The Sanatan International Convention will be held in Sydney, Australia, from October 4 to 6, 2014.
Australia Sanatan Sports & Cultural Association Governor and Organising Committee Chairman Jiten Chand is currently finalising the details of the three-day event, which will mark the Tenth Anniversary of the Sanatan.
As the Chairman of the Organising Committee, he feels privileged to be associated with the event, which will also mark the tenth anniversary of the Sanatan.
The organisers are on track to offer a unique event, which will comprise sports, culture and religious discourses.
Mr Chand said that the members of the International Board of Governors and Sanatan organisations in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Canada and US are also committed to the success of the Convention.
International teams
Canada will have the most number of overseas soccer teams, in addition to Premier and Veteran teams, while New Zealand will have Netball and two junior Soccer teams (U/17 and U/10s).
US Sanatan Governor has been supplying medals for individual players since the inception of the Sanatan event in 2004. Fiji will have a team in the Veterans and Premier segments. Fiji Sanatan Governor is a reputable Pundit and hence will contribute towards the formalities during cultural night and participate in the discussions at the Hindu Conference on October 3, 2014.
New Zealand and Canada have confirmed their participation in the Cultural Night programme. Neal Rajendra, a popular Kirtans and Qawali singer, will perform on behalf of Canada. New Zealand Under 10 Soccer team will also perform Kirtans.
The Convention Working Committee has promoted the event within Australia, urging the Sydney Sanatan community to support the local and overseas teams at the three-day tournament at Blacktown International Sports Park (also known as Blacktown Olympic Park) from October 4 to October 6.
Name change
For the first time in history of Sanatan sports, women and youth will participate in the Convention. Youth Soccer and Netball competition will be held only between Australia and New Zealand, but the organisers and their international counterparts are satisfied that this is a good beginning.
Sanatan International Convention replaced Sanatan World Cup Soccer because the latter sent wrong messages and focused only on Soccer.
The purpose of introducing Sanatan International Convention was to make the event a family-friendly occasion and cater to the greater Sanatan community.
The Board of Governors is optimistic of creating a greater Global Sanatan network, moving into its second round of sports and cultural events.
Round one of International Sanatan Soccer Tournament started in Sydney in 2004 and finished in Vancouver in 2012.
Previously, the Sydney Sanatan community wanted to see changes in the manner and style of Sanatan tournaments or Sanatan Sports.
A new Organising Committee of successful businessmen and teams of supporters comprising reputable Pundits and popular personalities in Sydney are keen to progress the Memorandum of Understanding established by the international network of Sanatan sports leaders from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Canada and US).
Mr Chand said, “The Sanatan women are getting a chance for the first time to compete with another international team, and in future, travel with the Association to participate in tournaments organised in Fiji, New Zealand, Canada and US. The younger members of our community are also showing interest in our heritage by participating in culturally organised tournaments and other programmes.”
For further details, please write to sic-syd2014@outlook.com
Arveen Sharma is the founding member of Auckland Ba (established in 1981) and played soccer for Miramar Rangers and Seatoun clubs in Wellington in the 1980s. He now works for a private company in Sydney, Australia.
