NHSF (UK) Timeline
NHSF (UK) in Parliament (2014):
The achievements of NHSF (UK) were celebrated at a reception in the Palace of Westminster, where the contributions of Hindu students to the country were highlighted. A number of MPs were present, including the then Labour Party leader Ed Miliband MP, and current Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
Dharmafest (2015)
A night where Hindu dharma was brought to life by students across the UK at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in London, Dharmafest was an opportunity for Hindu students to express their values through the performing arts, from kathak and bharatnatyam, to bhajans, skits, poetry and contemporary art forms.
THE:SE (2019)
September saw ‘The Hindu Experience:
Students’ Edition’ as a new event, in place of September Committees’ Day. The day set out to enhance chapters’ understanding of NHSF (UK) whilst connecting young Hindus; to each other, and, to the wider Hindu samaj. Young Hindus across the nation gathered in London for a day exploring the four themes of ‘arts’,
‘identity’, ‘representation’ and ‘connect’ through a variety of mediums. Over 20 external guest speakers were invited to present workshops, discussions and lectures surrounding the four
themes which all came together under the
the event theme of Monopoly.
As per the theme, the day saw a journey
around the THE:SE Monopoly board which
was made up of workshops such as; “Say It
With Your Chest”, learning how to inspire an audience through speech; “Feet Street”,
bringing out inner creativity through Indian classical dance; “Success Without Stress”, identifying stresses and unlocking an inner potential; and “Law and Order”,
exploring the links between law and Hindu
values.
Some of our guest speakers included advisory board members, Dr Sachinji Nandha and Sunilji Pala; Rameshji Pattni from Chinmaya Mission (UK), Vidhu Sharma and Payal Chheda. In addition to all of these amazing speakers, we also invited representatives from Anthony Nolan, Youth For Sewa and Sewa Day, to highlight ways in which
we can all easily give to those around us.
The day was enjoyed by all in attendance with feedback stating a wide range of skills were learnt, networks were expanded and lots of fresh ideas for chapters to take back to campuses across the country were created.
CIRCLE OF LIFE | 2010
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 20TH, 2010
Who inspires you? What are your powers? What motivates you? What gives you strength? In 2007, at Imperial College London, NHSF (UK) celebrated its 15th year by challenging the perception of what it means to be a young Hindu in today’s society – better known as ‘Dynamic Spirit’.
If we asked people off the streets who they consider as inspirational figures, many would not include themselves. This is because a vast amount of human beings sell themselves short. Over the course of a weekend, attendees had an opportunity to delve into these questions and explore what it means to be an inspirational and motivational figure in today’s world. This was done through various invigorating activities that fed the imagination, which were led by truly inspirational figures such as the Keynote Speaker, Jeffrey Armstrong (Kavindra Rishi), the Founder and Director of Vedic Academy of Science and Arts (VASA). Dynamic Spirit opened attendees’ eyes by showing that each and every one of us had the aptitude to be inspirational – all we have to do is unleash our inner potential!
Dynamic Spirit showed that we all have an inherent potential to use our passions and instigate change in the world. Sanatan Dharma can show us how to access that potential and passion within us, unlocking it from the cage which it resides and utilising it to make some kind of change whether it is big or small or at a personal, societal or global level.
ARISE ARJUNA | 2011
AWAKE, ARISE AND ACT FOR HINDU DHARMA!
Awake, Arise and Act for Hindu Dharma!
‘Arise Arjuna’ celebrates NHSF (UK)’s 20th anniversary, in 2011 at JFS School, London, and provided us with an opportunity to unite and involve Hindus across the country. The aim of Arise Arjuna was to increase the awareness of and embrace Hindu Dharma internally to chapter members and externally to the wider Hindu community. This was done by putting together a phenomenal exhibition split into four zones, which explored various aspects of Hindu Dharma: 1. Preserve Zone: Guests learnt all about Karma, the history of Hindus and the inspiring people that influenced the public. As well as this, attendees were fortunate enough to watch three amazing plays on Krishna Bhagwan & Ahuna, Ram Mohan Roy and Anna Hazare 2. Protect Zone: Guests explored the amazing things that Hindus have done to protect Dharma via an original NHSF (UK) video production that was created. 3. Practice Zone: Attendees were given an insight on why Hindus do certain things – whether it was spiritual, for our samaj or scientific. 4. Promote Zone: For those who were interested in politics and current affairs, the promote zone gave guest the chance to contribute in NHSF (UK)’s first ever Hindu Summit and suggest ways on how to solve issues Hindus face in the world today. The day ended with a spectacular Garba night where students and the community celebrated the conclusion of the 20th anniversary event!
