Page 68 - MASALA Magazine Vol.15 Issue 7 | October - November 2024

MOULDING

the

FUTURE

The recently-elected Namdhari Committee in Bangkok
reveal their aspirations to create a shared sense of
community and purpose, and engage the
youth to be better leaders of tomorrow.
B Y AIDEN JE WELLE GONZ ALE S

t never fails to inspire me how diverse yet close-knit the
different Indian communities are, and how much they invest
into supporting each other – something that I told Laxshmi
Sachathep when I reached out to her for an interview with the latest
Namdhari Committee, which was recently elected on 24 March. As
a member of both the Committee and the Namdhari Youth Group,
she agrees, speaking passionately about the role that the Committee
plays in not only bringing together Thailand’s Namdhari community,
but in fostering the youth and connecting them to their roots. With ambitious goals such as the modernisation and reconstruction of
the Namdhari Gurudwara, aiming to “transform it into a prominent
“Our Committee is a diverse team of individuals from various fields, landmark that reflects the vitality of our faith and cultural heritage;
bringing together innovative ideas and extensive experience to serve a sacred space that will serve both the spiritual needs of our sangat
our sangat (congregation),” I’m told. “Our collective aim is to lead and symbolise the enduring legacy of Sikh heritage in Thailand,” the
our community towards a prosperous and united future.” With their Namdhari Committee has also invested unwaveringly in other youth
primary mission to foster unity within the sangat, it’s impressed upon development projects, such as the Modern International School,
me that the Committee hopes to cultivate a strong sense of community Bangkok (MISB), which is under the umbrella of the Namdhari
and shared purpose, with a key focus on engaging the youth. “We want Sangat of Thailand. I spoke further to the Committee to talk about
to ensure that they are not only connected to our rich traditions, but their unwavering dedication, and how they aspire to meaningfully
also equipped to navigate the modern world effectively,” they added. contribute to the broader tapestry of Indian culture in Thailand.

68 | MASALA MAGAZINE OCT-NOV 2024