Hyderabad:What is that one individual can do?  In case of C.S. Balachandra Sunku, he has done wonders.  All started with himself. Then, it is a movement now.  Hundreds of volunteers joined him in his movement, a movement to serve with HEART.

CS Balachandra Sunku, was a top corporate executive, a Company Secretary turned philanthropist. He founded Abhaya Foundation in the year 2006.  He is single and unmarried.  He dedicated his life for the cause.  The non profit body he founded is this home-grown nationally well recognised voluntary body, Abhaya Foundation now completes 12years and celebrates Abhaya Pushkara on 20^th January.

Art of Living Founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Padmasri BVR Mohan Reddy, a former NASSCOM Chairman;  VV Lakshminaraya, a retired CBI top  Officer will be among 5000 people expected to grace the 12^th Anniversary Celebrations.

 

Mr. Balachandra, is dedicated his life for rural development. He served in many roles in corporate world in NCC Group, ICOMM Group, Siva Shakthi Group, Surana Group and The Institute of Company Secretaries of India(ICSI). He founded Abhaya Foundation in the year 2006. Abhaya Foundation is a pride of Telugus. It has gone national.  Got wide recognition across India for its novel philanthropic projects such as  Construction of  ‘Home for Happiness’ for destitute built at the investment of Rs 2crore;  ‘Youth Empowerment Centre’ at Hyderabad/Anantapuram taken up at a project cost of Rs 2.5crore;  Distribution of 55000 blankets under ‘Hunt for Winter’, 5000 Umbrellas under Hunt the Summer are among the few activities.

Interacting with media, Balachandran says to be a sanyasi  and do social service was the decision taken by me when I was studying in School. Parents shocked to know that.  As there was no marriage, Upanayanam was arranged big in 2001. I got some gifts. I encashed those gifts and got Rs 60,000/-. Which when fixed deposited in National Small Savings became Rs one lakh by the year 2006. I have founded Abhaya Foundation with the that rupees one lakh, Balachandra shared. Alloori Sitharamaraju movie inspired me, he says.

 

He established Home for Happiness at Ibrahimpatnam, RR District  in the year 2012 in a two acres land. This 16000 sq ft built up area is home for abandoned  on roads and is an empowerment center for youth.

Another centre to cater to the needs of rural youth of AP is coming up with a 16000 sq ft built up area in 0.75 acre of land given by SSS Meda Shakunthalamma Sadan at Rotary Puram in Anantha puram District.  It is under construction now.

The Hunt the Winter project is an ongoing project and continued every year.  The volunteers sear for real needy who are sleeping on the roads at mid-nights and cover them with a warm blanket without disturbing their sleep.

Hunt the Summer is also an ongoing project and has been continued uninterruptedly since the year 2016.

 

Abhaya team raises to the occasion whenever country is encountered with natural calamities.  It served in Floods, Rains, Fire, Earth Quake and other calamities.  The latest example being  “Kare & Love 4 Kerala”.  5000 TTK Water Purifiers worth Rs 1.2crore, 2000 kitchen kits worth Rs 20 lakhs distributed.  Together with NAC(National Academy of Construction) repaired 2500 home appliances worth Rs 15 lakhs and some houses contructed.  More than ten corporate houses extended their support.  Nearly 500 donors gave donations ranging from Rs 50/- to Rs 20 lakhs(ORIX Leasing & Finance).  District Collectors supervised the relief activities.

Titli Cyclone Relief work taken up in AP recently.  With suppot from Hyundai and CCL and others, RO plants donated, community toilets constructed, youth empowerment centres started.  It provided financial assistance to the tune of Rs 25000 for most deserving families to construct 60 houses with the support of government schemes.

 

Many prestigious corporate houses such as Hyundai, CCL, NATCO, TTK Prestige, GVPR, ICSI, ACC, MedPlus, Bharat Dynamics Ltd, SBI, FTAPCCI, Ramesh Gelli Foundation, Asha Jyothi Foundation,  Meda Charities, GSPV Trust, P Sivarama Prasad Charities, Hyderabad City Police partnered with abhaya Foundation.

Till date, Abhaya has no office and no employees, respective volunteers’ homes are used as their office.  A beneficiary of the Foundation KSV Siva Krishna has become its Secretary. India’s premiere industry-led and industry-managed organization, CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) enlisted Abhaya in their Dossier of NGOs.

Abhaya’s mission is to serve with HEART, Abhaya focuses on Healthcare, Education/Empowerment; Awareness/Assurance; Rural Development and Leadership and Transformation.

In a short span of 12 years, Abhaya is lead by 25 professionals, connecting 5000 professionas at various corporate houses; funded(ranging Rs 5000 to 5 lakhs) for 600 various types of unique surgeries; supported financially 600 plus students; got 300 youngsters settled, 20 orphans rescued; motivated 15 lakh youth, caring 30 destitutes, empowered 8000 women and 1500 men(800 trained in Driving, 150 for EHW and 100 in Computers).  Served in various parts of India, Africa and Nepal.

Who says one man can not make a change?  One man Dr. Verghese Kurian, known as the Milkman of India, made milk-deficit country the largest milk producer in the world. Sampitorda could bring a Telecom revolution in this country.  This one man Balachandra may not be so big to compare with these great men, but this one man has been lifting the souls and morals of many, giving hope to many, being there with many, touching many souls, caring many humanbeings.  One life can make the difference. May his tribe increases. To the world Balachandra Sunku may be just one person, but to one people who he and his NGO, Abhaya Foundation helped, he has already become their world.