Saraswathi Educational Cultural & Charitable Trust
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    About the Trust

    Our story

    Three decades of service

    The Saraswathi Educational Cultural and Charitable Trust was founded in the year 1996 by the late Smt. Indira Garyali with a view to promote Education, Indian Culture and Heritage and to provide charitable assistance to the needy.

    Over the years, the trust has conducted many activities and has grown from strength to strength. It is recognized globally for promotion of classical dance, Vedic heritage and ancient wisdom by conducting the annual Vasant Utsav festival of Dance at Shri. Kapaleeshwarar Temple at Mylapore.

    The trust had been running an institute of hospitality and has also set up Swagath Museum of Hospitality and household heritage of India. The trust conducts many charitable activities such as scholarships for the children of widows and single mothers.

    It collaborates with many NGOs such as:
    1. SCARF for promoting mental health and school mental health.
    2. Equitas Development Initiative Trust for
      • Helping the rehabilitation of families living on Pavements.
      • Giving scholarships to children of widows and single mothers.
      • Giving interest free Ashwarya livelihood loans to widows, single women and transgender.
    3. Sai Jaya Youth Initiative Trust for supporting education and creativity of youth in schools and colleges.
    4. Helpline Humanity for implementing Vitasta Welfare Fund Projects for families displaced from Kashmir by radical Islamist in 1990 and living still in refugee camps around Jammu.

    Donations to the trust are exempted under Sec.80 C of the Income Tax Act. The trust is approved for receiving foreign contribution under Order No. 075900710 of the Home Ministry. It is also approved for ireceiving CSR funding. As an approved NGO, it has also been given a unique Darpan ID by the Government of India.

    The trust has received grants from the Government of India, State Government, South Zone Cultural Centre, Tourism department and the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology in the past.

    Trust Logo

    Our Founder

    Smt. Indira Garyali

    Late Smt. Indira Garyali, a proud Kashmiri Pundit and the Founder of the Saraswathi Educational Cultural and Charitable Trust was born on November 1928 in Srinagar in Kashmir. She was the daughter of late Shri. Tara Chand Tiku, a Forest Officer and wife of Shri. Kashi Nath Garyali, a Freed Fighter and a Gandhian constructive worker. She moved to Old Delhi from Kashmir in 1948 with her husband after ‘Kabaili Hamla’ invasion on Kashmir. In old Delhi she became a member of the 100-year-old Mahila Mandal established by Mrs. Haskar, mother of Kamala Nehru, at Sita Ram Bazaar. She engaged in voluntary work for national calamities, war victims and conducted feeding programmes in her home and outside for the blind, old, handicapped, orphans as well as leprosy patients. She moved to Chennai in 1980 to live close to her daughter.

    In 1986 Smt. Indira Garyali established the Saraswathi Educational Cultural and Charitable Trust, in memory of her husband, to promote the education of poor and neglected ‘girl-child’ and to impart vocational training to youth. The Trust was formally Registered in 1996. She strongly believed in promoting Indian dance, art, culture and Vedic knowledge. She painstakingly made a collection of heritage utensils of India. This collection is displayed in Swagath Museum of Hospitality and Heritage set up by the trust.

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    Key Office Beares

    Trustees

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    Founder Managing Trustee

    Shri. Ravi Garyali
    Shri. Ravi Garyali was the Managing Director of Irrigation Products International Pvt Ltd. He was the youngest son of the founder, late Smt. Indira Garyali. Being a social worker and philanthropist at heart he worked extensively with orphanages and old age homes, school children, widows, single mothers, carrying on his mother’s charitable work. He served as the Managing Trustee of the Saraswathi Educational Cultural and Charitable Trust from its inception in 1996 till his demise on 5th December 2025 for nearly three decades very creditably.

    C K Gariyali

    Managing Trustee

    Dr. Chander Kanta Gariyali IAS Retired
    Dr. Chander Kanta Gariyali IAS a 1972 batch officer of Tamil Nadu Cadre. She has served as Secretary to Governor as well as Secretary to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. She has also done commendable service in the sectors of health, family welfare and poverty reduction through self-help movement of women. After her mother’s death in 2012 she joined the trust as an Adviser. On December 5th 2025 after passing away of her brother she was unanimously requested to be the Managing trustee of the Saraswathi Educational Cultural and Charitable Trust for life. She serves on the board of many charities such as Equitas Development Initiative Trust, Schizophrenia care and research Foundation, Mukti Foundation, Varshini Illam Trust, Sai Jaya Youth Initiative Trust and Sringeri Sarada Multi-speciality and Cancer Hospital. She has authored nearly twenty books and has written extensively on Woman’s Empowerment through Self Help movement.

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    Secretary

    Smt. Priyadarshini Rajkumar
    Smt. Priyadarshini Rajkumar is the granddaughter of the Founder late Shrimati Indira Garyali. She is trained in Bharatanrithyam under the tutelage of Padma Bhushan Dr. Padma Subramanyam and has completed her debut in 1997. She holds a degree in Fine Arts from the College of Arts Madras and has earned a MBA in Finance from University of Newcastle. She has a long experience of working in the financial services in Australia and India. In order to serve the society she relocated from Australia and joined as the Secretary to the trust set up by her grandmother. She manages all administrative activities as well as organises the annual dance festival and other cultural activities. She also takes care of publishing wing of the trust.

    Dr-Jayanthi

    Trustee

    Dr. Jayanthi Anandan
    Dr. Jayanthi Anandan is a well-known Ophthalmologist, a product of Madras Medical College where she completed her graduate as well as post graduate medical studies. She is greatly interested in eye care, health and welfare activities for the needy. She is a cultural enthusiast and helps in organising and anchoring the annual Vasant Utsav dance festival at Kapali Temple at Mylapore. He also helps in identifying the eminent scholars of Shaiva Siddanta for recognition. She and her brother Dr. Prem Raj have created an award for Shiva Siddanta in the name of her father Engineer Kuppuswamy.

    Smt. Srimayi Vempati

    Trustee

    Smt. Srimayi Vempati
    An internationally acclaimed Kuchipudi artiste, global cultural ambassador, and the visionary choreographer. Srimayi Vempati is the Secretary and Chief Instructor of India’s legendary Kuchipudi Art Academy, Chennai. As the chosen successor of her guru and father-in-law, the legendary Padma Bhushan Guru Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam, she dynamically heads the Academy, preserving its classical lineage while driving its global evolution.

    Renowned for her technical brilliance and captivating lead roles in major dance dramas, Srimayi has headlined premier Indian festivals like Khajuraho and Konark, and led historic fifty city international tours across USA, France, Australia, and Singapore. A decorated recipient of the ‘Kuchipudi Moukthikam’ award, her brilliant artistry makes her one of the most influential forces in classical Indian dance on the world stage today.

    Deepa

    Trustee

    Smt. Deepa Murali
    Deepa Murali serves as the Project Head at Project ViThai, leading project implementation with dedication and expertise. She brings nearly 18 years of corporate experience across sales, marketing, and human resources, having worked with reputed organizations such as Tata Motors and Genpact. She holds a M.Sc. and an MBA from Cochin University of Science and Technology. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Deepa is passionate about trekking and enjoys spending time with her beloved pet, Timmy.