Fund Allows Son to Honor Bangladeshi Dad
April - May - June 2008 Newsletter
Shyamal Debnath of Toronto, Canada, is using the Hindu Heritage Endowment (HHE) to support Hindu temples, orphanages and schools in his native Bangladesh. He has established an endowment fund at HHE for that purpose and named it in honor of his father: Sri Chandra Madhab Debnath Endowment, fund #44. Shyamal also hopes the fund will shine a light on the needs of Hindus in Bangladesh.
Raised on Bhola Island at the mouth of the Meghna River on the Bay of Bengal, Shyamal left a politically and religiously tumultuous Bangladesh for Australia at age 29 in 1997. He was a student at Dhaka University and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology at the time. "Many Hindus are unaware that Bangladesh has the largest Hindu population in the world outside of India and Nepal," he said. "Unfortunately, we have been largely ignored."
He added that the Hindu population in Bangladesh, now about 10% of its 140 million people, declined sharply after the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan and dropped further after Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan in 1971.
The loss of some 20 million Bangladeshi Hindus since 1971 represents one of the largest dis-placements of population based on ethnic or religious identity in recent history. Throughout this political and religious turmoil, Shyamalís father, now a retired school teacher, continued his life-long habit of helping his fellow Hindus on Bhola Island.
"We lived in a special area for Hindus," Shyamal recalled. "There were 50 to 60 families in our settlement. My father helped everyone. He organized his friends for Hindu religious programs and procured grants from the local government for the disabled and for the elderly." He also helped the very poor to cover the costs of marriages and funerals. "I got my sense of serving the community from my father," Shyamal said. He hopes some of the income from his HHE fund will find its way to the Sri Sri Madan Mohan Temple in the Daulatkhan area of Bhola, where his father still labors to support the construction of a local temple and serves as a president of the temple committee.
Shyamal heard about the Hindu Heritage Endowment through Hinduism Today when he was a student in Dhaka. He became the Bangladesh correspondent for the magazine, both writing articles on Hindu issues and translating the magazine for distribution to Bengali-speaking Hindus.
After nine years in Australia, Shyamal moved to Toronto last April, 2007, where he now works as a customer service officer for an energy company. "HHE is reaching lots of Hindu institutions badly in need of help," he said. The orphanages he has visited in Bangladesh fall into that category. "Typically, there are 40 to 50 children, usually without enough food. They have a little rice and a little vegetables, but no protein, poor clothing, no medical facilities and poor housing."
"As far as I know, there were no dedicated endowment funds for Bangladeshi Hindu institutions," he said. "This is the first one. And anyone who wants to contribute is certainly welcome to do so. You can be sure it will be put to good use." To donate to this fund, visit our website.
