- Monday, April 29, 2024
The initiative, which serves more than 1,000 men from South Asia from Barking, Sutton, Kent and South-end communities, has expanded to include women and children.
By: Shubham Ghosh
HIMANSHU JAIN, co-founder of a charity cricket community catering to south Asian men, was on Wednesday (10) honoured with prime minister Rishi Sunak’s Points of Light Award. The UK’ department of culture, media and sport said in a release.
Jain, who hails from London, took the initiative that serves more than 1,000 men from South Asia from Barking, Sutton, Kent and South-end communities by offering them cricket opportunities ranging from introductory sessions to professional leagues in which over 200 members take part.
The club has expanded since formal beginning in 2021 and includes women and children in coaching sessions and team formations. Today, it even hosts tournaments, including the ‘Bharat Premier League’ at regular intervals.
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Under Jain’s guidance, the club also promotes community unity through award ceremonies, family days, and Dandiya events, providing a platform for the broader community to connect with and celebrate South Asian culture.
The club also encourages its members to reciprocate, with many volunteering in local sports and rotary events, such as the London Marathon. They also help Jain in creating awareness and raising funds for his ‘Leprosy Control Programme’, an initiative he has taken to address the disease in South Asia.
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Apart from cricket, Jain plays a pivotal role in leading and aiding various charities, including the ‘Barking & Ilford United Charities’, an alms-house charity currently undergoing rejuvenation, and ‘Lola’s Homeless Ladder’, an East London charity assisting over 500 homeless individuals weekly.
Besides, he collaborates with the ‘Institute of Jainology’ to enhance the ‘Jainpedia initiative’, which focuses on digitizing, translating, and transliterating over 5,000 manuscripts housed in British museums and libraries.
Jain will also assume the role of district governor for Rotary in London for the 2024-25 term.
The award for Jain comes ahead of the festivals of Vaisakhi and Mahavir Janm Kalyanak.
Speaking about the award, he said, “I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive the prime minister’s Points of Light award. This recognition is a testament to the collective efforts of the Bharat Cricket Community, my fellow trustee and co-founder Prasanth, and the numerous community and humanitarian initiatives I’ve been privileged to be part of, both locally
and globally, such as the Leprosy Control Programme in India, which I am championing in the UK.
“I am grateful for this acknowledgment and inspired to continue making a positive impact in our communities.”
The Points of Light awards, which recognise people who are bringing a change in their community and inspiring others, was first launched in April 2014.
Each weekday, someone, somewhere in the country is selected to receive the award to celebrate their remarkable achievements.
Jain is the 2,312th recipient of the award.
