Skokie Gandhi Memorial Trust completes 10 years

SKOKIE, IL– The Gandhi Memorial Trust of Skokie celebrated its 10th anniversary as well as ‘Gandhi Jayanti’ at Skokie Park District IL on October 4.

Present on the occasion were over 300 people, including Mayor of Skokie George Van Dusen and Indian Americans from Skokie village and surrounding areas as also members of the Bharatiya Senior Citizens of Chicago from Carol Stream, United Parivar from Niles.
The program was conducted by Ravi Baichawal who welcomed the guests and thanked all participant organizations and groups.
The opening ceremony was marked by Gandhiji’s favourite devotional song, ‘Vaishnav Jan To Tene Re Kahiye’ sung by Bhattacharya. The chairman of the trust, Om Prakash Kamaria, and Mayor George Van Dusen spoke on the occasion.
Consulate General Of India Dr. Ausaf Sayeed also elaborated on the Mahatma’s philosophy, which, he said, had influenced the whole world and inspired millions.
He said that Bapu’s ideas of non-violence, compassion, supreme humanism, and his unparalleled role in India’s freedom movement had made him not only the most important person of the century but also that of the millennium.
Dr Sayeed said Gandhiji lived in the hope of a better world, and urged people to take a pledge to fulfil his dreams.
Niles West High School students performed a ‘Give peace a chance’ poem. Saraswathi Ranganathan played Veena accompanied by Dhanajay Kunte.
Awards were presented to Shelly Reese Nezinsky and Michael Wronkowski by the trust members and Mayor Van Dusen and Consulate General of India Dr. Sayeed.
The program concluded with yet another Gandhiji ‘bhajan’ before the participants were given a gift bag from the program organizers.