The City Hindus Network (CHN) hosted its latest event at The Happenstance in the heart of the City of London on 10 September. The sell-out networking event, presented in an innovative new format, attracted over 80 Hindus from an array of professional backgrounds and aimed to provide a platform for the capital’s Hindu community to form stronger professional networks in an informal and welcoming environment.
The evening opened with a few words by the Chairman of CHN, Prinal Nathwani, who introduced the organisation and its focus on 3 core pillars, namely; charity/selfless service; religion/spirituality; and education/knowledge-sharing and networking. This was followed by a networking game masterfully facilitated by CHN member, Tejas Kotecha, which created an opportunity for the attendees to break the ice and engage in conversation with individuals outside of their immediate groups.
As the evening progressed, Nishma Gosrani, Director at Deloitte Consulting, was invited to be quizzed by the event host, Neel Patani. Questions posed to Nishma included 'What is your smartest business idea?', 'Who has been your biggest influence?', and 'How would your personal assistant describe you?', after which questions were opened up to event attendees. Nishma candidly responded to all the questions posed, captivating the audience’s attention as she described her experiences, challenges and views to being a successful female Hindu professional in the City of London. She particularly emphasised the significance of networking, at work and through organisations such as CHN, as a key ingredient for professional success.
Nishma’s address was followed by some inspiring words from Pratik Dattani, ex-President of CHN and successful entrepreneur. Pratik, in his signature witty and concise manner, stressed the importance of Hindu values and the significance of maintaining these in environments such as the City.
The Summer Soirée also aimed to support the Joshua Playing Project (Registered Charity No.1163297) by running a raffle. Neel Patani introduced the raffle and explained the charity’s core activity of nurturing and providing an education to less-advantaged children in Pushkar, India. Raffle prizes were generously donated by local businesses and multi-national corporates, and included; a cycling jersey signed by Chris Froome and the Tour de France cycling team, donated by SKY; a wash-and-blow dry voucher from BLOW Ltd; a House of Parliament tour by Ameet Jogia, Conservative Councillor for Harrow and a world map mat donated by Treat Republic. The raffle was a huge success raising over £300 for the Joshua Playing Project. Further information about the Joshua Playing Project can be found at http://www.joshuaplayingproject.com.
CHN’s Summer Soirée was well-attended by Hindus from a wide range of professional backgrounds, who thoroughly enjoyed the evening which included networking with like-minded professionals, inspiring speakers and exciting raffle prizes. Further information about CHN and its forthcoming events, including its Diwali Banquet at the Houses of Parliament on 20 November, can be found at www.cityhindusnetwork.org.
