Staff Reporter –
info@indiannewslink.co.nz
Members of the Then India Sanmarga Ikya (TISI) Sangam Inc has donated $10,000 for the victims of Tropical Cyclone Winston that devastated Fiji on February 25, 2016.
The money was mobilised at the Fiji Sangam Convention Dinner 2016 held in Auckland last month.
New Zealand Sangam President Dharam Raj handed over a cheque for $10,000 to Fiji Sangam President Sada Siwan Naicker at the dinner.
Among those present were Sangam Secretary Kushma Nair and Committee Members Yashoda Achary and Sudha Karan.
Supporting children
Ms Nair said that TISI Sangam in Fiji had undertaken the responsibility to provide supplies and assistance to children in affected schools.
“Dharam Raj thanked the Sangam Community and Businesses in Auckland for their help and support in making the charity event a success. TISI Sangam in New Zealand is proud that it was able to contribute in the rebuilding process after Cyclone Winston’s wrath in Fiji,” she said.
Organisations such as the ‘Then India Sanmarga Ikya Sangam’ have been concerting efforts to encourage their members and families to retrace their roots (in this case, Tamil) and revive their mother tongue.
The Sangam has its branches in all the countries where the Indo-Fijian Diaspora is present and their activities include language classes, cultural and literary programmes and of course soccer.
About TISI Sangam from Wikipedia
The Sangam was founded in Fiji by Sadhu Kuppuswami, a former Girmitya, who inspired South Indians to form an organisation to promote their language and culture.
On 10 January 1926, while celebrating the birth of Swami Vivekananda in Rakiraki, attended by people of all districts, the idea of forming the South Indian organisation was proposed. On 24 May 1926, at a meeting in Nadi, the Then India Sanmarga Ikya Sangam (TISI Sangam) was formed with Sadhu Swami.
Sadhu Kuppuswami was elected the first President of Sangam and he remained its President for his lifetime.
On 26 December 1927, the ‘Madras Maha Sangam’ was formed in Suva by Veerappa Muthiah Pillai and branches were soon established in Levuka and Labasa.
In 1937, the ‘Madras Maha Sangam’ merged with TISI Sangam.
The arrival of Swami Avinashananda and Swami Rudrananda from the Ramakrishna Mission of India provided impetus to the Sangam which proceeded to promote South Indian languages and culture.
Photo Caption:
Seen at the Fiji Sangam Convention Dinner 2016 (from left) are Yashoda Achary, Dharam Raj, Sada Siwan Naicker, Kushma Nair and Sudha Karan.
