OUR STORY

The India Association was founded over 25 years ago, the the late barrister Jaswant Singh, with the help of Lord Swaraj Paul and a number of other prominent Asian business men in Britain at the time.

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Initially, the objectives were political and social but under the chairmanship or Mr Dilbag S Chana MBE, the members set about reviewing the aims and the West London India Association became idependant from the National Branch in 1992.

 

Balwant "Bobby" Grewal became the Chairman of the India Association in 2001, at this point the organisation was registered as a charity (number 1094366). The aim of the India Association was to "provide relief from poverty, sickness and distress to those in need both in the UK and abroad" and this aim is still true today.

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As the Chairman of the India Association, Bobby (with the help of the Executive Committee and Advisors) has raised over £300,000 for various charities, through social functions, fundraisers, marathons and charity walks. Notable fundraising activities have included, ‘The Great Charity Walk’; (a 2,556 mile trek, from the northern city of Amritsar on the Indo-Pakistan border, to the city of Kanyakumari on the southernmost tip of India) and the ‘Parliament to Parliament Walk’, which started at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh and ended in London at the Houses of Parliament.

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Both of these walks were carried out by 79-year old Bobby, (with the help and support of India Association Executive members and Advisors), and raised £180,000 for Cancer and Aids charities in the UK and India.

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Bobby stepped down as Chairman of the India Association in 2022 and the committee voted in Rajan K. Sehgal, a successful entrepreneur with decades of experience in raising money for charity. Rajan, has strong ties with both the UK and his homeland India and wants to carry on with the foundations that have been built by Bobby to raise funds for those who most need help.

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