New York: The annual general meeting of the New York Ayyappa Seva Sangham convened on Wednesday, November 11, at 8:00 PM under the chairmanship of President Gopinath Kurup. The meeting reviewed the organization's activities of the past year and elected new office bearers and executive committee members. Welcoming all participants, President Gopinath Kurup elaborated on the Sangham’s activities and achievements. Subsequently, Secretary Raghavaran Nair presented the annual activity report and Treasurer Kunnappallil Rajagopal detailed the income and expenditure accounts. After extensive discussions, the annual report and financial statements were approved by the meeting.
The general meeting acknowledged that the Global Ayyappa Sangamam and the Ayyappa Bhagavatha Jnana Yajna organized in New York last October were major successes. The meeting specially commended the office bearers, activists, and volunteers who worked tirelessly for the success of these events. It opined that the active participation of devotees and the collective effort of the organizers formed the foundation for these successful programs.
Established in 1991, the Ayyappa Seva Sangham New York has been functioning with an emphasis on service activities and the values of Sanatana Dharma. Upholding the noble dictum 'Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu,' the organization has followed the path of selfless service, marking 35 years of legacy. Along with uniting devotees through spiritual, cultural, and social activities, the Sangham is committed to transmitting the values of Sanatana Dharma to future generations.
To energize the Sangham's activities further and organize future events efficiently, the annual general meeting elected a new executive committee. The newly elected office bearers are: President Gopinath Kurup, Vice President Jayachandran Ramakrishnan, Secretary Ranjith Pillai, Joint Secretary Mahadevan Sharma, and Treasurer Raghavaran Nair. Advisory Board members elected include Vanaja Nair, Kunnappallil Rajagopal, Appukuttan Nair, G.K. Nair, and Muralidharan Panicker. Trustees Ram Potti, Appan Menon Esq., and Dr. Madan Mohan will continue in their roles.
Committee members Raju Nanu, Sahardayan Panicker, Unnikrishna Menon, Dr. Unnikrishnan Thampi, Jayaprakash Nair, Balakrishnan Nair, Rajiv Bhaskar, Biju Gopalan, Radhamani Nair, Satish Kalath, Narendran Nair, Suresh Nair, and Sethumadhavan will also continue their service.
Following the annual general meeting, the new executive committee convened under the chairmanship of President Gopinath Kurup to discuss upcoming spiritual and cultural programs. The committee resolved to hold this year's Mandala period Bhajan and Makaravilakku Festival on a devotional and expansive scale. The first Mandala Bhajan will be conducted at the Ayyappa sanctum of the Flushing Ganesha Temple in New York.
All Ayyappa devotees and family members from New York and nearby areas are warmly invited by the organizers to participate in the Mandala period Bhajan on Saturday, November 21, at 6:00 PM at the Ayyappa sanctum. Further Bhajans and spiritual programs related to the Mandala observance will be discussed and finalized at upcoming joint committee meetings. The annual general meeting entrusted the new executive committee with the responsibility to make necessary arrangements and ensure the successful conduct of these programs.
Reaffirming its 35-year tradition of service, the Ayyappa Seva Sangham reiterated its commitment to expanding its activities and sustaining an active presence in spiritual and social service fields with the cooperation of devotees. Vice President Jayachandran Ramakrishnan expressed gratitude to all participants, marking an auspicious conclusion to the annual general meeting.
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Original Malayalam report: Malayalam Daily News
