A VALUED member of the Hindu community has been nominated to appear in a calendar of older inspirational residents.

Ashit Kumar Sinha, of The Circuit, Didsbury, was nominated by the president of the Indian Senior Citizen’s Centre in Whalley Range for his work in the community.

Mr Sinha, 72, is one of 17 Manchester residents shortlisted for the Valuing Older People’s Voices of Experience Award.

Earlier this year, the valued member of Gita Bhavan Hindu Temple, in Whalley Range, was invited to a special meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury to celebrate friendship between the two religions.

If successful, Mr Sinha – an executive member on Manchester Council for Community Relations and Interfaith – will appear in the Manchester Joint Health Unit calendar for 2009.

He said: "I was very pleased to be nominated; I work hard and my attitude is very different to most people’s. Being involved in the community in every aspect is very important to me."

Mr Sinha is involved with every major Indian and Hindu group in Manchester; he is chairman of the Greater Manchester Bengali and Hindu Cultural Association, vice-chairman of the Race and Health Forum and a founder member of Interfaith Northwest.

The results will be announced at an awards ceremony in Manchester Town Hall on October 7, as part of the annual Full of Life Festival.