To welcome Vikram Samvat 2081, ABPL family hosted a delightful get-together at the Harrow office, inviting close friends to join in the festive spirit.
Guests included Harrow Deputy Mayor Cllr Anjana Patel, Deven Sangani, Subhash Thakrar OBE, Krishna Pujara, Jaykishan Vala, Eirin, CB Patel, Kanti Nagda MBE, Jyotsna Shah, Subhas Patel, Kishor Parmar, Pooja Raval, Tanisha Gujarathi, Asha Patel, Rajendra Jani, and Omkar Naik.
The gathering provided a platform for an engaging discussion on the recently launched Diwali magazine, along with other key topics related to Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, highlighting the publications' impactful journey and their immense contribution to the community.
Pooja Raval, Business Development Manager of ABPL Group, who leads the UK operations, warmly welcomed all the guests and expressed her gratitude for their continued support. She highlighted the positive changes implemented over the past few months, leading to a smooth and efficient operation. She shared insights on this year’s Diwali magazine, describing it as a comprehensive package rich in content and reading material. She also praised the team’s dedication in ensuring that weekly publications continued without interruption throughout Diwali, keeping readers updated on news and events during the festive season. Additionally, she noted the growing confidence within the UK and India teams, affirming that, with collective effort, they aim to take this journey forward on the path of Gyan and Seva Yagna.
Jyotsna Shah, Consulting Editor of Gujarat Samachar, shared her inspiring 42-year journey with Gujarat Samachar, New Life, and Asian Voice, reminiscing about her role as a witness to the growth and transformation of these publications. She spoke of how these newsweeklies continually served the community by offering a comprehensive mix of news, cultural stories and reading material that has informed, inspired and united readers across generations. They were always dedicated to promoting our values, including our mother tongue, as well as cultural and spiritual activities. She reflected on the impactful campaigns led by CB and ABPL Group, advocating for critical issues such as the rights of the Fiji Indian and Hong Kong Indian communities, tackling nationality and immigration acts and racist forces, supporting the Hare Krishna Temple, securing direct flights for British Asians, and addressing countless other community needs. These efforts have underscored Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar’s commitment to standing at the forefront of community activism and defending the rights of British Asians.
Jyotsna also recognised the invaluable support of Kokila Patel and Kishor Parmar, whose dedicated efforts have greatly advanced both the community's welfare and the growth of ABPL.
Kanti Nagda MBE, also the Special Advisor to ABPL Group, spoke about the core priorities and principles of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, highlighting them as the only ethnic publications that have consistently supported the betterment of the community in the UK.
On this occasion, Subhash Thakrar OBE shared his long-standing association with ABPL Group. He expressed his happiness at being part of the gathering and reflected on how he has witnessed the growth and development of the publications over time. He also mentioned his involvement in last year’s project, the Eye of Tomorrow book, which focused on the roles and responsibilities of a community newspaper. The book, launched with a grand gala event, was warmly received by readers and supporters. He added that Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar provide such valuable and comprehensive reading material that anyone living in this country has all they need for community news, without needing to read any other national dailies.
Jaykishan Wala provided valuable suggestions and insights on how to enhance the value of our publications. Meanwhile, Krishna Pujara, CEO of the renowned organisation Enfield Saheli, shared details about her work and the initiatives her organisation has undertaken for women’s empowerment. As a close friend and supporter of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, she has also been instrumental in organising several episodes of Soneri Sangat. She expressed her pleasure upon seeing the latest Diwali magazine, praising its quality and content.
Cllr Anjana Patel, Deputy Mayor of Harrow, who is dedicated to various causes, particularly BAPS and other social initiatives, is a prominent leader representing our community. She shared her joy in being part of the evening and commended the efforts of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar. She extended her best wishes for the continued success of the publications in serving the community.
Deven Sangani, Head of Real Estate at Harrow Business Centre, a long-time supporter of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, also expressed his happiness at being part of the gathering. He reaffirmed his commitment to supporting ABPL Group to the best of his ability moving forward.
Rajendra Jani, father of Pooja Raval, who hails from Palanpur, Gujarat, and is on visit to the UK currently, expressed his pride and joy in his daughter Pooja Raval’s significant contributions to the British Gujarati community. He commended her for her dedication to the organisation and the significant role she has played in its growth. Tanisha Gujarathi, who works in various capacities with ABPL, received praise for her valuable inputs and also shared her thoughts on the occasion. Asha Patel also reflected on her experience and the satisfaction of being part of ABPL. Even Eirin shared her good wishes for the future of ABPL.
CB introduced Omkar Naik, a young and talented individual who is making meaningful contributions to ABPL and is eager to become further involved with the team.
CB expressed his immense satisfaction with the presence of the dignitaries and his team, highlighting that ABPL is flourishing and will continue to soar to greater heights. He acknowledged that ups and downs are part of any business journey, but the strength and support of his team have been key to ABPL's success, with even more joining in the future. ABPL will continue to serve the community stronger than ever before.
Kishor Parmar, Advertising Manager of ABPL Group, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing his gratitude to everyone for being part of the occasion.
The event concluded with light refreshments.
