TRF Board’s Letter

Letter from the TRF Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

The Rajasthani Foundation Presents … Dhwani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

TRF Diwali Charity Ball 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

TRF Charity Highlights 2015 - 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Rajasthani Dessert: Ghevar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

About TRF and its Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Rajasthani Art - Phad Paintings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

TRF Holi 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

TRF Youth Volunteer Charity Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

The Nearly New Clothes Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

If it’s good enough for Beyonce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

TRF Charity Highlights 2015 - 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

TRF Youth Performance Programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

ContentsThanks to our Sponsors

TRF Board Members

Special Thanks to:

Contact Us:

Sumit Agarwal

Manoj Harbhajanka

Rajesh Chechani

Dinesh Choudhary

Shailja Agarwal

Varsha Dahad

Shivani Sethia

Bina Agarwal

Pooja Maru

Pacific House382 Kenton RoadMiddlesexHA3 8DP

Aashni + CoAmrapaliAshok & Rajni LohiaAsset IndiaB4U MusicBagri FoundationBBK PartnershipDNS AssociatesIndoramaJaipuria FamilyJiva CapitalKnox CapitalKnox PrivateLodha GroupLondon Metals & CommoditiesMemo Fashions

Newatia FamilyRadius GroupRagasaanRathore FamilyRE10Saraogi and FamilySavoy EstatesSinclair MckinsleySira Cash & carryStone WorldSuttonsVyman Solicitors

and special thanks to

VedantaResources

Printed by:

T: 0116 274 7700 E: sales@evolutiondc .co .ukW: evolutionprintmanagement .com

Magazine Editor 2016Rajesh Chechani

NAND GHARDedicated to the Nation

Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) & Vedantaenter into a unique partnership to construct 4000 Anganwadis

FEATUREn Run on Solar powern Unique prefabricated structuren Mobile health unitn Educating through digital median PureROfilterwatern Skill development for women

BENEFITS n Availability of electricityn Fire, damp and earthquake resistantn Healthcare facility for mother and childn E-learning for children and womenn Safe drinking watern Economically empowering women

ANGANWADI

Facilitate delivery of supplementary nutrition services under ICDS

MISSIONCommitted to the Prime Minister’s national vision of eradicating child malnutrition, providing

education, healthcare and empowering women with skill development.

DIWALI GREETINGS

The Rajasthani Foundation Magazine 2016 - Page 1

Sumit Agarwal

TRF Board’s LetterDear Members and Guests,

It gives us great pleasure to welcome you and your family to the TRF Diwali Charity Ball 2016 .

During 2015-16, TRF added several more memorable and notable markers to its list of activities .

TRF has continued to promote Rajasthani Culture in the diaspora, building on our community spirit, and extending the charity’s efforts and visibility through various activities both in the UK and in India .

TRF membership has continued to grow apace over the year: new families have joined and are benefitting from our all-embracing TRF family . Please turn to page 19 to read our vision for the future .

TRF has successfully extended its charitable activities, built on the success of our key events, and extended involvement of our youth through a volunteering charity trip to India to support and visit the organisations that TRF supports .

The TRF board has been strengthened significantly with the addition of Varsha Dahad – a well-known TRF member . As Varsha joins us, regretfully, Mr Pavan Nagori has had to step down from the TRF board due to work commitments, and we extend our thanks to him for all he has done for TRF .

TRF continues to support and is as committed as ever to helping finance the work of Navajyoti Manovikas Kendra . As many of you will know, NMK is an educational charity that provides specialist education to children and young adults with intellectual, behavioural, and physical disabilities, in Jodhpur . The impact of NMK is felt not only in its efforts to improve the life chances of the children and young adults in its care, but in its ability to improve the lives of parents and carers, to educate the wider community, to build tolerance and understanding of disability locally, and widely throughout society . Please turn to page 12 to read more about this great success .

Over the year, for the first time, TRF supported a new charity called Jagriti . This wonderful charitable organisation, based in Jaipur, rebuilds derelict and abandoned schools in the slum areas of Rajasthan, ensuring that local children and young people, boys and girls, women, and the wider community, can all benefit from the gift of education . In 2016, TRF made possible the complete renovation of the Santosh Nagar School in Basti, Jaipur, transforming a derelict school into a functioning educational institution both infrastructurally and academically, and bringing hope to an entire generation, many generations in the future, and the wider community . With your generous support, TRF has been able to provide the most precious gift of all: an education in Basti, Jaipur . Please turn to page 48 to read more about this great success .

TRF’s Holi event, 2016, represents yet another memorable milestone in TRF’s achievements . A great success and very enjoyable too, the Holi event was staged at Lord’s, the Mecca of Cricket in the UK; this was followed by fun and frolics in Regent’s Park . Although, much to our regret, the event was oversubscribed, which meant that some members missed out on the Lord’s tour, nonetheless, members and guests alike thoroughly enjoyed the Holi party and the traditional splashing of gulaal at each other . It created quite a spectacle for visitors to the park, some of whom even decided to join in, thus adding to the fun, and extending the warmth and spirit that underlines our charity . Please turn to page 26 to read more about the event .

