In a historic and culturally significant moment, Germany witnessed the coming together of two great legacies of India’s freedom struggle.

At the Hindu Mandir Elmshorn, Schleswig-Holstein, Rohit Tilak—a descendant of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak—met Surya Kumar Bose, grand grand-nephew of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on August 23. This was the first-ever meeting of these leaders in Germany, symbolizing unity, heritage, and the timeless spirit of India’s independence movement.

“I am deeply honoured to have been invited to inaugurate the Hindu Mandir in Hamburg, a temple that will now also begin the beautiful tradition of celebrating Ganeshotsav here in Germany. It was a historic moment and a true privilege to meet Mr. Surya Kumar Bose, great grand nephew of the legendary Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose during this occasion. Carrying forward our culture across borders is both a responsibility and a blessing. Ganpati Bappa Morya! Jai Hind!,” Rohit Tilak said in a social media post.

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Several eminent personalities and community leaders graced the occasion, including Vijay Kumar Passi, Harish Babu, Gaurang Mehta, Sunny Kaushik, Maji Naga Reddy, Girish Gautam, Saicharan Pednem, Ravi Teja, Amit Sharma, and Pravin Jagdale.

Anil Sharma, President of Hindu Mandir Elmshorn, and Amit Mairal played a pivotal role in organizing and hosting this historic meeting.

Dr. Rohit Tilak was invited to the inaugural ceremony of the Hindu Temple Elmshorn, marking another milestone in strengthening cultural and spiritual ties within the diaspora. He brought with him the original Puneri Pagadi – the iconic headgear worn by Lokmanya Tilak – which was displayed for the first time outside India, offering devotees a rare opportunity for darshan. He also actively participated in the making of the Ganesha idol of Anivasi Bharati. Both Dr. Rohit Tilak and Surya Kumar Bose conveyed their heartfelt wishes for the upcoming Ganesh festival celebrations—beginning on August 27—to the Indian community in Germany and across the world.

This landmark gathering not only honored the legacies of Lokmanya Tilak and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose but also reinforced the bond of cultural heritage, unity, and pride among the Indian community in Germany, said Tilak.