BIG HINDU QUESTIONS | 2012
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 24TH, 2012
How can Lord Krishna have blue skin? You pray before an exam and call yourself a Hindu, but why? Why do Hindus fast on certain days of the week?
In 2012, at the University of Wolverhampton, NHSF (UK) took on the challenge of answering some of the most complex and controversial questions facing Hindus in the 21st century – better known as ‘Big Hindu Questions’.
Big Hindu Questions sought hard answers to important questions about their faith and origins. They had the opportunity to engage in interactive workshops and lectures run by world-renowned Hindu Scholars and Professors. Whether it was about how many Gods there are in Hinduism, the laws of Karma, human and civil rights or women through the ages, Big Hindu Questions gave answers to a wide range of burning questions posed by young British Hindus..
24/7
Decisions! They govern our world, our actions and even our thoughts! Ultimately, they define who we are. How many decisions do we make in a day, in an hour or in a second?
In 2008, at De Montford University, we explored this topic in depth through a series of talks, such as “The Butterfly Effect”, “The Ripple Effect” and “The Internal Effect” – better known as ‘24/7’. As students, we are faced with more choices, challenges and decisions than ever before. University life provides the perfect blend of opportunities and experiences from which we are able to shape our future. Students are faced with a multitude of seemingly trivial decisions on a daily basis, such as deciding what to eat, what to wear and whether to go out or study. In addition, every student at some point is faced with more complicated moral and ethical dilemmas.
It expanded the students’ mind and made them aware that every moment counts when making decisions.
24/7 looked into what guides these decisions we make on a daily basis, exploring whether it is our body, our logic, our environment or something much deeper that helps us make a decision. The event consisted of interactive workshops, insightful speakers and imaginative displays. It expanded the students’ mind and made them aware that every moment counts when making decisions.
DYNAMIC SPIRIT
Who inspires you? What are your powers? What motivates you? What gives you strength? In 2007, at Imperial College London, NHSF (UK) celebrated its 15th year by challenging the perception of what it means to be a young Hindu in today’s society – better known as ‘Dynamic Spirit’.
If we asked people off the streets who they consider as inspirational figures, many would not include themselves. This is because a vast amount of human beings sell themselves short. Over the course of a weekend, attendees had an opportunity to delve into these questions and explore what it means to be an inspirational and motivational figure in today’s world. This was done through various invigorating activities that fed the imagination, which were led by truly inspirational figures such as the Keynote Speaker, Jeffrey Armstrong (Kavindra Rishi), the Founder and Director of Vedic Academy of Science and Arts (VASA). Dynamic Spirit opened attendees’ eyes by showing that each and every one of us had the aptitude to be inspirational – all we have to do is unleash our inner potential!
Dynamic Spirit showed that we all have an inherent potential to use our passions and instigate change in the world. Sanatan Dharma can show us how to access that potential and passion within us, unlocking it from the cage which it resides and utilising it to make some kind of change whether it is big or small or at a personal, societal or global level.
HINDU TIMES
Be the news you wish to see!
The year 2009 NHSF (UK) brought to you ‘Hindu Times’, which was hosted at City University, where misconceptions of the Hindu faith, which are found in the world today, were challenged.
“Women Oppressed in Hindu Dharma”
“Hindu Dharma Goes Bollywood”
“Mahabharata and Ramayana Irrelevant Myths”
If you picked up a newspaper containing these headlines what would your reaction be and what would you do? Hindu Times encouraged the younger generation to tackle these misconceptions and taught them how imperative it is to act. Hindu Times aimed to engage, empower and inspire Hindu students to stand up in what they believe in. It looked into three aspects, spirituality, the Hindu community and politics, and the issues surrounding these areas, for example, caste discrimination and under representation of Hindus in British politics.
Ultimately, the stimulating and thought provoking workshops and lectures, which also included a question time session with respected politicians as the panel, gave students and the wider community an understanding of how vital it is to get your voice heard and to make a Statement.