Let
us stop violence against women, and empower underprivileged
women to rise above poverty and inequality through
encouragement, basic education and vocational skills!
What does Surya-Chandra Foundation stand for?
Surya (Sun) – The ruler
of the intellect and source of the truth. The sun rises day
after day regardless of weather conditions. It traverses its
path giving light and heat to humanity.
Chandra (Moon) – The most visible symbol of
feminine energy in the solar system is the Moon. Because it
reflects the light from the sun, the pale orbit in the night sky
has come to represent a woman's reflective nature, her
internalized response to the world.
It is somewhat akin to the Yin & Yang nature of everything –
man & woman, need to be treated equal. Unfortunately, there
are many countries where women are treated less equal to men.
This must be changed, and it is the mission of Surya-Chandra
Foundation to empower women to rise above poverty and
inequality, even in male dominated societies.
Vision
Enable gender equality through quality education for girls and
women from impoverished and distraught segements of society
Mission
To stop violence against women, and empower underpriviledged
women to rise above poverty and inequality through
encouragement, basic education and vocational skills
Core Values
Action-oriented to solve problems
Build the organization brick by brick
Commitment to serve the cause
Demonstrate results of efforts
Ethical conduct and transparency
Foster teamwork and cooperation
Genuine care and respect for the individual
Help people lead healthier lives
S-C-Foundation Officers
Murli Nakappan – Founder and Chief Executive Officer
My mother and my three elder
sisters were instrumental in shaping my views on women starting
at an early age of six, subsequent to my father's untimely
demise. I feel eternally obligated to the cause of empowering
women to rise above poverty and inequality, having witnessed the
ordeal of suffering and numerous sacrifices made by my mother
and sisters for the sake of my welfare.
I have more than 30 years of experience as a business and
technology consultant. I have worked for major corporations such
as IBM, Digital Equipment (now Hewlett Packard), and Unisys as
well as small niche consulting firms specializing in a industry
vertical or a technology domain. During the 2000's, I worked as
a technology executive at Health Care Industry leaders - Kaiser
Permanente and WellPoint.
I have a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and a
Master's in Business Administration with specialization in
Finance and Information Systems.
murli@s-c-foundation.org
+1(818)991-8895
Shankar Rao – Director,
Marketing
I am
very excited about helping the cause of girls and find
opportunities to empower them. My interest in serving the
underserved population was inculcated in me by my parents. It
took a new meaning watching my sister, Dr. Asha Rao and my
brother-in-law, Dr. Kali Pappu devote their entire life to
community health as MDs. The need to increase awareness of
issues surrounding women, rehabilitation of street children,
sustained economic independence, and healthcare for women grew
out this association.
Motivated by this fraternity, my wife, Dr. Anu Pappu and I
decided to be part of this foundation to support the empowerment
of women. I am an entrepreneur at heart, motivated to bring
positive change in the business arena as well as the social
landscape. We are very grateful for what we have today and would
like to spend our energy and resources to give back in a small
way.
shankar@s-c-foundation.org
+1(818)324-9797
Sue Nakappan – Director, Finance
The idea of making a difference
through Surya-Chandra Foundation in the lives of as many under
privileged women and children as possible, is very appealing to
me. Currently, I also volunteer at a couple of different
non-profit organizations in the Los Angeles area.
I have worked in accounting and finance for over 25 years. Most
of my experience has been in the field of education. I have a
bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Madras,
and have supplemented the degree with several courses in
Accounting and Computer Science.
sue@s-c-foundation.org
+1(818)991-8895
Ashok Kumar– Director,
Technology
Right
from my early youth, I was deeply influenced by my father's love
and respect for all loving things, God's creations, as he would
put it. Being an Indian Government Worker, he had limited means.
But, in his life time he turned around the lives of many people
who used to come from villages with no money and very little
education to do domestic work. He would get them started at the
lowest level working for Post and Telegraphs. He would then
encourage them to get more training and move up the ladder. Most
remarkable is the achievement of an orphaned youth who used to
work as a washerman and iron clothes in our house--"Dhobi." He
got him started in Post and Telegraphs as well. From digging
holes and erecting telephone poles and installing wires, he got
promoted to be a supervisor. He, in turn, encouraged his
children to study hard. As a result, his sons became engineers
and scientists. One of them lives in Atlanta. Contributions made
by S-C-Foundation to some of the charities in India are
achieving similar results. Turning lives around really appeals
to me.
I studied at Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, India. I
came to the U.S. in 1969 for higher studies. I did post
graduation work at University of Maine and University of
Massachusetts. I worked for 37 years in the urban transportation
planning field working with transportation network simulation
models.
In my spare time, I like to keep up with various web
technologies, innovative ways of fund raising, and the
investment opportunities in promising technologies and bio-tech
to achieve superior returns. I like to earmark some of my
investment income to fund charitable causes. Besides Surya
Chandra Foundation, I also promote Kiva to turn lives around on
a shoestring budget.
ashok@s-c-foundation.org
+1(805)215-2743