PRESIDENT
Vivek Sant & Hemali Thakkar
We, Vivek Sant and Hemali Thakkar, declare our candidacy for co-presidents of Harvard Dharma for the 2009 - 2010 school year.
Vivek joined Dharma Board as outreach chair this year after enjoying a lot of the events, like Hungama and Diwali, his freshman year. As outreach chair, he developed relations with colleges around Boston, publicizing events etc. He kept the website up-to-date and running smoothly as another avenue to reach out to the greater community. He also helped organize events, such as Holi!
Hemali was an active member of Dharma her freshman year, and after being encouraged by her fellow class members and her increasing interest in Dharma events, she joined Dharma under the leadership role of "Social Chair." Over the year, Hemali has been actively involved with the event planning for Hungama, Holi, Diwali, and extended her role to plan and organize a new event -- the Kite Festival.
With such an active role in organizing the above mentioned events, we have seen the successes and pitfalls of each of these events. With the coming year, we hope to implement the necessary changes in order to improve upon the successes of this year, learn from the mistakes of the past, and expand and alter the role of each position in order to make the necessary changes for a more successful year for Howard Dharma!
Co-Presidents
Over the past year, the Co-Presidents have done an amazing job coordinating the year's events. To follow through with this past year, we hope to delegate tasks and assigning roles ahead of time. Over the course of the year, many events are put on and tasks are assigned. However, with people's busy schedules, following through can sometimes be a problem. We hope to make sure that all board members are following through with tasks and with attention to close detail. Additionally, we hope to make sure each event is fully planned, has assigned responsibilities, and ensure that all necessary event details are being taken care of ahead of time. As Co-presidents, and the "faces of Dharma," we hope to keep the momentum of the organization going until the end of the year, finish strong and make an even greater presence on campus. Additionally, we feel that it is crucial that freshmen representatives have specific roles throughout the year. If possible, we hope to make a rotation period for freshmen representatives acting as "assistants" to fellow upperclassmen board members. This will allow board members to switch off as mentors/mentees so that the freshmen can have a better understanding of the responsibilities that encompass each position.
Treasurer
This past year, the treasurer has done a tremendous job of staying on top of all grant proposals, and taking care of funding in general. The treasure this year will have to ensure that there is sufficient funding for ALL events. Especially in view of recent funding cuts, the treasurer should plan far in advanced when applying for grants, as well as look for other sources of funding we haven't explored before. The treasurer should also always be on the lookout for ways to cut costs, as well as ways in which we can appropriately plan for having a charity event. For example, it would be nice to have a charity event where all the donations go straight to charity, rather than us having to first recoup costs. The treasurer should consider and investigate such issues. Since the treasurer's job can be a bit overwhelming and time consuming, we could have the secretary help write up grant proposals and collect pictures as necessary for the required documentation. It would be good to get a biweekly budget update to the board, or at least to the presidents via email.
Social Chair
We would like to see the role of the the social chair expand to enable more interaction and communication with other South Asian or non-South Asian groups on campus. The social chair should look for events around campus that Dharma members might like to attend - and publicize them, probably through the newsletter. The social chair should also come up with new ideas for social events, that we have not tried before (such as the Kite Festival this past year!). The social chair should also think of different ways to attract more groups of people who may not usually attend Dharma events. Of course, the social chair must also make sure to obtain the necessary permits for events so that they go off smoothly.
Discussion Chair
The discussion chair should continue to expand Swadharma, and it's tie to our weekly discussions. People seem to really like our weekly discussions, and they are very well attended, so we should publicize them more at the beginning of the semester so that people set aside a regular time slot for it, and we don't have to keep up a massive publicity effort for it.
Also, we would like to have an intercollegiate retreat, so the discussion and outreach chairs should collaborate on setting it up. This year, it was not very well attended by Harvard students, but perhaps by making it more student run, people will be likely to attend in the future.
Worship Chair
Something we noticed this year was that our prayer space wasn't always maintained, such as being vacuumed, which became particularly noticeable during reading period, when lots of people came there to study. Also, it was not regularly inventoried, so often times, we would not know what materials we needed to buy, and what materials we already had there. The worship chair should coordinate making sure the prayer space is maintained so it is welcoming to guests, keeping it clean. Perhaps we can use one of our board meetings each month where we don't have much to discuss, to do these tasks, as a board. The worship chair should ensure that all puja items are fully stocked (i.e. matches/incense/candles). We would also like to have fresh flowers at pujas, which we will need to budget, and buy in a timely fashion.
