Since immigrating to the United Kingodom in the early 60’s, Gujarati Mochi’s formed organisations across the country, to continue religious and traditional practices and to try and feel at home in a new country.
It has been 36 years since Gujarati Arya Kshatriya Mahasabha-UK was established on 25th May 1975. It is the parent body of Mochi community association in the United Kingdom, and has associations established in Bradford, Birmingham, Coventry Leeds, Leicester, Luton, London, Greater Manchester, Preston, and Wellingborough.
Its membership also includes The Mahasabha Sports Association, which oversees all sporting activities. Each of these associations are involved in religious, social and cultural activities with the intention of creating unity amongst our community members. With the help of all these associations, Mahasabha has gained its strength in meeting its social, cultural and social objectives.
Currenlty the mochi community in the UK is made up of of over 3,000 families with a total population of approximately 15,000. In order to retain our cultural identity and educating others on Hinduism, both Mahasabha and its affiliated communities have encouraged and organised activities like cultural programs, graduation ceremonies, and sporting activities. This web site has been established to promote and spread the warmth of the Gujarati community in the United Kingdom.
GAKM UK’s members families originate from a state in North West India called Gujarat.
Since immigrating to the United Kingdom in the early 60’s, Gujarati Mochi’s formed organisations across the country, to continue religious and traditional practices and to try and feel at home in a new country. Gujarati Arya Kshatriya Mahasabha-UK was established on 25th May 1975. It is the parent body of Mochi community association in the United Kingdom, and has associations established in Bradford, Birmingham, Coventry Leeds, Leicester, Luton, London, Greater Manchester, Preston, and Wellingborough. Its membership also includes The Mahasabha Sports Association, which oversees all sporting activities.
Each of these associations are involved in religious, social and cultural activities with the intention of creating unity amongst our community members. With the help of all these associations, Mahasabha has gained its strength in meeting its social, cultural and social objectives. Currenlty the mochi community in the UK is made up of of over 3,000 families with a total population of approximately 15,000. In order to retain our cultural identity and educating others on Hinduism, both Mahasabha and its affiliated communities have encouraged and organised activities like cultural programs, graduation ceremonies, and sporting activities.
This web site has been established to promote and spread the warmth of the Gujarati community in the United Kingdom.
President’s Message
I am very proud to have been appointed for a third term as President of the Gujarati Arya Kshatriya Mahashabha UK (GAKM), with our last elections having taken place in Leicester in July 2024. Together with a new and dynamic Team, we will endeavour to serve the Affiliated Centres to the best of our abilities.
My father, the Late Subodhchandra Chavda, served as the first President of GAA London back in 1971 and continued for over 28 years. During that time, he also served as GAKM President for many years.
Since his passing, I have been actively involved in GAA London since 2000 and have served as Asst. Secretary, General Secretary and now serve as Vice President.
In 2019 I decided to stand as President of the GAKM as I wanted to make a real difference and make GAKM great again, as it used to be back in the day. Sadly, since 2015, most of the Cultural and Sporting activities seem to have diminished. One of the first approaches I took was to revamp the communications within the GAKM Affiliated Centres. I also directed there to be atleast a monthly meeting to find out what the other Centres were doing.
The GAKM represents a vibrant and diverse community in and amongst its nine affiliated Centres, which are as follows: Bradford, Birmingham, Leeds, Leicester, London, Luton, Manchester, Preston and Wellingborough.
Due to the ever changing dynamics of our community, the numbers in quite a few of the Centres have declined, with the many of the Third and Fourth Generations now no longer living in the same Centres as their parents. Consequently, those Centres find it very difficult to organise cultural or sporting events. This remains one of the biggest challenges for the GAKM.
With your help and support we will achieve our goal, which is to have a more stronger, vibrant and cohesive community, and make the GAKM the powerful Umbrella Organisation it once was, for the greater success of our community.
With best wishes,
Pradeep Chavda
President
Gujarati Arya Kshatriya Mahashabha UK (GAKM)
Executive Committee & Board of Trustees
At the last General Meeting, which was held in Leicester in July 2024, the following Executive Committee and Board of Trustees were elected:
Front Row (L to R):
Hitesh Chavda (Asst Sports Chair)
Panna Amilwalla (Asst Secretary)
Herhsey Champaneri (Secretary)
Pradeep Chavda (President)
Mitesh Chouhan (Vice President)
Mahesh Parmar (Treasurer)
Jitesh Chauhan (Asst Treasurer)
Kiran Parmar (Sport Chairman)
Back Row (L to R):
Shashikant Chouhan (Chair – Board of Trustees)
Bipin Parmar (Board of Trustees)
Rashmi Parmar (Board of Trustees)
Pradeep Bodhani (Board of Trustees)
Jasuben Chauhan (Not present – Board of Trustees)