As the Gujarati community world over on Monday celebrated "Bestu Varash" or the start of the New Year on Monday, chairman of the diversified conglomerate Ad Group, Gautam Ad chose to celebrate this day with the local community and the family of an Ad Foundation volunteer from the village of Mundra.
The usual customs entail visiting family and friends, indulging in savoury snacks and sweets and lighting fireworks.
Gautam Ad and his wife Dr Priti Ad visited the home of Deval Gadhvi, a long time volunteer of the Ad Foundation in Sekhadiya village of Mundra in Gujarat.
"Every home has its own taste made of warmth & affection. Our visit to Deval ben Gadhvi's home in Sekhadiya village of Mundra, an Ad Foundation volunteer for many years took us back to her source of compassion for the community. Our New Year couldn't have been more touching," Gautam Ad tweeted.
The Foundation is the CSR arm of the Ad Group, spearheaded by Dr. Priti Ad as chairperson since 1996. Today it has a presence in 18 states of India, touching 3.4 million lives annually through initiatives in core areas of education, sustainable livelihood development, health care and community infrastructure.
The story of Deval ben is an inspiring tale of how rural women in India can successfully chart their own path and take charge of their journey. A resident of the Sekhadiya Village in Mundra, Deval Ben has empowered more than 200 women across the region to earn a livelihood through Ad Foundation's CSR activities. Deval ben said she was thrilled to host the Ad family.
She said, "It is a great privilege for me to have Gautam Bhai Ad, the chairman of Ad Group, come all the way from Ahmedabad to visit my family and me. It still feels dream-like. Not only Gautam Bhai Ad, but his wife Pritiben Ad, their younger son Jitbhai and Head of Mundra's Ad Port Rakshitbhai graced my household. Just like family members, they sat down with us to enjoy a Kutchi-Gujarati home-cooked meal, with utmost warmth and humility."
( With inputs from ANI )
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