Swajan Foundation

Empowering Futures Through Education and Financial Assistance

Our Mission

At Swajan Foundation, our core mission is to alleviate poverty by empowering individuals through education. As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization, we believe that education is the most powerful tool for breaking the cycle of poverty. We are committed to fostering a future where every deserving student, regardless of their financial background, has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Our work spans two continents, with impactful programs in both the USA and India.

Our Programs

We are dedicated to providing comprehensive support that goes beyond financial aid, ensuring students have the resources they need to succeed academically and professionally.

Empowering Students: Financial & Academic Support

Our foundation provides financial assistance and academic support to promising, hard-working students from low-income families. Our scholarship program supports students at every stage of their academic journey—from middle school and high school to undergraduate and graduate studies. In addition to scholarships, we provide in-person coaching to help students stay focused on their educational and career goals.

Over the years, Swajan has proudly supported many high-achieving students who have gone on to build successful careers in both the public and private sectors, while others have continued their pursuit of higher education in India and abroad.

Financial Assistance for Adults

Swajan provides financial assistance to older adults and individuals facing economic hardship. Our aid is focused on supporting vulnerable community members, including elderly parents who lack adequate support from their family or government, and widows who do not have a reliable source of income. This program is designed to provide a financial safety net for those most in need. This new initiative began in August 2024 and is currently benefiting over 40 individuals.

Childcare Assistance (2021-2022)

Swajan also provided support for childcare services for the families in need in Bay Area, California through local partner (2021-2022; two year program).

Our Community & Facility (India)

Our dedicated facility is more than just a space; it's a vibrant hub for learning, collaboration, and cultural celebration.

The facility is equipped with modern amenities, including high-speed internet, projector, computers, sound system, and a small library, creating an ideal environment for academic and community engagement. It serves as a central meeting point for our programs and community events:

Student Support: Our students use the facility for group studies, to access the internet for coursework, online learning, and job searching. We also welcome students not enrolled in our scholarship program to join us and learn together.

Regular Gatherings: We host monthly student meetings, quarterly guardian meetings, and an annual get-together, strengthening the bonds within our community.

Cultural Events: Our facility is a gathering place for the local community, where we celebrate cultural events such as India's Independence Day (August 15th), Basanta Utsav (the festival of Holi), and Baishe Srabon (a celebration of the life of Tagore).

Our Story

What began as a small, local initiative in 2002 has grown into a global mission to fight poverty through education. In the Pursurah area of West Bengal, India, a handful of dedicated volunteers, began distributing essential textbooks and school supplies to students in need. Word of their inspiring work reached Tarun Kotal, a software engineer in the United States who grew up in the same area.

Joining forces, they formally established the "Pursurah Society for Welfare, Attachment, Judicious Assistance and Nurture" to provide crucial financial aid to bright, underprivileged students. Their vision was to empower these students to complete their studies and build self-sufficient lives.

In January 2017, Tarun and Uttara Mukherjee founded the Swajan Foundation in California, USA, to expand and professionalize their efforts. The foundation was officially approved as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization by the IRS later that year. To better manage and scale the organization's rapidly growing operations in India, a fully-owned subsidiary, Swajan India Charitable Foundation, was created in April 2021.

Starting with a modest group of just 10 students, Swajan's impact has grown exponentially, now providing support to over 120 students annually in West Bengal, India. In a testament to our commitment to a broader mission. In partnership with the Bay Area Crisis Nursery, we also launched a two-year program in November 2021 to provide essential childcare assitance to families in need in the Bay Area, California.

Our Leadership

Our foundation is guided by a leadership team deeply committed to our mission, who are also the principal benefactors of the organization.

Tarun Kotal, Founder & CEO

As the driving force behind Swajan Foundation, Tarun Kotal is a software engineer at Google in the USA. He and his family are fully committed to Swajan's charitable cause, dedicating their time and resources to ensure the foundation’s vision is realized.

Uttara Mukherjee, Executive Director

Uttara Mukherjee is the Executive Director and Company Secretary of Swajan Foundation. By profession, she is the Vice President of HR Systems & Shared Services at Sephora. Uttara oversees the research and implementation of programs that maximize benefits for the community and is a committed principal benefactor of the foundation.

Our Team in India

Swajan's success on the ground is made possible by a dedicated team of volunteers and directors in India who manage our day-to-day operations.

Nilotpal Gupta

As a founding member of Swajan, Nilotpal is a key volunteer who currently heads our India operations. He works as a C.D.P.O. for the Government of West Bengal and is fully committed to the foundation's cause.

Subrata Bhowmik

An IT professional at Wipro Technologies, Subrata provides invaluable guidance to our students. He also oversees the accounting for Swajan India and is a dedicated donor.

Anup Kheto

Anup is a former Swajan student and an active member of the India team. He provides guidance to our students and has been instrumental in the smooth operation of our programs. He is currently working at Weilburger Coatings (India) Pvt Ltd.