October to December Endowment Contributions
Kauai Aadheenam Monastic Endowment |
Anonymous | $3,571.00 |
Vijay - Daksha - Neil Mithal | 5.00 |
K. Lakshmi Kantha Reddy | 335.00 |
Darmaguhan & Shivali Satgunasingam | 75.00 |
Other Donations | 30,695.63 |
Total | 34,681.63 |
|
Iraivan Temple Endowment |
Anonymous | 2,576.00 |
Jeri Arin | 330.00 |
Anuradha Badhwar | 5.00 |
Meetu Badhwar | 5.00 |
Suchitra Badhwar | 5.00 |
Munnu Bajpai | 100.00 |
Roger & Rosemary Brown | 80.00 |
Bhani Karthigesu | 600.00 |
Trond Liland | 70.00 |
Yogesh Patel | 200.00 |
Dhasan Sivananda | 14.61 |
Other Donations | 89,823.90 |
Total | 93,809.51 |
|
Kauai Aadheenam Annual Archana Fund |
Sivanathan Batumalai | 14.51 |
Gunavadee Caremben | 7.86 |
Somasundaram Caremben | 7.86 |
Sukanta Caremben | 7.86 |
Kamala Guhan | 10.00 |
Amooda Koothan | 5.18 |
Saravan Koothan | 5.18 |
Vijay - Daksha - Neil Mithal | 5.00 |
Navukarasu Muthusamy | 14.51 |
Subramaniam Pennathur | 49.98 |
Kirtideva Peruman | 10.35 |
Niroshnee Peruman | 15.54 |
Srinivas & Liliana Rao | 10.00 |
Devaladevi Sivaceyon | 8.80 |
Nutanaya Sivaceyon | 17.58 |
Patudeva Sivaceyon | 8.80 |
Hemavalli Sivalingam | 1.78 |
Kantaruban Sivalingam | 1.78 |
Rohini Sivalingam | 17.74 |
Nitya Sivam | 100.00 |
Potriyan Sivanathan | 5.66 |
Uma Sivanathan | 60.00 |
Samynaden Veerapen | 21.43 |
Siven Veerasamy | 14.03 |
Total | 421.43 |
|
Hinduism Today Lifetime Subscription Fund |
Yatrika Ajaya | 243.90 |
Jeri Arin | 252.00 |
Bavani Ayyar | 300.00 |
Kris Bhat | 87.00 |
Maruthu Pandian Darmalingam | 360.89 |
Umaiyal Devasegayam | 5.81 |
Ramesh Gantyala | 240.00 |
Rosa Jaramillo | 221.89 |
Rosa & Alejandro Jaramillo | 77.54 |
Rosa Jaramillo Osuna | 149.76 |
Sakuntalai Krishnan | 402.63 |
T. Iswarah Kumar | 71.00 |
Sevanti Kumaran | 51.00 |
Nirmal Gordhan Laungani | 800.00 |
Auslin Mangal Lawrence | 500.00 |
Jeffrey D. Long | 800.00 |
Vijay - Daksha - Neil Mithal | 20.00 |
Bhaskar & Phani Peesapati | 240.00 |
Charles & Jan Roberts | 324.25 |
Kirit Shah | 240.00 |
Sujata Singh | 240.00 |
William Smail | 720.00 |
Total | 6,347.67 |
|
Hindu Businessmenís Association Trust |
Paramaseeven Canagasaby | 24.27 |
Vel Mahalingum | 20.70 |
Manogaran Mardemootoo | 51.77 |
Vishwanaden Moorooven | 62.88 |
Easvan Param | 873.01 |
Janaka Param | 27.00 |
Total | 1,059.63 |
|
Hindu of the Year Fund |
Thamby Kumaran | 40.00 |
|
Boys School for Iraivan Priesthood |
Anonymous | 5.00 |
Bala Sivaceyon | 17.58 |
Total | 22.58 |
|
Kauai Aadheenam Matavasi Medical Fund |
William & Barbara Bachmann | 100.00 |
Maruthu Pandian Darmalingam | 45.11 |
Vijay - Daksha - Neil Mithal | 5.00 |
Gowri Nadason | 105.77 |
Mrunal & Padmaja Patel | 5,000.00 |
Kumar Ranganathan | 100.00 |
Vayudeva Varadan | 54.00 |
Other Donations | 4,800.00 |
Total | 10,209.88 |
|
Tirunavukkarasu Nayanar Gurukulam |
M. & Thaiya Krishnamurthy | 25.00 |
Thamby Kumaran | 148.00 |
Trond Liland | 30.00 |
Ananthakumar Renganathan | 50.00 |
Total | 253.00 |
|
Kauai Aadheenam Renovation Endowment |
Anonymous | 700.00 |
|
Sri Subramuniya Kottam Fund |
Anynomous | 50.00 |
Jamuna Sivakanthan | 1,500.00 |
Total | 1,550.00 |
|
Kumbhalavalai Ganesha Temple Endowment |
Anonymous | 50.00 |