Another thing we noticed was that people often tend to stumble through the pronunciations during our pujas, and we would like to fix this. Towards this end, we would like to take a look at revamping some of the puja programs, making words easier to read and pronounce, and perhaps make them more brief.
Outreach/Service Chair
We would like to see a greater focus on service and charity events. Seva, or selfless service, is a major component of Hinduism. We would like to look into having a biweekly service event, where we volunteer at, say, a temple or a soup kitchen. By having such an event on a regular basis, it will be easier to maintain continued interest, and participation. Of course, we would like to continue to participate in one-time events as well, such as SAALT's Be the Change Day. We would also like to have an event to raise money for charity. For example, if a new event this year, like the kite festival, is successful, we can consider selling kites to raise money for charity. Perhaps we could hold a banquet during one of the later winter months and donate the proceeds to a good cause.
We should also expand our relationship with other colleges. The outreach chair can subscribe to their mailing lists, and through our newsletters, publicize events in the greater community that our membership might like to attend. We will also publicize our events to those colleges, and invite collaboration on events, specifically, service events.
Secretary
We would like to resume sending out weekly newsletters, and the secretary will take the lead on this. The secretary will collaborate with the social chair to find relevant events on campus to add to the newsletter, as well as with the outreach chair to find relevant events at other colleges, that would be of interest to our membership.
Also, we would like to see the secretary's job expand to fill a sort of historian role as well, taking pictures at events and posting them to the website. The secretary should also assist the treasurer in writing grant proposals.
Co-Publicity Chairs
We didn't have publicity chairs this past year, and we really felt their absence. This year, the publicity chairs will send emails to dharma-list about our events and coordinate the board's publicizing events on various mailing lists. Also, the publicity chairs should create posters for our events in a timely fashion, and create Facebook events. Finally, they should also coordinate printing posters and leading morning postering sessions.
TREASURER
Suhas Rao
I, Suhas Rao, hereby declare my candidacy for the position of Dharma treasurer. I would like to be treasurer in order to continue what has been a great year in terms of funding for events and sticking to budgets. I hope to continue getting funding from the sources that we have looked to, as well as expanding to new sources, perhaps corporate sponsorship for events, or something along those lines. I would also like to make the reimbursement process more efficient, perhaps through implementing an online record of reimbursement requests along with receipts. Other groups have implemented this, and I believe it makes the whole process more transparent as well as efficient. These are only a few of the ideas I have had, and hopefully next year's Dharma board will run as smoothly as it did this year.
Sincerely,
Suhas
DISCUSSION CHAIR
Sonali Tatapudy
With this email, I formally declare my candidacy for Discussion Chair of Harvard Dharma for '09-'10.
In every application I have submitted this year, it took a conscious effort for me to remember to list Dharma as one of my extracurricular activities -- perhaps this was because for me, Dharma isn't an extracurricular, it is a part of who I am. As a freshman representative, I was lucky enough to see the beauty of Dharma without any formal obligation to perform any set tasks. Yet, despite this lack of apparent responsibility, I found that often, I chose to take an active role in planning and executing events. I enjoyed creating posters, putting up flyers, and advertising for events this year.
However, while I enjoy doing this publicity work, my participation in Swadharma has given me the opportunity to see that perhaps my true niche is in the realm of discussion. Quite honestly, of all of my activities this year, joining Saketh in his quest to reshape and revitalize Swadharma was by far one of the best decisions I made this year – it has been a long and sometimes tiresome road to continuously write posts, trying to quell the expectation that others should also put in effort in response to our intense efforts, but it has been more rewarding than I ever expected.
My vision as discussion chair is to share the level of enthusiasm that I have for discussion, and for probing life’s difficult questions, with others. Meeting Saketh, and being able to talk with him about the deeper issues of life made my transition from high school to college a lot easier; my goal as discussion chair (and by virtue of that, as a person heavily involved in Swadharma) is to foster connections among those others who have the same inclination towards discussing these deeper issues of life. That being said, here are a few tangible ideas I have to allow Dharma to revitalize the discussion “scene” on campus:
1. PUBLICITY! On of the main reasons that attendance at our weekly discussions is so meager is that we tend to pub it haphazardly, a few hours before the event. The posts are written by Monday or Tuesday each week – we have no excuse to wait so long to pub it.
