Samaj History
The New Millennium
Gujarati Samaj Of Minnesota has helped the local community and the world since its establishment. Most importantly, Samaj members rallied together with over thousands of dollars in donations for Gujarat state after the massive January 26, 2001 earthquake in a unified Gujarat Earthquake Relief Fund partially funded by local corporations and other organizations. The Samaj and its partners were able to completely rebuild a village.
Throughout the years, the organization grew extensively with more members and larger events. The Samaj jumped into the cyber world in the summer of 2005 with the launch of this web site. With this site, the Samaj is now able to get information out to members quickly and easily. In November 2006, the Samaj was even honored by Narendra Modi, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, India state.
Since its start, the Samaj has been run by the dedication of volunteers. The next years will call for even more volunteer assistance from Samaj and/or community members. If you would like to help this non-profit cultural organization please volunteer by submitting your interest using our contact us form.
Since the first official year, the Samaj has always been governed by the Bylaws. The first bylaws were ratified at the 1977-1978 annual meeting of members. Soon, 1988, 1995, and 2000 versions followed before the current bylaws were ratified by the 2006 Executive Committee.
1976: Official Establishment
But with tremendous growth in the Gujarati population in Minnesota in the next years, there was a call for a more formal organization. So, in 1976, the first bylaws were drafted and the first election was held, naming Mr. Ram Gada the first official president of the Gujarati Samaj. Also, in 1976, the first hand-written Membership Directory was distributed to members. This Samaj became one of the first Gujarti organizations in the United States. 1976 officially laid the foundation for the Gujarati Samaj of Minnesota as inspired by Dr. Patel. From there, the organization continued to grow with more members. The rest is history.
1967: The Start of a Legacy
The roots of the Gujarati Samaj of Minnesota were laid in 1967 under the leadership of Dr. Kalyanji Patel. The purpose in 1967 was to bring together all Gujaratis in the Twin Cities. Today, the Samaj adheres to the same goal.
In 1967, the first Gujarati dinner with only a few members was held at Dr. Patel's home. This tradition lasted for nine years with informal Diwali functions. This laid the foundation of the Samaj's legacy.