The Indian Heritage Centre (IHC) UK was officially introduced in Cardiff during a soft launch at the Llanishen Baptist Church Hall last week, according to an official statement.
Tripti Megeri, the founder and CEO of IHC, and co-founder Pradeep Jois, warmly welcomed the attendees at the event.
Captain Raj Aggarwal, India's honorary consul in Wales, graced the event as the guest speaker. In his address, he underscored the vital role that organizations like IHC play in establishing connections with the community at the grassroots level.
The official statement highlights IHC's key objectives, which include promoting social cohesion and inclusion by addressing issues of isolation and social exclusion, nurturing cultural awareness at the grassroots level, and supporting the anti-racist action plan of the Welsh government.
Distinguished guests at the event featured Cllr Jasmine Choudhary, Major Peter Harrison from the British Army, Suzzane Lynch from the Royal Navy, and PCSO Paulina from South Wales Police.
The participants included notable individuals such as Kalpana Natrajan from the Wales Tamil Sangam, Rekha Girish from Rekha Natya Academy, Sudha Bhat from Sanatan Dharma Mandir, Sibani Roy from NWAMI, Radhika Kadaba from Bhaktidham, Ricardo Kalil, Hiren Joshi from the Welsh Maharashtra Mandal, Taraknath from Ty Cymru, and Sunil Kulkarni from Kannada Enthusiasts Wales.
Mayor Emeritus Cllr Tom Aditya, chair of the Bristol Multi-Faith Forum, expressed his deep appreciation for the enthusiasm of these communities in preserving and promoting Indian heritage and culture at the grassroots level.
Dr. Sunil Pulapaka, with support from Dr. Girish Kothegal, conducted a workshop focusing on the themes of social inclusion, exclusion, and cohesion.
Megeri emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating, "IHC aims to work with all like-minded organizations." Photo by Smuconlaw, Wikimedia commons.