BAPS hosts ‘Festival of Inspirations’ highlighting civic duty and public service

August 14, 2023

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Speakers at the Festival of Inspiration held at BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Robbinsville, recently, which stress ‘My Country-My Duty”. PHOTO: BAPS

The religious/spiritual community and social service organization BAPS, hosted a special cultural program themed, ‘My Country, My Duty,’ at the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham (temple) in Robbinsville, New Jersey.

The evening began with John F. Kennedy’s famous quote, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” This set the tone for reflections on service, further emphasized by Martin Luther King Jr.’s sentiment, “Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

Among the speakers were Chaitanyamurti Swami, who underscored the views of Pramukh Swami Maharaj who believed that serving one’s nation is a form of dharma; Guy Chiarello, COO of Fiserv, Inc., who reflected on the power of volunteerism he observed at Akshardham; Dr. Manjit Singh Bains, affiliated with Memorial Sloan Kettering and Cornell, who lauded Akshardham not merely for its architectural brilliance but its deeper values.

Participants holding up a check donated to an institution during the recent BAPS Festival of Inspiration, in Robbinsville, NJ. PHOTO: BAPS

During the recent ‘My Country-My Duty’ program, part of BAPS Festival of Inspiration, public servants such as police officers, firefighters, and elected officials were honored for their dedication to protecting and serving their communities. PHOTO: BAPS

During the program, public servants such as police officers, firefighters, and elected officials were honored for their dedication to protecting and serving their communities. A donation of $5,000 was presented to the Rapid Response Partnership of Mercer County on behalf of BAPS, in recognition of their efforts responding to incidents of high complexity. Another $5,000 donation was presented to the 200 Club of Mercer County, an association dedicated to providing financial assistance to families of essential personnel who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of BAPS, conveyed that any profession can be transformed into a service for the broader benefit. “Whether you’re a doctor, a teacher, or any other professional, strive to excel in your role. Don’t just be ordinary; be outstanding in a way that contributes positively to society.”

Among the distinguished guests were David Fried, Mayor of Robbinsville Township; Chief Michael Polaski of Robbinsville Township’s Police Department; Chief Robert Garapolo from West Windsor Township’s Police Department; NJ Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak; Upendra Chivukula, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Commissioner; Chiarello of Fiserv, Inc. and his wife Denise; Umashankar Nistala, CIO of Fiserv, Inc.; Marc Chiarello, Executive Director at JP Morgan with spouse Brogan Chiarello; Dr. Pramod Sogani and Dr. Bains, both surgeons at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; and Dr. Bakul Dalal, an acclaimed pathologist, and wife Neeta Dalal.