Our Scholars: Their Journeys, Our Pride

At Swajan Foundation, we are immensely proud of our scholars' academic journeys and professional achievements. Their stories are a testament to the power of education and mentorship. The following profiles showcase just a few of the many bright minds we have had the honor of supporting.

Raj Kumar Manna

Raj’s journey with Swajan began two decades ago when he was in the 10th grade. He came seeking financial help, but found something far more valuable: the encouragement to dream big. After completing his postdoctoral research at the University of Pittsburgh, Syracuse University, and Northeastern University in the USA, he joined IIT Kharagpur as an assistant professor. He also holds a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras.

More details: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raj-kumar-manna/

Premashis Manna

Premashis, who hails from a farming family in rural Bengal, describes his journey to MIT as a "fairy tale." He first came to Swajan as an eighth-grader, and his life changed forever. He credits Swajan's guidance for orienting him toward a core principle of serving society. Premashis cherishes the guidance and friendships he gained through Swajan and is now an assistant professor at The Ohio State University in the USA.

More details: https://www.linkedin.com/in/premashis-manna-8328b352/

Sumit Duley

Dr. Sumit Duley’s childhood dream was to serve the community. After completing his MBBS from Medical College, Kolkata, he joined the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Sambhunath Pandit Hospital. He describes Swajan as a family that guided him through his life's journey, providing the encouragement he needed to succeed. He feels blessed to be part of an organization that works for society and has helped him find his path.

Rajesh Ghosh

Rajesh’s journey began in a small village where poverty was a constant challenge. When financial hardship threatened to end his education, Swajan extended its support. A Prime Minister Research Fellow, from IIT Gandhinagar, had done research on gravitation and black hole physics. Rajesh says Swajan has not only provided financial and academic support but has also inspired him to be a morally sound and generous human being, making an impact that is "too immense to express in a few words.".

More details: https://sites.google.com/iitgn.ac.in/my-pmrf-webpage/home

Pratap Pakhira

Pratap joined Swajan after his 10th standard and went on to become a doctor, earning his M.D. in medicine from Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital. He firmly states that this achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering care and support he received from Swajan.

Debashis Chowdhury

Debashis, who joined Swajan during his higher secondary school years, credits the organization with providing more than just financial support. He says Swajan helped him boost his confidence and connect with many successful people who continue to motivate him. He is now a software engineer at Cisco Systems in Bangalore, India.

Shrabani Bag

Shrabani entered Swajan in 2014, just after completing her secondary exam. She feels incredibly blessed to have found a place that helped her journey from a limited world to a limitless one. She is an engineer and works for Ericsson in Kolkata, India.

Chandi Charan Samanta

Chandi joined Swajan after his 10th standard, initially seeking financial assistance. However, he soon discovered the organization's true value in the motivation and personal support he received. Despite his own self-assessment as not being a top student, Swajan's encouragement helped him become a university topper in his MBA program. He is now employed with Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd.

Events and Meetings

Annual Events

Swajan's Annual Meetup

Every year, we host a joyous get-together or picnic, typically in late December. This special event brings together our current students, their parents, former students, dedicated volunteers, and special guests like local teachers and artists. The day is filled with games, cultural programs, and a prize distribution ceremony. It's an opportunity for everyone to connect and build a strong community bond over light breakfast, tea, and home-cooked meals.

India's Independence Day

Each year on August 15th, Swajan Foundation celebrates India's Independence Day, bringing our community together to honor this significant day.

Baishe Srabon

We honor the life and legacy of Rabindranath Tagore on the 22nd day of the Bengali month of Srabon. This day marks the anniversary of his passing and is celebrated with a cultural tribute at the Swajan Foundation’s India complex.

Basanta Utsav (The Festival of Holi)

Basanta Utsav, which means "Celebration of Spring," is how the festival of Holi is known in West Bengal. Swajan Foundation celebrates this vibrant festival at our India complex to welcome the season of hope and new beginnings.

Saraswati Puja

Our current and former students take the lead in organizing the annual Saraswati Puja, a celebration dedicated to honoring the goddess of knowledge, art, and wisdom.

Monthly Meetings

Students Meeting

On the first Sunday of every month, we hold a meeting for all students at our India complex. These meetups feature motivational talks from former students or external speakers, encouraging idea exchanges among students, volunteers, and organizers. We also share an informal social lunch to help everyone bond and stay connected.

Student & Alumni Connect

Each month, we host virtual meetups that bring together our senior students and alumni. These sessions are designed for idea exchange and networking, helping students learn practical tips and career guidance to confidently take their next steps.

Quarterly Meetings

Guardian Meeting

We host a guardian meetup at the Swajan Foundation's India complex on the second Sunday of every quarter. These meetings are a vital opportunity for us to maintain close contact with our students' guardians, allowing us to exchange ideas and find new ways to better support our students' educational journeys.

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