Manoharan Navaratnarajah | 75.00 |
Total | 125.00 |
|
Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Devasthanam Trust |
Anonymous | 200.09 |
|
Malaysia Hindu Renaissance Fund |
Anonymous | 200.09 |
|
Hinduism Today Production Fund |
R.P. & Bharati Lathi | 1,101.00 |
Trond Liland | 15.00 |
Dheepa Maturi | 1,000.00 |
Vallabh Muralikrishnan | 100.00 |
Subramaniam Pennathur | 50.01 |
Kuppe & Sarala Srinivas | 10.00 |
Total | 2,276.01 |
|
Hindu Orphanage Endowment Fund |
Kanoj K. Biswas | 100.00 |
Vivek Iyer | 50.00 |
Vijay - Daksha - Neil Mithal | 5.00 |
Natraj Narayanswami | 50.00 |
Yogesh Patel | 200.00 |
Alex Ruberto | 75.00 |
Rodney & Ilene Standen | 30.00 |
Total | 510.00 |
|
Hindu Education Endowment |
Hasu N. & Hansa H. Patel | 100.00 |
|
Suntheram Family Trust Fund |
Ramachandran Suntheram | 1,000.00 |
|
Hindu Press International Endowment Fund |
Hiranya & Saraswathi Gowda | 63.00 |
Baleswary Selvarajah | 15.00 |
Total | 78.00 |
|
Loving Ganesha Distribution Fund |
Manoharan Navaratnarajah | 75.00 |
|
Swami Agnivesh Endowment Fund |
Prasad Krishnan | 4.50 |
|
Saiva Agamas Trust |
Anonymous | 200.09 |
Ganga Sivanathan | 284.00 |
Total | 484.09 |
|
Positive Discipline Endowment |
Anonymous | 700.00 |
Mauritius Saiva Dharmasala Endowment |
Anonymous | 200.09 |
|
Alaveddy Pasupatheeswarar Temple Fund |
Anonymous | 50.00 |
Prasad Krishnan | 4.50 |
Total | 54.50 |
|
Hindu Heritage Endowment Administrative Fund |
Krishnan Chawla | 500.00 |
Vivek Iyer | 50.00 |
Total | 550.00 |
|
Kauai Aadheenam Religious Art and Artifacts Fund |
Rajadeva Alahan | 153.00 |
Phillip J. Murphy | 200.00 |
Total | 353.00 |
|
A. Saravanapavan Family Murugan Temple Pillaiyar Shrine Fund |
Niranjan Saravanapavan | 2,000.00 |
|
Thank You Bodhinatha Fund |
Anonymous | 1,071.00 |
Hotranatha Ajaya | 66.00 |
Amarnath & Latha Devarmanai | 324.00 |
Trond Liland | 15.00 |
Rajkumar Manickam | 151.00 |
Lisa Marston | 240.00 |
Vijay - Daksha - Neil Mithal | 5.00 |
Souria Kumaren Moorghen | 100.00 |
Jai Murugan | 96.07 |
Manoharan Navaratnarajah | 150.00 |
Mrunal & Padmaja Patel | 101.00 |
Shanta Devi Periasamy | 345.00 |
Alex Ruberto | 45.00 |
Aran Sambandar | 108.00 |
Hitesvara Saravan | 216.00 |
Vayudeva Varadan | 63.00 |
Sheela Venkatakrishnan | 108.00 |
Other Donations | 4,457.45 |
Total | 7,661.52 |
|
Saivite Hindu Scriptural Fund for the Visually Impaired |
Alex Ruberto | 45.00 |
Anonymous | 200.09 |
Total | 245.09 |
|
Sri Chandra Madhab Debnath Endowment |
Shyamal Chandra Debnath | 100.00 |
|
Puri Monasteries Fund |
Vijay - Daksha - Neil Mithal | 5.00 |
Anonymous | 200.10 |
Total | 205.10 |
|
Manitha Neyam Trust Fund |
Bala Sivaceyon | 35.16 |
|
Kerala Temple Trust |
Anonymous | 200.09 |
|
Kapaleeshwara Temple Orphanage |
Prasad Krishnan | 4.50 |
Yogesh Patel | 200.00 |
Kumar Ranganathan | 100.00 |
Sasidharan Sabesan | 20.00 |
Anonymous | 200.09 |
Total | 524.59 |
|
Manjung Hindu Sabha Orphanage Fund |
Paraneetharan Damodaran | 300.00 |
|
Pazhassi Balamandiram Orphanage Fund |
Anonymous | 5.00 |
Prasad Krishnan | 4.50 |
Yogesh Patel | 200.00 |
Total | 209.50 |
|
Karnataka Temple Development Fund |
Chandra Gowda | 18.00 |
Hiranya & Saraswathi Gowda | 303.00 |
Total | 321.00 |
