The SEED ( beej )

The original idea of conducting philanthropic and educational activities was first conceived in 1990 by late Chhotalal R. Parekh, a man of little education hailing from a very small village (Amalsad) of 200 residents, having meager education but an ardent admirer of education and of lofty ideals, and who migrated to the U.S. at 80 to spend the rest seventeen years of his life with his three sons.

This thought of doing philanthropic activities culminated in the formation of THE NIRMAN Foundation in 1994 with IRS tax exempt status of 501C(3), which conducted several activities around the world, such as :

1. Establishing and setting up professorial and research positions, for the purpose of promoting international relations and enhancing the image of India globally, in academic institutions such as Oxford University (U.K.), Hull University (U.K.), University of Pennsyslvania (USA), Delhi University (India), M.S. University of Baroda (India), Sardar Patel University of Vidyanagar (India),

2. Establishing and building educational High Schools teaching hardware and software at Amalsad (India), high schools at Sari Khurad and at Navsari (both in India), and an elementary school at a remote, under privileged village of Tithal in Gujarat (India),

3. Promoting health related activities such as (a) cancer screening, followed by treatment, if necessary, in mobile vans, of people in small hard-to-reach rural villages of Gujarat, India, and (b) study and treatment of mental health, in mobile vans, among under privileged and economically disadvantaged women in rural areas of Gujarat (both these activities are done under the direct supervision of a medical doctor and at least two nurses, all at no cost to the patients),

4. Providing medical facilities to health institutions, such as building a modern X-ray department in a hospital in Valsad (India) and modernizing the eye examining facilities at an eye-hospital in Valsad (India),

5. Establishing Indo-British collaboration in medical field by sponsoring two well qualified Indian doctors to study the latest medical techniques in their respective areas of expertise, for one semester on a reciprocal basis,

6. Establishing Indo-British collaboration in the field of journalism by sponsoring two well qualified journalists from India to study at a reputed British University,

7. Educating Indian students, having academic excellence but who are economically underprivileged, in U.K., and many others.

All these activities are being conducted by various institutions under the sponsorship of the Nirman Foundation and supervised either locally by the respective institutions or by this Foundation, but were not actually conducted by the Foundation itself. The members of the foundation, one of whom is Prof. Lord Bhikhu Parekh (U.K.), then decided to get directly involved into, meaning establish and administer, activities similar to these, but with a focus in the US, by forming an operating Foundation. This gave birth to the Charuhas Foundation.

The BIRTH ( janma )

With the blessings of the Lord, an opportunity came along to purchase a twenty plus acres of land in a prime location in Maryland, with an Indian population of several thousand in its vicinity and situated at an intersection of three major high traffic highways. The land was very reasonably priced and believing this opportunity as a boon from God, the Charuhas Foundation immediately purchased it.

The INFANCY (the current State) ( shaishav )

The land is now being cleared of trees and debris with the strenuous efforts of Shree Thakorbhai Mistry and his entire family and will soon be ready for the construction of a Bharat Darshan (with a living accommodation for a pujari) with idols of all major Hindu deities worshipped across India such as Rama-Sita, Krishna-Rukmini, Shiva, siddhi vinayak, Maruti, Mahaveerswami, and Buddha. For more information on Bharat Darshan click below:

Future or Dream Projects of Charuhas (svapna-sankalpa)

Following this, it has been contemplated to build (a) a large community hall having a capacity to accommodate about 1000 people, for social events such as weddings, birthday parties, graduation ceremonies, religious functions etc. (b) a decorative fountain with light effects in the front, (c) monuments for each state in India with highlights of each carved or engraved on it, (d) an elder home for qualified senior citizens to spend their final years in familiar Indian environment, (e) a naturopathy center with focus on yoga and alternative (Ayurvedic) medicine to treat various ailments, (f) a park around the existing pond or any such activities as needed by the community.

APPEAL

All these activities will require a support and commitment of the Indian Community, Since the formation of the Nirman Foundation, all the activities stated above have been conducted from the funds from a private family with little help from others, but a massive Herculean project such as this will require moral, physical, intellectual and economic support from all. Always remember that The Charuhas Foundation, accompanied with its activities, belongs to each one of us and each of us belongs to the Charuhas Foundation.

Sarvtrah Sukhinah Santu Sarve Santu Niramayah
Sarve Bhadrani Pashyantu Ma Kashchid dukhmapnuyat.