Of course, the Diwali Ball remains our signature event and main annual fundraiser . This year, helping us to celebrate at London Intercontinental Park Lane is our headline act from Kolkata, India’s multitalented musical Trio, Dhwani . I hope you enjoy it .

Please join us in thanking the large numbers of volunteers who work silently behind the scenes, and without whom none of this would be possible .

Finally, on behalf of the TRF board, we would like to wish all our members and guests a very happy Diwali and a prosperous New Year

TRF Board

TRF BOARD:

Manoj Harbhajanka

Rajesh Chechani

Dinesh Choudhary

Shailja Agarwal

Varsha Dahad

Manoj Harbhajanka Sumit Agarwal Rajesh ChechaniDinesh Choudhary Shailja Agarwal Varsha Dahad

18 .00 Champagne Reception and Canapés

19 .00 Ballroom Greetings and Welcome Address

19 .30 Concept-Based Performances from TRF-Youth

19 .45 Starters and Dhwani Performance

21 .15 Main Course

22 .00 TRF Charity and Auction

22 .45 Dhwani Performance and Deserts

24 .00 Let’s Dance - Dj and Music

1 .00 Carriages

Programme

Page 2 - The Rajasthani Foundation Magazine 2016 The Rajasthani Foundation Magazine 2016 - Page 3

DhwaniThe Rajasthani Foundation presents ...

Experience the divinity, the wildness, the fervour, the freedom and the serenity in every performance

Dhwani is the only multi-genre and multi-lingual vocal group of India . Over the years, “Dhwani” has built its reputation for providing pure entertainment to their audiences through their breath-taking performances reinforced by striking costumes and props, state-of-the-art audio visual effects and extremely talented Indian and International dance troupes .

Dhwani descends on stage to create

magic in every genre of music and knows no boundaries as it unites the world with its notes .

Make the night come alive with music from the heart . Power-packed performances, a mix of energy and style and class, which last till the moment . Memories of the moment, that last for a lifetime .

Dhwani was formed in 2002 by Navin, Sarita and Srriram in

Kolkata and has since then, reached great heights in it’s musical journey . With more than 1500 shows behind them today, both across India and abroad, Dhwani’s talent has touched audiences everywhere .

Their music simply pours forth…whether it is pop, disco, rock n roll, folk, multilingual, devotional, semi-classical, western, or bollywood chartbusters sung in their inimitable style .

Dhwani has entertained national & international audiences including:

1 . The Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA) – New York, USA

2 . India Association - Indianapolis, USA

3 . Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation – USA

4 . The Rajasthani Foundation – London

5 . Rajasthan and Gujarati Samaj – Bangkok

6 . IndoRama Group – Bangkok

7 . Tata Steel

8 . Aditya Vikram Birla Puraskars - Mumbai

9 . International Nite – Calcutta Club, Kolkata

10 . Singapore Food Festival – Singapore

11 . Indian Art Circle Diwali Ball – HongKong

12 . Indian Businessmen Association – Hong Kong

13 . Indian Ladies Club – Philippines

14 . Performance with Shah Rukh Khan – Kolkata

Experience the divinity, the wildness, the fervour, the freedom, the happiness, the sensuality, the purity and the serenity in every performance and seek emotional connect through musical renditions that transport you to a different world . Such is the magic of Dhwani .

To know more about Dhwani, visit: www.musicofdhwani.com


Diwali 2015The Rajasthani foundation ‘s annual Diwali charity gala event was held with much glitz and fanfare on the 28th of November 2015 at The Hilton Park Lane London . The evening hosted more than 500 members and guests who added some razzmatazz to the festivity . The main objective of our charity is to promote culture, community and raise funds for charity and that evening saw it all .

The incredibly talented musical maestro Kailash Kher and his band Kailasa enthralled the audience with their soulful and mystical, Sufi and traditional songs creating a mesmerising atmosphere . The biggest surprise of the evening

was the attendance of Shri Baba Ramdevji who was the honourable guest of Shri Anil Agarwalji . We were very blessed and fortunate to be graced by him who inspired our guests with talks on yoga and meditation .

The fantastic success of the evening largely goes to the TRF youth performance . The magnificent display of their acting, singing and dancing talents immediately struck a chord with the audience, many who stood up to give them a standing ovation!

The central purpose of TRF’s imperative was celebrating culture and promoting community and

charity fundraising, and we can proudly say that Trf raised more £20,000 through donations advertising and charity auctions . We are proud that TRF is among the very few charities where overheads and administrative costs are virtually zero .

An entertaining evening was enjoyed by all and rocked the dance floor! It was a perfect place to make new friends and meet up with old ones, most excitingly that day a new match was made many congratulations and best wishes to the newly engaged .


