Asha Kiran Project - Ashakiran India

Ashakiran India

Overview Beneficiary Selection Board and Volunteers Goals and Achievements Sponsors Finances

Overview

Asha Kiran India is a charitable organization primarily dedicated to supporting poor children and enabling them to go to school to obtain an education. A large part of Asha Kiran India's income is obtained from donations made by the general public and the rest from interest from fixed deposits. Asha Kiran India was founded and registered in June 12, 2000 as a charitable organization in India under Section 80-G of the Indian Income Tax Act, 1961, by GLY Mendon and Krishna Shetty.

Activities that Asha Kiran undertakes:
Asha Kiran India's primary function is to collect funds from the general public and distribute them as needed to poor families that are unable to put their children through school without financial assistance. Poor children are identified by Asha Kiran India volunteers. They pay a visit to the family to assess the average income of the family and their economic condition. If a family qualifies for sponsorship through Ashakiran India, sponsorship money is allocated to one child in the family.

The amount of money given towards the student's education depends on the current grade of the student. As the student progresses in school, the amount of money allocated for the student's education is varied according to his or her grade level. The Asha Kiran India volunteers follow up regularly to encourage the family to continue the education of their child, monitor the progress of the student and provide advice on career opportunities as the student completes high school. The annual disbursement of funds is contingent upon the child obtaining a passing grade each year. If a child does not progress to the next grade level, the schools in India generally allow the student to rewrite the same exams the following year by studying at home that year. Sponsorship is suspended for that year and until he or she passes the current grade.

Beneficiary Selection

Asha Kiran Inc. requires Ashakiran India to adhere to the following criteria for selection of beneficiaries that will receive funds through Asha Kiran Inc.

The beneficiaries will be selected depending on the family's economic conditions. The candidate will be a from a poor family with an annual income of no more than Rs 2.5 lakh per year for formal education and 5 lakhs per year for medical/engineering/management and other professional courses or higher studies.
Asha Kiran India representatives will meet the family, visit their home and verify the occupation of the candidate's guardians or parents. The visit will also enable them to verify the living conditions.
Asha Kiran India will encourage girl children to go to school and may give them preference for sponsorship.
Asha Kiran India will also consider orphans for sponsorship preferentially.
As a secular and non-discriminatory organization, Asha Kiran India will not preferentially select beneficiaries based upon religion, region, caste or color.
A beneficiary's progress will be monitored by obtaining the progress report card with the grades of the student, each year.
If a beneficiary fails to graduate to the next grade, sponsorship for the student will be suspended and the student will be required to reappear and pass the exam next year for sponsorship to be renewed.
If a current beneficiary fails to report to their Asha Kiran India contact for renewal of sponsorship, then Asha Kiran India will inquire into the case to check the beneficiary's progress in school. If the beneficiary has not enrolled him or herself into school for the year, Asha Kiran India volunteers will encourage the beneficiary and the family to do so.
Asha Kiran India will accept a beneficiary for sponsorship with the goal of having the beneficiary obtain at least a high school degree. If a beneficiary completes high school, Asha Kiran India will provide the students with career counseling for further enrollment into college or/and obtain a job.

The Ashakiran India Board

Jayaprakash C M (JP), makes his home in Bangalore, India and current Working President of Ashakiran. He helps in running Ashakiran by recruiting new students and new sponsors. JP is an IT engineer and helps to guide the technological changes required for the organization

G.L.Y Mendon is a Mechanical Engineer and is the founder of Ashakiran, India. He resides in Maryland, USA and coordinates activities between Ashakiran, India and Asha Kiran, USA.

Madhu Adyanthaya is a social worker and works as the treasurer of Ashakiran. He makes home in Managalore.

Ms. Kusum Shettigar- She resides in Mangalore and largely responsible for scrutinizing and recruiting the students. She also helps to maintain the accounts and communicates between the treasurers and banks. She is responsible for coordinating with Ashakiran USA team. She is a board member

Vinod Kumar Mendon- Resides in Mangalore and a board member of Ashakiran and coordinates with children. He is a small businessman

Krishnanand K- Resides in Mangalore and a board member of Ashakiran and coordinates Ashakiran activities in India. He is a paramedical technician.

