Apr 2022 Newsletter: Dalit History Month, Interfaith Initiatives, and more!

May 1, 2022

HfHR's Monthly Newsletter serves as your guide to our progressive Hindu advocacy over the past month! Read on to learn about our webinars, podcasts, articles, advocacy updates, anti-caste initiatives, and more.

Dear Friend,

The month of April gave us an amazing opportunity to celebrate multiple festivals on the same days, be it the beginning of Ramadan and Chaitra Navaratri or Ambedkar Jayanti, Tamil New year and Vaisakhi. With this interfaith environment in mind, today we share Antony Firingee's verses, who was born to Portuguese settlers in Bengal and rose as a Bengali kabiyaal (wandering poet singer) at a time when such performing arts were considered indecent and even low caste. It is in such melting pot of cultures, religions and languages that we feel we find love, humanity and interconnectedness.

Over the past month, we've continued our advocacy for pluralism, civil rights, and human rights for all in a number of fields. Read on to learn more!

#VoicesOfPeace: Celebrating Chaitra Navratri and Ramadan

Fighting against Hindutva

HfHR compiled an anti-hate statement "Standing with Our Muslim Siblings", currently signed by 41 Hindu leaders and 18 organizations, which was published in English on April 23, 2022 in The Indian Express. On April 28, 2022, it was published in The Wire, and it has also been published in the Sindh Courier. If you are a Hindu faith leader or represent a Hindu organization and would like to sign on, please fill out the form below. On similar lines, also read HfHR Co-founder Raju Rajagopal's timely poem "Where have all the seers gone?"

Sign/Read the Statement

Expert Perspectives on Indian Democracy and Human Rights: Special in-person event in Washington, DC, featuring Professor Dibyesh Anand and Dr. Nitasha Kaul of the University of Westminster in London

HfHR Policy Director Ria Chakrabarty at the Congressional Briefing on “2022 FIACONA Report on India”

A Special Congressional Briefing on India’s Brutal Persecution of Kashmir

Special Congressional Briefing: USCIRF recommends sanctions against India

Celebrating Dalit History Month

We celebrated Dalit History Month by sharing stories of various individuals who actively advocated for the abolition of caste and equality for all!

Interfaith Initiatives

HfHR Executive Director Sunita participated in the Faith In Public Life's multi-faith roundtable on "A Sacred Season of Love, Freedom and Justice: A Faith Leader Roundtable" where various faith leaders celebrated the convergence of our sacred celebrations and highlighted our shared values of love, freedom and justice for all people.

Sacred Season of Love, Freedom and Justice: Faith Leader Roundtable

HfHR's Advocacy Director Nikhil Mandalaparthy and Policy Director Ria Chakrabarty attended the Association of Indian Muslims of America's Ramadan Iftar Dinner in Bethesda, MD.

Civil Rights Essay & Art Contest

HfHR announced the winners of the Second Civil Rights Essay & Art Contest. Hearty congratulations to all those who won and participated in the event. We were deeply moved by the well-thought out arguments of the essays and the beautiful visuals of the artworks from our young generation!

Second annual Civil Rights Essay and Art Contest, featuring special remarks from Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal

Chapter Updates

Last month, our Australia-New Zealand chapter celebrated an Interfaith Holi event, which took place in Sydney.

HfHR-ANZ chapter also celebrated Ramadan with the Muslim community in Lakemba. David Shoebridge, Member of Legislative Council of New South Wales and Senate candidate for the Greens in the 2022 Federal Election, joined them and shared words of praise and solidarity.

American Women’s Peace and Education Delegation to Kabul

HfHR's Executive Director Sunita Viswanath was part of an American Women’s Peace and Education Delegation to Afghanistan which called for schools to open to girls and for Afghan Central Bank Funds to be released to Afghans. Watch Sunita's remarks at the press conference and at the Asamai Hindu Mandir in Kabul, where she met with leaders of both the Mandir and Kabul's main Gurdwara!

Read Sunita's powerful reflections on the visit in The Nation.

Read the Press Release

HfHR and Paigam Present...

Ulti Pulti Baat Episode 2: Debunking the Kashmir Files

After Haridwar & Raipur, the game of injustice has reached the country's capital!

#VoicesOfPeace: Anwar Ali's Poetry as a Vehicle for Love

It's been a busy month, to say the least! We want to keep the intensity of this enthusiasm and passion going forward. Your support energizes us to build a bold and radically inclusive Hindu public voice which opposes Hindutva and caste, and prioritizes the rights of marginalized communities.

Once again, thank you for your continuous support and well-wishes!

With our love, gratitude and solidarity,

HfHR Board and Staff
Bidisha, Deepak, Harita, Nikhil, Pranay, Punya, Raju, Ria, Shanti, Sravya, Sunil, Sunita, Swati, Swathi, Urmila, Vijay

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