Page 8 - The Rajasthani Foundation Magazine 2016

TRF Charity HighlightsHeavily embedded in the ethos of our TRF charitable organization is the importance of giving back to society . The Rajasthani Foundation has been a major donor to Navjyoti Manovikas Kendra (NMK), Jodhpur . TRF currently provides NMK financial support of £10,000 to £20,000 per annum and we aim to continue to do so .

The Work of Navjyoti Manovikas KendraNMK caters for the educational and vocational guidance of children with special needs, offering specialist support for children with emotional, intellectual, and physical disabilities . Having started in a rented room, today the school has its own purpose-built building . It is one of the most highly respected institutes in this specialized field in Rajasthan .

Ethos and ReputationA non-governmental voluntary organization, the school is registered with the Indian Ministry of Social Justice and Empowermenty .

Educating the EducatorsNMK runs a two-year Diploma course in Special Educational Need training . The course is run in collaboration with the RCI and the National Institute of the Mentally Handicapped (NIMH) . To date, NMK has been responsible for training over 1,000 specialist teachers .

Over-eighteens and Young AdultsNMK provides vocational training for over-eighteens and young adults, helping them to develop skills for employment and to promote social integration . Chalk- and furniture-

making, caning tailoring, printing and lamination, arts and crafts, the production of detergent, gardening, and food preparation and production, such as catering to the snacks market, are just some of the vocational activities and training that NMK offers young adults and over-eighteens .

Recognized, Respected, and Awarded It all just goes to show that hard work, committed staff, self-belief, and the right ethos, produce excellent results . NMK continues growing in reputation and becomes ever more widely respected and appreciated . The Indian Government declared Navjyoti Manovikas Kendra the “Best Institution of the State” . See http://www.navjyotimanovikaskendra.org/ .

2015-16

Navjyoti Manovikas Kendra

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Season’s Greetings from the

Saraogi Family

Rajasthani Dessert : GhevarRajasthani dishes with other cui-sines in the world is the elevation of desserts as an integral part of the meal . Unlike the traditional norms of serving the dessert(s) post meal, there is no clear demarcation be-tween the main course and dessert . Hence in Rajasthani dishes, des-serts are served along with the main course and sometimes even before it so as to start things on a sweet note .

Ghevars are earmarked as a tradi-tional dish for some special ritu-als and festivals . They are gener-ally prepared in January for Makar Sankranti ( or you call them pon-gal), in March-April for Gangaur and in July-August for the Teej fes-tival ( in some parts they celebrate karwa choth ) .

People living in India are fortunate enough to enjoy ghevar at any time .

But , those who are living in abroad and missing ghevar Like me , here is the recipe for them .

I know many of them out there haven’t even heard of this dessert and don’t know how it will taste . . . they are crispy and when hot syrup is added to this crispy delight it is soft from inside but doesn’t looses is crispy texture .

Recipe for Ghevar By Varsha Dahad

Ghevar Recipe Prep time 15 mins - Cook time 45 mins - Total time 1 hour

Ghevar is a round plate-shaped sweet which made from Ghee, flour and sugar syrup . It is also known as Honeycomb dessert and is one of the best dessert recipe .

Recipe type: Dessert ; Cuisine: Indian; Serves: 4 People

INGREDIENTS (250 ML CUP USED):- 1½ cup Maida (all-purpose flour), ½ cup Ghee, ½

cup Milk, 1½ cup Water- Ghee - to fry, For Sugar syrup- 1½ cup Sugar and

1 cup Water

INSTRUCTIONS: - First take three ingredients separately i .e . milk,

ghee(clarified butter) and water . - Pour ghee and cold milk in a bowl and whisk

it well, so it mixes properly . You can use hand blender to save workload, if its not available, use a whisk . Blend it till ghee and milk emulsify into a smooth mixture and do not separate .Be careful not to blend it for a long time else the ghee would separate .

- Sieve the maida and add into the mixture above and whisk again .

- Make sure that no lumps are left behind and the batter formed is smooth . Now add water little by little and mix it well into a smooth consistency .

- Now add food color if you want (I have used oil based food color) . Mix it well .

- The consistency of the batter should be such that if we drip the batter from the spoon, then it should fall like a string .

FRYING THE GHEVAR: - Take a round deep and flat-bottomed vessel . Heat

ghee in a deep vessel . - The quantity of ghee should be half of the density

of the vessel . Heat it on high flame till the ghee gets very hot .

- Check the right temperature by dropping a small amount of the batter and see if it immediately comes up, without any delay, then its correct temperature .

- Pour much batter into the ghee to make a big circle depending on the how thick ghevar you want to make .

- I used two spoonful of batter . Pour the batter slowly in one continuous thin stream in the center of the pan .

- Bubbles start spluttering all over the surface of ghee .

