Amongst various festivities in the inauguration of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robbinsville, New Jersey, was the APC Alumni Convention. Over 500 alumni of the BAPS hostels in Vallabh Vidyanagar, Nadiad, Atladara (Baroda), Surat, Bhavnagar, Mehsana, Dhule, Ukai, Bardoli and Adipur celebrated a grand reunion on August 9, 2014 in the presence of Sadguru Pujya Mahant Swami.
The program began with dhun and kirtan by Pujya Yogikirtan Swami accompanied by Pujya Shwetmuni Swami. Pujya Viveknidhi Swami and APC students shared common experiences and reminisced about their time in hostel. Pujya Sadhujivan Swami and Pujya Yagnapriya Swami addressed the convention through a pre-recorded video. Interspersed between these speeches was a ghazal by Pujya Aksharvandan Swami and Manishbhai Bhagat. Before the group photo sessions, Sadguru Pujya Mahant Swami spoke about Yogiji Maharaj’s wish to promote character-based education amongst students by establishing these hostels. The reunion presented an opportunity for the students to meet and network with their batch mates. With a welcomed feeling of nostalgia, everyone went for darshan of Swamishri.