Who We Are
Pragati Foundation is a public charitable trust registered in Haryana, India on February 16, 2017 under Registration# 4711 PAN# AADTP3524F for the benefit of all persons regardless of gender, caste, creed or religion. Pragati Foundation USA is its US based public charity approved on June 22, 2017 as 501(c)(3) organization with EIN 82-1844443. Donations in USD are tax deductible.
The current focus of the Foundation is on the following programs:
Upgrade infrastructure in elementary/middle schools in India that poor children attend.
Provide scholarships to support expenses towards tuition and books for meritorious students from economically weaker families.
Undertake efforts to monitor and improve health of school children who may likely to be malnourished.
Monitoring of the Support
Monitoring and judicious implementation is critical for the success of the Foundation. Foundation will actively identify schools/students it would like to support. Others, concerned with the quality of education to the poor, are encouraged to seek support from the Foundation.
It is expected that the champions seeking support for a school or a student would ensure that the funds are used as intended. It is therefore important that we select schools or students for support that can be closely monitored either directly by the Foundation or through its network. Our objective is to generate the greatest return on our investment. The focus is on improving the quality of a few select recipients rather than support a large number of schools/students with dubious results.
To the extent possible, the Foundation will NOT give funds to schools but would reimburse the cost on production of receipt and after verification that the requested items in fact have been purchased and installed and are being used. It is encouraged that champions themselves buy these items and get them installed and periodically monitor their status. Scholarship to students will be paid directly as tuition to the school/college they plan to attend.
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The Team
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Pragati Foundation is being run by a team of dedicated professionals and their family members from academia and industry on shoe-string budget to keep overhead costs to a minimum. Please see details of team members in the Team tab.
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Tax Status
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Pragati Foundation is a newly established Charitable Trust in India. It does not yet qualify for any tax-deductible status on INR donations it receives. PAN# AADTP3524F
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Pragati Foundation USA, is a 501(c)(3) Public Charity. Donations in USD are tax deductible. EIN 82-1844443
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What We Do
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Through Education
The current focus of Pragati Foundation is on following main programs:
1. School Transformation and Reform (STAR)
Under the STAR program, Pragati Foundation will provide support to upgrade infrastructure in selected schools in India that cater to children up to grade 8. The infrastructure may include items such as inverters, fans, blackboards, Durries, playground equipment, books for library, educational material/supplies, upgrade science labs, and sponsor field trips of educational value to students. The Foundation may also organize teachers training workshops. The Foundation may also get involved in ensuring that children can read, write, and do math at their grade level. Other activities that may benefit overall character/personality development and health of students as determined by the Foundation may also be taken up. More
2. Sudha Opportunity Scholarship (SOS)
Under the Sudha Opportunity Scholarship [SOS] program, the Foundation will support educational expenses towards tuition and books for meritorious students from economically weaker families so that they can pursue their studies from grades 9 to 12 in quality schools. Once such students do well in Grade 12 exams, they have a better chance to compete for admission into engineering or medical colleges or other professions. On a case by case basis, scholarships for college/university education and coaching expenses for exceptional students for preparation to entrance exams may also be provided. More
3. Children’s Health Improvement Program (CHIP)
Under the CHIP program, the Foundation will undertake efforts to monitor and improve health of school children who may likely to be malnourished. Foundation will organize health camps to monitor health of students, distribute vitamins, provide protein rich snacks, teach students habits of personal hygiene and involve them in maintaining overall sanitation and beautification of school and its surrounding. More
See how you can become part of the difference. More
Our Causes
STAR: School Transformation and Reform
Treat Others as You’d Like to Be Treated
[Playground equipment in the photograph above is courtesy of Pragati Foundation from funds from a donor]
There is an urgent need to upgrade schools that children from poor families attend and improve the performance of students. Under the STAR program of Pragati Foundation, the following activities will be undertaken:
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What is Supported under the STAR Program?
Pragati Foundation will provide support to upgrade infrastructure in selected schools in India that cater to children up to grade 8.
The infrastructure may include items such as inverters, fans, blackboards, Durries, painting of school walls and doors, clean water, toilets, playground equipment, books for library, educational material/supplies, upgrade science labs etc., and sponsor field trips of educational value to students.
