BAPS - In the Spirit of Service by Neel

BAPS - In the Spirit of Service by Neel - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

For those of you that don't know, BAPS is a Hindu religious group led by its guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Founded in 1907 in India, BAPS has spread its influence throughout the world including Africa, Europe, and North America. Following the motto of its guru,"In the joy of others, lies our own," BAPS has built over 3,000 mandirs (Hindu place of worship) worldwide, helped countless number of children, built hospitals and schools, and spiritually guided millions of souls.
Ever since I was a child, I have been a part of BAPS. I have attended weekly Gujarati classes, piano classes, and cultural classes at my local mandir. I have participated in dances and sports tournaments through the mandir. Growing up in this type of environment, surrounded by these types of people really opened up my mind to what giving back really means. My teachers in the Gujarati classes and cultural classes were all high school students and some college students. From a young age, I was able to watch them and learn from them. I learned to care about the people around me, respect my elders, stay humble, and make good choices. Throughout elementary school and middle school, I participated in the annual Walk-A-Thons hosted by BAPS Charities. I sacrificed my time to go around and raise money for hurricane victims, cancer patients, and those less fortunate. The amount of money I was able to raise at that young age was not much, but it taught me to give back to the community and help those that need it.
When I entered high school, I was given the responsibility of becoming a teacher in the weekly cultural classes. I was put in charge of kids as little as age 7. It was a big responsibility, but I knew it was now my turn to imbibe in the kids the message that my teachers gave to me, "In the joy of others, lies our own." From my freshman year of high school to now, I have spent thousands of hours with these kids to make sure they get the same nourishment that I got. I teach them about our culture, help them with schoolwork, talk to them about any problems they have, play sports with them, and most importantly, remind them to always care about each other and give back to the community. There is no better feeling than being able to know that you are directly affecting the lives of so many children in a positive way.
Since my freshman year of high school, not only have I volunteered my time as a teacher, but I have also volunteered with BAPS Charities on a number of projects. Every year, BAPS holds a Walk-A-Thon and I raise money by going door to door and also raise money by sacrificing some of the things that I want. The annual Walk-A-Thons are always a great event with the central theme being to give back to the community. The Edison, NJ chapter of BAPS has raised money for planting trees, funding local hospitals, helping disaster victims, and feeding the less fortunate. I am proud to say that I have been able to contribute to this effort. Another BAPS Charities project is the annual Medical Camp. Every year doctors from around the community come in and give free screenings, consultation, and advice to those that can't always access proper healthcare. As an aspiring doctor, this is one of my favorite events because I get to experience the thrill of helping others and saving lives a little early. BAPS has not stopped here. The organization continues its commitment to giving back through blood drives, clothing drives, food drives, community clean up days, and much more.
I have been very fortunate to be a part of such a great organization like BAPS. I have been able to learn the importance of giving back from an early age and carry it with me through the rest of my life. With the help of BAPS, I hope to continue my volunteering because in the spirit of service, we can.