Sunnyvale, CA (November 7, 2008). The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) held its fifth annual awareness and education campaign dinner last weekend, attended by supporters from around Northern California. The event highlighted the foundation's achievements over the past year and details of its future plans. With over 250 people in attendance, including interfaith leaders from Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities, the event marked HAF's largest turnout and fiscally most successful campaign event ever.
Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, the highest ranking state official ever to attend a Hindu event in California, addressed supporters on the importance of Hindu-American advocacy. "You've got a task ahead of you. Hinduism is not well understood in America, and therefore Hinduism is often pushed aside, demeaned." Garamendi said. " What you're doing with HAF is implanting in America tolerance, knowledge, information, and ultimately pluralism. Just look around California today, and this state had better be pluralistic otherwise we're going to come apart in a very difficult future." Garamendi was joined by other elected officials present, including City of Milpitas Mayor Jose Esteves and Union Sanitary District Board Member & Director Anjali Lathi. Foundation leaders based in Northern California, as well as the HAF Director of Development, Sheetal Shah, presented highlights of the foundation's work over the last year following a viewing of its short documentary filmed last year. City of Milpitas Mayor Jose Esteves presented Mihir Meghani, HAF's co-founder and president, with the "City of Milpitas Certificate of Appreciation to Hindu American Foundation". The proclamation reads in part, "...I wish to express appreciation for the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) dedication and commitment to improve communication and dialogue between all members and segments of our community. By fostering friendship and deepening inter-cultural awareness and understanding among the many diverse ethnic and civic communities, peace and goodwill is achieved." Promoting pluralism while adding a Hindu American perspective to regional and national issues remains a core principle for the foundation, Meghani said. "After five years of tireless advocacy, HAF has found its voice--we were pleased that Lt. Gov. Garamendi and Mayor Esteves could join us in celebrating what our community has made possible." K. Suriyakumar, CEO of American Reprographics Corp. kicked off the fundraising portion of the campaign with a contribution of $100,000. Audience members responded enthusiastically with their own donations despite the prevailing downturn in the economy. "Without an organization such as HAF, I'm not sure tolerance, understanding, pluralism would be widespread," added Lt. Gov. Garamendi during his address. "People are all too ready to be narrow minded and intolerant. To think that their own view of the world is the only answer, the only way, the only path, and therefore intolerance, the lack of understanding, can and has through the course of human history, created horrible events. So you've got you're work cut out for you."