DIWALI IN LONDON (DiL)
DiL COMMITTEE
DiL COMMITTEE
DiL Chair 2026 - NHSF (UK)
Welcome to NHSF (UK)
Established in 1991, the National Hindu Students’ Forum UK provides a safe space for Hindu students across the UK to explore their identity and values. With over 10,000 active members, we engage in weekly discussions, sewā, meditation and sport to develop future leaders and ambassadors for a peaceful, Dharma-based world.
Ritesh Thakrar
Jaanki Thakrar, 25, serves as the Strategic Advisor for Finance at NHSF (UK). She previously held the roles of Treasurer and Media Coordinator.
Jaanki currently works as a Finance Associate at Morgan Stanley in London.
Gauri Bij, aged 22, serves as a National Committee Member for NHSF (UK), a position she has held for three years.
She is also the Team Coordinator for Schools. Gauri is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Public History at University College London.
Arya Patel is 22 years old. He is a member of the Events Team for the National Hindu Students’ Forum (UK).
Arya is currently studying Medicine at Queen Mary University of London.
Sarita Menon
Vice-Chairperson DiL 2026
Sarita Menon is a volunteer at the Art of Living.
Founded in 1981 by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, The Art of Living Foundation is an educational and humanitarian organisation engaged in conflict resolution, disaster relief, sustainable rural development, empowerment of women, prisoner rehabilitation, education for all and environmental sustainability. The organisation operates globally in 151 countries.
In a fast paced age where stress and depression are widespread, the toll of these on physical and mental health can be extremely high. The Art of Living Foundation provides people from all layers of society with practical and effective tools, derived from the ancient yogic science of breath, to alleviate stress, improve health and increase wellness.
For details about the ‘Science of Breath’ follow this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiHY3f-wkNM
Everyone has an enlightened side full of confidence and clarity. Unlock your deepest potential and bring fullness to your life.
To find out more, visit our website: http://www.artofliving.org
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a worldwide Hindu organisation revealed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the late 18th century and currently led by the spiritual guidance of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj.
BAPS strives to fulfil the spiritual and social needs of people while promoting inner peace and harmony between individuals, within families, and among communities.
In the UK, BAPS is headquartered at the internationally acclaimed BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden – popularly known as ‘Neasden Temple’ – and is especially known for its multifarious religious and community activities.
For further information about BAPS and Neasden Temple, please visit:
The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (UK) teaches Raja Yoga as a way of experiencing peace of mind and a positive approach to life.
The University provides opportunities for people from all religious and cultural backgrounds to explore their own spirituality and learn skills of reflection and meditation derived from Raja Yoga, which will help develop inner calm, clear thinking and personal well-being.
Across the UK we work with national and local organisations and community groups in such areas as inter-religious dialogue, youth programmes, prison outreach, social work and women’s and men’s groups. BKWSU (UK) was established as a UK charity in 1975 and charges no fees for any of its activities, being funded by voluntary contributions.
The University is part of a worldwide network of over 8,500 centres in more than 100 countries, the first of which was founded in India in the 1930s.
To find out more, visit our website: www.brahmakumaris.org/uk/
Brahmin Society North London was formed in November 1973 and was registered as a charity in September 1983.
The aims and objectives of the Society are:
To promote the advancement of the Hindu religion
To promote the relief of poverty and sickness
To advance education
To promote participation in healthy recreation
The Society organises various functions to cater for the young and old members and celebrate festivals throughout the year.
To find out more, visit our website: www.bsnl.org.uk
Chinmaya Mission is a world-wide spiritual organisation founded in 1953 by devotees of Swami Chinmayananda and aims to spread the knowledge of Vedanta to all corners of India and the world.
Today, it is involved in:
Spreading the sublime knowledge of Vedanta;
Re-invigorating Indian culture; and
Doing extenstive social service.
Chinmaya Mission (UK) is an extremely active branch of the Chinmaya Mission and is located at our centre, Chinmaya Kirti in Hendon, North-West London where we run classes and various activities for all age groups.
To find out more, visit our website: http://www.chinmayauk.org
ISKCON is a religious organisation that also identifies itself as the Hare Krishna Movement™, belonging to the Gaudiya-Vaishnava Sampradaya, which is a monoeistic tradition within Vedic or Hindu culture.
It is based on the Bhagavad-gita, the spiritual teachings spoken by Lord Krishna. According to tradition, this sacred text is over 5,000 years old and documents the conversation between Lord Krishna and his close friend and disciple Arjuna.
Bhaktivedanta Manor was established in 1973 by His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The estate was donated to ISKCON by the late Beatle, George Harrison, which now the ISKCON UK flagship and plays host to key religious festivals.
To find out more, visit our website: www.bhaktivedantamanor.co.uk
The Metropolitan Police Hindu Association (MPHA) is proud to be an integral part of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). Around 1,600 Hindus work in the MPS and this number is continuing to rise. MPHA works with the Hindu communities to promote MPS commitment on Total Policing (To catch offenders, prevent crime and support victims).
MPHA's events provide an opportunity for its members to network both within the MPS and with its external agencies. These events enable members and partners to meet and talk the executive committee about careers and other matters.
To contact MPHA please email at: mpha@met.police.uk
NHSF (UK) was founded over 20 years ago because Hindu community leaders and students recognised that Hindu students had the potential to change the outlook of society. Upon launch, initial activities included campaigns and conferences that aimed to engage Hindu students with issues affecting society.
