In a grand showing of cooperation, Indians from all faiths celebrated Baisakhi at the historic Gadar memorial hall in San Francisco, California U.S.A. The Baisakhi greetings were exchanged by chief guest B.S. Prakash, Consul General of India (Ambassador) and Vikram J.S. Bajwa (Indian National Overseas Congress, VP), also chief editor of Punjabi American news (Quami Ekta) Harjeet S. Sandhu among other associations and members of local Gurdwaras.

Prakash, while addressing the gathering, highlighted the importance of Baisakhi for the Sikh faith. He said it was good to see how well the overseas Indian community is still connected with it’s roots. Prakash also explained how, it is a festival of progress and celebrations for farmers, which marks the reaping of the crop and also the creation of the Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.

The celebrations started with traditional Sikh prayers performed by members of the Sikh Gurdwara and Bay Area Center of Sikhs, El Sobrante. Followed by Prakash’s congratulations for the community on the grand occasion of Baisakhi. To help promote community services Prakash, along with IndUS Newsmedia, Inc., honored several major community contributors for the perseverance and hard work for the Indian community. Harry Gill (businessman and senior Akali member from Caruthers), Surinder S. Atwal, (businessman and convener sports from Tracy), Paul Sihota (President Selma Gurdwara, California), Dr. Harmesh Kumar (Concord); Bhai Sahib Giani Ji. S (Los Angeles, California), Kulwant Khera (senior Sikh leader from San Jose, California), Mr. Chakot Radhakrishnan (Kerela Association of America), Param Singh (managing editor of IndUS News), Sukhwant Khera (San Jose, California), Dr. Rashid Ali Khan (Sacramento), Dr. Mike Patil (Bakersfield) among others. Kapil Sibal (Department of Ocean Development, India) was present in San Francisco along with delegation of Confederation of Indian industries.

Basakhi greetings were also received by San Francisco mayor’s office, Mayor Anthony J. Intintoli of Vallejo, Mayor Amarpreet S Dhaliwal of San Joaquin, and Mayor James K. Hahn of Los Angeles.

At this auspicious occasion IndUS Newsmedia, Inc. released it’s first copy of IndUS newspaper in English and Punjabi American News (Quami Ekta) in Punjabi. Other members also released (Basaakhi.com) a website for the future generation of Sikh youth throughout the world.

While speaking with reporters Bajwa, also chief editor of IndUS News, explained the importance of launching IndUS Newsmedia, Inc. at the historic Gadar Memorial Hall established in 1912 by the Hindustan Gadar Party at 5 Wood Street San Francisco California U.S.A. “The first successful Indo-American efforts for the freedom of India were initiated from this hall by the Gadar Party and in keeping their vision alive we as the next generation of Indians would like to build a new India by uniting our voices together under IndUS News,” said Bajwa.

Courtesy: INI (IndUS Newsmedia, Inc.)