About us
Samudhaaya Foundation was launched in 1999 by its Founder & Managing Trustee Padmabhushan awardee, Sangita Kalanidhi, Kalaimamani Smt. Sudha Ragunathan.
Samudhaaya Foundation has disbursed funds to the tune of over Rs. 3.5 crores so far, for varied causes. On her Guru Padmabhushan awardee Dr.ML Vasanthakumari’s 20th death anniversary, on 31 October, 2010, Sudha Ragunathan campaigned for organ donation and had 20 members registering on a single day.
Samudhaaya Foundation focuses on the needs of under privileged, destitute and orphaned children by providing funds for educational, medical and infra structural support. Sudha Ragunathan has spent time with the children of Sri Arunodayam and Prema Vaasam that are homes for mentally challenged and handicapped children. She enjoyed quality time with the children at Clarke School for the Deaf where Samudhaaya Foundation has provided funds for infrastructure upgrade. She is a regular visitor to the pediatric cancer care wing at Sri Ramachandra Hospital at Chennai. Enabling heart surgeries at Sri Ramachandra Hospital for the lesser privileged children and singing to raise funds for the cancer affected children at Meenakshi Mission Hospital, Madurai has touched a deep chord within her. The immense sense of fulfillment that she experiences when she is with the children heightened her focus on working towards gathering more funds for supporting these children
Sudha Ragunathan has taken Carnatic music to the Corporation Schools and old age homes in Chennai, India. She conducted lecture demonstrations and performances at select schools in the city. She has given exclusive concerts for the inmates of the Puzhal Prison and this has left an indelible mark both on her career and in the hearts of her unique audience.
Her philanthropy has the blessings of veterans and people of great stature – Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India, Dr. SM Krishna, former External Affairs Minister of India, Shri Gopalkrishna Gandhi, former Governor of West Bengal, India and Dr. MS Swaminathan, the Father of the Green Revolution in India.
Samudhaaya Foundation has supported Vela Institute for Social Action and Development at Villupuram, off Chennai which houses about 180 children. The school has an Early Intervention Centre for Young Hearing Impaired Children and for the Mentally Retarded. There was an urgent need for a dining room for the children and inmates who were being served food on an open space and on the floor. A dining room was constructed with aid from Samudhaaya Foundation.
Support is continuously required for the various ailments that plague the under privileged and Sudha Ragunathan has been regularly working on identifying those Institutions that do commendable service. Those that work with focus to bring in a change and a smile to the lives of these unfortunate but deserving souls have all seen a beneficial and befitting partnership with Samudhaaya Foundation.
There is now a focus on children suffering from muscular dystrophy and the ones afflicted with HIV. Assessments of the requirements are in progress and Samudhaaya Foundation reaches out to your generous hearts – please support these wonderful creations of the Almighty who can smile simply because each one of us chose to light a candle to brighten their lives.
Photo Gallery
MLV90 – an event in remembrance of Sudha Ragunathan's guru Dr. ML Vasanthakumari on her 90th birth anniversary on 3rd July, 2018 featured an activity close to Sudha's guru's heart. In the presence of Honourable Minister for Defence, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman as Chief Guest and Shri Manoj Sinha, Honourable Minister of State for Communications (I/C) and Minister of State for Railways, Govt. of India, Soulfee, an organization for the positively abled received a donor cheque to aid their expanding institution catering to those affected with spinal cord injuries. After all, Dr. ML Vasanthakumari, apart from her beatiful music was also known for her generosity and large heart. It was only befitting that this event offered tribute to the doyen by including this activity - the joy of giving.
