The Prashant H. Fadia Foundation was established in 1998 in Massachusetts, USA. The prime focus of the foundation is to support projects and ideas related to art, health, technology and the environment.

Prashant, who was a very passionate and committed human being, had a vision for what he wanted to do with his life, right from an early age. He achieved a lot in his short but meaningful life. Although he had many dreams still left to be fulfilled, he had sowed the seeds to help it grow on its own. This column is a tribute to him and his vision and his involvement with projects related to South Asian Arts and South Asian Art History. This article introduces The Prashant H. Fadia Foundation.

Prashant was an entrepreneur who started the Prashant H. Fadia foundation with the idea to give back to the larger community. There were several causes close to his heart and the first one being art and art endeavors. He established his first south Asian art gallery in his office and on the premises of The Sierra Systems Asia Pvt. Ltd., SEEPZ, Mumbai, India, which helped the upcoming local artists, by giving them a place to display their art for free. The gallery space was designed by him. The project was focused to use all environmentally friendly materials. This office space won several awards in the Society of Interior Design magazines in India. This project was also a featured topic in a prominent South Asian newspaper in the US. One thing led to another and soon he had Dr. Susan Bean, who is the Curator of South Asian and Korean Art at the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA contact him. She invited him to participate in PEM’s efforts to finish a publication "British Furniture from India and Sri Lanka". Through the foundation, Prashant supported this publication and marked his journey towards the art world.  Peabody Essex Museum is the oldest running museum in USA. Prashant served on the Board of Trustees & Overseers at PEM. The Prashant H. Fadia Foundation recently dedicated a traditional Indian art gallery (the first of its kind in the US) at PEM.

Prashant was also involved with the Museum of Science, in Boston, MA. The foundation has supported two OMINI screenings of the "Bengal Tigers" and "The Lions of Kalahari" at the Museum of Science. He served on the Board of Overseers at the Museum of Science.

He worked closely with the South Asian community to bring them closer to the Museum of Fine Arts. Recently his wife, Saluni P. Fadia was invited to serve on the Board of Visitors at the MFA, Boston.

In the field of health, the Fadia foundation has worked closely with the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA and the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI. It has also worked with the Hand in Hand Foundation in the US and supported an orphanage in Orissa.

The foundation is currently supporting technology by working in collaboration with the TiE-Boston Chapter in sponsoring the Young Entrepreneur program. Sponsored by the Prashant Fadia Foundation and Microsoft, which backed the prize money of $10,000, this is an effort to interest youth between the ages of 14-18 in entrepreneurship and business. In its inaugural year in 2006, the good business sense and the sheer grit and hard work of the competitors amazed the judges, to say the least! It left them in little doubt that a new generation of entrepreneurs would soon be ready to harvest.

The Fadia Foundation has also worked with the Meru Foundation in MA, to support its school curriculum on the Salem India Story. The foundation has also worked closely with the Chinmaya Mission in Andover, MA and the Mahavir Heart Foundation in Mumbai, India.

It has been involved with the Akshaya Patra Foundation, which is a free school lunch program supporting children and their nutrition and enabling them to come to school to gain an education, donating two custom built vehicles dedicated for the distribution of meals in and around Vrindavan. The foundation is currently involved in the Boston Chapter of Akshaya Patra Foundation.

Prashant H. Fadia was CEO & founder of Abacus Software Group, Inc and founder of Sierra Systems Asia Pvt. Ltd., SEEPZ, Mumbai. Prashant graduated in 1977 with an Electrical Engineering degree from Victoria Jubilee Technology Institute, Mumbai. He passed away in September 2005 in Concord, MA, USA.

The foundation continues to work closely with several local and global charities. Ms. Saluni P. Fadia is the Director of the Fadia Foundation and continues to harness the vision of her late husband. You can reach her directly at shahchotu@aol.com

The vision of this new column is to support South Asian Art History and bring to light subjects like South Asian heritage, South Asian art, South Asian architecture, and South Asian traditions. If you would like to contribute, please contact info@lokvani.com.

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