Shanti Fund ties up with SUNY to hold Gandhi talks

Old Westbury, NY:  SUNY Old Westbury and Shanti Fund signed an agreement on September 2 to establish Gandhi Lecture Series (under Social Justice Lecture Series) that will begin with the 2021 Fall semester for undergraduate students.

This is Shanti Fund’s second project at SUNY Old Westbury. Two years ago, to celebrate the Mahatma’s 150th birth anniversary, a Gandhi Peace Garden was established on the 600-acre campus, where 150 trees, including at least one from each of the 50 US states, have been planted.

As is the tradition with Shanti Fund to celebrate Gandhi’s birthday on October 2 and Punya Tithi on January 30, a vegetarian lunch was served to everyone’s great amazement for its deliciousness.

Here are lightly edited speeches delivered on the occasion:  

 

Dr Timothy E. Sams and Mr Arvind Vora signing the agreement papers for the series of talks.

Dr. Timothy E. Sams

President of SUNY Old Westbury

“This is a home of Shanti Fund. But nevertheless, it’s my responsibility to say welcome back. Welcome home and most especially to His Excellency, the Consul General. Welcome to Old Westbury. We are honored that you are here.

Back to Shanti Fund. I don’t know exactly what the impetus was some years back for creating and forging this relationship. But what I’m clear about is that in the life of a college, such relationships are integral, as it seeks to not only maintain its commitment to excellence, but also to maintain its commitment to relevant education. To be very clear about the ways in which we train our students to be able to move about the world, and to be relevant, not offensive, and impactful all at the same time.

Teaching is the centrality to humanity. The ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and constitution are made just any of us, all of us, particularly us who consider ourselves disciples of nonviolence. At some point, and those who are serious about training new students, to transform the world, being part of that curriculum with your gift; one day we make sure God and His teaching, and his work becomes a central part of the curriculum here, a central part of life here and part of our identity here.

So, thank you, Shanti Fund, for the donation for our Speakers’ Fund. It is an excellent start as regards to ‘making normal’, particularly in the world today,  making normal is to talk about peace. And we really appreciate it (donation) and I hope you will be impressed with what we do with it, and what comes forth as a result.”

Mr. Arvind Vora

President, Shanti Fund

“My dear friend, Dr. Timothy Sams, his new middle name is nonviolence. Based on my meetings and everything that he has done he is a good partner to promote Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals. Dr. Jo-Anne Robinson, Executive Vice President; Michael Keenan, Vice President for Communications and College Relations; Mr. Usama Shaikh, Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. ; Dr. Wayne Edwards and Mr. Randy Daniels both live in the Bronx and Yonkers and things are horrible over there with flooded roadways and abandoned vehicles. They have extended their regrets.

And now allow me to introduce my friends present here today. Dr. Bhupi Patel, he is on the SUNY Foundation and community leader; Ravi Bhooplapur, also a member of SUNY Foundation, he is also president of the Xavier University School of Medicine, Kamlesh Mehta, publisher of The South Asian Times, and he is doing a wonderful job to keep his newspaper kosher, meaning you can give him a million dollars and he will not publish ads for gambling and such vices. From Shanti Fund we have Dr. Sharda Jayagopal and my partner and second in command, Bakul Matalia.

Thank you, SUNY, for allowing Gandhi Peace Garden two years ago on your campus: a unique partnership where SUNY provided space, Indian government through its Consulate in New York initiated the project, community members and organizations donated $500 per tree, and Shanti Fund did overall coordination and completion. The garden was to pay a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary with the planting of 150 trees, of which at least one is from each of the 50 states of America.

Now to make the Peace Garden more meaningful, volunteers of Shanti Fund have decided to have a Gandhi Lecture Series here at the SUNY Old Westbury. This project was initiated right after Dr Sams took the office. Though this kind of projects take time, thanks for expediting it.

Like our great nation that embarked upon an experiment almost 250 years ago, the ancient nation of India also embarked upon an experiment of modern democracy 75 years ago. Both nations were ruled by the British Empire, one had to sacrifice lots of blood and bodies to secure independence; and the other, may I add, when British Empire was the mightiest, through nonviolence. Gandhi’s leadership won people’s hearts and they call him Mahatma and Father of the Nation.

Shanti Fund was started over 25 years ago by volunteers who benefited because of their education and peaceful nature. Most of our activities undertaken over the years have a common denominator – EDUCATION.”

Amb.  Randhir Jaiswal flanked by Dr Sams and Mr Vora at the check presentation ceremony

Hon. Randhir Jaiswal

Consul General of India – New York

“Thank you, President Dr Sams, for all you have done for us in connecting this university with Mahatma Gandhi. We maybe in a small gathering today, but what we are doing is far reaching.

You know, we all are human beings. We live in a society; we live together as a community and for that reason, the fundamentals of our society of our daily existence, our basic human values, togetherness, friendship, kindness, compassion; these are all human values and universal values. With these values, we prosper and progress, that is how civilizations are moved from the Stone Age to today’s Machine Learning Age.

And because universal values are so deeply embedded in our existence, it is important to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi, it is important to celebrate Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and all global icons; today and for all times to come. With them, with their values, and with their legacy, we are much better off. Especially at a time in the 21st century when we live in a machine world where humans are interacting less with human beings and more with machines. Our fundamental existence we must realize is that first and foremost, we all are human beings and for that reason, it’s important that we have the size of the legacy and life of Mahatma Gandhi and all our leaders who instilled pride in people of free nations and who continue to shine their lives.

I was here last year at the Gandhi Peace Garden to celebrate Mahatma’s birthday, and will come again this year, on October 2. Thank you very much for bringing the Mahatma closer to the student community here and to bring his legacy in their lives. And as Mr. Vora just referred to it, this year happens to be the 75th of India’s Independence. And for that reason, it’s important that we remember Gandhi fondly in our midst.

You know the project that we have signed today will continue to build on the Gandhi peace project that we launched as a tribute to 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi. We hope this collaboration continues to grow and prosper. You can count on all our support; we’ll try to do our best for the Gandhi Lecture Series. And we once again want to thank SUNY under your leadership. I hope the projects will continue to enhance our efforts towards a better tomorrow for one and all.”

Two years ago, to celebrate the Mahatma’s 150th birth anniversary, a Gandhi Peace Garden was established on the 600-acre SUNY Old Westbury campus.

Images courtesy of . and (Photos provided)

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