The Foundation may also organize health camps to monitor health of students, teach students the habits of personal hygiene and involve them in maintaining overall sanitation and beautification of the school and its surrounding.
On a six month basis, the Foundation will provide financial support for an outside agency/individual to conduct tests of competency of children in reading, writing, and math. Results will be discussed with teachers and plan of action developed to improve results. Teachers and students showing significant improvement will be recognized and rewarded. Funding may also be provided for teachers to attend training workshops.
Other activities that may benefit overall character/personality development and health of students as determined by the Foundation may also be taken up.
Which Schools Qualify to Receive Support?
Any school up to grade 8 that children from poor families attend can apply for support. It is expected that the champions seeking support for a school would ensure that the funds are used as intended. Therefore, the Foundation will select schools that can be closely monitored either directly by the Foundation or through its network.
How to Apply?
Funding is available throughout the year. Schools are encouraged to apply anytime. Citizens concerned with the quality of education to the poor with a willingness to monitor the schools they wish to improve are especially encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to those schools that have sought partial funding or promise of support from other sources such as Corporate CSR or Sarpanch/block officer of the village in which school is located. Written application should provide:
Name and address of the school seeking funds
Class-wise break-up of number of students
Name, home address, e-mail address, and mobile number of principal
Purpose for which funding is requested
Justification of the importance of the project
Amount of funding requested with justification and quotation
Name, address, e-mail address, and mobile number of the person willing to monitor the use of funds
Where to Apply?
Written application should be mailed/e-mailed to the contact information of the Foundation. There is no deadline to apply.
SOS: Sudha Opportunity Scholarship
Fighting Inequality
There are many meritorious students including highly gifted children from economically weaker families that get left behind from receiving quality education mainly due to lack of funds. Poor education leads to poor quality of life which in turn leads to poor education to the next generation of children. To break the cycle of poverty, Pragati Foundation has launched the Sudha Opportunity Scholarship [SOS] program to enable meritorious children from poor families to receive quality education.
Objective:
Under the Sudha Opportunity Scholarship [SOS] program, Pragati Foundation will support educational expenses towards tuition and books for meritorious students from economically weaker families every year so that they can pursue their studies from grades 9 to 12 in quality schools. Once such students do well in Grade 12 exams, they have better chance to compete for admission into engineering or medical colleges or other professions. On a case by case basis, scholarships for college/university education and coaching expenses for exceptional students for preparation to entrance exams may also be provided.
Eligibility:
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Students seeking admission in grades 9 to 12 and beyond in quality schools/colleges
Students must come from households with an average annual income up to Rs. 2,00,000/- per year
Students with demonstrated merit in the last grade attended as indicated in their mark sheet [at least be in the top 20% of the class] or IQ test conducted by MENSA Society and recommendation of their school principal.
What Is Covered Under SOS Program?
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Tuition and other fee to be paid directly to the school/college to be attended
Required text books
Coaching expenses to entrance exams for selected few candidates
Monitoring of Scholarship Recipients:
SOS is granted on an annual basis based on availability of funds. To continue receiving SOS, scholarship recipients must maintain high academic performance. Every year they must provide a copy of their mark sheets/grades and rank in the class (% of students below them in total marks obtained). Scholarship renewal decision is at the sole discretion of Foundation Trustees.
How to Apply?
Families, well-wishers, teachers, schools are encouraged to nominate meritorious candidates that meet eligibility criteria. Application/Nomination Form for SOS can be downloaded in English from https://goo.gl/N5fJjM and in Hindi from https://goo.gl/CKKAaM Completed application with the following documents should be mailed/e-mailed at the Foundation address at least 2-months before the start of the session of the school student wishes to attend.
Proof of student’s merit -- latest mark-sheet / IQ scores, along class standing (% of students below the applicant in the class)
Letter of recommendation from the principal
Proof of tuition and other fee
Proof of household annual income
If possible, please attach letter of admission from the school/college student wishes to attend along with a statement about the reputation of the school/college
CHIP: Children's Health Improvement Program
Health is Wealth
The World Bank reports that rates of malnutrition among India’s children are almost five times more than in China, and twice those in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the latest 2015-RSOC study conducted by UNICEF and Government of India, 29% of all children under 5-years of age are underweight (low weight for age), about 39% are stunted (too short for their age), and 15% are wasted (underweight for their height, indicating acute malnutrition), 75% are anemic, and 57% are Vitamin A deficient.
