To the attention of: Members of NYC Council Committee on Parks and Recreation
NYC Committee on Parks and Recreation Hearing on Dec 17, 2020
Ref: Pandit Ramlall Way T2020-6964
Co-Naming 1 block of 133rd Street between Liberty Ave & 105th Ave in Queens
Good morning. Thank you, Chairman CM Peter Koon and members of the Committee on Parks and Recreation. I am Ashook Ramsaran giving this testimony on behalf of our Committee for co-naming 1 block as Pandit Ramlall Way in honor of late Dharmacharya Pandit Ramlall. We are grateful to CM Adrienne Adams who has approved and supported this petition from its inception to honor a long time stalwart of the community.
We are seeking your approval for co-naming 1 block of 133rd Street between Liberty Ave & 105th Ave in Queens as Pandit Ramlall Way, in honor of the late Dharmacharya Pandit Ramlall, a selfless and avid community advocate, who passed away on January 26, 2019 in Queens, New York at the age of 91 years.
There is overwhelming community board, residents, religious, business and organizational support for this application (over 5,000 signatures, dozens of letters of support and petitions submitted), submitted in the form of a comprehensive 90-page volume, in particular the Arya Spiritual Center of New York (ASC-NY) founded by late Dharmacharya Pandit, same being extensively used for various community events, including the annual Gandhi Peace March, Diwali Parade, Ramayana in the Park, etc. ASC-NY is located at 104-36 133rd Street in Ozone Park where we are seeking to co-name the 1 block of 133rd Street between Liberty Ave and 105th Ave.
As can be seen from his extensive biography, the late Dharmacharya Pandit Ramlall was a well-respected iconic spiritual leader and scholar, a pioneering community advocate who has been recognized locally and internationally for his life-long community service. He founded the annual Phagwah (Holi) Parade in New York and Queens Borough President declared March 23, 2003, at “Pandit Ramlall Day”. He was indeed a tremendous asset to the community with a lifetime of service to spirituality, justice, and freedom.
All protocols and procedures for the application filing have been diligently followed: Meetings with CM Adrienne Adams, community board members, and other supporters.
Queens is the most diverse community and the late Dharmacharya Pandit Ramlall represented the best and brightest among us. Our community eagerly looks forward to this New York City Council’s approval.
With appreciation for your kind consideration,
Ashook Ramsaran
Committee for Co-naming 1 block of 133rd Street between Liberty Ave & 105th Ave, Queens
In honor of the late Dharmacharya Pandit Ramlall
Email: [email protected] Cell: 1-917-519-578