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Houston meeting press release
Press Release
Hindu Students Council (HSC) held its Fifth Annual National
Meet and Coordination Council Meeting in Houston, Texas from
Dec 29-31, 1994. The meeting was attended by over 150
students from across the US. Students came from California,
Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York,
Vermont, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Colorado, Massachusetts,
Louisiana, Texas, and Washington, D.C.
HSC holds annual meetings and camps to promote awareness of
Hindu culture and heritage. In addition, this National Meet
also involved discussions on the past and future work of HSC
at various campuses and in the community. New chapters were
started: Auburn Univ (AL), Univ. of Berkeley, San Jose,
Boston Univ, Tufts Univ, and Texas A&M. As part of the SEVA
(service) projects of HSC, two children are being supported
in Varanasi, Bharat (India). HSC also has an Adopt-A-Highway
program in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and helps in soup kitchens
and blood drives in various cities.
In 1994, HSC organized the YUVA'94 conference in Boston in
May, the YUVA conference in Atlanta in August, a Southeast
region basketball tournament that had 22 teams, the 1st
Conference on Spirituality in Michigan, and the Gandhi
Jayanti program at the University of Illinois, Urbana-
Champaign.
HSC has adopted an extensive plan for 1995, its fifth
anniversary. In 1995, HSC will increase the number of active
chapters, will promote awareness of the Kashmir issue, will
increase the number of members in its project GHYAN (Global
Hindu Youth Activities Network), and will promote active
participation of Hindus through its Community Action Network.
Kanchan Banerjee, Overall Coordinator of HSC, said that "We
have achieved the goals of 1994 due to the commitment of HSC
members. We are now established at over 30 campuses and are
working together with other community organizations and
leaders."
A discussion was held on Stereotypes of Hindus and the Role
of HSC. Desh Srivastava, Univ of Houston chapter
coordinator, summarized "There are many misconceptions of
what Hindu dharma is. Hindus are beginning to realize that
they must first learn about Hinduism and then explain it to
the society. That is where HSC fits in."
Another discussion was held on the traditional and modern
roles of Hindu women. Viraj Parikh, Univ of Michigan alumni
and NCC member, said "There should be an improvement in the
treatment of women, and men should take a greater role in the
house. However, women should also reach a balance between
the so-called traditional and modern roles."
Swati Trivedi, Cultural Program Coordinator and a student at
the Univ. of Texas-Austin, said that "The cultural program
was diverse and well done by the participants. They put a
lot of work into it. Over 200 community members attended and
enjoyed the cultural program Friday night and the raas/garba
afterwards."
The University of Michigan chapter gave an insightful
presentation on Hindu Contributions to the World. Students
were reminded of the great achievements of their ancestors in
the fields of science, technology, philosophy, and religion.
Reema Singla, a 2nd-year student at the Univ of Michigan,
commented that "Most students felt that American schools need
to incorporate the contributions of non-western cultures into
the curriculum. Hindu contributions to the world are many
and diverse, and almost always are unrecognized. HSC is
playing a tremendous role in America by making people aware
of what Hindus have achieved."
The session called Social Firing Line provided an opportunity
for students to express their views on vegetarianism, inter-
religious/racial marriages, the importance of rituals, and
choosing the sex of your child. HSC members expressed
diverse views on vegetarianism, marriage, and rituals.
Sri Akhileshji, Founder and President of the International
Association of Scientific Spirituality, gave an informative
presentation on "Concentration and Power of Mind." He
stressed that "mediation and a proper vegetarian diet helps
one to realize the Sat-Chid-Ananda within us." He showed
scientific proof of the beneficial effects of meditation.
Sri Gaurangbhai Nanavaty, from Chinmaya Mission, spoke on
"The Importance of Rituals." He said that "Rituals enable us
to concentrate and keep our minds calm and steady. They also
help in understanding the higher principles of Vedanta."
Sannyasini Priya Dasi from the International Society of
Divine Love in Austin, Texas, spoke on "Bhagavad Geeta: A
Guide for Moral Conduct." She said, "Whatever you do,
remember that there is God. Bhagavad Geeta contains guides
for moral conduct in the words of Lord Krishna."
Sri Suresh Patel, VHP-Texas Youth Coordinator, concluded by
congratulating the youth for "fulfilling the dreams of their
parents' generation by working for the Hindu cause."
Nutan Mehta, NCC member from the Univ. of Texas-Austin,
thanked the Gandhi Center for the use of the facilities and
especially Vishwa Hindu Parishad of Houston for their
tremendous support. She also thanked all the community
leaders who came to the VIP luncheon to learn about HSC.
Rakhi Israni, Registration Coordinator and Univ. of Texas-
Austin alumni, exclaimed "It was a great achievement and
experience for Houston's Hindu students to organize this
event. The NCC sessions were especially inspiring."
Maneesh Mehra, HSC Southern Regional Coordinator and student
at Univ. of Houston, proclaimed "HSC chapters in Texas have
benefited tremendously from this program. It is inspiring to
see that so many students are committed to insuring that
Hindu culture remains vibrant in American society for
generations to come!"
HSC is an international forum providing opportunities to
learn about Hindu heritage and culture. For more
information, contact HSC, 1233 Island Dr #204, Ann Arbor, MI
48105 USA. Phone: 617-227-3023 or email hsc@umcc.umich.edu.
