My parents’ greatest wish was to create a foundation to provide financial, moral and emotional support to orphan children to get a college education and/or specialty trade skills in the hopes of changing their future.

My parents and their families were forced to leave their village and all of their belongings in what is now Pakistan during the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. A few years after they moved to India, my father’s father passed away suddenly, leaving my father, Jiwat “Jay” Ramani, responsible for caring and support of his mother, three sisters and brother. He was fifteen years old. With very little money and no prospects, he focused his efforts towards getting a college degree. He knew the only way out of their circumstance was by getting an education. At the age of nineteen, he graduated Engineering college as a Civil Structural Engineer. He could not have done this without the financial support and encouragement from an uncle. When he went to repay the loan, his uncle congratulated him on completing his engineering degree but would not accept the repayment. I believe that act of kindness instilled my father’s wish to give back in a similar way. My mother, Vimla, was also a fervent believer in higher education to achieve independence.

Prior to their passing, I promised to fulfill their wish. With the help and support of Raj Kasu, Mahender Bogi and Lavanya Gudelli in Hyderabad, India, we established the J & V Asha Foundation in June 2023. J for Jiwat, V for Vimla, Asha means” Hope” in Hindi. Our mission is to provide financial and foundational support to orphans and poor children that gives them the tools to uplift their lives through education. The Foundation will support the first three children starting in March 2024 school year!

Founder, Harish K. Ramani