Unveiling of the 37-acre Texas Hindu Camp in Columbus, Texas
Children having fun swimming at the newly unveiled Texas Hindu Camp in Columbus, Texas. Photos by Bijay Dixit.
COLUMBUS, Texas: Nestled in a wooded area in Columbus, about 70 miles from Houston, the first campground built with the Hindu American youth in mind, was formally unveiled to the community on July 27, even as the 40th annual Hindu Heritage Youth Camp was in progress at the site.
Names of guests at Texas Hindu campsite on July 27 at Columbus, Colorado county, July 27,24 Front row from left to rightVijay Pallod – Judge Surendran Pattel – Abhijeet Utturkar, Fulshear Councilmember District – Sri Subhash Gupta – Colorado County Judge Honorable Ty Prause – Fort Bend County Commissioner Pct 3 Andy Meyers – Sri Brahma Aggarwal – City of Sta/ord Mayor Mr. Ken Mathew – Colorado County Commissioner, Precinct 1 Doug Wessels – Colorado County Commissioner, Precinct 3 Keith Neuendor/ Second Rowfrom left to right: City of Columbus Councilmember Place 2 Ronny Daley– Julie Prause – Carina Alonso – Jennifer Knesek – District Assistant, State Senator Joan Hu/man – James Pressler – District Director for State Representative Gary Gates – Don McCoy – Mayor Fulshear – Bobby Eberly – Fort Bend County Republican Party Chair – Matthew Benavidez – District Liaison, Texas House Representative Stan Kitzman – Swapan Dhairyawan – Ramesh Cherivirala – Shri Rajendra Khaitan from Vidya Bharti – Colorado County Commissioner Elect Precinct 1 Shannon Owers – Vivek Shukla member of HHYC steering committee – Maneesh Mehra First youth camp director – Seshadri Kumar – Bharat Pallod member of HHYC steering committee member
Built as a bridge between all of the Hindu communities across Texas that in need of a unique place of gathering, the 37-acre campsite, built at a cost of $6 million, has eight cabins to host 240 people. It has a large, multipurpose hall with dining facility for all the campers, a swimming pool and a covered full-size basketball and more amenities to be added in the future.
In addition to hosting the youth camp during the summer, the site will function as a retreat center for various gatherings, wellness programs and spiritual retreats.
Columbus City Councilmember Ronny Daley and State Sen. Joan Hufman’s district director Jennifer Knesek participate in the tree planting ceremony at the newly opened Texas Hindu Campsite with Swapan Dhairyavan, left, Fulshear City Councilman Abhijeet Unturkar, Subhash Gupta, Fort Bend County Commissioner Andy Meyers, Colorado County Judge Ty Prause and Colorado County Commissioner Keith Neuendorff. Texas Hindu Campsite is located at 1655 Smith Rau Road, Columbus, Tx.
Subhash Gupta, one of the founder-directors of the non-profit organization, who spearheaded the dream project, first bought the land in 2019 and with his wife Sarojini donated $1.75 million to kick-start the campsite construction.
Gupta was rightly proud to address the invited audience and explain how the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp had a transformational effect on the youth by educating them on the Hindu culture, while simultaneously fostering independent thinking, leadership qualities and nurturing the youth to become exemplary citizens.
Young campers learn to be self-reliant while building friendships that often turn into lifelong relationships. Some have even found life partners at the camp, he said stated.
Camp counselors and participants gave their first-hand testimony on the overwhelming popularity of the annual camp where the youth get a life-molding education just as their schools and colleges offered academic education.
Newly constructed campsite buildings.
Hindus of Greater Houston has been sponsoring the youth camp for the past many years. Vijay Pallod, a representative of the HGH, is also a spokesman for the Texas Hindu Campsite, along with Gupta.
Vijay Pallod’s wife, Sushma, known as the “Camp Chef” who personally cooks food for the camp attendees for nearly three decades, was visibly moved as She thanked Gupta for establishing the campsite. It was originally Sushma’s idea that the Hindu Youth Camp should have its own campsite and the vision has now become a reality for her.
The formal dedication ceremony began with the lighting of the lamp by Colorado County Judge Ty Purse Prause. Colorado County Commissioners Doug Wessels and Keith Neuendorff and Commissioner-elect Shannon Owers also attended.
The dignitaries also planted a tree to signify the inauguration of the campsite.
County Judge Ty Prause his remarks welcomed the Texas Hindu Campsite as a valuable addition the community and thanked the organizers for educating the community about the laudable activities at the campsite.
Other elected officials who attended the ceremony included Columbus City Councilmember Ronny Daley, Fort Bend County Commissioner Andy Meyers, Fort Bend County 240th State District Judge Surendran Pattel, Stafford Mayor Ken Mathew, Fulshear Mayor Don McCoy, Fulshear Councilmember Abhijeet Utturkar and Fort Bend County GOP Chair Bobby Eberle.
Indo American Conservatives of Texas President Bijay Dixit and board members Swapan Dhairyawan and Ramesh Cherivirala facilitated the participation of the elected officials.
Governor Greg Abbott sent a congratulatory message to the Texas Hindu Campsite.
Bjijay Dixit presented Letter of recognition sent by Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Texas Senator John Cornyn in a video message highlighted the contributions of the Indian American community and appreciated the opening of the Texas Hindu Campsite.
Jennifer Knesek, district director for State Sen. Joan Huffman, James Pressler district director for State Rep. Gary Gates and Matthew Benavidez District Director for State Rep. Stan Kitzman presented certificates of appreciation.
Swapan Dhairyawan presented letters of appreciation from Sugar Land City Councilmembers Carol McCutcheon and Naushad Kermally.
Maneesh Mehra, who had attended the Hindu Youth Camp several years and was himself First youth director, was the master of ceremonies. He eloquently presented the past, present and future of campsite.