Minutes of the AGM of Amba Foundation held on
18th December 2025 via Zoom platform
1. Introduction
a. Mr. Rakesh Bhalla, Vice President, Amba Foundation, welcomed all the members
present to the Annual General Meeting. He acknowledged the continued efforts
and valuable contributions of all members and appreciated the commitment of the
Amba Foundation team in taking the organization’s vision forward.
b. Mr. Deepak Sarwal, Secretary, placed on record his appreciation for Mr. Vineet
Budhiraja, President, Amba Foundation, acknowledging him as a silent supporter
of the organisation. Secretary also appreciated the tireless efforts of the executive
group, Mr Rakesh Bhalla, Ms Anju Lowe, Ms Neera Khanna and the dedicated
Amba team. He welcomed on board Mr Prabhat Patney who took over as the
Treasurer this year.
c. The valuable contribution of Ms. Jyoti Sarwal, Founder & currently Hon
Chairperson was also noted for her tireless efforts towards the upliftment of the
community. Her role in financially strengthening the organisation by helping
build a corpus for Amba Foundation was especially acknowledged, thereby
ensuring long-term sustainability. In fact, part of the funds are now being utilised
to support other deserving NGOs.
2. Presentation on Annual Activities
Ms. Neera Khanna, Project Director, presented a summary of activities undertaken
during FY 2024–25 through a presentation.
a. She highlighted key milestones
• Ongoing and new CSR partnerships such as Domino Printech India LLP,
• Implementation of various projects
• Celebration of Amba Foundation’s 25th anniversary
• Relocation of the Amba Centre to a new space
• Amba Foundation’s participation in the YMCA NGO Mela, where the team
won the rolling trophy for best all-round performance.
b. Ms. Khanna also briefed the members on developments during FY 2025–26 and
informed that Amba has welcomed a new CSR partner, Steragro (Nova
Milkfoods). This partnership led to the launch of Project Imagine, focusing on
Creative Arts.
c. Ms. Khanna further shared learnings from the Amba team’s comprehensive study
visit to Aasra Foundation, Dehradun.
3. Support to Other Organisations
Mr. Deepak Sarwal informed the members about the financial support being extended by
Amba Foundation to other NGOs :
a. Alzheimer’s & Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) from April 2025 for
medicine support.
b. Manav Janhit Kalyan Sansthan, an NGO for old and destitute, through food ration
support from October 2025.
c. Society for Service to Voluntary Agencies (SOSVA) – Amba Foundation shall be
extending financial support to SOSVA from January 2026 onwards for vocational
training.
4. Presentation of Balance Sheet
a. Mr. Prabhat Patney, Treasurer, presented the audited financial statements and
donation details for FY 2024–25.
b. He highlighted that a higher quantum of donations was received during FY 2024
25, largely due to Amba Foundation’s 25th anniversary year.
5. Ongoing Challenges – E-commerce
a. Ms. Neera Khanna informed the members that e-commerce continues to be a
challenging area for Amba Foundation and requires focused attention.
b. It was noted that the market is currently flooded with handmade products
available at very competitive prices, which may result in Amba’s products being
perceived as relatively expensive, thereby impacting sales.
c. Ms. Khanna explained that efforts are being made to improve sales through
collaboration with Jhappi, and that product details have also been shared with a
prospective platform, www.aashansh.org.
d. Ms. Gurjeet Kaur Heer suggested exploring corporate gift hampers for occasions
such as New Year, Christmas, and Diwali as a possible avenue to increase sales.
e. Ms Anju Lowe emphasised the need for a dedicated space and personnel to
support e-commerce activities.
f.
It was agreed that a separate meeting will be convened in January / February 2026
to discuss the e-commerce component in detail. The meeting will focus on
reviewing existing challenges, identifying requirements for strengthening e
commerce operations, and finalising a clear roadmap, including infrastructure and
resource planning.
6. Future Outlook
a. Ms Khanna informed the members that Amba is working on concept notes for
proposals for the coming year and will continue efforts to onboard new CSR
partners.
b. Ms. Ambika Pandit suggested that Amba Foundation could consider providing
financial support to Brave Souls Foundation, an NGO working with acid attack
survivors.
c. Mr. Deepak Sarwal suggested that music could also be included as part of the
Project Imagine curriculum.
7. Resolutions
The following resolutions were passed unanimously by the members present :
a. Resolved that the audited statement of accounts for FY 2024-25 is and
hereby approved.
b. Resolved that S. K. Bindal & Co. be appointed auditors for 2026-27.
8. Vote of Thanks
The AGM concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Deepak Sarwal, Secretary, who thanked
all the members and stakeholders for their valuable inputs, guidance and continued
support to Amba Foundation.
