Inspiration comes from many places and varies from person to person.  Whether it’s a personal experience, knowledge we’ve acquired or an indvidual we know of that has motivated us to make a change or difference.  Because we’re stimulated by our beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and actions, our early experience and frame of reference helps to share our stories with others–spreading the word and encouraging all to make a difference in their community and helping those in need outside our communities.

Here is what inspired us to create the Ramautar & Ajit Vatsayan Foundation…

Migrating from my hometown of Patna, Bihar early on in my life, the quest for a better education took me to different cities in India, and finally landing in the US where I settled and started a family. In 2011, I was blessed with an opportunity to work in Dubai, bringing me closer to India and my family. This was my second chance—my opportunity to give back to my home state of Bihar, a region that once used to be the center of learning and culture in ancient India going back as far as 793 BC.

 

Unfortunately, the sate of Bihar has fallen from its graces, ranking at the lowest literacy rate of 63.82% in India, with females at 58%, and also has been infamously crowned as the most corrupt state in the country.  It is with these situations, that the people of Bihar, as with many communities, need the help of those who are able to make a change–starting with the people themselves in the community.

 

Although, it’s been a few decades since I left Bihar, Bihar hasn’t left my heart and mind mainly because the biggest influence in my life have been my parents, who always role modeled the art of giving.  It's no conincidence that the motto of the school that shaped my value system is “Sursum Corda” which means “Lift up your hearts”….it is here that I picked up what it means to help others, and be kind to those in need. Acts of kindness, no matter how small, lift up your heart and those of others you touch. What we learned at school  was something I saw in real life at home by real life examples of our parents giving back to the community.

 

Today, with the help of family members and friends as well as those who simply like to contribute to others’ success, we start a new journey–a journey to lift up the hearts of a million lives in a life time—you are invited.

 

Dad as you watch over us from your heavenly abode, and Mom as you continue to guide us —you cotninue to be the source of our inspiration.