NRIs, professionals serve as volunteers at Pramukh Swami centenary celebrations

Several highly-qualified professionals including Non Resident Indians NRIs have taken a break from their usual work to serve as volunteers during the Pramukh Swami Centenary Celebrations of the BAPS Swaminarayan sect here.The month-long celebrations were launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the sects chief Mahant Swami Maharaj on Wednesday.Nirgun Brahmbhatt is one of the NRI volunteers providing seva service at the Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar, set up over 600 acres on the outskirts of the city for the celebrations.Brahmbhatt works as a senior portfolio manager in Sydney, Australia.

Several highly-qualified professionals including Non Resident Indians (NRIs) have taken a break from their usual work to serve as volunteers during the Pramukh Swami Centenary Celebrations of the BAPS Swaminarayan sect here.

The month-long celebrations were launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the sect's chief Mahant Swami Maharaj on Wednesday.

Nirgun Brahmbhatt is one of the NRI volunteers providing `seva' (service) at the Pramukh Swami Maharaj Nagar, set up over 600 acres on the outskirts of the city for the celebrations.

Brahmbhatt works as a senior portfolio manager in Sydney, Australia. He is not worried about any loss of income this break from the professional life might cause.

''Since Pramukh Swamiji worked for everyone of us all his life, it is our turn to pay back. That is the reason I came here to offer my `seva'. The life lessons of our saints, taught to me in childhood, helped me build my career and also shaped my personality,'' he added.

Devraj Pandya, a chartered accountant who has worked in Canada for six years, would be working as a volunteer till the end of the celebrations in mid-January.

''My family has been associated with BAPS for three generations. I have been offering my services as a volunteer here for the last ten days and will be here till the end of the festival. For NRIs, be it volunteers or visitors, visiting this festival will prove to be a moment of lifetime,'' Pandya said.

''Loss of some dollars or a break of three-four months from work does not count in comparison to what Pramukh Swamiji did for all of us. There is a saying that a mother's love can not be measured in money,'' Pandya added. Suresh Limbachiya has come all the way from the United Kingdom.

''I am a follower of BAPS (which stands for Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha) since 1974 and always give my service during such festivals. People from all over the world, including 5,000 from the UK alone, will visit this place in the next one month,'' he said.

Prachi Brahmbhatt, an Ahmedabad resident who works at a private firm, had been planning for the occasion for the last one-and-a-half years.

''I did not take a single leave in this period...I accumulated all those leaves. I will serve as a volunteer here for 35 days. I feel blessed to be here,'' said Brahmbhatt.