What We Do
What We Do
Safeguarding our future, through educational nurturing
Areas of Work
The Palan Foundation works in the areas of education, heritage and Interfaith relations. It works with a wide range of partners who share the vision the same vision. By working together, we can make great strides in fulfilling a common goal of bring peace, security and success to local communities.
Education
Offering learning opportunities to young people for the advancement of positive values, good citizenship and combating poverty.
The Foundation works with organisations such as BAPS Swaminarayan Sangsta in the UK and India educational opportunities, especially to under privileged communities.
Read through some of our ongoing projects below.
The Palan Foundation is committed to driving the role of education through health agenda. It particularly supports the practice of yoga. It provides resources as well as training in the art that has been practices in India for thousands of years. Millions of people all around the world are now benefitting from yoga. After the announcement by the UN of the International Yoga Day on 21 June from 2015, there has been mass popularity. In the first event, that the Foundation sponsored at London’s Alexander Palace, attracted over 5,000 people.
Shaping Young Lives The Palan Foundation supports educational programmes in India in its aims to improve literacy and subsequent opportunities for young people. It particularly aims to help combat poverty through education as well as improving the plight of girls in an effort to bring equality for women. The Foundation works closely with BAPs Swaminarayan Sanstha in the western state of Gujarat, India. One of the school’s Kumar Chatralaya is situated in the village of Ukai which provides accommodation for 136 students teaching academic subjects as well as spiritual and life skills values. Another school, Swaminarayan Vidyamandir which offers opportunities for girls is situated in Randesan, near Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Swaminarayan Vidyamandir believes knowledge leads to enlightenment and is committed to providing a warm, secure and supportive environment for the girls. The green campus is spread over 18 acres and is home to 800 students from 5th – 12th grades. Kamu Palan expressed her admiration for school and its facilities. She praised teachers for their outstanding work and was very happy to see a change in girls for speaking confidently and succeeding academically.
Heritage
Supporting the work to advance the legacy of UK-India relations and the contribution of the Indian Diaspora in the UK.
The Foundation has been at the forefront to highlight the contribution of Indian soldiers during WW1. It pioneered the first experts meeting with all the key protagonists involved in Indian involvement during WW1 and continues highlighting this work via its web portal India1914.
India1914.com is a heritage project linked to ‘Remembering Indian Soldiers’ commemoration. It highlights the efforts of Indian soldiers who fought in the First World War on behalf of Britain. The original project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Golden Tours Foundation (now known as Palan Foundation. Since then the work has continued via the India1914.com web portal to keep the legacy of the contribution of Indian soldiers in the forefront of the public eye, especially for the new generations. The project has done the following work: - a . India’s contribution in World War 1 conference held at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton on 25th and 26th May 2016. The inaugural ‘Meeting of the Minds’ Symposium brought together experts from across all sectors who share a common passion for building a shared understanding of the contribution of Indian soldiers in World War 1. The Brighton venue was an ideal location due to its strong links to the Great War and attracted 54 delegates and 28 speakers. The keynote speaker being the world-renowned historian Professor Sir Hew Strachan who is one of the leading authorities on the Great War. The project work was with in partnership with the Imperial War Museum. See ‘Press’ for further details. b. In partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund, a whole host of work was carried out including exhibitions, events, workshops and a web portal India1914.com c . Mobile exhibition of the Indian contribution which travelled around the country. d. The publication of an E-Book on WW1 commemorations. e. Community events with dharmic faith communities in London and Leicester. See ‘Press’ for further details. f. Development of the web portal India1914.com
Interfaith Relations
Supporting Interfaith dialogue and social action projects to encourage religious tolerance and eliminate discrimination.
The Foundations works closed with different religious organisations to help develop a positive narrative in the role of religion in community relations. It further highlights the contribution of British Hindus through projects like hindumattersinbritain.co.uk web portal and Diwali in London festival.
