1,500 people from America, Canada and England attended the 11th edition of the convention. There were a few delegates from India too.

Health awareness programs featured local and national physicians who put a spotlight on the diseases plaguing the Asian Indian community in the US.

"We had a good audience who listened with interest to what the doctors had to say," said Patel. "This interest came up because of a survey released at last year's convention."

Dr Ranjita Misra and Dr T G Patel discovered in their survey that half the Asian Indian respondents did not exercise and that 16 per cent had not had any check-ups done in a year. "This was frightening. That is why we stressed on the health programs this year," said Patel.

Entertainment for the first time in the convention's 11-year history included a garba raas program by the Brij Joshi group from India. Several hundred participants rushed to the dance floor as soon as the music began.

Other convention activities were a fashion show, bhajans, a trip to the Vishnu Mandir, a cultural show, a magic show and movies for children.

On Saturday, November 27, P D Patel formally welcomed the convention attendees. Charotar Patidar Samaj Chairman Ravi Patel admitted that the convention's primary aim was to help people of the community find husbands and wives.

"Also, the health awareness program is still alive," he said, adding that attendance had reduced at the convention. He suggested two satellite matrimonial conventions which will attract 600 people or so. At present, the Charotar Patidar Samaj has 1,000 life members and 2,000 matrimonial listings. It also has a web site, www.patidar.net.

The chief guest at the event was T P Sreenivasan, deputy chief of mission at the Indian embassy in Washington, DC. He has served in East Africa and Fiji.

"The sweat and blood of Gujaratis made those countries great culturally and materially," said Sreenivasan. "This convention is unique in the sense that you are frankly proclaiming that its purpose is to promote matrimonials. You are essentially promoting arranged love marriages. Where else can anyone want to get married but in this wonderful place called Tampa?"

He also briefly touched on Indo-US relations "which have never been better in the last 52 years. After the 1998 nuclear tests conducted by India, we are in a happy phase. And this is not because of the embassy of India. The 1.3-million strong Indian community in the US, by their hard work and imagination, made a contribution to India," he said.

Sreenivasan reminded the audience that the India Caucus in Congress has been a tremendous success.

"The Burton Amendment was not even put forward... The House International Committee adopted a resolution supporting India's position in Kashmir during the Kargil crisis. A strategic partnership was urged between India and [the] US."

While summing up, convention chairman Patel said next year's convention will most probably be held in the middle of the country, maybe in the Carolinas.

If you would like to post any information about forthcoming events or community happenings, please email the details to bettypais@aol.com

Information and photographs can also be mailed to Betty Pais at 87-52 108th Street, 2nd Floor, Richmond Hill, NY 11418-2229, USA.

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