- Let the foam settle down . If the center point is totally covered , then use ladle to make little space in the center and keep on pouring the batter .

- Take 1- 2 min interval between pouring of batter .- Turn flame low once you have poured batter into

the ghee . Let it fry until it turns light brown in colour .

- Once the ghevar has turned to brown in color, means it is cooked now . Take out the ghevar in a plate lined with tissue paper .

PREPARING THE SUGAR SYRUP - Add water and sugar to pan . Bring them to boil

with occasional stirring . After the boil, heat it on low flame for 5-6 minutes till you get a one-string consistency .

- Pour a drop of syrup on a plate to check . Once it cools down a little bit, take it between your thumb and a finger and see if it sticky or not . If you feel stickiness between your fingers forming a single string, then it means that your syrup is ready .Turn off the flame . Let the syrup cool down .

- Now dip the ghevar into sugar syrup for 1 to 2 min and take it out . Keep the ghevar dipped in the syrup on a plate and tilt it, so that any excess syrup gets drained .

- Your delicious Rajasthani Ghevar is ready .- Garnish the Ghevar with the silver foil, dry fruits

and saffron . It is ready to serve now .


About TRFSTRUCTURE:The Rajasthan Foundation (TRF) is registered charity with charity commission of England and Wales and registered as company by guarantee without share capital at Companies House England and Wales .

OBJECTIVES:n Relief of poverty, hardship and distress among members of Rajasthani Community and promoting

community

n Advancement of education and promotion of the Rajasthani culture within the UK, including its history, language, literature, art, music and dance forms .

n Financial assistance to schools or educational establishment in Rajasthan which are in need of essential educational material, supplies or facilities

VISION:To be a premier and prestigious organisation with a strong brand equity and a team of dedicated and experienced volunteers, who promote TRF members, support to various communities in UK from Rajasthan and integrate them to promote Rajasthani community, promote Rajasthani history, language, literature, art, music and celebrate Rajasthani Culture .

To promote charity within the Rajasthani community to raise funds required for the assistance to school and educational establishment in Rajasthan .

Achievement till 2016 COMMUNITY:n Since 2005, TRF has increased its awareness across UK and increased its membership base to more

then 1000 .

n TRF has been organising events each year, such as Holi and summer cricket and Diwali Charity since its inception to promote and integrate Rajasthani community .

n TRF has organised various cultural events in last 11 years to bring Rajasthani community together .

n TRF board and members are spreading the good word about the organisation and its volunteers are working to promote community integration over past 11 years and achieve milestone of more than 1000 members .

CULTURE: n Celebration of Diwali event almost every year, celebration of Holi event and organising various dance

and sport events to promote Rajasthani culture .

n Youth trip to Rajasthan in 2016 to promote Rajasthani culture and its history one such example of successful cultural exchange .


CHARITY:n TRF has been working since its inception to promote charity and organising flagship charity fund-

raisers every year to promote and support education in Rajasthan .

n Since day one of TRF, it has been working with Zero admin cost with support from experience board of directors and its volunteers .

n TRF has supported Navjyoti Manovikas Kendra (NMK) – Jodhpur to construct new buildings and improve its infrastructure and facilities . NMK is an educational charity that provides a specialist education to children and young adults with intellectual, behavioural, and physical disabilities, in Jodhpur . (Total Donation £55,000 to date)

n TRF Supported Jagruti, a charity based in Jaipur to rebuilt derelict and abandoned schools in slum areas of Rajasthan to provide education for children, youth, and women in that area called . (Total Donation £25000)

n TRF has organised ‘nearly used’ clothes collection in UK amongst members for distribution to needy children via chosen charities .

n TRF board is always looking for new opportunities for supporting charities in Rajasthan or helping needy directly where possible . TRF also invites members and other people in the communities to come-up with ideas where charity can help the needy .

VISION for 2020 and beyondn TRF will continue to increase its membership and encourage people of Rajasthani heritage and

connections to come together from across UK and EU;

n There are more than 8-10 various Rajasthani small groups and organization in UK . TRF would like to support to these organization and integrate from Rajasthani community in UK and aim to increase its membership by 50% .

n TRF’s plans to continue, to preserve Rajasthani culture and heritage for future generations within the UK by establishing a TRF Community Centre by 2021 .

n TRF will run minimum of 2 events a year and one youth programme every year to promote Rajasthani culture . The Youth programme can be youth trip, charity trip, youth performances or youth development . We will accept and evaluate any feedback and suggestions from our members .

n TRF intends to help building new schools or providing support to existing schools in need of essential educational material or facilities . TRF target the donation of £150,000 in next 5 years .TRF intend to expand its charitable arm to other deserving causes in Rajasthan and in the UK where appropriate;

n In the UK, TRF will continue to provide a social and professional platform to benefit Rajasthani youth with valuable networking opportunities;

n TRF continues to raise awareness of the problems and struggles in Rajasthan through innovative public relations;

and a prosperious new year to all members of the Rajasthani foundation and their guests

