GOPIO INITIATES GLOBAL GADAR COMMEMORATION

GOPIO is taking the initiative for a Gadar Centennial Commemoration for a global commemoration of the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Gadar movement in 2013 involving various agencies, organizations and institutions. GOPIO has developed tentative plans and would finalize these plans shortly after the meetings of Centennial Commemoration Committee with invitations to all persons, agencies, organizations and institutions interested in participating in the upcoming centennial event(s) in 2013. In 1913, the Hindustan Association of the Pacific Coast (USA) was started to free India from the British serfdom. The association started publishing magazine named Gadar to expose the British imperialism and called upon the Indian people to unite and rise up against British rule. The publication Gadar, over a period of time, became well known among Indians and the Hindustan Association of the Pacific Coast itself became known as the Gadar party. In 2003, the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), the National Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA) and the Global Punjabi Diaspora jointly organized the 90th anniversary of Gadar movement to pay tribute to the pioneers, patriots and heroes of the Gadar movement. The plans for the Gadar Centennial Commemoration include participation and support of Office of the Prime Minister of India, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs; Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Culture, UNESCO, State of California, City of San Francisco, as well as Indian civic organizations, institutions, groups and individuals. Plans include: Declare 2013 as the year of Centennial Commemoration of Gadar Movement; Issue a suitably designed postage stamp commemorating the Gadar Movement; Publish a historic Centennial Commemoration book about the Gadar Movement, sacrifices of the Gadar Heroes, brief bio-data (if available) of all the 48 martyrs and 69 Gadarites who were given life imprisonment, for free distribution to libraries, schools, institutions and organizations; Establish chairs in memory of the Gadar heroes in India and at least one or more in the USA. Plans for Gadar Centennial Commemoration 2012/2013 include: Gadar Centennial Commemoration per city: Forum in several cities in USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, India, with a finale in San Francisco with a fitting memorial as a lasting tribute to the Gadar heroes. Contacts: GOPIO Chairman Inder Singh @ gopio-intl@sbcglobal.net; GOPIO President Ashook Ramsaran @ Ramsaran@aol.com.