BNN
Charista Foundation was born out of the perceived needs of the society, the trustees having worked for long in the elderly care, art and artisan domains. They also envision a plastic-free world as a cleaner and greener planet is the global need going forward. To achieve all that they have set out to, in the social service sphere, they will need all the support from philanthropists over the coming years.
The primary objective of Charista Foundation’s presence at Bengaluru is to offer psychological care to elders through sound healing and making them an inclusive part of the society through knowledge accumulation and sharing. This will facilitate alleviating elder loneliness and reduce or possibly negate the chances of dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s amongst them.
Other objectives include encouraging and providing opportunities to talented artists and uplifting lost Indian handicrafts and handlooms. These initiatives are a drive towards encouraging youth to choose artistic careers and uplift the living conditions of the artisans. They distributed hand-carved gifts amongst the delegates who attended the inauguration and a part of the donations received will go to the artisans directly.
Mr. Kishore Joseph (Editor - This Week India & Founder - Colorothon) generously gifted a valuable prize-winning painting from Colorothon to Charista Foundation on the occasion. In addition, many of the esteemed guests also brought in gifts and flowers in abundance.
A pre-inaugural gathering was held on 24th June 2023 for all the Charista Foundation’s artists and musicians, accompanied by esteemed guests like Mrs. ParimalaJaggesh (Founder - Alamirap Nutrition), Dr. Maya Pradeep (Creative Director - Hot Couture & President, Karnatak Textile Council), Ms. Shalini K. Sharma (Editor-in-chief - SoulVeda), Dr. Geetha Basavaraj (Gynaecologist, Obstetrician & Ayurveda Practitioner) and Dr. Basavaraj Itnal (Writer, Director - Basavaraj Itnal Infotainment.). This was followed by tea and snacks. The founders and trustees spoke about Charista Foundation’s mission and vision and the strategy and path they would take to achieve it.
The inauguration on 25th June 2023 was a resounding success with our very own sound healing expert, Mr. Jusstine Shon accompanied by the Iraqi musician Mr. Ardhiyaziz giving everyone a taste of sound healing along with music. The audience was mesmerised. After the performance, a sense of peace prevailed. Followed by a networking hi-tea, the inauguration was a much awaited one for all of Charista Foundation's supporters and donors in Bengaluru.
Founding Trustee, Ms. Shilpi Das Chohan says "Individual Social Responsibility is a realisation and cannot be imbibed. Giving back to the society is something all of us should practice by realising its importance. Reciprocating service to the society is gratitude and happiness to the soul. We at Charista Foundation are only a means to achieving that happiness for you through your generosity and kindness."
The presence of Charista Foundation at Bengaluru will help raise awareness of alternative healing practices that can be enjoyed irrespective of age and profession. It will also provide opportunities for youth to understand the impact of the above-mentioned issues on society through volunteering and involvement in Charista Foundation’s initiatives for their causes. The provision of volunteering & internships would be available at all levels for college-going students as well as for the unemployed and retired.
Sri Bhaskar Rao emphasized that loneliness is the biggest enemy of the ageing population. He expressed his strong support for the emotional wellbeing of senior citizens by adding, “Karnataka alone has 4.8 million people above the age of 60. We must sensitize the younger generations towards respecting elders and caring for them, as we all are bound to reach that stage one day. We must ensure that elders receive the same kind of love and affection in the last few years of their life, the way we have in the first ten years of our life.”
About Charista Foundation
Charista Foundation is an 80G and CSR1 certified public charitable trust registered in Hyderabad, and a recently opened office in Bengaluru. In the last 2 years, it has taken large strides in enabling and executing their causes through thorough research and networking. Giving it a formal shape has taken a lot of learning, experimenting and practice. Charista Foundation works towards easing elder suffering with psychological care, preserves Indian Art & Culture by training underprivileged children, improves artisan lives by marketing their handmade products and creates a greener planet with recyclable utilitarian products