2. ESTABLISH THE DISCUSSION AS A WEEKLY EVENT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR: If we are able to establish weekly discussions in the beginning of the year, it will be a lot easier to boost attendance. For example, everyone knows to expects SAA to have Friday Chai’s on Fridays—if we are able to establish this as a regular event, just like the Friday Chais, it will make publicity and attendance a lot better.
Sometimes, I feel as though people come to the discussions with a lot of different thoughts, that are not conducive to the discussion-based environment, in mind. In order to get everyone into the “mood” for discussion, to minimize the amount of irrelevant conversation (that we often regret later!), perhaps we could start each discussion with a brief (2 min or so) period of quiet reflection. This is simply an idea; if I am elected as Discussion Chair for next year, I’d like to hear more about people’s opinions on the value of something like this.
3. Participation on the Swadharma Website: As we discussed in many board meetings, there seems to be a sort of stigma associated with Dharma board, in that it sometimes comes across that we are an exclusive group of people. The Swadharma site has the potential to turn that stigma around – if we are able to, from the beginning of next year, show freshmen that anyone can contribute, and that every person’s opinion is valuable, we’ll not only be able to foster a sense of community, but we’ll be able to help other people like me who need discussion in order to cope with the confusion inherent in college life.
If I am elected as Discussion Chair, I will sincerely put forth my best effort to revitalize the discussion aspect of Dharma – Hinduism, especially, is a religion that NEEDS its followers to constantly question, and come their own conclusions. Being part of Swadharma, and Dharma, has helped me immensely—and I hope that, as Discussion Chair, I will be able to foster a sense of community so strong that we will be able to reach out to each person who, like me, needs discussion to make sense of the world around them.
SOCIAL CHAIR
Madhura Narawane
I, Madhura Narawane, declare my candidacy for the position of Social Chair for the year 2009-2010.
When I first decided to come to Harvard last year, I was wary of how I would cope in a new country that was so different from my own. On my arrival here, Dharma played a huge role in providing me with an opportunity to hold on to the familiar by acting as a resource for my religious needs. In Dharma, I found a sense of security and a support system that helped me feel at home.
Over the course of the year, I realized that what I loved so much about this organization was how our social events brought together Harvard’s entire Hindu community. As Dharma’s Social Chair, my most important goal will be to strengthen the ties that bind the Hindu community on campus.
Our campus-wide events like Hungama, Holi, Diwali and the Kite festival generate excitement every year. In my capacity as Social Chair, I will ensure that we continue to match and then surpass the high standards set by the previous boards in making these events fun and memorable. In addition, I would like to explore the possibility of hosting new events to generate awareness and visibility on campus- rangoli-making competitions and one-act skits from the Ramayana or the Mahabharata could be included as part of Hinduism Awareness Week. Another aim of mine as Social Chair will be to take advantage of our events to build and maintain ties with Dharma alumni, by sending them invitations and monthly updates about our events. This will aid the strengthening of a larger Hindu community that can serve as a resource for current and future Dharma members.
As a board member of Dharma, I promise to protect and promote the interests of the Hindu community at Harvard. I had a wonderful time serving as a freshman representative for Dharma this past year, and I am looking forward to working with all the amazing people that will be on board next year! However, more than anything, I am looking forward to playing a role in planning exciting events for not only Dharma membership but also the larger Harvard community.
Sincerely,
Madhura Narawane
WORSHIP CHAIR
Avinash Joshi
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
While there has been a welcome shift in the nature of our organization towards discussion and reflection, increasing debate about what tenets and practices of Hinduism are relevant to our lives today, Dharma must not neglect the historic importance of worship as a core component of its activities. Worship should remain at the center of what Dharma as a religious group does, and requires due attention from the entire Board. That being said, with your support, I would like to assume the responsibility of Worship Chair for the 2009-2010 term. With my strengthened commitment to Dharma, I would work to ensure that our puja events run smoothly and draw in more attendance. I would also work with the Board to develop new ways for members to express devotion and/or spirituality as well as create new opportunities for students to learn about Vedic and cultural rituals, key to our goal of spreading awareness about Hinduism and its traditions. For many of our members, worship is an important channel to connect with inner spirituality and reinforces a commitment to a higher purpose, whether it is a personal God, impersonal God, or preservation of our ancient heritage. With that in mind, I declare my candidacy for Worship Chair and humbly request your support and input for how I can use this specific role, and position on the Dharma Board, to better serve Dharma’s members. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Avinash Joshi
Class of 2012
OUTREACH CHAIR
Brittany Fay
I, Brittany Fay, declare my candidacy for Dharma Outreach Chair. My first experience with Dharma was at the activities fair this past September, and I immediately felt welcomed into the community. Even though I had not been raised Hindu, and my first formal introduction to Hinduism occurred once I arrived at Harvard, I still felt I was as much a part of Dharma as those who had practiced Hinduism their entire lives. Everyone was willing to answer any questions I had, even if they may have seemed trivial. Over the course of the year, I have enjoyed taking part in many of the Dharma events including Diwali, Holi, and discussions.
