2006 Annual Report

Back Ground:
The Ninash Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, formed in 1996 in memory of Nina J. Malhotra. Nina was passionate about education and children abroad. Since her own life was cut tragically short by cancer, her husband, Dr. Ashok Kumar Malhotra, created the Ninash Foundation to perpetuate Nina's goals and values, especially her passionate support for the performing arts and literacy throughout the world.  Nina, combined with her husband’s name, Ashok made up the “Ninash” foundation.

Mission:

1. To mitigate suffering for the socially and economically disadvantaged within the United States and Abroad
2. To provide educational funding for individuals within the United States and Abroad
3. To contribute funding for the advancement of medical and scientific research within the United States and Abroad
4. To assist the cultural community within the United States and Abroad by providing monies for operating and capital expenditures

School Projects:
Dundlod (Rajasthan) – Indo-International School:



Dundod Indo-International School: 5th grade class room and school court yard
This year is the tenth anniversary of the first Indo-International School in the village of Dundlod, which was established through the efforts of the SUNY study-abroad program led by Dr. Malhotra in 1996.Project hunger, established in 2005, continues to provide lunch to 100 impoverished children four times a week. A new kitchen was built this year. The school's enrollment has grown from 50 students in 1996 to 322 students today with over100 awaiting admission.



Indo-International High School  in Dundlod  built on the second story of existing elementary school
Our fourth Indo-International (High) School was completed in 2006. To provide space for the ninth through twelfth grades, a new high school building complete with six new class rooms including a science lab was constructed. The school was built on the second story of the existing elementary school.

Kuran (Gujarat) – Indo-International School
The second Indo-International School in Kuran, Gujarat, was built in an area completely devastated by the 2001 earthquake. The school celebrated its 5th year. There are currently 250 impoverished children enrolled in the school. 20 Salvadora Persica trees were planted at the school this year by an NGO group from Gujarat.

 Mahapura (Rajasthan)--Indo-International Culture Preservation School:



August, 2006: Celebration at Indo-International Art Restoration and Culture Preservation School
 Our third school, the Indo-International Art Restoration and Culture Preservation School, inaugurated in 2005, is located in the village of Mahapura near Jaipur. In addition to teaching basic subjects, the school offers students vocational training in creating and restoring stained glass windows and ceilings, an ancient and dying art in India. The goal of the school is to train students to preserve the culture of India by repairing the many old palaces and castles in the area.

During 2006, the Indo-International School at Mahapura has 37 students who are receiving free education. This year, construction began for a number of new rooms that will be the home for the vocational training.  Brass plates have been installed in the class rooms recognizing financial contributions from the Cooperstown Elementary School (Cooperstown, New York), Riverside Elementary School (Oneonta, New York), Center Street Elementary School (Oneonta, New York), and Gavilan Peak School (Arizona). A board has been constructed to identify our generous donors.

Global Educational Exchange:
 Through the Indo-International Schools project, the Ninash Foundation has committed to improving the lives of children and promoting literacy throughout the world. The Indo-International Schools transform villages in India, building hope, self-confidence and courage among the impoverished children and adults.
 Beyond their direct impact, the schools have promoted an understanding and exchange among different cultures. Students, faculty and staff of the SUNY College at Oneonta have united in support of the project through the Learn and Serve in India program and the Center for Social Responsibility and Community with the leadership of Ms. Linda Drake and Dr. Ashok Malhotra. The City of Oneonta has made a declaration proclaiming Oneonta and Dundlod as sister-cities.
 New York: Three Oneonta Elementary Schools have adopted Ninash’s schools. Through India Cultural Programs, these schools have raised over $3000, which contributed towards construction and supplies for the children. In addition, pen-pal relationships have been established with Dundlod.
 New York: Cooperstown Elementary School continues to help support Ninash’s Mahapura School. Children also participated in a pen-pal project with the children of Dundlod.
 New York: SUNY College at Oneonta has had several student groups that have raised funds for the Ninash Foundation.
 Arizona: Anthem’s Gavilan Peak, K-8 School raised $1200 from a carnival event. That money was put toward the Mahapura School. Gavilan Peak has declared itself as the sister school of Mahapura.
 Holland: Inspired by the Ninash Foundation’s Indo-International Schools Project, a school teacher, Pia Maria Aria from Holland, has written a children’s book called, “Advaita Sprookjes.” All proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Ninash Foundation.
 England: A high school teenager who visited the Indo-International School in Dundlod has been creating calendars combining children’s art and life from Dundlod with children’s art and life from London. All proceeds from the sale of the calendar go towards funding field trips for the children of Dundlod School.
Katrina Relief:
The Ninash Foundation contributed money to the State University College at Oneonta to fund students’ travel from New York to Mississippi to volunteer their services for the Hurricane Relief work. Sixty Four (64) students, who participated in this project, contributed over $32,000.00 worth of free service by gutting houses, constructing fences, working in animal shelters, serving in soup kitchens, cleaning up debris from parks and other relief related tasks.
Local Scholarships in the USA:
Oneonta Center Street Elementary School – for excellence in music and drama
Oneonta High School – for excellence in music and drama
Oneonta Riverside <Elementary School – SEVA Medallion (service)
SUNY Oneonta Undergraduate Philosophy Awards – for best papers in East-West and Comparative Philosophy
Funds for Ghana, Africa:
Ninash contributed funds towards building a library for a school in Ghana, Africa. This school is in a very poor district and the children do not have a library.
Funds for Vocational Center, Asha Ka Jharna, Nawalgarh, Rajasthan, India:
Ninash Contributed by buying sewing machines to start a vocational center for the Mentally Handicapped Children at the Asha Ka Jharna School at Nawalgarh, Rajasthan, India.
Promotional Activities:
·     Underwriting National Public Radio (NPR) programs

·      Lectures on the foundation activities were given as well as our promotional video shown to Oneonta Lion’s Club, Cooperstown <Elementary School, Center Street School and Riverside School. Video tapes were mailed to many other schools and individuals who wanted to help promote the cause of the foundation.
·      Presentations on the activities of the Ninash Foundation were given at the annual conference of the International Society for the Comparative Study of Civilizations in Paris, at the Ninash Chapter in Rotterdam, Holland, at the annual meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program in Nashville, USA, and at the East West Center/East West Center Association International Conference in Hanoi, Vietnam.
·      Dr. Malhotra appeared on AMOR Radio in Rotterdam to promote to the listeners in Holland the literacy project of the Ninash Foundation.
·      Articles on the foundation’s activities were published in the local newspaper--The Daily Star.
·      Ninash Foundation video tape is being shown on the local Public Access TV Channel (23) every other Saturday.
·      Promotional Holiday Greeting Cards were created and mailed to all the donors toward a fund raising campaign.
 Two papers on the Ninash Foundation were published in the following International Journals:

1. International Journal of the Humanities, “Towards a One-World Diverse Culture,” by Dr. Ashok Malhotra
2. East-West Connections: Review of Asian Studies, “Wisdom Used Compassionately: The Ninash Foundation,” by Dr. Ashok Malhotra

Financial Information:
 Copies of financial statements are available upon request.
 Contact Information:

Dr. Ashok Malhotra and Linda Drake

Contact Information:  Ninash Foundation 17 Center Street Oneonta, NY 13820 E-mail Address: ninashfoundation@yahoo.com Phone Number:  (607)-432-0496