BAPS Women’s Conference – Lead from Within

STAFFORD: What is leadership?  Society ascribes leadership in politics, religion, communities and sports, based on actions, achievement, and at times, popularity. Typically, we limit our view of “leaders” to people in position of power: CEOs, politicians, athletes, and perhaps community leaders. But are those the only leaders?  Everyone has the potential to be a leader in his or her own right. What about people who give their best everyday to care for their communities and homes? Are they not leaders as well?  In fact, do we recognize ourselves as leaders?
To recognize everyday leaders and to focus on tapping into one’s inner potential to be a stronger leader, BAPS hosted the 7th Annual Women’s Conference, themed “Lead from Within” at 10 centers across North America. On March 22, over 1000 women gathered at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Stafford, to participate in this annual event. The conference is inspired by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, in an effort to highlight the empowering role of women in today’s society as leaders in their family, careers and communities.
Arpita Bhandari, Co-founder of BioUrja Trading, set the tone for the conference as the chief guest. She attended the event with four generations of her family and credited the foundation of her success to her mother and grandmother, who were central leaders in her life. Bhandari manages her accomplished career all the while keeping her family, culture and values at the forefront. Through her personal experiences, she inspired the audience to acknowledge the power that women hold and how to use their abilities to balance their lives and inspire change.
In the opening dialogue, Dimple Thaker, led an energetic and interactive exchange to identify the definition of a leader. With her unique, dynamic style, she went on to discuss that the definition of a leader encompasses all women in their various roles. Encouraging the audience to challenge the norm. Thaker invited everyone to accept their role as a leader with passion and confidence.
The conference proceeded to discuss the leadership essentials to make a stronger leader. Riddhi Bhatt, emphasized that while there are many avenues to build leadership, using spirituality as an anchor elevates the potential to be a powerful leader. Using relatable anecdotes and personal stories, she helped show how one can enhance their leadership through spirituality through its many benefits.
In delivering the closing talk of the conference, Sejal Patel, shared fundamental qualities exemplified by her ultimate role model, her guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj. With her distinctive use of symbolism she conveyed touching instances from his life demonstrating compassion, humility, and his ability to inspire change in others. In closing, she emphasized how his example provides courage, stability and guidance in everyday interactions and choices.
The theme of this year’s conference of “Lead from Within” struck a note with many in the audience. Sharing her thoughts on the conference, Punam Chhipwadia stated, “When we hear these women talk, we realize that anything is possible. We can find our own voice by hearing these women speak at events such as this. It is very important that we continue to grow in our faith so we can reach our potential.”
Gaining great inspiration from the 3 distinct speeches, Dr. Heena Thakkar shared her thoughts in saying, “The one thing I took away today is the motivation that I got from the inspiring young women and speakers to be the best leaders in our community.”
After attending the annual conference for the first time, attendee and first year pharmacy student Asha Bhatt stated, “Women have the ability to lead already within themselves. They just have to bring it out and spread it. This women’s conference was spectacular. I’m sure it instilled courage and confidence in every woman present, and it revolutionized the meaning of leadership.”
After the conference, attendees also enjoyed the opportunity to network and share their perspective on the talks of the day. Many also felt enriched and inspired by the conference and conveyed their motivation to share the message with their family and friends. Given the opportunity to focus on leadership as it relates to women, the conference provided not only a platform for great insight and discussion, but allowed for inspiration for younger generations.
About BAPS
The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a worldwide socio-spiritual organization in Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, is dedicated to community service, peace and harmony. Motivated by Hindu principles, BAPS strives to care for the world by caring for societies, families and individuals. Through a number of social and spiritual activities, BAPS endeavors to produce better citizens of tomorrow who have pride in their roots and their rich Hindu culture. Its 9,000 international centers, including more than 5,000 youth centers, support these activities of character building. Under the guidance and leadership of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, BAPS aspires to build a community that is morally, ethically and spiritually pure, and free of addictions.

For further details, visit www.baps.org
Contact: BAPS North American Headquarters
Phone: 732-777-1414
Email: media@na.baps.org SOURCE: BAPS