Malnutrition affects children’s chances of survival, increases their susceptibility to illness, reduces their ability to learn, increases their chances of dropping out early from school, and makes them less productive in later life.
There is an urgent need to address the issue of children’s malnutrition in India.
Activities Planned under the CHIP Program?
Pragati Foundation will undertake the following activities in the selected government schools in India that cater to children from grade 1 to 8.
Organize health camps to monitor health of school going children thus creating a base-line database to observe improvement in health
Distribute daily vitamins for children through teachers
Provide protein rich snacks
Encourage teachers to teach students habits of personal hygiene
Involve students in maintaining overall sanitation and beautification of school and its surrounding
Since much of undernourishment happens during pregnancy and in the first two years of a child’s life, the Foundation will attempt to provide nutritional counseling/supplements to pregnant mothers of school children
Want to learn how you can support our valuable causes?
Recent Updates & Activities
What Have We Done?
STAR: School Transformation & Reform
Even before setting up the Pragati Foundation, the team with the donations collected transformed Government Middle School at Behrampur, Gurugram, Haryana. The school was: Completely whitewashed and painted, 2 inverters were installed, 6 additional ceiling fans were installed, 8 steel cabinets – one in each classroom was provided, dust collecting desktop computer was made operational and a printer was provided, library now has tables and benches, 4-mobile blackboards and durries were provided where missing, Grade-1 classroom was renovated, 25-trees were planted in playground and playground equipment was provided. Worked with Escorts Agribusiness to provide stationary to 215 students for a year as its CSR initiative. In February 2018, all 8 blackboards and 2 notice boards were replaced since they had become so bad that students could not see what teachers wrote on them.
50% of the funds were provided to Apna Skool in Kanpur for the purchase of E-Rickshaw to transport children of brick kiln workers to schools.
In February 2018, Provided to Red Birds School in Nankari Village adjacent to IIT Kanpur: 15 tables and benches for classrooms, 5 ceiling fans, instructional material, and 2 water purifiers. This school is an initiative by a group of socially conscious youths to provide meaningful pre-primary education to the children of poor families.
In March 2018, with the CSR funding of INR 4.2 Lakhs from Sahasra Electronics, Noida, Pragati Foundation in collaboration with Vidya Gyan, another local NGO, government elementary schools in the villages of Khandlana and Dhoobar in the district of Saharanpur, UP, were provided: 115 sets of classroom tables and benches, 2 sets of inverters and battery, 10 ceiling fans, 1 projector with computer and speaker, 84 instructional charts, 4 Math kits, 4 globes, 1 white board, 4000 notebooks, 1 playground equipment with swing and slide, 2 steel and 1 wooden cabinets.
Donated 10 children's books to Athens Public Library
SOS: Sudha Opportunity Scholarships
One year educational expenses of a girl at Manisha Mandir, Lucknow was supported
Educational expenses of 10 meritorious students at Apna Skool and 5 students of Opportunity School to study from 9-12 grades are supported.
Pragati Foundation will bear educational expenses of 5 high IQ children (IQ ranges 125-145+) selected by Mensa India, The High IQ Society, in Varanasi area so that they can attend top-schools in the region.
In July 2018, Pragati Foundation will sponsor 3 youths from the village of Sarai-Barla, Aligarh, UP to acquire employable skills at Tata Strive Skill Development Center in Aligarh, UP in the fields of (a) air conditioning and refrigeration operator, (b) solar PV installer, and (c) assistant electrician. Pragati Foundation would bear all costs such as fee, lodging, and boarding for 17 weeks training.
CHIP: Children's Health Improvement Program
Activities yet to be planned
Engage
Help Us, Help Them
One of our goals is to ensure that the most vulnerable and at-risk children get decent education and grow up to be healthy adults. With your generous donations and volunteering efforts, you have the capacity to help us in our endeavour. Contact us to learn more.