While I did not run for the position of Freshman Rep this year, due mainly to being hesitant about tying myself to a group where I was not sure I would fit in, I have since wished I could be involved with planning Dharma events. As Outreach Chair, I hope to involve Dharma with more service events similar to the Be the Change day Dharma participated in earlier this year and organize more interschool discussion events with the goal of strengthening the sense of community which drew me to Dharma.
Thank You,
Brittany Fay
PUBLICITY CHAIR
Priya Karve
Dear Dharma members,
I would like to hold the position of Publicity Chair next year. Having been with Dharma for a year now, and having seen the wonderful events and opportunities it presents to Harvard's Hindu community, I am eager to help Dharma flourish and grow in the coming years. I feel that Dharma will grow most by increasing awareness of its presence in both the Hindu and non-Hindu community.
Through my experience at Harvard Student Agencies I have learned the best methods to reach a target market, which in this case is students who would not normally attend Dharma events. As the Publicity Chair, I will present Dharma events in a light that seems less intimidating to students who don't know much about Hinduism. In addition, I will plan for a couple non-religious events throughout the year that will give students the opportunity for students to connect with Dharma in a completely non-religious and lighthearted setting. Lastly, I will come up with creative ways to advertise Dharma events to supplement the standard e-flyers and facebook events.
Thanks,
Priya
SECRETARY
Sharmila Railkar
I, Sharmila Railkar, do hereby declare my most humble candidacy for the position of Secretary on the Dharma Executive Board in the fine years of 2009 to 2010. As a Freshman Representative on the Board this year, I have grown to know and the intricacies of the organization and love the sense of community developed by its members. This year, Dharma provided me with chances to be involved with Hinduism, as well as a continuous forum in which to discuss and enhance my understanding of it. These opportunities have been extremely valuable to me, and I would like to keep Dharma an equally strong force in my life as I become an upperclassman.
With this in mind, it is my sincere hope that I can become Secretary on next year’s Board. I promise to circulate only the most meticulous, accurate, and pretty meeting minutes. I also plan to step outside my position and take an active role in the planning of major events, as well as the creation of posters for their publicity.
Finally, I would like to help bring change to Dharma, so it can become an even better organization than it already is. For example, I think assigning point people for all events and dividing tasks at board meetings will increase accountability and communication. These are easy changes for me to implement, but will help Dharma events run much more smoothly. Though my love for Dharma combined with my beautiful MacBook make me a qualified candidate, I feel that my biggest asset is my enthusiasm. I am so enthusiastic, in fact, that I wrote a poem to express my great desire to be Secretary:
Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
I’m running for secretary,
So vote for me, please do.
You can see I’m good with words;
That much is a fact.
If questioned under pressure,
I would never crack.
I do enjoy crackers,
And Sang likes oysters.
Who is Sang Park?
What rhymes with oysters?
I can type real well,
Like a secretary should.
If you elected me,
I would be so good.
I would also help with posters
With my mad adobe skillz.
I be such a photoshop beast,
You best not get up in my grill(z).
Speaking of grillz,
Who likes grilled cheese?
If you got a Panini maker,
I will take one please.
Back to the secretary,
I epitomize focus.
I’d take good notes
Without any hocus pocus.
I am in love with Gmail,
As everyone can attest.
So I’d send out meeting minutes
With both speed and zest.
I’d also propose reforms,
Some big and some small.
Like why are they called meeting minutes
When they’re not minutes at all?
Next I’d like to advocate
For a Sharmali non-alcoholic drink fund,
Because I would like Palak to buy us Frooti
For years to come.
And finally, the last change
That I will suggest now
Is to change Suhas’s name
To Mr. Poohas Rao.
So in conclusion,
As a candidate I am the most stunning
I better be,
Because I am the only one running.
Thank you.