Hindu Society: Social Secretary

I know what it feels like to sit in a room and not quite see yourself reflected. In school, Hindu festivals passed quietly, and cultural expression felt subdued. Coming to university and seeing Hindu Society operate like an extended family was transformative. The socials, the laughter, the easy belonging - it showed me what representation can feel like when it is alive and visible.

My own journey with faith taught me the power of community over ritual. When I volunteered at my temple - reluctantly at first - I thought I was giving up my time for something abstract. But through conversations, through serving prasad, through hearing stories of how the temple supported people in their most vulnerable moments, I understood that community is built in the small things. It’s built in shared meals, shared jokes, shared celebrations.

As Social Secretary, I want to intentionally craft those in-between moments. From Welcome Mela to Rangeela socials and Hindu Society Families (and even IPL auctions), I want every event to feel warm, inclusive and thoughtful. I want first years - especially those who, like me, may not have grown up surrounded by Hindu representation - to walk into their first social and immediately feel at home. Beyond organising events, I want to create spaces where friendships form naturally, where no one feels like an outsider, and where our society truly feels like family.

My name is Srishti, and I am running for Social Secretary for Hindu Soc because this society has genuinely been the highlight of my year. From my very first Hindu soc mixer l have felt so included and welcome, and I have made some of my closest friends there- I would love to give back the same! My background in Spiritual Sai Education has given me valuable experience in community outreach and event organisation. Through SSE, I’ve taken part in Christmas visits to care homes, visited Buddhist Peace Pagodas, and spoken to young people about faith, spirituality, and values. These experiences strengthened my confidence, communication skills, and ability to connect with people from all backgrounds.

Naturally I love bringing people together, and meeting new people through events ran by Hindu Soc has been key this year for me (such as D-Ball and Garba)- I want to extend this to others by making our social calendar even more vibrant, inclusive, and creative. Some ideas I’d love to introduce include rangoli-making competitions, diya painting nights and mehendi workshops around festive celebrations like Diwali and Holi, as well as friendly competitions, Bollywood-themed socials, and garba/ dandiya practice sessions before Navratri! Cultural games nights and collaborative events with other faith and cultural societies is another aim of mine, as I believe religion is something to be appreciated and shared with people from all backgrounds, not just our own!

I'm standing for social secretary because I love the sense of community within hindu society and I'd love to build on that. I think socials play such a big role in shaping such a friendly and warm atmosphere - especially in forming friendships and feeling truly included. From helping out at events in other societies and seeing the time, effort and teamwork invested at hindu soc events such as rangeela and Diwali ball, I've seen how much impact well-planned socials can have on engagement, turnout and outcome. If elected, I'd love to introduce a mix of themed socials, smaller bonding events and activities that bring people together beyond the main religious society events. 

I am standing for Social Secretary because I want to help deliver the energy, inclusivity, and unforgettable community spirit that makes UCL Hindu Society one of the biggest and most exciting cultural societies at UCL. From Garba, Diwali Ball, Holi, and Rangeela to new socials across the year, Hindu Society helped me and many other first years to make UCL their home, and I want to build on that by creating events that are not only engaging, but genuinely bring people together.

I’ll work towards ensuring that HSoc is a second home — a place where they can celebrate culture, make lasting friendships, and create the kind of university memories they’ll carry long after UCL. With strong organisational experience, calm execution under pressure, and a genuine love for community-building, I’m ready to help make this year bigger, better, and even more connected.

If elected, I will focus on well-planned, creative, and welcoming socials: strong freshers integration through Welcome Mela, memorable cast and committee socials during Rangeela season, and activities that appeal to both highly involved members and people attending for the first time.

Vote Tanmaye Shagotra for Hindu Soc Social Secretary!

I’m applying for the role of Social Secretary as I enjoy organising events and creating opportunities for people to connect and have a great time together. I have previous experience doing something similar in the past in my school.

Throughout school, I played a major role in organising and leading charity initiatives, helping raise over £30,000 for charitable causes through fundraising campaigns and community events. This required planning events, coordinating teams, and encouraging people to get involved, which helped me develop strong organisational and leadership skills.

Alongside this, I also founded my school’s Economics & Finance Society, where I organised events that brought students together and built a strong community around shared interests.

Best of all, I’m just a fun guy to be around.

If you vote for me, I’ll use my expertise to organise the BEST events for HSoc this year. Thanks for reading.

I’m applying for Social Secretary because I believe community is at the heart of religion. Hinduism has always brought people together in my life through festival celebrations, temple gatherings or family events and I’d love to recreate that same warmth within Hindu Soc. Festivals like Diwali and Holi aren’t just religious occasions for me because they’re also  moments of joy, unity and shared identity. I’d aim to organise inclusive and vibrant social events that allow members to celebrate their faith while also building friendships and connections. I’ve always loved being part of Hindu Soc and the atmosphere it creates, and I’d be excited to help strengthen that sense of belonging even further. Having first hand experienced the warmth of Hindu Soc through its events like Diwali Ball, Families Games Night, Sanskaar sessions etc, I want to help spread this to others.