Swami Vipulananta Childrenís Home Endowment |
Anonymous | 50.00 |
|
Hindu Literature Fund |
Anonymous | 50.00 |
Vivek Iyer | 50.00 |
Sivaramakrish Muthukrishnan | 51.00 |
Total | 151.00 |
|
Hinduism Today Complimentary Subscription Fund |
Hiranya & Saraswathi Gowda | 153.00 |
Jeff Lichtenstein | 25.00 |
Total | 178.00 |
|
Himalayan Academy Book Distribution Fund |
Vivek Iyer | 50.00 |
|
Kauai Aadheenam Yagam Fund |
Ripla & Gaurav Malhotra | 251.00 |
|
Yogaswami Hindu Girlsí Home of Sittandy Endowment |
Jeri Arin | 300.00 |
Maruthu Pandian Darmalingam | 45.11 |
Thamby Kumaran | 148.00 |
Ripla & Gaurav Malhotra | 209.00 |
Yogesh Patel | 200.00 |
Subramaniam Pennathur | 50.01 |
Ananthakumar Renganathan | 50.00 |
Ganga Sivanathan | 200.00 |
Anonymous | 200.09 |
Silas H. Zirkle | 375.00 |
Total | 1,777.21 |
|
Siva Poomi School Trust |
Jamuna Sivakanthan | 1,500.00 |
|
Yogaswami Hindu Boysí Home Fund |
Dharmalingam Siddhan | 25.00 |
Maruthu Pandian Darmalingam | 45.11 |
Reuben Lelah | 285.00 |
Ripla & Gaurav Malhotra | 209.00 |
Yogesh Patel | 200.00 |
Ananthakumar Renganathan | 50.00 |
Dharmalingam Siddhan | 500.00 |
Anonymous | 200.09 |
Total | 1,514.20 |
|
Kodiswara Satguru Malaysia Travel Fund |
Jothiswarar | 500.00 |
Kodisvara Jothiswarar | 15.00 |
Sellamah Jothiswarar | 15.00 |
Rani Jothiswarar | 15.00 |
Siva Jothiswary | 15.00 |
Kanesh Ramanathan | 15.00 |
Total | 575.00 |
|
Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona Endowment |
Radha & Ganesh Krishnan | 500.00 |
Vijay - Daksha - Neil Mithal | 5.00 |
Shailesh Trivedi | 700.00 |
Total | 1,205.00 |
|
India Hindu Tribals Endowment |
Vijay - Daksha - Neil Mithal | 5.00 |
Anonymous | 200.09 |
Total | 205.09 |
|
Murugan Temple of North America Puja Fund |
Ken Kanagalingam | 251.00 |
M. & Thaiya Krishnamurthy | 25.00 |
Vayudeva Varadan | 54.00 |
Total | 330.00 |
|
Rani Jothiswarar Memorial Fund |
Selvanathan Jothiswarar | 3,500.00 |
Murali Pillai | 29.59 |
Total | 3,529.59 |
|
|
Total Contributions | $177,325.04 |
MISSION STATEMENT
Hindu Heritage Endowment is a publicly supported, charitable organization recognized as tax exempt by the IRS on April 22, 1994. Employer ID 99-0308924. Founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, its philanthropic mission is to provide secure, professionally managed financial support for institutions and religious leaders of all lineages of Sanatana Dharma.
PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS
Halbert/Hargrove, Investment Counsel; Sonoda & Isara, LLP, CPA. HHE is a member of the Council on Foundations, an association of more than 2,000 foundations which interprets relevant law and management and investment principles, and of the National Committee on Planned Giving, the voice and professional resource for the gift planning community.
I want to participate. Where should I Send My Donation?
You may send your gift to an existing fund, create a new Endowment or request information through the address below.
Donations may be made online at www.hheonline.org or use the HHE tear-out card in the HINDUISM TODAY magazine to join our family of benefactors who are Strengthening Hinduism Worldwide. Thank you.
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