Excelsior Sports Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 17: Chairman of Indrani Balan Foundation, Punit Balan said that its Foundation would identify terror affected families in the Union Territory and sponsor their children’s education.
The Foundation has been running 10 schools established by the Army in high militancy areas like Baramulla, Kupwara, Anantnag, Pahalgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Uri, Trehgam and Gurez. The Foundation is also assisting the Daggar Parivaar School for special children in Baramulla with technical, educational and financial assistance.
The Foundation aims to rebuild the lives of children whose education has been jeopardised by drugs and militancy in the Valley, said its chairman Punit Balan, adding that the Foundation intends to support the victims of terrorism.
“All these children who are affected by such incidents, the basic problem they face is that of education. We will identify terrorism-affected families and sponsor their children’s complete education,” Balan said.
Condemning the killings by militants and the devastation they cause to families, including leaving children orphaned, Balan said the foundation became involved because it wished to help these children as much as possible.
Balan is the first non-J&K entrepreneur to begin working on children’s education and other development projects since the repeal of Article 370 in August 2019. His goal is to provide free education to the children of Kashmir.
The Foundation has taken the lead in the ‘Nation First’ initiative for education of Kashmiri children, he said.
The Foundation has also been supporting Kashmiri athletes to compete in international events. So far, the foundation has supported approximately 5,000 such youths from the Valley.
Umar Ahmed, who played Kho-Kho for Mumbai Khiladi with support from the Foundation said, “I am extremely thankful to the Army and Punit Balan’s group. I have been assisted by this organization.”
Cyclist Mohammad Saleem Sheikh, who has competed in eight national-level events in various States, said he received overwhelming support from the Foundation.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