Optimising our extensive network of �nancing partners, we broaden the funding options available to clients. We offer a range of �nancing solutions that includes:

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To discuss funding requirements for a range of needs,please contact Paul Robins at Knox Capital Solutions:

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Phad Paintings are a folk painting style from Rajasthan, India . These paintings were and still are a part of an elaborate ritualistic song and dance performance by folk balladeers that travel from village to village performing folk epics . The paintings provide the backdrop against which the songs, dances and narrations are used to create an evening of magic and entertainment usually in the centre of the village . Each painting depicts a different episode and they are opened or unrolled only after sundown, in conjunction with an all night performance . This is possibly why these paintings are called Phad which means folds in local dialect . Phad paintings are made on cloth or walls and most popularly depict the story of the local hero-gods - Pabuji & Devnarayanji . A series of these paintings represent a folk epic narrative through a very specific style of representation filled with figures and pictorial incidents .

All Phad paintings have certain common features . Every available inch of the canvas is crowded with figures . Another similarity is flat construction of the pictorial space . While the figures are harmoniously distributed all

Rajasthani Art Phad Paintings

over the area, the scale of figure depends on the social status of the character they represent and the roles they play in the story . Another interesting feature is that the figures in the paintings always face each other instead of the viewer . These paintings in their traditional form are very wide to accommodate the numerous episodes of the complex stories . Some Phad painters are also experimenting with the 'collage' form for Phad paintings where while remaining true to the basic principles of the art form they combine various aspects of the art form to create a visually appealing modern painting . Phad sketches made with a single stroke of the pen while following the Phad form are also gaining popularity .


“Seasons greetings andbest wishes from Sanjay,

Anju, Piyushaa& Kush Newatia”.

Happy Diwali

Lords, the Mecca of cricket……the very words are a symbol of excellence, prestige and past heritage, much like Our TRF . And this historical landmark was the venue for TRF’s Holi 2016 celebration! The stirring beat of the dhol drums at the entry set the mood and tone of the entire afternoon . Gulaal tikkas greeted and welcomed every guest at the entrance to the Thomas Lord Suite which overlooks the world-famous Pavilion and the Harris garden .

After the serious business of gorging on varied, tasty and festive appetizers, the main programme began . Mr . Avnish Goyal of the ‘Hemraj Goyal Foundation’ was

our inspirational speaker at the event . His interactive speech on personal development through the power of self-improvement left the audience in a contemplative mood . I can personally vouch for the impact his dynamic personality and motivational speech had on adults and children alike when my thirteen-year-old son came up to me later and said, “Wow, that was so amazing!” Avnish, thank you so much for inspiring us to challenge ones limiting beliefs and encouraging us to really make the best of ourselves .

Then followed an absolutely dhuandaar performance by Rinky

Rathi and her friends Krishna and Jayaa on a Marwari folk song which got everyone’s feet tapping . Another beautiful dance followed, kathak performed by Mihika Bajaj and Paridhi Oza . Melodious lyrical songs by Aarti Bhandari, Shivani Sethia and Divakar Gautam moved the audience .

Fresh pizza and a tattoo artist corner meant that children were occupied too, leaving parents to enjoy a sumptuous spread catered by Green Leaf . Our own DJ Surinder then turned on the heat and invited people to the dance floor with – you guessed it – Rang Barse, without which any Holi gathering

HOLI TRF 2016By Raksha Harbhajanka

is incomplete! Fast approaching was the highlight of the day in my eyes – The Lords Tour . The Board would once again like to apologise for the wrenching disappointment faced by some people when the tours got full up and they could not join in .

Stunning vistas of the hallowed turf from the windows of the hall had whetted everyone’s appetite, and the tour did not disappoint . Steeped in history and charm with extraordinary architecture and a fascinating collection of cricketing art and memorabilia, including

the iconic Ashes urn; the museum at Lords spans the full history of cricket from its emergence as a major sport in the 18th century to the modern day age of Twenty20 and the IPL . We visited the visitors changing room and the resounding cheer which arose when the guide pointed out Virat Kohli’s favourite seat was probably heard 2 miles away! It was exhilarating to follow in the footsteps of Team India all the way to the visitor’s balcony where our very own beloved ‘Dada’ had delighted a billion Indians with his shirt waving antics…… . .

Who would have thought that one day we would celebrate Holi not only in Lords but also in Regents Park? A short walk from Lords, the verdant and green open spaces of Regents Park beckoned, where a most enjoyable hour was spent by adults and children alike, throwing gulaal at each other . Plenty of park visitors stood gawking at the spectacle . At the end, that corner of Regents Park was as vibrant, as colourful and as kaleidoscopic as any part of India would be on this most wonderful and colourful festival of Holi .


