SONI SANDESH APRIL 2014

SONI SANDESH
A Publication of Soni Samaj NZ (Inc) APRIL 2014 Edition
www.sonisamaj.co.nz Email: nzsonisamaj@gmail.com
Latest News: Please note details of Mega Mother’s Day Function. Also note that we will issue the
new NZ Soni Samaj Directory at the Mother’s Day function—see inside how you can verify and
update your details for the directory.
President’s Message:
Jai Shree Krishna and Happy Ram Navmi !
May the blessings of Lord Ram fill your life with goodness, happiness and prosperity!
Your Committee is currently preparing for the publication of the 2014 NZ Soni Samaj Directory. The directory will be
launched at our Mother’s day function. All financial members will be given a copy of the directory at no charge. We will be
relying on the support of our Samaj business community for advertising and sponsoring to help fund this project. Also, any
family donation towards the directory is most welcome. A separate email will go out very shortly requesting verification of
all your details by return. We will please require your prompt attention in the matter.
Mother’s Day Function:
For the first time, your committee has decided to host the Mothers Day function on a Saturday. The evening promises to
be an unforgettable one. The function will have live singing, dance items, raffle and sumptuous dinner. Please contact Tina
Meghji if you are interested in contributing in the entertainment segment. As mentioned before, we will be launching
our Samaj Directory. In the other highlight of the evening, we will be capturing a momentous Samaj members photograph.
This photo will be used in the 2015 international Soni Samaj Samellan souvenir publication. Please attend and be part of
history!!! Also, a live DJ will be playing into the night to entertain the young and the young at heart ; all of us :-).
Your Subscriptions:
Firstly, thank you to all members that have paid their July 2013- June 2014 subscriptions. May I please request all pending members between the age of 18 to 65 years to pay their dues. For those who are not into internet banking, the mothers
day function will be a perfect opportunity to do so. Your committee will also be contacting you in this regard along with the
directory.
NZ Gujarati Soccer Tournament:
NZSS will be well represented in the Easter Gujarati tournament, mostly in the form of Nadi team. Please feel free to go
and support the boys. More details are enclosed in this issue.
Hari Bol
Ritesh Raniga, President
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Upcoming Events:
MEGA Mother’s Day Function and Directory Launch:
When: Saturday 17 May 2014. Start time is 7pm sharp
Where: Mt. Albert War Memorial Hall, 751 New North Road,
Mt. Albert.
“All that I am or ever hope to
be, I owe to my angel mother.”
― Abraham Lincoln
Dress Code: Party/evening wear/ Indian
Contact Us:
Entry Fee: $10 per person. (Under 12 free).
RSVP—email nzsonisamaj@gmail.com
If you have changed address/ phone or email recently, please
email us at nzsonisamaj@gmail.com or contact any member of
the committee.
RSVP is essential for catering and preparation.
We also look forward to your feedback, ideas and suggestions.
Please note this is a different date to what was advised earlier
and it is a SATURDAY function.
Congratulations
On this day, the 2014 NZ Soni Samaj Directory will also be
launched. A free copy will be distributed to all financial members
This will be followed by items (please contact Tina Meghji on
0212134640 if you wish to participate in items etc.)
We will take a Samaj group photo at this function to be
published for the 2015 Samellan Magazine in Fiji. Every
attendant at the function will become a part of history by
becoming a part of this most momentous photograph.
A sumptuous dinner will be served at the function.
Then you can dance the night away with a live DJ.
This will be a most comprehensive and memorable Mother’s
Day Function. We urge everyone to attend.
Please don’t forget to RSVP and please be on time.
Father’s Day and AGM
This will be held on Sunday 7 September at the usual hall—
Mt. Albert War Memorial Hall.
Krisha Raniga— newborn daughter
of Pranesh and Mona Raniga, born
on Monday 10 February 2014.
Utensil Hire—the Samaj has a set of utensils (pots and pans, serving dishes, spoons etc) which
can be used for cooking for up to a thousand people.
We are happy to hire this out. Please contact President Ritesh Raniga (ritesh.raniga@gmail.com or
021576381 or 095763818) if you wish to hire Samaj utensils.
Members: full hire $200, partial hire $100
Non members: full hire $300, partial hire $150
Non vegetarian cooking will not be permitted. Hirers will need to arrange own transport for pick up
and return.
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Executive Committee 20013/2014:
President
Recognition of Service to the Samaj—Mrs Radha Ben Raniga and Mrs. Joshna Sundarji (We will be recognising a long-serving member in every newsletter—suggestions welcome)
Ritesh Raniga
Email: ritesh.raniga@gmail.com
Phone: 021 576381
Vice President
C.K Ranchhod
Email: ranchhod@xtra.co.nz
Phone: 021588675
Vice President
Chandrika Meghji
Email: meghji@xtra.co.nz
Phone: 021 132 5956
Immediate Past President
Sanjai Bagia
Email: sanjai.bagia@gmail.com
Phone: 021 487886
Secretary
Tina Meghji
Email: t_4578@yahoo.co.nz
Phone: 021 213 4640
Treasurer
Rajesh Raniga
Email: raj.raniga@dbschenker.com
Phone: 021 386298
This great mother-daughter combination has served the Samaj tirelessly since the
nineties. According to the current committee, Radha Ben is without question the
best Soni cook in the world today!! She has overseen the cooking of meals for
most Samaj functions for many years.
