The lighting of wicks in oil in the shiny brass Kuthuvilaku (lamp) and a prayer by the children started our Silver Jubilee celebration in-house gathering under a thatch on the land. Also present were old students, DHAN workers and the local community leaders. Two of the...

On 23 February 2012 considered an auspicious day the ground breaking ceremony for the new extension work was performed. The attached photos show Mr Raghavan (Ragi) our principal doing the pooja (prayers) with the young ones from the primary school joining in. A bore well has also been dug and water was struck at about 500 feet. So its all go now for the construction work! We'll keep you posted on this but appears work is on track to enable new intake for the...

On 10 February the Wellington Artists helped raise $4000 for the Karunai-DHAN school expansion. This was a follow-up event to the funding campaign kicked off by Danny and Fish with their spectacular video. Our special thanks to the creative collaborative that made this possible: Shobita Jones, Ruth Dudgale, Joleen Coervers, Sam Gruenwald, Arlo Edwards, Andy Ellis, Kura Scott, Isobelle Thomas, Patricia Cribb and Will McTavish. And the Pemberton family. Photo credit Arthur...

Happy New Year! Our nursery and primary school started in 2008 has grown over six-fold in enrolment numbers since then. The success of the school has generated a strong demand from the Nilakottai community for quality affordable education for more students and to include higher classes. To meet this need, we along with DHAN are seeking to build additional classrooms and amenities in the existing school site. This could be the first phase of the school's future...

Diwali - also known as the 'Festival of Lights' - is Wellington's local Indian and South East Asian communities' most vibrant cultural celebration. The lighting of lamps at Diwali expresses happiness and welcomes light and prosperity. This will be celebrated on Sunday 16 October at the TSB arena - 1:30 to 10:00 p.m. 

Karunai Illam Trust will be there in the midst of this celebration once again this year holding an information stall for...

“I have just returned from an interesting, lively 3 month’s stay at the Illam. I found the children happy, healthy and motivated in their studies.

A volunteer from Australia was there helping at the school. A few days later nine young Indian students from the DHAN Academy came to stay, then two Englishmen, (also students) arrived. They enjoyed interacting with the Indian students and the children.

It was good to have Angela over for a fortnight....