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Happy Diwali

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Lord Shiva Sketch by Shagun Chechani

Drawingby Vanishka Maheshwari - Age 4 years


Diwali Cardby Nikita Bhutoria - Age 6 years

With best wishes for a successful 2016

Diwali Charity Ball

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A Short story by Charvi Jain

I take a step into the oblivion and just pause, and think . But I don’t move because I am grounded by my roots . I have the power to asphyxiate, yet burdened beneath the colos-sal weight of the world I refuse myself that hugely satisfying luxury . My heart lies be-neath my warmth which lies smothered underneath my repudiation for your existence .

Of course I know you are there, but even the slightest acknowledgement of your exist-ence pains me brutally, for I know you take me for granted .

This world is a disgusting place ruled by you; merciless barbarians who are given the sheer pleasure in simplicity and choose to ignore it .

You will waste your life withering amongst your intoxicating plastic and metal, while I sit here rotting away my soft lus-cious leaves disintegrating into disgraceful brown wisps .

If I had a sliver of scope to dream . You will never accept me . Not now, not ever . I can see in it in your eyes; that ruthless, barbaric look . I question my importance, my signifi-cance in this passing world, but all I can see are your primitive ways .

You would much rather wander amongst your own obscenity, but you are too full of narcissism to think about watching nature, watching the sky and the grass and the tall standing trees .

You would never wander outside and gaze at me with fascination, and the same passion as I once acquired for you . I will stand here and age and my bark will dry and flake, and

my leaves will fall and I will wither and gnarl and eventually die, but I would choose to die of nature; our creator and onlooker, than to you barbarians . I will never lose my dignity or my pride to you . I will never forget your bloody, barbaric habits or your ruthless, un-dying crush on inhumanity .

I will never forget you, for all eternity .

For All Eternity

A Drawing by Charvi Jain

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Volunteering breaks have become so popular recently that it is almost trite to mention yet another one . When I was first asked to help organize the TRF Youth Volunteer trip, my daughter was more excited for me to get involved than I was to be involved: my engagement initially was akin to the enthusiasm of a teenager in a Wi-Fi-free zone! Indeed, many readers may have yawned on reading the title at the top of this page, but turn to the next page, it gets better and better .

I had asked my daughter how sure she was about doing this volunteer trip to Rahasthan at least a dozen times before finally committing to it: a trip to Rajasthan in the middle

of summer, working in the slums for ten days; one of us needed our head examining and I was certain it wasn’t me .

The seven teenage volunteers and four adults all converged in Jodhpur on a hot Sunday afternoon . Most of the volunteers already knew each other since we had organized a meeting for them all a few weeks earlier and given them some preparation to work on in teams, in advance of the trip .

TRF currently supports two schools in Rajasthan – the first of these is Navjyoti Manovikas Kendra (NMK), Jodphur . This is a school primarily specializing in the

education and support of children with learning and developmental disabilities, although many also suffer physical disabilities, NMK gives these children the opportunity to experience different arts, crafts, and sports and encourages them in any activities for which they show an aptitude .

In July while we were there, one of the students was eagerly waiting for news of her selection for the national Paralympics hockey team . Others have put on song and dance shows for the public too . The children’s families and carers are also brought into the NMK community to learn new occupational skills, from which they can earn a small

Rajasthan Charity Trip 2016 by Sudhesh Dahad

TRF Youth Volunteer


living for themselves . One young mother, who previously had barely known how to turn on a computer, had succeeded in setting up an online crafts business thanks to her training at NMK .

NMK Diploma training courses are becoming nationally and internationally renowned for the training of Special Educational Needs teachers . The TRF volunteers spent a day at the Navjyoti Manovikas Kendra school, interacting with the children . Even without specialist training, it was clear that the interest of TRF volunteers was making a difference to the children who attend the school .

The second day of our trip was set aside to show the volunteers some of Jodhpur’s sights . Unexpectedly that day, the group ended up spending an hour in another charity-funded school, whose staff invited some local dignitaries to meet us when they heard of our presence there .

After everyone had taken a ride on an elephant, visited the Mehangarh Fort, our tour guide led us to a supposed café, which had been cleverly disguised as a textile shop! We eventually boarded the evening train to Jaipur, armed with cold

pizzas and twice as many suitcases as there were members in our group .

We were all expecting to attend a small inauguration ceremony at the second school supported by TRF, the Rajkiya Uchha Prathmik Vidhyalaya school, located in the Santosh Nagar slum in Jaipur, and run by Jagriti, a Jaipur-based educational charity . The two TRF board members in our group had to improvise with some impromptu speeches in front of an audience of a hundred or so people plus the children who attend the school . Our entire group was presented with garlands and personalized plaques commemorating their contribution before we even got started with the volunteering! Still, the attention we received here was useful practice for the film star-like welcome the volunteers received every day for the following week .