There should be no 'double standards' when addressing religiophobia, and combating it should not be a 'selective exercise' limited to only one or two religions. This principle should apply equally to fears directed at non-Abrahamic religions, as emphasised by India during its presentation at the United Nations in June 2022. Despite being one of the most peaceful and globally-contributing communities, Hindus have faced an unjustifiable level of criticism and persecution, to the point of endangerment in some regions of the world. Considering the invaluable contributions that Hinduism has made to the world, such as Yoga, Veganism, Meditation, Sanskrit, Mathematics, Science, and more, it begs the question: Why do those harbouring silent prejudices fail to recognise this value? This website highlights various instances in which Hindus, Hinduism, and Sanatan Dharma have come under attack. Many of these incidents have gone unreported by mainstream media or, when reported, have been suppressed by all major search engines. An analysis conducted in 2022 revealed how Google promoted 'left'-biased news stories from specific publishers, including The Guardian and the BBC."
Indian culture is extending across the globe. Many nations who have significant numbers of people from the Indian diaspora but understood little about the religious and cultural norms. Since the last decade or so, Indian festivals and the wider culture is being embraced by mainstream communities.
Hindu Matters in Britain offers a voice to the British Hindu community – Hindus of Britain are relevant. Hindus need to be counted; participate in the policy making process and play a key role in public life. HMB is not religious, nor political. It offers an informed opinion based on facts, research and current data available. HMB is a conduit to represent the views of the British Hindu community, and how it is represented within the mainstream. HMB hopes to provide an overall viewpoint so that people can make an informed decision on issues that matter to them. The Hindu community has been well established in the UK, especially in the last few decades, although the first visitors established themselves in Britain since the 19th century. The Hindu community has made great inroads into settling firmly into the roots of the modern British identity. During the onset of World War 1 offered the first sign of people of India coming onto the shore of Britain. The British Indian Army was supporting Britain’s freedom struggle against the Nazis. In the 1970s another wave of Hindu migration came from East Africa as Britain agreed to take on Asians from the Ugandan expulsion. Many from the surrounding countries of Kenya and Tanzania also joined them. Since the 1990s there have been a steady flow of Hindus who have come to work or settle in Britain with specific skills. In addition to doctors and engineers, it is the field of IT that many Indians are attracted to the UK. It can be said that the Hindu community has set well in Britain. But in many cases the community is less known, and the indigenous people find it difficult to comprehend the intricacies of Hindu practices. On the other hand, there is a lot of respect of the hospitality of the British Hindu community and its outwardly values of strong family units, educational achievement and hard work.
The Foundation provides this support in several ways:
Financial Assistance
To projects whose objectives are within the context of current operational aims.
Consultancy
To groups and organisations who otherwise would not have the resources to fulfill their primary objectives.
“Only if people respected the diversity of faiths and work together can society progress forward”
– Nitin Palan, MBE, FCA –
– Nitin Palan, MBE, FCA –
The Palan Foundation has long term commitments to key projects of which some are outlined below.
The Action for Harmony Conference - 2024 Action for Harmony, a collaborative platform for all Hindu Organisations hosted an exemplary Conference in London. The event aimed to address the concerns, opportunities, and solutions for the Hindu community, drawing together over 300 attendees from 165 different organisations across the UK, representing various Mandirs, Sampradayas and Samaj.
There should be no 'double standards' when addressing religiophobia, and combating it should not be a 'selective exercise' limited to only one or two religions. This principle should apply equally to fears directed at non-Abrahamic religions, as emphasised by India during its presentation at the United Nations in June 2022. Despite being one of the most peaceful and globally-contributing communities, Hindus have faced an unjustifiable level of criticism and persecution, to the point of endangerment in some regions of the world. Considering the invaluable contributions that Hinduism has made to the world, such as Yoga, Veganism, Meditation, Sanskrit, Mathematics, Science, and more, it begs the question: Why do those harbouring silent prejudices fail to recognise this value? This website highlights various instances in which Hindus, Hinduism, and Sanatan Dharma have come under attack. Many of these incidents have gone unreported by mainstream media or, when reported, have been suppressed by all major search engines. An analysis conducted in 2022 revealed how Google promoted 'left'-biased news stories from specific publishers, including The Guardian and the BBC."
Indian culture is extending across the globe. Many nations who have significant numbers of people from the Indian diaspora but understood little about the religious and cultural norms. Since the last decade or so, Indian festivals and the wider culture is being embraced by mainstream communities.
