Atlanta, GA -- Monday, January 10, 2005 -- The 7-day annual Sangh Shiksha Varg (a Hindu Youth Leadership Initiative) of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) was held from December 18 to December 25, 2004 in Molena, GA, about 60 miles south of downtown Atlanta. It concluded with a beautiful presentation and ceremony in front of an audience of over 100 people, including the chief guest, Vice-President of Hindu Temple of Atlanta, Dr. Ravi Sarma.

The ceremony commenced with exhibitions of Yogasanas, Niyuddha (ancient Indian martial art of self-defense and a variant of
Kalaripayat), dandh (stick warfare), Yog-chhap (Central Indian dance form), among other physical activities. Later, Dr Sarma delivered a stimulating speech to the audience in which he expressed pleasure on the unique methodology of the training to impart the values of discipline, character and sewa at the camp. He also informed the participants and audience about the various sewa activities of the Hindu Temple of Atlanta and urged them to participate in them in various capacities.

The President of the Camp, Abhinav Dwivedi, wrapped up the event with a note of thanks to the attendees. He also urged them to develop into future leaders of the Hindu community in America and help in their assimilation with the other communities while maintaining their unique identity.
Among the attendees some prominent Hindu community faces were Atlanta and around included Surendra Reddy (ex-President, TAMA), Bhupinder Gouri (Chairman, Shiv Mandir of Atlanta), Balabhadra Dasa (President, ISKCON Temple-Atlanta), Srikanth Konda (National Coordinator, Sewa International USA), Manav Tandon (PR Coordinator-NetSeva, Raleigh) and
Dr Vijaya Appareddy (Vedic Foundation, Chattanooga). Sangh Shiksha Varg is a 7-day resident, educational camp that has been held in different regions of the United States for more than 10 years. The objective of the camp, also termed as a Hindu Youth Leadership Initiative, is to instill character, discipline and Samskaar (values) in the Hindu youth while working in cooperation and harmony with each other and broadening their perspectives. Carefully crafted programs and workshops also focused on instilling pride in the participants as Hindu-Americans and helped assert their identity through a rigorous schedule of physical, intellectual, cultural and spiritual activities everyday.

The SSV in Molena was the second one held in the Southeast region and enthusiastically attended by more than 50 youth representing the 9 eastern states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New York and Texas. With the average participant age less than 19, the camp was organized for the second
successive year in the southeast region.

Mr. Yogesh Rathi
yrathi@yahoo.com  or 404.975.4943.