Dear TNF Family,
 
President’s Remarks – February 2026
The Four Pillars of Giving - Reflections from St. Louis
 
TNF’s mission rests on four pillars that uplift our beneficiaries — Education Enhancement, Women’s Empowerment, Rural Development, and Health & Hygiene.

During my recent visit to relaunch the St. Louis chapter, I was reminded that our mission is equally sustained by four important pillars on the giving side: Compassion. Commitment. Community. Confidence.
 
Compassion — the heartfelt desire to serve the underserved and underprivileged, and to respond when we see need.
Commitment — reflected in long-time supporters from the early days of TNF, as well as newcomers who recently discovered our mission and chose to stand with us.
Community — members gathering with renewed purpose. When we come together for a shared cause, it is a reaffirmation that we belong to something larger than ourselves.
Confidence — trust in TNF. Whether through effective delivery of projects by our Chennai office or our strict adherence to FCRA guidelines, donors have placed enormous trust in TNF. After I shared an overview of our projects and impact stories, two speakers who followed independently emphasized something powerful — that TNF can be completely trusted. When someone donates, they know the funds will be used effectively and responsibly.
 

As part of the ongoing TNF PRISM initiative — Propel · Revamp · Innovate · Streamline · Modernize — we are thrilled to introduce a new portal where TNF supporters can effortlessly explore projects available for support. For a long time, our community had to rely on multiple emails and calls with donors, the VP of Projects, Chapter Leads, Board members, and TNF Chennai staff to get this information. Now, everything you need is just a click away.

We invite you to browse the portal, discover a project that resonates with your heart, and help turn dreams into reality.

With the generous support of donors in the USA, the Tamil Nadu Foundation (TNF) continues to implement scholarship initiatives aimed at promoting the Tamil language and supporting scholars and students.

Kandaswamy Manickam and Padmavathy Manickam Educational Scholarship

Instituted to honor excellence in popularizing the teachings of the Thirukkural and Thiruvasagam, this award recognizes distinguished scholars each year. Based on recommendations from an expert committee, two awards of ₹1 lakh each are presented—one for Thirukkural and one for Thiruvasagam.

This year, Dr. S. Saratha received the ₹1 lakh award for outstanding research in Thirukkural. The award was presented by donor Thiru Kandasamy Manickam and TNF Trustee Thiru V. Varadharaju, I.P.S. (Retd.), in the presence of TNF office bearers and committee members.

Scholarships for Tamil University Students

TNF also launched a new scholarship initiative this year to support underprivileged undergraduate and postgraduate students studying Tamil language and literature at Tamil University, Thanjavur.

Supported by donor Thiru Vijay Janakiraman, the program awarded ₹20,000 each to two postgraduate students—P. Ragavi and T. Rengaraj—helping them continue their academic journey without financial barriers while promoting the growth of Tamil language and literature.

As part of ongoing efforts by TNF to make schools more appealing and conducive places for students to learn, key infrastructure improvement initiatives were undertaken in government schools across Tamil Nadu, reflecting a strong commitment to strengthening educational facilities and enhancing the overall learning environment.

1. Government High School for the Hearing Impaired, Nilgiris District
Repair and renovation works were completed at the school with the support of the TNF Houston Chapter. The project included painting of school buildings and renovation of the main gate, improving both the appearance and safety of the campus. A total expenditure of ₹ 5,43,103 was incurred for the completion of this project.

2. Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Hosur, Krishnagiri District
With the support of the TNF Austin Chapter, a temporary shed was constructed to facilitate the conduct of ABC Project classes. This initiative provides a dedicated and functional space for academic activities. The total expenditure for this project amounted to to ₹ 7,10,000.

An Eye Screening Camp was conducted in the following six schools with the support of the TNF New York Chapter:

• Government High School, Kunnathur

• Government High School, Mittapettai

• Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Guruvarajapet

• Government High School, Anvarthikanpet

• Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Guruvarajapet

• Adi Dravidar Welfare Government High School, Elathur

A team of ophthalmologists from Aravind Eye Hospital, Chennai screened 292 students. Of these, 64 students were prescribed spectacles, which were procured and distributed according to individual specifications.

The project commenced with the selection of the first batch of 30 women enrolled in the Self-Employed Tailoring course at ATDC. At a brief function held on 19th February 2026, Tmt. Vasumathi Benny, Executive Director, TNF, distributed course fees of ₹21,440 per participant. A total of ₹6,43,200 was allocated to support this first batch.

The participants expressed heartfelt gratitude to TNF and the Chicago Chapter for the opportunity and pledged to utilize the training to enhance their livelihoods. 

During the month, 67 students received scholarships totaling an amount of ₹ 10,54,955/-.