Hindu Matters in Britain offers a voice to the British Hindu community – Hindus of Britain are relevant. Hindus need to be counted; participate in the policy making process and play a key role in public life. HMB is not religious, nor political. It offers an informed opinion based on facts, research and current data available. HMB is a conduit to represent the views of the British Hindu community, and how it is represented within the mainstream. HMB hopes to provide an overall viewpoint so that people can make an informed decision on issues that matter to them. The Hindu community has been well established in the UK, especially in the last few decades, although the first visitors established themselves in Britain since the 19th century. The Hindu community has made great inroads into settling firmly into the roots of the modern British identity. During the onset of World War 1 offered the first sign of people of India coming onto the shore of Britain. The British Indian Army was supporting Britain’s freedom struggle against the Nazis. In the 1970s another wave of Hindu migration came from East Africa as Britain agreed to take on Asians from the Ugandan expulsion. Many from the surrounding countries of Kenya and Tanzania also joined them. Since the 1990s there have been a steady flow of Hindus who have come to work or settle in Britain with specific skills. In addition to doctors and engineers, it is the field of IT that many Indians are attracted to the UK. It can be said that the Hindu community has set well in Britain. But in many cases the community is less known, and the indigenous people find it difficult to comprehend the intricacies of Hindu practices. On the other hand, there is a lot of respect of the hospitality of the British Hindu community and its outwardly values of strong family units, educational achievement and hard work.
India1914.com is a heritage project linked to ‘Remembering Indian Soldiers’ commemoration. It highlights the efforts of Indian soldiers who fought in the First World War on behalf of Britain. The original project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Golden Tours Foundation (now known as Palan Foundation. Since then the work has continued via the India1914.com web portal to keep the legacy of the contribution of Indian soldiers in the forefront of the public eye, especially for the new generations. The project has done the following work: - a . India’s contribution in World War 1 conference held at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton on 25th and 26th May 2016. The inaugural ‘Meeting of the Minds’ Symposium brought together experts from across all sectors who share a common passion for building a shared understanding of the contribution of Indian soldiers in World War 1. The Brighton venue was an ideal location due to its strong links to the Great War and attracted 54 delegates and 28 speakers. The keynote speaker being the world-renowned historian Professor Sir Hew Strachan who is one of the leading authorities on the Great War. The project work was with in partnership with the Imperial War Museum. See ‘Press’ for further details. b. In partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund, a whole host of work was carried out including exhibitions, events, workshops and a web portal India1914.com c . Mobile exhibition of the Indian contribution which travelled around the country. d. The publication of an E-Book on WW1 commemorations. e. Community events with dharmic faith communities in London and Leicester. See ‘Press’ for further details. f. Development of the web portal India1914.com
The Palan Foundation is committed to driving the role of education through health agenda. It particularly supports the practice of yoga. It provides resources as well as training in the art that has been practices in India for thousands of years. Millions of people all around the world are now benefitting from yoga. After the announcement by the UN of the International Yoga Day on 21 June from 2015, there has been mass popularity. In the first event, that the Foundation sponsored at London’s Alexander Palace, attracted over 5,000 people.
Shaping Young Lives The Palan Foundation supports educational programmes in India in its aims to improve literacy and subsequent opportunities for young people. It particularly aims to help combat poverty through education as well as improving the plight of girls in an effort to bring equality for women. The Foundation works closely with BAPs Swaminarayan Sanstha in the western state of Gujarat, India. One of the school’s Kumar Chatralaya is situated in the village of Ukai which provides accommodation for 136 students teaching academic subjects as well as spiritual and life skills values. Another school, Swaminarayan Vidyamandir which offers opportunities for girls is situated in Randesan, near Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Swaminarayan Vidyamandir believes knowledge leads to enlightenment and is committed to providing a warm, secure and supportive environment for the girls. The green campus is spread over 18 acres and is home to 800 students from 5th – 12th grades. Kamu Palan expressed her admiration for school and its facilities. She praised teachers for their outstanding work and was very happy to see a change in girls for speaking confidently and succeeding academically.
Our Projects
The Foundation further supports numerous other projects and organisations.
Please click Projects for examples
Contact Us
Find Us
Palan Foundation,
156 Cromwell Road,
156 Cromwell Road,
Kensington, London, SW7 4EF