US Sikh foundation raises over $80,000

Washington, Oct 4: The Sikh Human Development Foundation, a Washington-based charity, has recently raised over 80,000 dollars at the fund-raising dinner, titled 'Umeedan di Shaam' for needy students in India.

The fund will be used for giving scholarships for higher professional education to very bright and talented students from very low income families in Punjab and neighbouring states in India.

The foundation's goal is to reach out to the poorest of the poor, but very bright students and help them obtain professional degrees in a wide range of professions, including all branches of engineering, medical science, information technology, accounting, journalism, agriculture, veterinary sciences.

Foundation Chairman Amar Jit Singh Sodhi said the foundation started this program in 2001 by awarding 24 scholarships that year. He said the short term goal of the foundation is to raise the number of scholarships to 500.

''The foundation hopes to give over 200 scholarships in the academic year 2006-07, compared to its record 127 scholarships awarded in 2005-06,'' he said.

Foundation Secretary General Gajinder Singh Ahuja said the foundation awards scholarships without any distinction on the basis of caste, religion or gender.

The foundation had also financially supported several Hindu and Muslim professional degree students in Gujarat after a disastrous earthquake there in January 2001, he added.

UNI