Dear All,
Namaskar!

The Sharika Foundation Board had its Board Meeting today and took up the resignation of Mr Arun Kaul, who tendered his resignation as President last month. The SF Board accepted Mr Arun Kaul’s resignation with regret and thanked him for his services to the Sharika Foundation Board and the community since SF’s resurrection in 2018.

Recognising that the SF Board was elected for a two year-term in February 2019 and considering the SF bye-law that states ‘The General Manager/Vice-President shall assume all the duties of the President during his/her absence or when the seat is vacant’, the Board requested the Vice-President Mr Rakesh Kak to take over the role of the President till the elections for the Board are held in February 2021. Mr Rakesh Kak, kindly accepted the SF Board’s request to serve as its President during the interim period. Mr Rakesh Kak will thus serve as President of Sharika Foundation while still undertaking the responsibility of the Vice-Presidentship till the Board election take place as per the due schedule in February, 2021. The SF Board also discussed the above decision with the Returning office Mr. Ajay Kitchlu who fully concurs with the decision taken by the SF Board.

SF Board thanked Mr Rakesh Kak for assuming the responsibility of the President and complimented him for his services to the Board and the community.
With warm regards
One behalf of Sharika Foundation Board

First of all, we would like to thank the members of Sharika Foundation for reposing the faith in us by electing us as the new office-bearers of the Sharika Foundation Board for the years 2019-2021.

Sharika Foundation (SF), with its rejuvenation last year with the renewal of CRA registration as Charity Organisation, has had an extremely successful year. Our pioneering religious event ‘Amarnath Yatra’ was celebrated with great devotion and participation by community members. This event was organised in collaboration with Hindu Heritage Centre, Mississauga. This was the first ever celebration of Amarnath Yatra in GTA. Thereafter, Sharika Foundation organised its signature community charity event in collaboration with Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto. This community charity drive was a big success with the donations of over 375 Ibs of food items to the Food Bank. And finally, we celebrated the Shivratri religious function in March this year with the collaboration of Vishnu Mandir, Richmond Hill which was well attended by the community. We would like to thank the outgoing Board of Sharika Foundation for their services to Sharika Foundation and the community in successfully organising the various religious programs and activities. We also greatly appreciate the contributions made by Sharika Foundation Advisory Board, the volunteers and the overall community for their active support during the year!

As a Board our primary objective would be to manage the program and activities of SF as per the mandate of Sharika Foundation and CRA which is ‘advancing religious tenets and culture associated with SF; establishing and maintaining a place of worship and conducting social programs and contributing to other charity organisations’. Accordingly, our primary endeavour would be to promote the Kashmiri Hindu culture and religious practices among the community through celebrating key Kashmiri festivals and rituals. Further our efforts will be focused on establishing the viability of a place of worship for the community. And finally making charitable contributions for the right causes – especially for the poor and needy in the society.

We are committed to setting-up highest standards of governance for SF by having an Advisory Council to seek endorsement for the SF programs and activities as well as solicit suggestions and community feedback on improving the functioning of Sharika Foundation.
We are looking forward to serving the community in the just causes and programs and activities of the Sharika Foundation.