Vinoda S Suvarna is a housewife and resides in Mangalore. She is the joint treasurer of Ashakiran

Mr. Pratap Sangamareddy resides in Karimnagar, Telangana. He looks after Asha Kiran's charitable activities in Karimnagar and Warangal in Telangana. He enrolls new students and monitors their progress. He is a volunteer.

Mr. Anjaneyulu- He resides in Karimnagar, Telengana and coordinates with students and monitors their progress. He recruits new kids in Telengana and coordinates with Ashakiran USA. . He is a Volunteer

Ex Board Members and Volunteers

These are our ex board members and volunteers who have substantially contributed to the founding and growth of Ashakiran into strong social organization. Their contributions are priceless and we are indebted to their enthusiasm and efforts during the nascent stages of Ashakiran. They are away from Ashakiran activities these days due to old age and personal issues and health.

Mr. Krishna Shetty, was Board Member, Vice President and Treasurer of Ashakiran India from 2000 thru 2017. He has helped to build Ashakiran as a formidable charitable organization in the region and his contribution is immense and would be remembered

Dr. Prutha Shetty, was a Volunteer and a coordinator for UK and Europe and instrumental in getting funds from that region. Now she is opted out due to personal reasons.

Mr. Mohandas Suvarna, was a board member from the inception of Ashakiran. He served in many positions and at the time of retiring he was one of the treasurer of Ashakiran.

Mr. Ciprian Lobo, was a board member from the inception of Ashakiran. He served in many positions and at the time of retiring he was one of the treasurer of Ashakiran. .

Mr. Satish Kotian, was a board member from the inception of Ashakiran. He served board member and helped in identifying and communicating with poor children.

Mr. Sharad Srivastava One of the oldest board member of Ashakiran and was handling Ashakiran activities in northern India including Delhi.

Goals and Achievements

	Currently Ashakiran India sponsors the education & clothing of 254 primary, high school, college and professional students as of 2021. Many of them are studying in professional courses such as Engineering, Medical, Management and Computer Science.
	In total, Ashakiran India has sponsored 1139 students, since its inception, majority of them are girls.
	Asha Kiran India established an Ashakiran module in Telangana. Supports more than 100 children from Telangana State. Ashakiran imported 20 Oxygen Concentrators to help COVID 19 patients. Ashakiran distributed immediate financial help to more than 75 Ashakiran families in 2020 and 2021 to cope up with the financial stress they experienced due to lockdowns. We paid Rs. 5000 to each family twice.
	Asha Kiran Supported 30 students from Sai Seva Trust, Telangana for a year.
	Asha Kiran supported 50 students from the Rangineni Trust (SMEC) for 12 years. The Rangneni Trust is a well-organized charitable institution founded by Mr. Mohan Rao and Ms. Sujatha Rao. It is located near Siricilla town of Karimnagar DT, Telangana.
	Ashakiran India established a scheme for full sponsorship of students studying in professional courses from poor families. Till now we supported at least 50 children under this scheme with enhanced financial aid and focused attention.
	Apart from the above achievements, Ashakiran India also provided shelters for two homeless families with a contribution of approximately Rs.20,000 in 2001.

Near Term Goals

	Asha Kiran India aims to increase the number of beneficiaries by 30 this year.
	To add efforts to increase funding from India by independent sponsors and corporate houses

Long term goals

	Continue the new one-to-one sponsorship scheme and add 5 family sponsors every year.
	Continue to increase the number of poor children supported by sponsorships
	Establish a guidance center for job oriented education
	Establish a boarding school for orphans and street children
	Establish old age homes
	Establish an institution for mentally and physically challenged children.
	Fight social evils like the dowry system and female infanticide
	Continue to establish more branches at different Indian cities and abroad with the association of like minded individuals