Sankurathri Foundation
Encyclopedia
Sankurathri Foundation (SF)' was established in 1989 by Dr. Chandra Sekhar Sankurathri in memory of his wife Manjari, son Kiran and daughter Sarada, who died in the bombing of Air India Flight 182
off the coast of Ireland
on 23 rd June, 1985.
, Canada
. A board of volunteers, manage and oversee the distribution of all donations for humanitarian projects in India
. In 1989, the active implementation of MSMF objectives fused the onset of The Sankurathri Foundation(SF). SF is currently managed by three volunteer trustees. Dr. Chandrasekhar Sankurathri remains the president of the MSMF and Executive Trustee of the SF.
The Sankurathri Foundation was registered as a non-profit organization in India
with the purpose of improving the quality of life for destitute and downtrodden in the society. This is planned through education, health care and disaster relief programs.
All the activities are being organized from Kakinada
, in the East Godavari
District of Andhra pradesh
, serving a population of over five million. Chandrasekhar lives on site and supervises all internal programs and outreach campaigns.
Sankurathri Foundation is implementing educational programs through Sarada Vidyalayam,health care programs through SriKiran Institute of Ophthalmology and disaster relief programs through Spandana.
consists of three schools- Primary, High, and Vocational. While the primary school provides instruction in grades one to five, the High school covers grades six to ten. The vocational School will provide much needed job skills to unemployed youth in the region. Sarada vidyalayam opened its doors in 1992 with 25 children enrolled in grade one. The current enrollment is 158. The school follows the Andhra pradesh
State Government syllabus. In addition to the academic subjects, children are encouraged to participate in activities such as gardening, drawing, painting, sewing, embroidery, yoga, dance, drama, and crafts. The children of the school have done very well academically as well as in extra curricular activities. The school has been formally recognized for its achievements and designated as a model school in the district. The primary school is free for all children. The children receive lunch, milk, uniforms, shoes, books, schoolbags, transportation, medical checkups, and medicines free of cost.
Sarada Vidyalayam is supported by MSMF, Asha for Education
, St.Isidore School , St.Gregory Catholic School and other donors.
SriKiran offers access to affordable eye care to all regardless of their socio-economic status. To those who attend eye screening camps, SriKiran provides free eye examinations, and if a cataract surgery is recommended, provides free transportation, free surgery with an intraocular lens (IOL), free medications, free accommodation and food while they are in the hospital. The other strengths of SriKiran are its training Programs and International Volunteer program. SriKiran has been a leader in setting standards for eye care in the region, and providing training that emphasizes the importance of 'quality care' in delivering eye care services.
SriKiran conducts continuing medical education programs to disseminate current concepts and techniques to local Ophthalmologists. Those programs are organized regularly through visits of volunteer specialists from Canada and the USA.
SriKiran is supported by Canadian International Development Agency
, National Program for Control of Blindness(NPCB), Christoffel-Blindenmission(CBM), Sensor Technology Limited], Eye care for the Adirondacks, Eye Foundation of America, District Blindness Control Society(DBCS), Aravind Eye Hospital
, University of Ottawa Eye Institute, Wildrose Foundation, Help the Aged Canada
, Rotary International
, Orbis International
, Infosys.
Air India Flight 182
Air India Flight 182 was an Air India flight operating on the Montreal–London–Delhi route. On 23 June 1985, the airplane operating on the route a Boeing 747-237B named after Emperor Kanishka was blown up by a bomb at an altitude of , and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while in Irish airspace.A...
off the coast of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on 23 rd June, 1985.
Origin and Objectives
Sankurathri Foundation is working in collaboration with the Manjari Sankurathri Memorial Foundation (MSMF), established in year 1989 at OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. A board of volunteers, manage and oversee the distribution of all donations for humanitarian projects in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. In 1989, the active implementation of MSMF objectives fused the onset of The Sankurathri Foundation(SF). SF is currently managed by three volunteer trustees. Dr. Chandrasekhar Sankurathri remains the president of the MSMF and Executive Trustee of the SF.
The Sankurathri Foundation was registered as a non-profit organization in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
with the purpose of improving the quality of life for destitute and downtrodden in the society. This is planned through education, health care and disaster relief programs.
All the activities are being organized from Kakinada
Kakinada
Kakinada is a city and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located east of the state capital, Hyderabad. It is also the headquarters of East Godavari district. It is nicknamed "Fertilizer City" , "Pensioner's Paradise" and "Second Madras"...
, in the East Godavari
East Godavari
East Godavari District is a district situated on the northeast of the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. Its district headquarters is Kakinada. It is the second richest district in the whole country...
District of Andhra pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, serving a population of over five million. Chandrasekhar lives on site and supervises all internal programs and outreach campaigns.
Sankurathri Foundation is implementing educational programs through Sarada Vidyalayam,health care programs through SriKiran Institute of Ophthalmology and disaster relief programs through Spandana.
