Royal honor in Rotterdam for Dr. Vijay Gangadin on 150 years of Hindustani Immigration – Dagblad Suriname

On Monday the 5th of June, the King of the Netherlands Willem Alexander appointed Dr. Vijay Gangadin from Rotterdam as a Knight in the Honorary Order of Orange-Nassau. This is a sign of gratitude for his many years of volunteer activities in the Netherlands and Suriname.

The presentation took place at the initiative of Ramon Ramsodit, president of Satya Dharma and former municipal councilor of the PvdA. Ramsodit says that he knows Mr. Gangadin due to the various roles he has fulfilled for a long time in the social and cultural sphere, in Rotterdam and Suriname. His efforts transcend the boundaries of cities and countries, because he has also succeeded in connecting the efforts of the Surinamese diaspora with the development of Suriname.

What made him eligible for the award was his dedication to the development and emancipation of Rotterdammers in general and especially to the Hindustani community in Rotterdam and the surrounding area. Mr. Gangadin is best known from the Apna Foundation in Rotterdam. It is to his credit that 2 important days, Diwali and Holi, of the Hindu community are now part of the intangible cultural heritage of the Netherlands.

International networks are important for the economy of a city like Rotterdam. Mr. Gangadin also contributes to this. He has been doing this since 2018 in his additional role as legal director of the Suriname Netherlands Chamber Foundation, a separate unit within the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Ram Rambaratsingh, advisor of Satya Dharma, says that Mr. Gangadin is a role model for Hindustani youth, including being a motivational speaker for students and aspiring professionals, but also through his network connections. By doing so, it contributes to the further development of the work of these young people.

Monday marked the 150th anniversary of the Hindustani Migration. The fact that King Willem Alexander decorated Mr. Gangadin and Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau is a crown and recognition of the work that Mr. Gangadin has kept it for years.