our history

The T.I.S.I Sangam Society was officially inaugurated on August 8, 1982 at Riley Park Community Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, and was duly registered with the Registrar of Companies of the Government of British Columbia on November 30, 1982. The following members that were present in this historic Inaugural General Meeting are listed below as they signed in:

The first Board of Directors were elected to establish guidelines in the promotion of Sangam Society (see picture above).

In the early years and as time progressed, it took much hard work, dedication, and perseverance to establish the Society as we were not very well-known here. As new immigrants, financial resources were limited; however, the members were very optimistic and showed great faith, courage, and determination to achieve success. 

The Directors focused on membership drives and in a very short time, we had approximately 300 families listed in our membership roll. Most of the religious and cultural festivals that we celebrate today were being observed since the inception of the Society. As the membership grew and became more diversified, so did the festivities and the rituals over the years. 

In late 1984 and back-dated to January 1, 1983, we acquired Income Tax Exemption status for charitable donations from the Federal Government of Canada, which enabled the Society to receive more donations and attain financial stability. 

As we began to accumulate funds, the Board of Directors decided to have a cultural centre or a temple, and towards this end, the members scouted around and located a four-acre property with a house on Odlin Street in Richmond, BC. Th Society purchased this property for $193,000. In order to secure the mortgage, for security reasons the banking institutions demanded several guarantors on the loan. The following members volunteered to guarantee the loan despite carrying heavy mortgages themselves on their own homes, and these stalwarts were: Palmerchetty (P.C.) Appalsami, Balrama Gounder, Ram Lingam Gounder, Vishwa Nadan Mudaliar, Kupp Swami Naicker, Paidanna Naidu, Wasu Dewan Naidu, Raj Gopal Pillai, Murgessan Reddy, and Paras Ram Reddy.

This property was later sold for $885,000 and elevated the financial status of Sangam Society significantly.  This allowed the Society in 1988 to purchase a 5-acre parcel of land on Westminster Highway in Richmond, BC.

In 1986, our sporting body was initiated by Balrama Gounder. This body ran the Sangam Annual Soccer Tournament. This popular event attracted huge gatherings and the competition and camaderie was simply phenomenal. The following year, Lognadan Rao started the Snooker Tournament. And in 1997, Anil Suranna organized the first Annual Golf Tournament.

Since 1988 to present, Sangam Society has been recognized as an authorized religious authority to recommend qualified individuals to obtain a license to solemize marriages under the provisions of the Marriage Act of the Province of British Columbia. We are grateful to all the Society Pundits for their exemplary service to this Organization. They are: Pt. Muni Chaube, Pt. Bal Krishna Dass, Pt. Ram Murti, Pt. Munsami Gounder, Pt. Andrew Ram Lingam, Pt. Shiu Madri, Pt. Raj Kumaran Krishnan, Pt. Ajay Sharma, and Pt. Ram Lingham. 

"Along with the sunshine, there's got be rain sometimes..." The members of this great organization, also went through some unfortunate political upheavals and rough thunderstorms for a period of approximately two years from early 1990 - 1992. The Society suffered severe stress in membership, families were disrupted into political parties, we were the subject of public ridicule and criticism in the community and Society activities were somewhat dampened. Eventually, the dispute had to be resolved in the Court of Law at a severe financial drain to the Society and basically of no gain to any member or party. This was a lesson never to be forgotten, and God willing, never to be repeated again. 

Since the resolution, it took many, many years to re-unite families and members together and bring the sad past to a closure. The Society was rebuilt and restored its dignity and credibility. 

The year 1992 was a turning point in the Society's history. In that year, in order to meet the needs of our members, we purchased a second property at 8920 Charles Street, Richmond, BC. A "Task Force Committee" was formed under the chairmanship of Wasu Dewan Naidu to renovate the building into a Cultural Centre. The committee members worked tirelessly and volunteered well over 400-hours of service to create what became known as the Sangam Centre. A big thank you to the following Task Force Committee members: Paras Ram Reddy, Hari Chand Gopal, Pt. Ram Lingham, Meeraiya (Dan) Nagurm Kupp Swami Naicker, Shakuntla Rao, Richard Narayan, Ganesh Gopal, James Reddy, Rudra Nand Swami, Pt. Bal Krishna Dass, Gopal Krishna, James Surendra, Sheila Mani Pandaram, Surend Nadrajan, Hari Narayan Nair, Subra Mani, Muniappa Naidu, Gopal Raman, Ramlu (Bob) Lingam, Lognadan Rao, Davend Singh, and Rajendra Nath. Many other members also contirbuted to this project by way of supplying tools, equipment, donation of building materials, meals for volunteers, etc. It truly was a community project. 

