About Us
Mission
Udayan Care USA is committed to:
A nurturing home and excellent education for every orphaned and abandoned child in India.
An opportunity for higher education for every young adult, and especially every young woman, in India.
The dignity of self-reliance and the desire to give back to society.
Vision
Independence, dignity, and opportunity for the disadvantaged of India and around the world.
Non-Discrimination Policy:
Udayan Care USA does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability (physical or mental), marital status, or sexual orientation in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.
ABOUT US
HOW WE BEGAN
How Our Founder Was Inspired To Start A Charity
Udayan Care USA was born in 2010, created by two Americans inspired by their time volunteering with Udayan Care in India. Both were deeply affected by the challenges facing disadvantaged Indian women and children and by the ceaseless efforts of Udayan Care to help them. These two Americans were impressed, above all, by Udayan Care’s commitment to provide the women and children under its auspices with every possible resource and opportunity—just as any parents would for their own children. Thus, this unlikely pair of American champions—longtime supporter Ricky Surie and newcomer and college student Jesse George-Nichol—vowed to continue their work for the disadvantaged women and children of India when they returned to the United States. To do this they formed Udayan Care USA, a 501(c)(3) organization which has partnered with Udayan Care India to promote the welfare of underprivileged Indian women, youth, and children.
Udayan Care India has been engaged in this work since 1994, and in the intervening years it has won countless awards, including the National Award for Child Welfare from India’s president, a GuideStar India NGO Transparency Award, Top-Rated Nonprofit status from GreatNonprofits, the India NGO Award, and the Karamveer Puruskar and PHD Chamber of Commerce Awards for Excellence, among many others. Udayan Care is also accredited by Give India, Credibility Alliance, Guidestar (Platinum), and GreatNonfprofits.
The support from Udayan Care USA has helped Udayan Care India to elevate disadvantaged women, youth, and children to a better life by supporting three of its programs: the Udayan Ghar Program, the Udayan Shalini Fellowship (USF), and Udayan IT and Vocational Training Centers.
How We Operate
- Funds raised via both – public and Trust Foundation donations.
- Funds are disbursed in accordance with the donor’s targeted and preferred beneficiary program.
- Impact reports are created that are both narrative and financial on quarterly cadence and provided to respective donors.
- Our annual budget, annual report and financial documents get archived on our site for public consumption.
Udayan Ghar
For over 25 years, the Udayan Care Ghars (Homes) have taken in orphaned, abandoned, and abused boys and girls throughout northern India.
IT and Vocational Training (ITVT)
This program provides disadvantaged women and youth with access to IT and vocational training—focusing on underserved communities.
Udayan Shalini Fellowship (USF)
The Udayan Shalini Fellowship is an intensive five- to six-year program that provides financial, educational, and mentoring support.
The entire Udayan Care USA Board is 100% Volunteer effort
Board / Team Members
Jesse George-Nichol
Board Member (President)
Jesse George-Nichol (Secretary) has been involved with Udayan Care India since 2008 as a college intern where she spent the summer living and working in the Udayan Ghar in Greater Noida (in the state of Uttar Pradesh). The experience had such a profound impact on her that she returned the following summer. Soon after, Jesse founded, incorporated, and successfully applied for non-profit status for Udayan Care USA. Jesse is based in California and holds degrees from Princeton University and University of Virginia. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Virginia.
Anitha Kosanam
Board Member
Anitha is an IT professional and is experienced in Project Management and Lean Six Sigma. She currently resides in Toledo, Ohio. She completed her bachelor’s in chemical engineering at Osmania University, Hyderabad, and master’s at the University of Toledo. She is a mother of two wonderful children and a dog. She enjoys children, meditation, yoga and helping others. She started multiple chess clubs for young children and volunteered as a Sanathana dharma teacher.
Tarun Anand
Board Member
Tarun recently retired from a full time work life as a Technology and Business executive at Cognizant Technology Solutions. He has lived in Orange County, California for the last 27 years and currently lives in Dana Point with his wife, Gunjan. Tarun did his undergrad in Mech. Engg. from IIT Kanpur, India and his graduate studies in Industrial Management Engg. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. Driven by a strong desire to give back to society, he got introduced to Udayan Care USA by a friend in 2022 and soon after a brief meeting with Dr. Kiran Modi, he was convinced Udayan Care India was where he wanted to help out and make a difference. In February, 2023, Tarun joined Udayan Care USA Board to support the fund raising effort.
Shraddha Gupta
Board Member
Shraddha Gupta and her family have strong ties with Udayan Care India as they have been long-time volunteers at an Udayan Ghar during their visits to India. Shraddha is passionate about the growth of women and children, thus joined the Udayan Care USA board to lend her experience to develop an overall strategy. Shraddha currently works at Owens Corning but prior to that was a consultant with PriceWaterHouseCoopers and Deloitte and Touche. Shraddha is based in Ohio and holds an MBA in Supply Chain Management and Finance from Michigan State University.
Rakhi Agarwal
Board Member (Treasurer)
Rakhi Agarwal (Treasury) is excited about the opportunity to support the efforts of Udayan Care. Women empowerment and enablement are key motivators for her joining the organization. Rakhi lives in Ohio and works at Schindler elevator as a finance professional.
Netoo Sethi
Board Member (Secretary)
Netoo has spent the last 25 years in the United States after growing up and finishing college in India. He is associated with Udayan Care India since 2018 in the capacity of on-site volunteer and teaches in the Ghar (homes) once a year. Child, women and animal rights have always been inclusive in his journey and Netoo cares deeply about the Earth being sustainable and pure. By profession, he is a wireless communications engineer (M.S.) and a technology evangelist (M.B.A). Netoo is a nature-explorer-traveler and he is drawn to the essential teachings of Jiddu Krishnamurti.
Minnie Singh
Board Member
Minnie was born in Patna, India and grew up in Columbus, Ohio where she graduated from Capital University. She began her career at Nationwide Retirement Solutions, a division of Nationwide Insurance and is currently employed in the investment field at Fifth Third Securities.
In addition to Udayan Care USA, Minnie is also a finance committee member for Bethany House, a shelter for domestic abuse victims in NW Ohio. She is the Treasurer for Lucas County Medical Alliance which is a philanthropic organization, and she is HR Chair for Hindu Temple of Toledo as well as an ambassador for the Toledo Museum of Art.
Deepak Sharma
Board Member
Mr. Deepak Sharma is a qualified Electrical Engineer, who served in different Public Sector Units, Multinationals, and Indian corporates for 31 years. He volunteered with the Udayan Ghar program from 2009 onwards and in August 2013, he voluntarily quit his job with Tata Teleservices Ltd, a telecom company, to fulfill his long-cherished dream and desire to give back to society. Mr. Deepak Sharma, apart from being a mentor father to the girls’ home in Greater Noida, is actively involved in Fundraising and matters concerning Policy, Finance, and Strategy in Udayan Care. He is also a Trustee with Udayan Care.
Dr. Kiran Modi
Board Member
Dr. Modi (Founder & Managing Trustee of Udayan Care India; Trustee to the UCUSA board) started Udayan Care in 1994 and established its first Udayan Ghar (Sunshine Home) for orphaned and abandoned children in New Delhi in 1996. She has also been a founding member of several other organizations in India working for the disadvantaged. Dr. Modi holds a doctorate in American Fiction from IIT, Delhi and a strong belief that every individual is a catalyst of change.