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​If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. --John F. Kennedy
Volunteer Opportunities
Please consider becoming a volunteer – read to a class, assess learning of students, give music lessons, if you are a practicing or retired physician you may volunteer to organize health camp. There are many ways you can help us break the cycle of poverty.
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If you want to make a difference in someone's life, you don't need to be gorgeous, rich, famous, brilliant or perfect. You just have to care.- Karen Salmansohn
Your Trash, Their Treasure
Overtime, we collect things in our houses that we have no use for: things such as: children's books, clothes, toys, board-games, furniture, old computers, cameras, bicycles.....Your unwanted stuff can put a smile on a child's face.
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When you have more than you need, build a longer table not a higher fence. The best way to multiply happiness is to share it with others.
People Behind the Effort
Our team is dedicated to the mission of helping those in need in the greater San Francisco area. Get to know the people who make Pragati Foundation what it is. Our team is an unbelievable source of information and we are ready to share our events, activities, and the ways for you to get involved.
Shekhar Agrawal
B.Tech. with executive positions at Alcatel Lucent, Cisco, and HP
Vaishali Agrawal
Environmental activist and social worker.
Ashok Gupta
B.Tech, MBA, PhD. Emeritus Professor of Marketing
Brij N. Agrawal
PhD. Distinguished Professor of Aerospace Engineering
Anurag Gupta
DO. Physician, Internal Medicine
Aniruddha Agrawal
BE, JD. Patent Attorney
Rashmi Agrawal
B.Sc., B.Ed. Part-time teaching, working with spastic children and in orphanages.
Umesh Prasad
B.Tech IIT Kanpur. Search & Big Data Consultant. Ex-Flipkart. Assisting with Landmark Worldwide. Previously @ Shiksha Sopan (an IITK NGO)
Shariq Sherwani
PhD, MBA, Assistant Professor
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Raj Kumar Gupta (Raju Bhai)
Entrepreneur and community activist.
Please get in touch with Pragati Foundation to discover more about our work and how to engage and contribute to making a difference. We thank you for your support.
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Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. -- Mark Twain
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PRAGATI FOUNDATION INDIA:
Approved Under Section 12AA.
16-B Venetia, Tata Raisina Residency, Golf Course Extn Road,
Sector-59, Gurugram, Haryana-122101, India
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PRAGATI FOUNDATION USA:
A 501(c)(3) Public Charity. Donations in USD are tax deductible. EIN 82-1844443.
Address: 30 Cable Ln, Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740 707 9008
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Requesting Your Support
"If not me, who? If not now, when?"
Every person has the chance to make a change for good — no matter how big or small. Whatever amount you can give, or time you are willing to dedicate, know that your contribution makes a difference in the lives of others. Your donation, together with those of our other supporters, brings us ever closer to our goals. We have NO overheads; 100% of your donation goes to support activities of Pragati Foundation.
"You make a living with what you get. You make a life by what you give."
If you feel moved by the causes Pragati Foundation promotes, we would very much appreciate your support. Set up your donation to Pragati Foundation today. It’s easy and most importantly, it will make a major difference in the lives of so many who are in need of help. Contact us today to learn more or click below to download donation form.
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FOR ELECTRONIC TRANSFER IN INR
Account Name: Pragati Foundation PAN# AADTP3524F
Bank Name: ICICI Bank Account#: 0314 0500 4056 IFSC Code: ICIC 000 0314
BY CHEQUE IN INR
Please mail your cheque in the name of "Pragati Foundation" to:
16-B Venetia, Tata Raisina Residency, Golf Course Extn Road,
Sector-59, Gurugram, Haryana-122101
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FOR TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION IN US$
Please mail your check in the name of "Pragati Foundation USA" to 30 Cable Lane, Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740 707 9008
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IF YOU SHOP AT AMAZON
You can support Pragati Foundation USA by shopping at smile.amazon.com instead of amazon.com and choosing Pragati Foundation USA as your charitable organization.
Direct link is https://smile.amazon.com/ch/82-1844443
Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases
to Pragati Foundation USA. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.
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DONATE WITH CREDIT/DEBIT CARD via PayPal.
If you do not have PayPal Account, you will get instructions to create it in 2-easy steps. PayPal pays for all credit card fees. 100% of your donation goes to support activities of Pragati Foundation.