Dear donors and friends, Giving credit to the people who helped the project to grow is one of the mottos of FFEI (Ambedkar Scholarships). So, I always acknowledge the help received from any quarter – big or small. Though some in the past questioned me why I write to so many emails, I feel, recognizing the services received (thankfulness) is essential for any good project to grow. So, please excuse me if any one thinks that I give more information than necessary. It also helps me to run the project as transparently as possible. Also, please remember that my I praises of anyone is not for praising. Every word I write comes from the bottom of my heart. If I forgot to thank anyone, please excuse me. It may be due to lack to time or forgot to do so. So, I made it a point that every donor’s contribution (through cash or kind – however small it could be) will be gratefully acknowledged by Ambedkar Scholarships. Now, the time to give thanks to my good friend Prof Shiva Shankar of Chennai Mathematical Institute. I know him since the starting of Ambedkar Scholarships in 2003. He was instrumental to start “Scholarships for Children from Scavenging families” or SCS. Most of the donors to this project are his friends from academic field. An accomplished mathematician himself, he knew many top brains in the world. The most admiring thing in him is that every year he sends individual emails to all his friends (hundreds of them) on behalf of Ambedkar Scholarships introducing me and the project. I need not request him to do so. This year, as soon as I sent an appeal for donations, he started his work, even without my knowledge. So far, he sent approx. 150 individual emails. I knew only when my mail box is filled with hundreds CCed emails. He corresponds with those who responds, reminds them from time to time, and help AS to get donations – all on his own. Is it a small task? In fact, I have been thinking of using the brain power of this accomplished academia to mentor our scholars. I do not know how. Doesn’t it exhilarate the mind to this of such a project? Being busy in this field as a professor, I do not know where he finds that much time.
Apart from this, he helps me with his donation in most of the projects we propose. His family is equally donates. So, FFEI gratefully thanks to Prof Siva Shankar for all his help for the past 6 years. With much regards Benjamin P Kaila ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ An educated man without character and humility was more dangerous than a beast. If his education was detrimental to the welfare of poor, he was a curse to society. -Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar Please visit www.ambedkarscholarship.org or www.friendsforeducation.org
