KOJAIN Reunion/Get-together Meeting, Houston, Texas
Date: Saturday, July 2, 2011
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:45 pm
Location: Room 371, George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, Texas
Board Members Present: Vijay D. Chheda, Navin S. Dedhia, Manoj T. Dharamsi, Ram S. Gada, Dhiraj M. Gosar, Manish Mota
Meeting Notes:
KOJAIN Reunion/Get-together was held during the 16th Biennaial JAINA Convention,
Houston, Texas. About 175 individuals including KOJAIN visitors from India were present during the Reunion/Get-together meeting. Almost all KOJAIN attendees registered for the
JAINA Convention were present.
1. Meeting was started with Navkaar Mantra and Manglik recitation by Dr. Pravin L.
Shah (Pennsylvania) at 4:15 pm.
2. Navin Dedhia, KOJAIN President welcomed everyone and thanked for their
attendance. Board members present in the meeting were introduced. Houston KOJAIN
Community was recognized. Shanti & Geeta Gala,Pankti Gala and Keval Gala,active
Convention Committee Members, were introducedto the attendees. Pankti Galawas
leader of the ‘Jains Got Talent’ Event. The Gala Family supported ‘Jains GotTalent’
whole-heartedly.
3. KOJAIN’s key activities such as Merit Scholarship Program, Student Loan Program,
Host Family Program, Marriage Information Service, etc. were briefly described.
The following active individuals present during the meeting were introduced to the
attendees:
-Dinesh K. Chheda, New Jersey (Merit Scholarship Program)
-Vijay D. Chheda, California (Student Loan Program)
-Bhanu Shah, Connecticut (Marriage Information Service)
Attendees were requested to visit KOJAIN’s website to obtain
additional information. Attendees were encouraged to be an active member of
KOJAIN.
4. The Bidada Sarvoday Trust, Bhojay Sarvoday Trust, Kutchi Jain Foundation, Kutch
Mahila Vikas Sangathan and other organizations have been benefitted by KOJAIN.
5. Chicago KOJAIN Community under the leadership of Mayur Ganger will host 2012
KOJAIN Sammelan during the Third Quarter. Khushal D. Vira, one of the active
leaders from Chicago Area was introduced to the attendees. Chicago Host Committee
will need all kinds of support from the community.
6. Everyone was asked to participate actively in the 2011 KOJAIN Election Process.
Youths and women were encouraged to send their nominations. 2011 Election
Committee Members names were announced:Navin M. Chheda of Connecticut
(Chair), Hasmukh P. Shah of Texas(Vice Chair), Bhavini Gada of California, Dr.
Surendra J. Shah of Indiana and Schin T. Visaria of New Jersey. Hasmukh Shah
of Texas, present during the meeting, was introduced to the attendees.
Nominations for the 2012 – 2013 KOJAIN Executive Committee will be sought
during July/August. Members are requested to come forward and volunteer
their time and services. This is a volunteer organization. Information on the
Election is forth coming.
7. Some key members present during the meeting were also introduced:
*Anil R. Shah of Massachusetts (Program Chair of the 2010 KOJAIN Entrepreneur
Workshop, Laurel, Maryland; IT Business owner helping KOJAIN Community)
*Pravin L. Shah of Pennsylvania (Spiritual Jain Scholar giving discourses during
Paryushana Parva at various Jain Centers)
*Dr. Shanti N. Kenia of Massachusetts (Cardiologist, providing volunteering Services
to Bidada Sarvodaya Trust during the Medical Camp)
*Dr. Jethalal L. Rambhia of Pennsylvania (Cardiologist, providing volunteering
Services to Bidada Sarvodaya Trust during the Medical Camp)
*Dr. Lax N. Dedhia of Delaware (Family Practice)
*Dr. Dhiraj Dedhia, visiting from Mumbai, India (Family Practice)
*Niketa Dedhia-Shah, recently settled in Colorado (providing volunteering Services
to Bidada Sarvodaya Trust during the Medical Camp)
8. Lata Champsee of Canada, JAINA President, addressed attendees briefly with a warm
welcome to the JAINA Convention.
9. Feedback/suggestions from the attendees:
-Establish a Professional Networking Group to help, guide and mentor young and
other professionals
-Funds for the long range ongoing activities
-Next Directory publication
-Expanding Marriage Information Service, programs for youths during Convention,
Sammelan
-Everyone should help with ‘Tan, Man and Dhan’ to make 2012 KOJAIN Sammelan
a successful and memorable one
-Scholarship Programs by the community organizations in Mumbai are helping
students
-‘Avas Yojana’ started by Kutchi Jain Foundation in Mumbai is very helpful to the
needy KOJAIN persons.
10. Meeting was adjourned at 5:15 pm providing time for the socialization, networking,
meeting and greeting.
KOJAIN thanks Manoj T. Dharami, JAINA Program Committee Chair, for facilitating
meeting room.
My heart-felt Michchhami Dukkadam if I have missed key important item or hurt your
feelings in the way I have written. I offer my sincere apologies for any errors or omissions.
The event turned out to be happy and enjoyable for everyone, who attended.
Navin S. Dedhia
President, KOJAIN
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