The need for better interaction between businesses that are owned by Hindus and other communities, enhancement of commercial, social, economic and ethical values will be among the issues that would be discussed at a global meeting in Thailand.
Organised by the World Hindu Economic Forum, the two-day event will be held in Bangkok on August 10 & 11, 2013, bringing together more than 200 entrepreneurs from various parts of the world.
A number of other issues are on the agenda, including (a) how to generate surplus wealth, to make the society prosperous and (2) how to develop solutions on issues such as eradication of poverty, education, sustainable development, infrastructure development and climate change.
Prominent Speakers
Former Chairman of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Dr Anil Kokodkar, Heir to the Ford Motors fortune Alfred Ford (aka Ambarish Das), Indian Institute of Management (Bangalore) Professor R Vaidyanathan, London School of Economics Professor Dr Gautam Sen, London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Chairman Subhash Thakrar and Investment Analyst Alpesh Patel (UK), will be the keynote speakers at the main and group sessions.
Among those representing New Zealand and the New Zealand Hindu Council Inc would be its President Vinod Kumar.
“The first Forum held in Hong Kong last year was an eye-opener, highlighting the state of the global economy, the emerging economies of Asia, the need to bring about a synergy between businesses and address the existing and emerging challenges. The need for establishing an institutional framework for the Forum was also discussed. We need to move forward with quality and progressive policies,” Mr Kumar said.
Institutional framework
He said that the WHEF 2013 would determine short and long-term goals of its members and member organisations and ways and means of furthering the Forum’s philosophy, “Economic prosperity is the basis for sustaining civilisation.’
“An institutional framework will create a cross-continental footprint, which in turn will provide market intelligence to people interested in furthering the goals of the Forum. Such a framework will also facilitate a network of millions of existing and aspiring entrepreneurs,” Mr Kumar said.
The roots
Following an initiative of the New Delhi-based Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Swami Vigyananand established the WHEF and brought together like-minded people from various parts of the world to deliberate on issues of concern.
A brilliant man, he is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology based in Karagpur, reportedly one of the best in India.
The establishment of the WHEF stemmed from a number of facts, the most important of which were (1) There are more than 1.15 billion Hindus around the world, accounting for 1/6th of the global population of 7 billion and (2) Their contribution to the world GDP between the 1st and 15th Centuries was 35% of the World GDP.
Swami Vigyananand said that contributions of Hindus through the ages have benefited humanity in many ways. These include the Vedic knowledge, introduction of ‘Zero,’ scientific inventions, spiritual and cultural awakening.
Citing the Jewish people as an example, he said that although their population is less than 13 million worldwide, they have contributed enormously to the global economy and politics.
Hindu resurgence
The resurgence of the Hindu population economically will be beneficial for the whole of humanity, he said.
“WHEF 2013 in Bangkok will be a timely and much-needed conference to connect the booming economies of the member countries of the Association of the South East Asian Nations to India (ASEAN) and provide a platform for Hindu traders, bankers, technocrats, investors, industrialists, businessmen, professionals, economists and thinkers,” he said.