Sarada Vidyalayam
Sarada VidyalayamSarada Vidyalayam
-Background:The Sarada Vidyalayam school was founded on July 14, 1992 by Dr. Chandra Sekhar Sankurathri with the objective of providing free education to children in rural Kakinada, India, where illiteracy and poverty are commonplace. The school is funded by charitable donations raised by Dr...
consists of three schools- Primary, High, and Vocational. While the primary school provides instruction in grades one to five, the High school covers grades six to ten. The vocational School will provide much needed job skills to unemployed youth in the region. Sarada vidyalayam opened its doors in 1992 with 25 children enrolled in grade one. The current enrollment is 158. The school follows the Andhra pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
State Government syllabus. In addition to the academic subjects, children are encouraged to participate in activities such as gardening, drawing, painting, sewing, embroidery, yoga, dance, drama, and crafts. The children of the school have done very well academically as well as in extra curricular activities. The school has been formally recognized for its achievements and designated as a model school in the district. The primary school is free for all children. The children receive lunch, milk, uniforms, shoes, books, schoolbags, transportation, medical checkups, and medicines free of cost.
Sarada Vidyalayam is supported by MSMF, Asha for Education
Asha for Education
Asha for Education is a volunteer-run action group dedicated to radical change in India by focusing on basic education, in the belief that education is a critical requisite for socio-economic change...
, St.Isidore School , St.Gregory Catholic School and other donors.
SriKiran Institute of Ophthalmology
SriKiran Institute of Ophthalmology was inaugurated in January, 1993 with a mission to "provide quality eye care with compassion which is accessible, affordable and equitable to all". Its outreach program with a strong awareness component has brought increased demand on SriKiran's resources and services. Today, SriKiran is a very well equipped and provider of modern eye care in the region. The new hospital building has ample waiting areas for out patients, five fully equipped air-conditioned operating theatres, speciality clinics for Cornea, Glaucoma, retina, Pediatric Ophthalmology Microbiology laboratory, Library, low Vision Rehabilitation Center and Auditorium.SriKiran offers access to affordable eye care to all regardless of their socio-economic status. To those who attend eye screening camps, SriKiran provides free eye examinations, and if a cataract surgery is recommended, provides free transportation, free surgery with an intraocular lens (IOL), free medications, free accommodation and food while they are in the hospital. The other strengths of SriKiran are its training Programs and International Volunteer program. SriKiran has been a leader in setting standards for eye care in the region, and providing training that emphasizes the importance of 'quality care' in delivering eye care services.
SriKiran conducts continuing medical education programs to disseminate current concepts and techniques to local Ophthalmologists. Those programs are organized regularly through visits of volunteer specialists from Canada and the USA.
SriKiran is supported by Canadian International Development Agency
Canadian International Development Agency
The Canadian International Development Agency was formed in 1968 by the Canadian government. CIDA administers foreign aid programs in developing countries, and operates in partnership with other Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors as well as other international organizations...
, National Program for Control of Blindness(NPCB), Christoffel-Blindenmission(CBM), Sensor Technology Limited], Eye care for the Adirondacks, Eye Foundation of America, District Blindness Control Society(DBCS), Aravind Eye Hospital
Aravind Eye Hospital
Aravind Eye Care Hospital is an ophthalmological hospital with several locations in India. It was founded by Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy.The hospital is named after Sri Aurobindo, one of the 20th century’s most revered spiritual leaders...
, University of Ottawa Eye Institute, Wildrose Foundation, Help the Aged Canada
Help the Aged Canada
HelpAge Canada is a non-denominational, non-profit charity in Canada dedicated to assisting impoverished older persons living in Canada and the developing world...
, Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
, Orbis International
ORBIS International
Orbis International is an international non-profit non-governmental organization dedicated to saving sight worldwide. Orbis programs focus on the prevention of blindness and the treatment of blinding eye diseases in developing countries...
, Infosys.
Spandana
Spandana is a disaster relief program started in 1998. As the region is situated on the coast of Bay of Bengal, disasters are frequent due to cyclones and monsoon rains resulting in floods and considerable damage to property. The program provides to displaced persons basic necessities such as food, drinking water, medications while they are in temporary shelters, and utensils,food, clothing and other needs after they return to their homes.Awards and recognitions
- 1996- Rotary Club, Pithapuram, AP. India
- 1998- Lions Club, Kakinada, AP. India.
- 1998- Telugu Cultural Society, Houston, Texas, USA.
- 1998- Invited by the World Volunteer Conference, Edmonton, Canada.
- 2000- Certificate of Appreciation by TANA Foundation, USA.
- 2004- Received Service above self award from Rotary District 3020, Rotary International
- 2006- Outstanding Community Achievement Award, India Canada Association of the National Capital Region, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
- 2006 – Received “Sankalp Tara “Award for rendering service to the needy from Raksha International Foundation.
- 2006 – “Mother Teresa Excellence Award” for meritorious accomplishments by Integrated Council for Socio-economic Progress & Front For National Progress, New Delhi.
- 2007 – Award by the District Collector on the occasion of Republic Day for the dedicated community services provided in East Godavari District.
- 2008 – Awarded “Dedicated Community Service Award” by the District Collector on the eve of Republic Day of India on 26 January 2008.
- 2008 - Felicitated by Sri. Paripurnananda Swamy of Sri Peetham, Kakinada in recognition for the dedicated services rendered to the community.
- 2008 – Selected as CNN hero by CNN international. First Indian ever to receive this honor.
- 2008 – Featured in ETV 2 Margadarsi on 4 October 22, 2008.
- 2009 - Selected as “Top 10 Influential Telugu NRIs”.
- 2009 – Featured as one among six people making Canada proud by their work
- 2010 – Awarded Hero of the Year by CNN IBN NEWS CHANNEL. See for details http://realheroes.com/