Dear Mahajans!

Happy New Year!

It’s been about 6 months since we’ve gotten a note out to the community, but wanted to take a moment to update everyone. We are always looking for good news / achievements to share, to include Birth and Graduation Announcements. Please email us at board@oshwal-usa.org.

2021-2024 Halari Visa Oshwals of America Executive Board

News from the Executive Committee:

Biennial In Person Gathering:

The JAINA 2023 in person gathering in Lakeland Florida was attended by approximately 25 Oshwals, and many thanks to our Florida Local Rep Veni Shah for hosting a few families on Monday July 3rd. With a smaller number attending, we did not have our elections, and we are really appreciative of the current board staying on a little longer.

Board Updates:

The 2021-2023 board is continuing, and we are looking for members to take over. I also wanted to take a moment and thank Satish Shah, of Plano, TX, for serving as our Director of Membership. We are still actively looking for a replacement who will help keep the Membership Directory up to date, and arrange for the next distribution of the Membership Directory.

We would like to publish a new directory in the near future. We request all members to review their entries in the last digital directory which was distributed about six years ago and if you would like to make any changes or add your entry, please go the following web site and complete the Directory form: www.oshwal-USA.org or send an e-mail to this address: oshwaldirectory@gmail.com. If your son and/or daughter are in college, a separate entry for him/her can be added to the directory. This would help Local Representatives (LRs) to invite them for local activities. Your cooperation in maintaining the directory will be highly appreciated.

Communication Update:

One of our goals of 2023 was to create local WhatsApp groups for each of our areas, and many of our areas have accomplished this. For 2024, and with many thanks to Shipa Shah of Plano, TX, we’ve started the process of creating a WhatsApp “Community”. The WhatsApp Community feature lets us “combine” all the local groups into one group, and let us message all at the same time. We’ve restricted the sending of messages to just the EC and the Local Representatives, and will only use it for distributing news pertaining to the full group.

News from the Local Representatives:

Local Representative Updates:

Our current set of Local Representatives have completed their 2-year term, and we are very thankful for their efforts. We are also looking for new energy and new ideas, and we need your help!! Please consider becoming a new Local Representative for 2024-2026! The duties are being a resource to connect your local community, welcome new additions, and try to organize get togethers. If you are interested in taking on this role, please reach out to anyone on the Executive Committee and/or your existing Local Representative BY FEB 29th via email to board@oshwal-usa.org.

Greater New Jersey Gathering:

The New Jersey Local Representative, Hiten Gutka, planned their Annual Summer Picnic on September 10th, at Mercer Park West. There was a fantastic turnout

Southern California Gathering:

The Southern California Local Representative, Tanvi Shah, planned their Summer Picnic on June 4th. There was a fantastic turnout

Dallas Gathering:

The Texas Representative, Shilpa Shah, planned Diwali Lunch.

Recent Obituaries:

With sadness we share the passing of

Suryakala Popatlal Shah of Florida on Jan 20th, 2024
Kanchan Motichand Malde of Sewanee, Tennessee on Jan 16th, 2024

Kantilal Mulchand Dodhia of Greenville, South Carolina on Jan 15th, 2024
Babulal (Pravin) Khimji Devraj Shah of Wembley, United Kingdom on Jan 3rd, 2024

Jayaben Navin Shah of Plano, Texas on Dec 29th, 2023

Dr. Neel Kantilal Jechand Shah of Cambridge, United Kingdom on Dec 24th, 2023

Chandu Shah of Bedford, Massachusetts on Nov 3rd, 2023

Indira Ratilal Dodhia of Plano, Texas on Oct 16th, 2023

** Please click on the active links for detailed information

External News

40th Anniversary of Nairobi Pratishtha:

The Visa Oshwal Community of Nairobi is celebrating their 40th anniversary from Feb 10th to Feb 18th. This is a great milestone and our well wishes to the community! Their program and nakro list are attached, and if you are interested in supporting, please reach out directly to the Religious Committee on (+254 733 469 517).

Pratishtha Programme 2024 – v2.pdf

40th Pratishtha Nakro – all.pdf

Threads That Tie Us – Bindu Shah

Embarking on a poignant journey through the landscapes of memory, Threads That Tie Us is an 85 min documentary film that unveils the narrative of the Halari Oshwal community. In this nostalgic odyssey, the filmmaker, driven by a deep-seated connection to her roots, traverses the lands she has lived in that have cradled the struggles and triumphs of her small community.

This documentary is an intimate exploration of history, culture, traditions, and faith, portraying the Halari Oshwals as a distinct tapestry of humanity. At its core lies an extraordinary bond, a brotherhood resilient through generations, weaving tales of resilience and unity.

As the filmmaker navigates through the scattered diaspora, each emigrant becomes a storyteller, creating microcosms of Halari Oshwal life, where identity is preserved, and mutual support is a sacred pact. Yet, against the backdrop of globalization, the film delicately raises questions that resonate with universal themes. Will the threads that tie this community persevere amid geographical distances and age-old rules? Can they sustain their unity in places where the population is scarce?

Through the lens of nostalgia, the filmmaker captures not just the physical landscapes but the emotional terrain of Halari Oshwal history through animation. The narrative weaves together memory, history, and hope, contemplating the potential loss if this unique community were to fade away. The film becomes a vessel for the preservation of stories, a testament to the struggles, triumphs, and relentless spirit of a people bound by an unbreakable thread.

Threads That Tie Us is not merely a documentary; it is a love letter to a community, a visual symphony of the past, and a hope for generations yet to unfold. The film immortalizes the legacy of the Halari Oshwals, the documentary stands as a timeless testimony to the importance of preserving cultural bonds, offering a glimpse into a world where the threads of identity are intricately woven with the fabric of shared history and a collective spirit that defies the test of time.

Trailer Link