About Us
Our Story
WISH Foundation officially became a non-profit organization on May 17, 2017. The organization was envisioned and came to fruition by five local residents of Arizona who had a vision to organize programs throughout the year to serve community for cultural, social, and educational needs.
Registration Information
WISH Foundation is registered with Arizona Corporation Commission.
A tax-exempt non-profit 501 (C) (3) approved by the Internal Revenue Service as of May 17, 2017.
Federal EIN# : 82-1526866
Phone : (405) 205 9648
Email : wishaz.foundation@gmail.com
Articles
Wish Foundation -An article on Wish Foundation by Dr. S. Narasinga Rao was published on page 17 of September 2018 Issue in AZ India TIMES -Copies of the article can be requested by emailing the Wish Foundation: wishfoundationaz.foundation@gmail.com. -Thanks to Satish Kosuri
Doug Ducey
Letter from the Governor
The honorable Doug Ducey, Governor of the State of Arizona sent his greetings and best wishes for the charity event on September 30, 2018.
Mark Mitchell
Proclamation by Mayor
The honorable Mark Mitchell, Mayor of City of Tempe, proclaimed September 30, 2018 as "WISH Foundation Day" in the City of Tempe.
Board of Directors
The following volunteer directors had a vision of serving the community and are actively involved in implementing the goals of the foundation by utilizing their education and expertise to impact the people of Arizona.
Dr. K. Bhaskara Udupa
Dr. K. Bhaskara came to the US in 1969 starting his research career at Kansas University Medical Center. In 1980, he moved to Little Rock, Arkansas where he became an Assistant Professor at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. A chair has been named in Dr. Udupa's honor at UAMS.
Dr. Udupa's research over many years have been directed towards novel findings on the role of ESF and since had industrial contracts for the bioessay of erythropoietin for 19 years.Dr. Bhaskara's volunteer services include President of Friends of India, Little Rock, Arkansas,1987-89 & 1993, President of Society of Sigma Xi, Little Rock Chapter, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Volunteer at the Sri Venkatakrishna Kshetra from 2011-Present in Phoenix, AZ.
Dr. Bhaskara's goal is to serve the community in education and charitable activities.
Dr. S. Narasinga Rao
Dr. Rao initiated programs on Sanskrit, Hindu philosophy and Hindu humanities at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma by setting up an India Education Endowment Fund from the community. He started Oklahoma Research Day in 1999 by bringing together all regional universities and colleges in the State of Oklahoma. He is known as "Grandfather of Undergraduate Research in Oklahoma" and was recognized through an official proclamation for his initiative by Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education in February 2006. Dr. Rao has raised funds for the renovation of the Civic Center in Oklahoma City.
He is the founder president of the East West Art Forum and the India Association of Oklahoma. He is also an executive committee member of the India Cultural Foundation in OKC as well as a member of the InterFaith Alliance of Oklahoma. Rao served as a volunteer administrator and accountant for Sujnana Religious and Charitable Foundation, 2008-2014. Dr. Rao has served as the president of Blind Students Association and Faculty Advisor in Madras Christian College.
Dr. Rao's goal is to give back to the community with what we have and serve the less advantaged people.
Dr. S. Govind Iyer
Dr. Iyer is an accountant professional and a Hershel Anderson Endowed Professor of Taxation at the University of North Texas, Denton, Texas. Dr. Iyer travels to Texas every week from Arizona to teach at UNT.
He enjoys volunteering in many non-profit organizations in Arizona when he is not working. Govind has published and presented numerous papers at leading accounting and information systems conferences. His voluntary contributions includes Andre House, United Methodists Outreach Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, and he is a Faculty Advisor for minority students at UNT.
Dr. Iyer's goal is to provide leadership to the youth and get them involved in all charitable activities.
Mr. Balaji Rangaswamy
Mr. Rangaswamy is an engineer at Intel Corporation in Chandler, Arizona. Balaji has been volunteering including blood donations for more than two decades. He is the founding member of the Sri Venkatakrishna Keshtra Temple Youth Group where he held roles such as the Treasurer and Mentor for youth team leads. He has coordinated and attended numerous volunteering events through work as well. He is currently leading all the youth group efforts at Wish Foundation.
He currently works for Dell & Susan Foundation in Austin, Texas
Mr. Balaji's goal is to train the youth for leadership and carrying out the community's responsibilities.
Dr. M. Rajagopalan
Dr. Rajagopalan has been a member of BlueGrass Indo-American Civic Society and also has served as chairman, scholarship endowment fund at the Bluegrass Indo-American Civic Society. For two years he has served as a science teacher for underprivileged school children in VAH-KI middle school, GILA river, Indian reservation, Bapchule, AZ.
Dr. Rajagopalan has 11 years of science teaching in Arizona public schools and experience and 20+ years of medical school teaching. His goal is identifying and assisting in opportunities of making a level-playing field of underprivileged and neglected students in our community. Currently, he along with Dr. Rao, has been instrumental in Wish For Vision activities of the organization. Due to his efforts, several elementary school children in Wilson Elementary School has benefited by getting free prescription eyeglasses from the Wish Foundation.
Officers
Wish Foundation is operated by a volunteer board of directors, each with specific attributes and skills to contribute in helping the expansion of the organization and its mission.
PLANNING COMMITTEE
- Dr. M. Rajagopalan
Vision and Scholarships - Mr. Balaji Rangaswamy
Volunteer Services / Fund raising - Mr. Jayasimha Sastry
Events, Programs and Fund raising - Dr. Govind Iyer
Events, Programs and Fund raising - Ms. Deepika Ganta
Web Maintenance and Social Media - Mr. Ganjifa Raghupathy Bhatta
Logo Design - Dr.S.Narasinga Rao
Brochure and Public Relations
2017-2018
Officers in the photo are : Archana Alagiri, Vice President; Kaveri Bhaskara, Executive Secretary; Rajeshwari Sastry, Secretary; and Sumi Gopalasamy, President. Not pictured: Amrutha Umesh, Treasurer; and Shreyas Ravishankar, Joint Secretary
Directors in the photo are : Balaji Rangaswami, Bhaskara Udupa, and Narasinga Rao. Not pictured: M. Rajagopalan.
Special Volunteers
Logo designer : Mysore Ganjifa Raghupathi Bhat
Head Office
WISH Foundation
4802 E. Ray Road, Suite 23
Mail Box 263
Phoenix, AZ 85044
Phone : (405) 205 9648
Email : admin@wishfoundationaz.org