A huge well done to Suraj Bafna (Clinical Delivery Lead, Oxfordshire) who was recently awarded the prestigious OneJAIN Young Persons Award at a ceremony held at the House of Commons. OneJAIN is a collective body of over 35 Jain organisations in the UK representing organisations in government and interfaith matters.
The Young Persons Award is given to a person under the age of 40 within the entire Jain community in the UK for their spirit of selflessness, dedication and service and who makes a significant impact so that their good work can be inspirational to others.
The citation that was read out when Suraj was presented his award included:
Suraj’s journey of service and commitment stretches far and wide, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of countless individuals within our community. His contributions are vast and varied, each one a testament to his commitment to the betterment of our community. From spearheading the delivery of medical series during the challenging days of the Covid lockdown to securing crucial NHS funding for diabetes awareness programs, Suraj has consistently gone above and beyond to serve our community with distinction.
Suraj has generously volunteered his expertise as a physiotherapist at various health camps, earning the admiration and gratitude of countless individuals within our community. As a physiotherapist, he has not only delivered invaluable lectures on health issues but has also provided unwavering support to individuals, demonstrating his commitment to the health and well-being of all Jains.
Suraj tells us more about receiving this fantastic award:
I was nominated by the president of one of the Jain organisations I am secretary for, but I never expected to win. I’ve only lived in the UK for seven years so thought other people would win over me. They told me that as soon as they saw my nomination that I was deserving of the award and it was an easy decision. Winning was quite overwhelming, everyone in the community has been so lovely and I received so many congratulatory messages and well wishes. It also became a big thing in India, everyone was very proud.
When I accepted my award, my message was that nobody has seen tomorrow, so do things for today. Whatever you’re doing, whether it’s work, community service or your home life, we don’t know what tomorrow holds for us, so don’t waste time and do it today. I’m so grateful for all the lovely feedback I’ve had since winning. Some great achievers in our community, people with OBEs and MBEs have congratulated me on my work. I’m so thankful and proud of that and it’s also motivated me to do more.
I’ve worked at Connect for five years now and if it wasn’t for Connect a lot of the factors that contributed to my award wouldn’t have been possible. I’ve learnt so much through working here and I have great respect and gratitude towards the company for making me who I am today. The clinical skills demonstrated are second to none but also the leadership qualities shine through. The People Centred value is evident by the investment in colleagues and the training and support – I’ve learnt transferable skills which I can apply in my community work. I have 100% appreciation for Connect and the support I’ve received.
Huge congratulations Suraj, on this very well-deserved award!
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