As the Rajkiya Uchha Prathmik Vidhyalaya school has only recently opened and had yet to recruit a full complement of teachers, the TRF volunteers taught English, mathematics, music, and dance . Even though for many of the pupils

this was their first time at school, our volunteers made learning fun for them .

The dancing class was enjoyed mostly by the children, as for the music, sadly, nobody except two TRF volunteers enjoyed the recorder lessons – in fact, the experience may well induce many of our TRF volunteers and no doubt some of the children from the school too, never to play their recorders again!

TRF’s financial donation was essential for the school’s reconstruction costs, but donating our time was equally important, not only in assisting the staff in the absence of a sufficient quota of teachers, but also in inspiring and motivating the children who can look forward to better lives than that for which they might otherwise have been destined in Jaipur’s slums .

TRF would like to thank all the volunteers for making this maiden trip a success: so thank you to Shruti Acharya, Sakshi Agarwal, Srishti Agarwal, Aarushi Arora, Tanika Dahad, Anushka Dave, and Nikita Sethia .


Nearly New Clothes Project by Anaika Nagori, AkasaiPremsankar

OUR VISIONn To recycle nearly new

children’s clothes from families in the UK and give them to the orphanages in India .

n Why?

n Here in the UK, we throw away tons of good clothes

n There is an estimated 30 million orphans in India -we wanted to give them a helping hand

HOW WE STARTED IT…n We initiated the project

last year by contacting the orphanages in India

n Got their confirmation to accept the clothes

n Collected clothes from TRF members, friends & family

THE SORTING PROCESS…n We sorted the clothes by

gender and age groups: 0-3, 4-8, 9-12 and 13-16 .

n The clothes were then ready to be sent to India by courier .

THE ORPHANAGESn Eklavya

n Swach Samaj Social Welfare Society

OUTCOMEn We were pleased to hear

from the orphanage, once they received the clothes, and to see the pictures of the children with the clothes .

n It fascinated us to see that the clothes, we had collected and sorted, are now being put to good use in India .

WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANTn Adequate clothing is

important for every orphaned child to protect them from the elements .

n By donating clothes that: do not fit your children, in good condition, never been worn .

n You can ameliorate living standards for these orphans in India .

n A simple piece of clothing could go a long way for a poor child

HOW YOU CAN HELPGet involved!

n donate clothes or help out this project

n propose orphanages in Rajasthan that would be happy to accept donations

For more information, contact the TRF board ([email protected]) or Roopa Nagori at [email protected]

AASHNI + CO WEDDING SHOWSunday, 8th January 2017

The Dorchester, London11:30AM - 6:30PMwww.wslondon.com Tickets - £30 each

ASAL By Abu SandeepAnamika KhannaAnushree ReddyGaurav GuptaMonisha JaisingSabyasachiTarun TahilianiAkanksha GajriaElan GaurangJADE By Karishma And MonicaMal The Store Ridhi MehraRidhima BhasinRimple And Harpreet NarulaRose Room CoutureSonali GuptaSVARani Pink Amrapali Aamir NaveedAmbreen Floral Design by Zita Elze


In recent years, Indian designers have propelled to new heights, moving from just Bridalwear or Bollywoodwear to everyday essentials and off-the-rack Indo-Western offerings . Many designers have even crossed the ocean with their designs, dressing the likes of Paris Hilton, Rihanna, Lady Gaga & Sarah Jessica Parker . Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla are breaking into the global fashion realm by recently launching their new line: Khosla Jani, which focuses on incorporating Western sophisticated cuts and Eastern intricate embellishment . If it’s good enough for Beyonce, it’s ok for us .

In the age of globalisation, the gap between Ethnic wear and Western wear is gradually narrowing, with new trends, such as lace, velvet and exposed shoulders being prevalent in AW16 and SS17 collections .

THE CHOKER & THE EXPOSED SHOULDERThe choker has been everywhere this year, and we don’t see it dying anytime soon either . Even as winter approaches, we see them teamed with shoulders on show .

Celebrity stylist Rhea Kapoor transforms a traditional sari with off-shoulder blouse & choker.

The trend is taking the form of anything from plain old ribbon from discarded gift wrapping to a swathe of thick lace or three rows of glittering diamonds . Whether in a dress, sari or lehenga, it’s happening .

The stunning mother-daughter duo: Sridevi & Janvi, encapsulating elegance in Manish Malhotra creations.

SEQUINS, GLITTER & MORE SPARKLESWhilst bling is eponymous with Indian wear, its role is evolving as it’s now offsetting the existence of jewellery . Oversized earrings, mangtikkas and necklaces are paired with plainer outfits whilst dazzling outfits are commonly harmonised by the omission of jewellery altogether .

TEXTURES & CUTSAs a true advocate of ‘fashion is cyclical’ (some may refer to me as a ‘hoarder’ in simple terms), we

If it’s good enough for Beyonce by Urvashi Agarwal

Jani Khosla | a perfect balance between a clean silhouette & elaborate embellishments.

