CLiPS – How it all started in San Jose (South Bay), California
Ramesh D. Patel
Founder and Incorporating President
Date: November 15, 2004
When I moved to San Jose in August 1974, there were very few Indians and very few Gujaratis, especially Charotar Patels. The Patels in the San Francisco Bay Area are mostly from Surat District, in the Motel business. CLiPS Patels were rare!
Most of the new generation born and brought-up in the United States of America had reached the age where they were eagerly in search of a perfect life partner. This was when most of the youth and their parents experienced difficulties which they never expected in this country of opportunity. Patidars of Charotar culture were scattered all over the United States and it was impossible for most of the families to address the matrimonial needs of their young adults, where they don’t even know how to contact the community members and their whereabouts.
We had started India Cultural Association (ICA) of South Bay in mid seventies where I became an active participant in the Indian community activities and ultimately became President of the ICA in 1988. By then, there was a large number of Gujarati, and even CLiPS Patels moved in the area. However, Patels were dominated from Surat District. To all Patel kids, all Patels from Surat District and have no knowledge of Charotar or any distinguish cultural values of CLiPS Patels.
So, at the end of 1989, at request of many in the CLiPS community, I planted seeds with help from other key community CLiPS leaders like Jayanti Patel, Pravin J. Patel… by drafting the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws and started non-profit incorporation activities with the State of California and held the first CLiPS Picnic event in summer of 1990. We had established a dynamic and versatile first founding and incorporating board for the CLiPS organization with the following goals and activities:
First of all, our community needed a national level of Charotar Patidars directory. The project started in 1990 and after 3 years of hard work of many, in 1992, CLiPS has published the first directory (excerpts provided here) which was distributed in USA, India and UK.
Articles of incorporation and By-Laws were drafted by Ramesh (RD) Patel and finalized with the first founding board. The founding board was picked by core team comprised of Ramesh (RD) Patel, Jayanti M. Patel, Pravin J. Patel and Niranjan Desai. It should be noted that Pravin J. Patel was president of Gujarati Cultural Association (GCA) of Bay Area in 1988.
CLiPS incorporating (founding) board was comprised of 11 members as follows:
· Ramesh (RD) Patel, President
· Suryakant M. Patel, Vice President
· Pravin J. Patel, Treasurer
· Indu D. Patel, Secretary
· Niranjan D. Desai, Joint Secretary
· Jayanti M. Patel, Director
· Bhupendra F. Patel, Director
· Arvind. C. Desai, Director
· Jayantibhai C. Patel, Director
· Punam P. Patel, Director
· Natubhai Patel, Director
· Establish Charotar gams and Gors and expand the Patidar community to include Patels with origins in Kheda, Amdavad and Vadodara Districts.
· Create and pass on our legacy of cultural values and a forum with a community voice to the next generation.
· Strengthen community bond and social cohesiveness among CLiPS Patidars and other Indian communities. Provide matrimonial and social services to the CLiPS community in meeting the community needs.
· Maintain and coordinate liaison with other CLiPS organizations within USA and abroad.
· Provide and promote moral and financial support to the Patidar community and others in a crisis of need including during a disaster or a natural calamity.
· Establish an Evergreen Club to support and satisfy needs of our elderly, develop youth programs to support our youth and women auxiliary to promote CLiPS patidar community and social values among women and families.
· Develop CLiPS patidars database in helping our future matrimonial and other community needs and establish a community center in the South Bay Area.
As the time changes and our community needs changes, we will continue to adjust our social and cultural values by encouraging our youth and younger members of our community to become more active in the CLiPS leadership and promote activities to satisfy next generation youth and community needs.