Our Vision
A society where the resource gap between children on opposite ends of the spectrum is reduced so that everyone has an equal opportunity to pursue their dreams
Our Mission
To promote education innovations in under-resourced schools through volunteering spirit, active participation and social leadership by children from affluent backgrounds
Balamitra Initiatives & Goals
Nurture
Donate games & sports gear for outdoor activities
Distribute story books & arts kits
Distribute Menstrual Hygiene Kits
Create awareness
Educate adolescent girls & their mothers on Menstrual Hygiene management
Teach student first aid and educate them about basic hygiene measures
Develop Skills
Setup libraries to broaden the horizon
Projector System with digital screen
Provide “Art kits” for tiny tots to ignite their imagination and Science Kits for elder children
How we began our journey
Chandrika and Naveen used to enjoy organising cultural programmes for the children in their apartment community. They organised a fundraising drive once and were heartened to see how enthusiastic and committed the children were. It was then that they felt that children’s energy and creativity could be directed more towards social work.
Given that children are constantly pushed towards individual success, they don’t have enough time to think of community growth. The hope was that if we sow the seed of social work in children, they will definitely connect with it and go on to become more socially conscious adults. This idea became the Balamitra Foundation. Balamitra is a Sanskrit word where ‘bala’ means child and ‘mitra’ means friend.
All of Balamitra’s activities are led by student volunteers who are the ‘balamitra’s helping their peers in rural schools. This partnership becomes a two-way growth channel as the student volunteers benefit from helping and interacting with rural school students and rural students in turn benefit from the fundraising efforts and exposure that they gain.
Cmde Raju joined as a co-founder to help with setting up of the Foundation and liaise with the beneficiaries. Padma joined in 2019 and with her background as a yoga practitioner, she guides intention and goal setting, along with mentoring student volunteers.
Our team
Chandrika Kanumuri
Co-founder and Managing Trustee
Chandrika completed her MBA from Arizona State University and after working in the US for a few years, moved back to Hyderabad, India with her family. She worked with the NGO Naandi Foundation for a few years before co-founding Balamitra Foundation in 2016. Social work is both a passion and a need for Chandrika. She loves reading, is an inveterate foodie, and enjoys running and dancing.
Cmde (Retd) B. Rama Raju
Co-founder and Trustee
BR Raju started his journey in the village of Billalavalasa in Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh. Through hard work and scholarships, he made his way into the Indian Navy as a Mechanical Engineer. He did his Masters in Marine Power plants and PG Diploma in Nuclear Engineering and served as the commissioning Chief Engineer of India’s first Nuclear Submarine INS Chakra. It is his roots and inspiring story which made Balamitra pick village schools in Vizianagaram district as the beneficiaries of the fundraising efforts. BR Raju devotes most of his time to social work, both as a Trustee of Balamitra and as part of various other groups.
Padma Rudraraju
Trustee
Padma worked as a software professional in Washington DC before moving back to Hyderabad in 2004. She was a partner at Treasure House, a Children’s Library and Experience Center (2010-2015) . She is a yoga practitioner, lover of outdoor spaces and books and believes it’s joyful to lift each other up.
Naveen Tummala
Co-founder and Trustee
Naveen worked as a Software Engineer in the U.S for 12 years before moving to India in 2012. When he is not busy at his day job, he can be found playing on a tennis or badminton court. An avid sports fan, he loves traveling around the world. He is passionate about making a difference in someone’s life and believes that in doing so, lies our true purpose.