Today, we have grown to host over 4,000 active student members and form a network of thousands of alumni and professionals, all engaging in a variety of activities from campaigning and leadership development to Bhakti (worship) and Sewa (selfless service).
To find out more, visit our website: https://www.nhsf.org.uk
OneJAIN, part of the Institute of Jainology (IoJ), a registered Charitable Trust, represents all 35 UK Jain Organisations comprising of at least 65,000 members, serving the UK Jain community with a single coherent voice promoting the Jain faith within government, major institutions, inter-faith matters and much more, with the Jain values of 'Ahimsa' or non-violence, 'Anekantavada' or many-sided reality and "Aparigraha' or non-attachement as preached by Lord Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankara (an enlightened being who has conquered the 4 internal human passions of anger, greed, ego and deceit, guiding followers on the path to liberation).
With the initial setup in 1984, IoJ has been instrumental in bringing over Jain scholars from India and raising awareness of the Jain faith, its history, art, philosophy and practices including its relevance to today's world, particularly with regard to the respect of all living beings and the environment.
To learn more about the Jain faith, OneJain, the Institute of Jainology, and the 35 different Jain Organisations in UK, visit the following links:
Sai School of Harrow, an award winning Saturday School, delivers a multi faith and value based educational programme alongside citizenship activities for its pupils. The free school, run by a group of parent volunteers, for Hindu children is engaged in selfless service to the disadvantaged in our society.
The school’s structure mirrors a mainstream school: children register at 5 years to start reception class and finish in Year 10 with GCSE Hinduism. During Years 11 & 12, pupils graduate into the Youth Wing and assist in classes, support small and large events or help in local causes. In 2012, pupils collected toys to be distributed to play areas in London prisons to occupy children during family visits, fundraised to send mosquito nets & hosted a talent show to raise money for WaterAid.
Sai School operates from Shaftesbury High School in Harrow and children wishing to register should log on www.saischool.com & click on Get in Touch.
For more details contact at https://www.facebook.com/saischoolharrow/
TAL is a not-for-profit widely known first ever Telugu charity organisation in the UK. It was formed a decade ago (in 2005) with motto "Unite, cherish and Share Telugu Cutlrue" to serve the cultural needs of the Telugu community in the UK. We are running Telugu Cultural Centre to train in the language, and fine arts for next generation kids in London and also organise regual cultural (E.g. Ugadi, Sankrathi etc..), sporting (E.g. Badminton, Football and IPL style 20-20 Cricket tournament etc..) events, and events for Women and Children's day in memory of Nehru's Birthday to cater all ages and groups of the Telugu Community in the UK.
To find out more about us, please visit our website: http://www.taluk.org
The Ilford Hindu Centre supports, and helps maintain and protect, various activities for teaching the principles and practice of Hindu Dharma and culture. It ensures that Religious Education in British schools, supports and promotes charitable activities, supports activities that promote unity among Hindus, seeks equal opportunities for Hindus in the UK, aids Government policies, promote racial harmony, and supports inter-faith dialogue.
Founded in 1979, Akademi is the UK's leading producer of South Asian dance, that develops artists, inspires audiences, and enhances lives by creating, commissioning, and nurturing classical, contemporary, popular, and participatory South Asian dance in the UK. Their work includes performances, learning and participation outreach work, artist development programmes and bespoke curation for events.
Being a dynamic and future facing organisation, Akademi connects South Asian dance with the wider contemporary arts sector taking it toiconic spaces such as Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, Southbank Centre, Trafalgar Square and many more.Their pioneering work contributes significantly to Britain’s international reputation for innovation in South Asian dance.
While creating vital talent pathways for the next generation of dance artists, Akademi also takes dance to the heart of the community, offering life-affirming experiences for those who are disadvantaged, disengaged, or isolated, working extensively with care homes, hospitals and Special Needs Schools. Akademi is a National Portfolio organisation supported by the Arts Council of England.
For more information visit, https://akademi.co.uk
Founded in 2006, the City Hindus Network (“CHN”) is a not-for-profit organisation established to promote networking, self-development, charity, spiritual activities, community work and self-developments amongst Hindu professional in and around the City of London. The CHN aims to use its network of professionals to initiate, establish and promote activities, projects and events for the betterment of the Hindu, and wider British, community.
With events ranging from open meetings with the City of London Police, Bhajan/devotional music sessions at City firms, Networking Dinners, graduate/self-development events and political engagement events, CHN aims to bring Hindu professionals together in order to be heard and make a difference to the communities in which they work and live.
To find out more:
Web: www.cityhindusnetwork.org.uk
Facebook: City Hindus Network
Twitter: @CityHindus
The Oshwal Association of the UK (OAUK) was formed by the Halari Visa Oshwal community in UK in 1968 and registered as a Charity in 1974. The Oshwal community in UK is estimated to be in excess of 25,000 representing the largest Jain organisation in the UK. Oshwal Centre, Potters Bar is home to the first traditional Jain Temple in Europe (opened in 2005) in 80-acre grounds. The OAUK’s stated mission is to:
provide guidance and services to Oshwals in the UK;
meet their religious, social, educational, cultural and welfare
needs and aspirations;
engender pride and a sense of belonging amongst our members
and supporter of just causes; and
work to alleviate poverty and suffering
To find out more, visit our website: www.oshwal.org
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