The new Sangam Centre opened its doors on the day of Deepawali Celebrations and Flag Hoisting ceremony on October 17, 1992 in a grand celebration with a large number of devotees present. What was once only a dream was now turning into a reality!

In 1993, in keeping up with our Society's mandate on youth development, and along the lines of T.I.V. Sangam in Fiji, we formed the Valibar Sangam Association of British Columbia. Since then Valibar Sangam became responsible for promoting and organizing most of the sporting activities. In 1999, hosted the first Sangam World Cup Soccer Tournament in Vancouver, British Columbia and subsequently again in 2005.  

In 1994, Wasu Dewan Naidu, printed the first Society calendar. This calendar project has run annually since and is offered free of charge to the community thanks to the support of individual and business sponsors. 

September 12, 1999, the Maathar Sangam Association of British Columbia - a wing of the parent body Sangam was formed in an Inaugural General Meeting. The following officials and directors were elected by acclamation: Shakuntla Naidu (President), Vimla Naicker (Vice-President), Salita Surendra (Vice-President), Rohini Murti (Secretary), Anjala Naidu (Treasurer), Sushila Suranna (Director), Kartiani Swamy (Director), Raj Chand (Director), Sundramma Rao (Director), Gina Naidu (Director), and Shakuntala Rao (Director).

Members of Maathar Sangam provided much needed assistance to the parent body during religious and cultural activities throughout the year. They also taught and offered Hindi language and Bharatnatyam classes at the Sangam Centre for our youth. In turn, these youth played a major role by participating in various programs of the parent body and other various community organizations.  The parent body was very much indebted with appreciation to Maathar Sangam Association for donating their funds raised through various fundraising activities towards the mortgage  payout of our Society throughout the years. 

Originally, the Society was registered as "Sangam Educational and Cultural Society of British Columbia." In March of 2000, in an effort to highlight the true definition and purpose of our Society, by Special Resolution, the members changed the name to "Then India Sanmarga Ikya Sangam Educational an dCultural Society."

The year 2001 was of special significance in that a milestone was achieved for the Sangam Society- when the final mortgage payout was completed with a full discharge from the lending institute. Sangam Society owned two properties in the city of Richmond debt-free!

As the saying goes, "Service to Mankind is Worship to God." Since 1984, we have helped victims of numerous hurricane and flood disasters in Fiji, and we have also donated towards the plague relieve in Jaipur, India. The Society has worked closely with Red Cross International on several charitable projects over the years. 

In keeping up with the Society's principles and ideologies, we have raised $5,000.00 Canadian in support of the construction of the beautiful Sri Siva Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Nadi, Fiji Islands - a unique monumental temple in the Southern hemisphere. Moreover, the Coup D'Tat of the late 1980s in FIji, an ad-hoc committee was set up as "Save the Suva Sangam Centre" in Suva, Fiji Islands. In 1989, a plea for help was received by Kupp Swamy Naicker in Vancouver who spearheaded a committee made up of prominent members of Sangam Society and others. This committee raised $13,000FJD to assist Suva Sangam branch in aid of the Belo Street property (temple and hall) which as in financial difficulties. 

Sangam Society received a cry for help from ISKCON Socierty in USA when all their assets were frozen by the Supreme Court of United States of America. Sangam Society raised a substantial cash donation in aid of ISKCON Society to pay towards their legal fees to fight the Supreme Court to reverse its decision, which ultimately did happen. 

Another milestone year for the Society was 2009. In 2009, the Sangam Society sold their two properties in Richmond, and purchased our current property at 9326 116th Street, Delta, BC. This property, our new home, with the help of numerous volunteers and donors, was renovated into a temple and hall. 

We also acknowledge with deep gratitude the help received over the years from various financial institutions, business enterprises, professional architects, trades people, realtors, talented musicians and artists, bhajan mandalis and speakers who have contributed significantly with their knowledge, expertise, and donation towards the well-being and prosperity of Sangam for the benefit of our members - our Society and the community at large.

We look forward towards a continuation of a strong and unified body - Sangam - to serve our needs and that of our future generations. 

"Never doubt that small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead