What is CHARINDAA?
CHARINDAA stands for Charities through Indian Arts in Australia. It is a registered not-for-profit charitable institution with dual aims:

• To promote, organise and conduct Indian arts and cultural programs at mainstream venues in Australia
• To mobilize funds for various named charities in Australia and elsewhere, with the aim of raising a total of $1m over the next 10 years.

What is Child Fund Australia?
ChildFund Australia is a registered Australian not-for-profit charity organization that focuses on providing assistance to needy children all round the world. They do several projects by directly dealing with community leaders. Child Fund Australia will use the money donated by CHARINDAA in a project to benefit Sri Lankan children.
We have specifically chosen this charity because it is one of the very few official charities through which we can help the needy children in Sri Lanka who have been affected by the recent civil war. CHARINDAA has always wanted to do this and found this opportunity (a Tamil concert) to provide assistance to the children in Sri Lanka
CHARINDAA will donate the funds to Child Fund Australia due to their efforts all around the world and particularly because they are able to assist the children in Sri Lanka

What is The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre Appeal?
The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre will be a cancer care centre like no other in Australia. In this new century, innovations in cancer management require close integration of laboratory developments and research with patients, with scientists and doctors working side by side in a relationship which fosters special synergies. It is within this environment of cooperation that the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre will operate. As a unique feature, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre will offer patients a specially designed Wellness Centre. In line with Olivia's dedication to the promotion of patient-centred, wellness programs, this centre will focus on the needs of the whole person. It will be a special place where people can reaffirm their identity as an individual, not just a cancer patient. CHARINDAA will raise funds for this centre in recognition of the superlative work that they carry out.
CHARINDAA raised $60,000 for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre Appeal through the Sonu Nigam concerts in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide in 2008.

What is Fred Hollows Foundation?
The Fred Hollows Foundation is a well known non-government organisation (NGO) which seeks to eradicate avoidable blindness in developing countries and to improve the health outcomes of Indigenous Australians. The organisation uses a sustainable development approach to achieve its objectives. The vision of the Fred Hollows Foundation is “a world where no one is needlessly blind and of a land where Indigenous people enjoy the same health outcomes as all Australians”. The Foundation is inspired by the work and example of the late Professor Fred Hollows. Having restored vision to almost a million people around the world, the foundation is also committed to improving literacy, nutrition and health of indigenous Australians.
CHARINDAA raised $15,000 for the Fred Hollows Foundation through the Festival of Indian Music In Australia concerts in Melbourne and Sydney in 2006.

What is The East West Overseas Aid Foundation?
The East West Overseas Aid Foundation (TEWOAF) aims to ease the suffering of the poor and disadvantaged overseas through a range of initiatives in health care, child welfare and education. TEWOAF is an Australian volunteer-driven organization, founded by Dr Natteri Chandran in 1992. TEWOAF’s two major projects have been the creation of the Uluru Health Care Centre and the Uluru Children's Home, both located in Alampara near Kadapakkam, a small fishing village in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. TEWOAF has also established community development programs concentrating on health, the environment and education in this region. TEWOAF, which operates solely on private donations, has offices in Australia, India and the USA.
CHARINDAA raised $15,000 for TEWOAF through the Festival of Indian Music In Australia concerts in Melbourne and Sydney in 2006.

What is Udayan?
Udayan is a child leprosy centre in Calcutta, India. Former Australian cricket team captain, Steve Waugh, is a patron of Udayan.
CHARINDAA raised $120,000 for Udayan in 2005 through the A.R. Rahman concerts in Melbourne and Sydney.

Who is behind CHARINDAA?
CHARINDAA is a registered Not-For-Profit organization that is run by the CHARINDAA Team of volunteers. CHARINDAA is registered as a Not-For-Profit charity organization with the ATO.

What Charities are you working with?
For our launch concert, we worked with Udayan, the Child Leprosy Centre in Calcutta for which Steve Waugh is the Chief Patron. The charity partners for our 2006 event is The Fred Hollows Foundation and The East West Overseas Aid Foundation. There are several other charitable institutions with which we are in the process of developing strategic relationships.
In 2008, CHARINDAA will, through its “Rocking Sonu Nigaam Tour of 2008” raise funds for The Olivia Newton-John Cencer Center Appeal.
In 2010, we will raise funds for Child Fund Australia for their projects to assist children all around the world especially for the children in Sri Lanka.

What sort of shows will you do?
CHARINDAA promotes Indian Arts shows in Australia. This covers a wide range of art forms from the different genres of music in India to dance to other art forms. These promotions will always be conducted in a professional, timely and courteous manner through precise planning, effective execution and the effectual and equitable management of resources.

What does your logo mean?
It uses the red and blue of the Australian flag. It incorporates the Southern Cross as well as the stylized Indian ethnic fonts to depict an intricate and intimate cross-blending of ideologies between Indian roots and Australia.

Will you support only Indian charities?
Not necessarily. We chose Udayan as the beneficiary of our launch concert because we believed that the case was compelling. If an Australian can support Udayan and be its Chief Patron, a collection of people of Indian origin in Australia can surely put their hands in their pockets and contribute towards Udayan while enjoying a wonderful concert. For our 2006 concerts, the beneficiaries were Fred Hollows Foundation and The East West Overseas Aid Foundation. In 2008, we worked with The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Center Appeal. In 2010, we are working with Child Fund Australia. These latter organizations carry out stellar work in Australia as well as in overseas countries.

How do I best keep myself informed of what is happening in CHARINDAA (in general) and the concert (specifically)?
CHARINDAA will publish an e-Newsletter every 2-3 weeks between February 2006 and November 2006. Please send your email address to info@charindaa.org and we will add your email address to our database. Alternatively, you can add your email by clicking on the “Subscribe to our eNewsletter” button on www.charindaa.org