G.S.B. Sabha Dahisar - Borivali marches ahead with greater strength and vigour drawing inspiration from the grace of Shree Satyanarayana and blessings of Swamijis and has been able to consolidate its position both resource-wise and activity-wise as it moves on from year to year.

It is well-known that the Sabha is fortunate enough to derive unstinted financial and moral support from its munificent members and elders of our Community. Further, it needs no reiteration that the dedicated service extended by the members of the Managing Committee and certain other members committed to the progress of the Sabha under its various activities deserves a special mention.
Broad objectives of the Sabha and a brief summary of its important activities vis-a-vis achievements under each head are given below.

Genesis
The Sabha was founded in 1986 by a score of dedicated and socially oriented members of our Community in Dahisar to address certain genuine social needs of which provision of educational support to economically deserving students was on the top of its agenda. In the initial years Sabha could not make much headway under most of its objectives though however, it got required fillip since 1994 when Sabha got registered from Registrar of Societies and Charity Commissioner as a consequence of which funds started flowing in, especially, for the noble cause of extending educational assistance to needy students.

Area of Operation
In the initial years, Sabha confined its activities to Dahisar and Borivali. However, over the years it has extended its operation to adjacent areas, albeit to a limited extent.

Membership
As on 31/03/2013 the Total membership of the Sabha stood at 1446 consisting of 169 Patrons and 1277 Life Members as compared to 166 Patrons and 1259 Life Members aggregating 1425 during the previous year.


Objectives

The Bye-laws of the Sabha specify following as the main objectives.

1. Education

Among the core objectives education is given the first priority by extending financial support to economically deserving students to pursue their basic education, initially confined up to Matriculation but subsequently extended to graduation level and very recently, even to technical and professional courses in exceptional cases to a very limited extent.

The financial assistance covers not only tuition fee/other fees of schools/colleges but also cost of books, niform etc., after thorough verification of the bills/receipts etc and after satisfying about the economic conditions of the parents / care-takers of applicant students.

During 2012-13 an aggregate amount of Rs.6.94 lakhs was disbursed to 58 students as against 5.73 lakhs to
56 students during 2011-12. The overall such assistance extended by the Sabha since its inception
aggregated to Rs. 42.97 lakhs covering a total of 517 students. The Sabha could reach this respectable position only because of generous financial support extended by philanthropic members of our Community to whom the Sabha and the ultimate beneficiaries remain ever grateful.

Apart from this, Sabha also encourages meritorious students in curricular and co-curricular activities by recognising their merits and talents by honouring them with prizes at the Annual Get-together in December every year.

2. Social Activities

These refer to marriage assistance, medical assistance, matrimonial assistance and funeral services, among others, of which funeral services rendered by certain committed members deserves appreciation as they volunteer themselves for this work at any hour of the day/night.


3. Cultural Activities

a. Shree Satyanarayana Pooja and Annual Get-together

Celebration of Shree Satyanarayana Mahapooja together with its Annual Get-together on 25th December every year is the most important cultural activity of the Sabha since its inception. Certain illustrious members of our Community grace the Annual Get-together as Chief Guest and Guests of Honour through whom meritorous students both in curricular studies and extra-curricular activities are honoured by awarding prizes to encourage the students to perform better in their studies as also in other fields in future.


b. Navratri Festival

Navratri Festival is another important religious and cultural function being celebrated every year for the past six years with all festivity and religiosity.


c. Other

Other important cultural activities are mainly celebration of Ram Navami, Haldi - Kumkum during Navratri, Tilgul on Makar Sankranti etc. All these functions are generally accompanied by Pooja and devotional songs Rigupakarma and distribution of sacred threads to our Community members is another important religious activity.
Tulsi Pooja, as in the previous year was performed on 25/11/2012 at Saraswat Cultural and Recreation Centre.

d. Participation in Punarpratishtha of Kashi Math Samsthan Deity in Mangalore

Most of the Members of the Managing Committee of the Sabha and other members participated in Punarpratishtha of Kashi Math Samsthan deity at Kashi Math, Shri Venkatramana Temple, Mangalore. Our committee members exhibited the tableau of Lord Vedavyas in the Digvijay procession which deserves appreciation and special mention.


e. Other Celebrations

Kojagiri Poornima on 29th October 2012 and Holi Festival on 27th March 2013 are some other cultural activities of the Sabha during this year, which are proposed to be celebrated with greater participation in the years to come.


Plans Ahead

The most important concern on which Sabha has been focusing its attention relates to the development of 1.76 acres of land referred to above by providing various facilities as stipulated by the Corporation within the specified time frame. Details of items of work completed and those awaiting completion are given in a write-up on the subject separately in this issue.

Another important concern of the Sabha which is the first among the core objectives since its inception is related to the provision of an uninterrupted flow of educational assistance to deserving students of our Community for which the Sabha has been endeavoring to create a respectable return-generating and self-supporting corpus. Sabha is confident of achieving this laudable social objective with generous support from our donors. Efforts have already been made in this direction with a positive response. Sabha is very much conscious of its commitments and endeavors to fulfill the same.


Managing Committee
G.S.B. Sabha, Dahisar - Borivali.