Sunil
Fotedar: A Community Worker
with passion, commitment and experience
Namaskaar!!!
As
you all know, I am currently running for the
post of KOA President. Over last few weeks, I
have been communicating with you and informing
you about my vision for KOA and the tasks that
we will embark upon to make KOA a stronger,
effective and transparent
organization.
At
this time, I would like to highlight some of
the key areas of my community work that I have
been engaged in. I have been a selfless,
committed and dedicated community worker for
the last 16 years and have literally dedicated
my life to my community.
Highlights
of my Community Work
Activism
- KOA's
Houston Chapter President in 1991.
- Have
been supporting a KP child through KOA's Sponsor-a-Child
Program for past several
years.
- On
behalf of KOA, raised $6000 for the families
of Kargil
War's fallen heroes in 1999.
- Raised
money to support KOA's Sponsor-a-Child
Program.
- Arranged
social gatherings in Houston and Dallas
area.
- Director,
Satisar Foundation,
Jammu
(2002-Present) - Satisar Foundation is an
organization to preserve and promote age-old
values of Kashmiri Pandit Cultural traditions
(for more information please visit http://www.Satisar.org).
- Have
been interacting and working with several
India-based KP associations in Jammu,
Delhi, Mumbai,
and Kolkata
over past several years. Have created and
maintained websites for these associations
and their community-related projects and
publications.
- Communicated
our community issues to several US
policy-makers.
- Among
the first ones to visit Kashmiri Pandit
refugee camps in Jhiri and Talab Tillo, Jammu
in July, 1990 and record the plight of
refugees in digital format. The videos are
available at http://www.sunilfotedar.com/activities.html
- First
one to take an initiative and create an REC
Srinagar Alumni Association living in US and
Canada.
Created and published an REC Alumni
Directory in 1990-91.
Websites
and Discussion Fora
- As
a web curator on a volunteer basis,
developed and maintained web servers and
websites for KOA from 1996-2001. (please
visit http://www.koausa.org
and http://www.kashmir-information.com
)
- Maintained
and contributed to the development of
several community fora, especially
KOA-sponsored KPnet - a
forum that allowed KPs worldwide to stay
connected (until 2001).
- Created
a variety of community websites, the first
KP to create a Virtual Sharda Peeth
- a Repository of a Kashmiri Pandit's
culture, heritage, religious practices,
language, music, history and political
literature. For a complete list of Websites,
please visit http://sunilfotedar.com/sites.html
Having
been a community worker for last 16 years, I
have gained tremendous experience in community
affairs. I have worked with almost all the
major KP organizations here and in India. I
have built excellent working relationships
with all the community activists and leaders
here and in India. I strongly believe that I
can change KOA into a true community
organization that will be in touch with the
needs and aspirations of the community. As
promised earlier, I will take immediate steps
to unite the community here in US and
transform this organization into a transparent,
accountable and effective organization.
I promise you that, when elected, I will
transform this organization to be an
organization of you, for you and by you.
Lastly,
I once again request you to please give me a
chance to serve this community by voting for
me. I am confident that you will find me
worthy of your important vote. I promise you
that I will honor your confidence in
and vote for me by my selfless and
committed work for the community.
Kindest regards,
Sunil
Fotedar
Candidate
for KOA President
(1)
210.568.7726