Committee Members 2013/2014
- Gigesh Pala (Assistant Treasurer)
- Tarun Pragji (Waikato Coordinator)
- Rajiv Sundarji
- Minal Lodhia
- Ranjana Gauri
- Jitesh Raniga
- Naina Bhindii
- Jayesh Rana
- Rahul Raniga
- Pramesh Sundarjee
- Vishal Parekh
- Ashish Jogia
- Uma Chopra
- Ranjana Gauri
- Bhavik Parekh
Trustees of the Samaj:
Soni Popat Lal Bagia
Soni Harish Sundarji
Soni Ravin Ranchhod
(Pictured:
Radha Ben, Joshna Ben, and daughters Sheetal and Veeral)
Joshna has been an active committee member for several years. She was a most
able assistant to her husband and former President, Mr. Harish Sundarji. Since
then, she has provided invaluable guidance and support to subsequent committees.
The NZ Soni Samaj thanks Joshna Ben and Radha Ben for their service to the
Samaj and recognises their service to the Samaj on the occasion of Mother’s Day.
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2014 NZ Soni Samaj Directory:
At the Mother’s Day function, we will launch the new directory. Very soon we will send out an email asking everyone to
verify/update their details for the new directory.
If you wish to contribute any material towards the directory, please contact President Ritesh Raniga on 021576381 or email
ritesh.raniga@gmail.com or Rajiv Sundarji on 021386000 or email rajiv@fashionbiz.co.nz
We will also be collecting advertisements from Samaj businesses. Please advise if you wish to advertise your business in the new
directory.
Family donations and sponsorships are also welcome.
This directory will become a part of the Global Soni Directory to be published at the Samellan next year.
Soni Samellan to be held in 2015:
After the unprecedented success of the Sneh Milan in 2012 in Brisbane, The Fiji Soni Samaj has begun preparations for
an international Samellan to be held in Nadi, Fiji in 2015.
At this stage, the most likely date will be the first week of July 2015.
The Fiji Soni Samaj will soon finalise dates, venues and activities.
Once again, the New Zealand Samaj will be participating in huge numbers.
The Fiji Soni Samaj is gauging participation numbers and it would be appreciated if all interested members advise their
wish to attend the Samellan via email to nzsonisamaj@gmail.com.
NZ Gujarati Easter Soccer Tournament:
Once again, the Nadi Soccer team (comprising mostly of Soni boys) will be participating. Please come along and support our te
team.
am...The
am...The boys
have been training hard and are confident of a great result this year.
The tournament will be played at Parrs Park, Cnr West Coast Rd & Parrs Cross Rd, Oratia/Henderson starting Good Friday 18 April to Easter
Sunday 20 April. Games will be played from 10 am to 4 pm on Friday and Saturday with the semi finals starting at 9.30am on Sunday and the
main final at 2.30pm.
Nadi’s pool games are at 2.30pm on Friday (vs Northern Strikers) and 10am on Saturday (vs Waikato).
There is a very special kids under 10 game at 1.45pm on Friday. Anyone interested in having their children participate in this game, please call
Milan Raniga on 021 464 526 or Pramesh Sundarjee on 022 089 0314. There will be a bouncy castle for kids and the whole weekend is very
much a family event, with alcohol available only in clubroom and not at the ground.
There is also a dinner night hosted by NZ Gujarati. Tickets are $15 for children and $30 for adults. Again tickets can be obtained from either
Milan or Pramesh..
Subscriptions:
Annual subscriptions are now due. Please post cheque to NZ Soni Samaj, 224 Hillsborough Road,
Hillsborough, Auckland or contact a committee member.
You can also pay online into the Samaj bank account:
030175 0196359 00
We thank you if you have already paid your subs.
It is important to note that subs are a major source of income for the Samaj and helps subsidise
expenses like newsletters, functions etc.
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Congratulations:
Congratulations to Dhaval Dharamsi (s/o Rakesh
and Urwashi Dharamsi) and Kalindi Punja (d/o of
Pravin and Sonal Punja of Suva, Fiji) on their recent marriage. The couple now live in Melbourne,
Australia.
Congratulations to Deepa Bhindi (d/o Desmukhbhai and
Kusumben Bhindi of Suva, Fiji) and Anish Patel (s/o Manilal and Neelaben Patel from Auckland) on their recent
marriage. The couple now reside in Auckland.
Congratulations—
Jagdish Punja
Congratulations to our
very own Soni Jagdish
Punja for his acting
role in the movie
URBAN TURBAN.
It is a movie made in
Auckland and receiving rave reviews.
Please see cinemas
for screening times.
The movie is currently
playing in cinemas.
Jagdish Bhai and the
Punja Family are great
supporters of the
Samaj and its activities.
Congratulations to Pooja Raniga
(d/o Dinesh and Lata Raniga) and
Ashneel Kumar (s/o Satish and
Sunila Kumar) on their recent
engagement.
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Photos of recent Samaj Events:
Congratulations:
Eva Rani Punja—newborn daughter of Neil
and Avita Punja born on 11 March 2014
Congratulations:
Pia Paida—newborn daughter of Yogesh and Hetal Paida born on 29 November 2013