Sabyasachi | AW16 | Dazzling details, exposed shoulders & minimal jewellery.

currently see the resurgence of high waisted items, cinched waists, velvet, silk and brocade, tunnel legged pants and ruffles .

Masaba Gupta | SS17

The 80s are back . Masaba stunned at her latest SS17 show, with flared silk jumpsuits, thick embellished chokers and airy silhouettes .

HUEMN by Pranav Mishra & Shyma Shetty|SS17

Hemant & Nandita also featured endless prints, culottes, ruffles & belting wider silhouetted clothing .

Manish Malhotra | AW16

The increased utility of individual pieces from an Ethnic outfit, when translated to wear for Western occasions, has piqued interest in the investment in designer wear . Ethnic designers are finally getting recognised globally for their handmade quality designs, and rightly so .

Urvashi Agarwal www .urvashilondon .com


Diwali Greetings from the

Jaipuria Family

Happy Diwali

The reconstruction and renovation of the school exterior: interior and exterior works have transformed the school.

The school courtyard before renovation.

TRF Charity Highlights

Last Diwali, The Rajasthani Foundation decided to support a charity called Jagriti . This is in addition to ongoing support of Navjyoti Manovikas Kendra (a specialist school for the educational and vocational guidance of children with learning difficulties and physical disabilities) in Jodhpur . The work of Jagriti involves adoption of underprivileged slum areas in Rajasthan and development of them, both socially and economically . Education plays a key role in that development . The government-funded schools attached to the slum areas are unable to provide the

sort of infrastructure that supports good quality education . Jagriti, therefore, first adopts the school, then reconstructs the buildings and provides well-trained teachers, thus creating the ideal platform for great educational beginnings .

The Rajasthani Foundation, with the help of its supporters and donors has funded such a school renovation at Santosh Nagar slum in Jaipur . The Rajkiya Uchha Prathmik Vidhyalaya school has been completely transformed, and created the capacity to accommodate almost three times the number of children

originally attending . The school’s timely inauguration took place during the annual TRF-youth trip, thus it was held in the presence of TRF youth and board members . The pictures largely speak for themselves, they tell a story of success and achievement and hope . With your help, we can continue to support causes such as these in Rajasthan . With small gestures, maybe we can bring some light and hope to the world of the disadvantaged, so we implore you to give generously as every little gesture helps .

2015-16

Jagriti School Building Inaugurated in Jaipur in July 2016 Supported By TRF

The dilapidated building of the Rajkiya Uchha Prathmik Vidhyalaya school,

Santosh Nagar slum area, Jaipur. The entrance to the school after renovation

and reconstruction.

The entrance to Rajkiya Uchha Prathmik Vidhyalaya school, Santosh Nagar slum

area, Jaipur, before renovation.

Inauguration of the new school building was attended by TRF youth and board members . Renovation and reconstruction of the school building goes much deeper than aesthetics, the real beauty is that the school will transform thousands of young lives by providing an excellent opportunity for education . All this was made possible through the support of TRF .

Some interior shots of the renovated classrooms at Rajkiya Uchha Prathmik Vidhyalaya school, Santosh Nagar slum

area, Jaipur.


Diwali Greetings from

Gajraj Singh Rathore and Tripta Rathore

Happy Diwali

TRF Youth Performance

The TRF youth have come together again this year presenting a medley of dances . They have been rehearsing tirelessly for weeks under the able eye of Raheem and Shivani from RS choreography .

This year’s theme is the celebration of womanhood! With an all-female cast, the dances show a journey

from a little girl to coming of age . The fun and frolic of childhood to the elegance and grace of a young woman .

As always this platform brings together kids from the community, building new friendships and alliances .

We look forward to having more participation next year .

2016

DANCERS:Aditi DhelariaAayushi Dhelaria Ashna BanthiaJia BanthiaDiya KediaShagun ChechaniNitya KapadiaMahika Gautam

Paridhi OzaAnoushka MaruSakshi AgarwalTanika DahadNikita SethiaRinki RathiArchana Tapuria

CHOREOGRAPHERS:Raheem Mir

Shivani Singhania (RS choreography)

SPECIAL THANKS:Sangam Community Centre (Burnt Oak)


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Corporate and Financial Restructuring

Scorpion , Scorpion who made thee?No one deadly like meWho thy can he see,

Smaller thy am more I flee,Angels and Saints come to me,

And say please forgive thre .

Scorpion , Scorpion who made thee?Who thy powerful like me?

God wonders who made thy;No rhythm, no softness like a bee .

A Poemby Harshil Mathur - Age 8 years

Scorpion


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Wishing everyone a

Happy Diwali

L








Wishing everyone a

Happy Diwali

L








Wishing everyone a

Happy Diwali

Documents

TRF Board’s Letter