## **VEDANTA BIDYASHRAM** (CHARITY NO: 1123282) 

_“PROVIDING EDUCATION TO INDIA’S POOREST CHILDREN”_ 

## **ANNUAL REPORT 2022** 

**Principal Office** 36 Newick Avenue, Little Aston, Birmingham B74 3DA 

**Trustees** Chairman - Dr Sujan Kumar Kundu MB BS Secretary - Dr Nilanjana Banerji BA (Cal), MA (Oxon), DPhil (Oxon) Treasurer - Mr Sudipta Basudev Kundu MA (Cantab), FCA, CTA 

**Constitution** Governed by Trust Deed dated 24 February 2008 

## **Objectives and activities** 

The trustees must apply the income of the charity in furthering the following objects: 

1. To advance primary education for under-privileged children including establishing, promoting, assisting and maintaining primary schools and libraries for this purpose; to establish and / or to provide funding for these children to undertake further education, to the extent that they are able to progress to more advanced stages of their education; 

2. To advance the education and training of secondary school age children; 

3. To relieve sickness and promote and protect good health by the provision of medical treatment or assistance in obtaining medical treatment; 

4. To provide relief of need and suffering among victims of natural or other kinds of disaster in the form of money (or other means deemed suitable) for persons, bodies, organisations and/or countries affected as the trustees shall think fit. 

## **Achievements and performance** 

Vedanta Bidyashram (‘VB’ or ‘the Charity’), which loosely translated means “a place of learning at the feet of the master”, was granted charitable status by the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 20 March 2008. 

During the accounting period to 31 March 2022 (‘2022’), the main focus of the Charity’s work remains the primary school in Serampore a relatively small city (by Indian standards) with a population of circa 200,000 which is situated some 20 km north of Kolkata, on the west bank of the Hooghly River. The Trustees continued to obtain support from an Advisory Committee based in Kolkata, India, which provides its services free to VB. Through this advisory committee, projects and detailed funding requests are brought to the attention of the Trustees for their consideration and approval and this local team provides the necessary leadership and management ‘on the ground’ in India. Dr S K Kundu spent approximately 5 months of the year in India, overseeing the implementation of the schools’ development programmes. 

The Trustees would like to thank Dr Nilanjana Banerji for her role as the Charity Secretary, which she has undertaken since the foundation of the Charity in 2008, and which she is stepping down from at the end of this financial year. 

1 



Fin4llci41 review
Source offvnd
During the period und¢r review. VB managed to fund its activities through investment relurns
of £34.5k.
Application offvnds
It applied ihese monies to support the primary school in Serampore via Dr S K Kundu IK>th in
providing the funding for th¢ teachers, salaries and the substantial completion of the
developm¢nl of the school building to allow expansion of the activities there.
Closingfinancialposition atyear end
At year end, the Charity had an 'unr¢stricted' surplus avatlable for its work of £105.9k
comprising cash at bank of £0.5k and monies invested in liquid inv¢sttn¢nts {primarily UK
shares) of £132.9k with accrued costs, borne by the Chairnian of circa £27.5k (and a further
£100 of initial T￿￿1 Capital).
As the Charity currently obtains all servi¢es (advisory committee, trustees etc) free of charge,
it does not Currently incur any administration costs and th¢r¢fore does not specifically seek to
maintain a minimum level of reserves. other than the initial £1 00 Trust Capitsl provided on
the establishment of the Trust.
Publi¢ benefit slalement
Throughout the period under review, the Charity's trustees have sought to comply with their
duty to have due regard to the guidan¢¢ on public b¢nefit published by the Commission in
exercising their powers or duties (and in particular the guidan¢¢ for charities working
internationally).
Signed on behalf of the Trustees
Mr Sudipta Kundu
Treasurer

## **Vedanta Bidyashram** 

## **Accounts for Year Ended 31 March 2022** 

|**Income & Expenditure**<br>Income<br>Donations<br>Investment returns<br>Tax reclaim from HMRC in period<br>Expenditure<br>Expenditure relating to West Bengal schools<br>Other expenditure<br>Net income /(loss)<br>**Balance sheet**<br>Cash at bank<br>Killik Investment Funds<br>Creditors / accruals<br>Totalnetassets<br>Charity initial capital<br>Unrestricted funds|31-Mar-21<br>£<br>325<br>98,526<br>0<br>**98,851**<br>£<br>100<br>98,751<br>**98,851**|31-Mar-22<br>£<br>0<br>34,538<br>0<br>(27,500)<br>(15)<br>**7,023**<br>31-Mar-22<br>£<br>485<br>132,889<br>(27,500)<br>**105,874**<br>£<br>100<br>105,774<br>**105,874**|£<br>**7,023**<br>Change in<br>Net Assets|
|---|---|---|---|





Independent examiner's report on
the accounts
CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent Examiner's Report
Report to the ITUSto0
members of
VEDANTA BIOYASHRAM
On accounts for the yoar
ondod
31 MARCH 2022
Charity no
(if any)
1123282
ReBpectlve respons5bllltle8
of trust••s and oxamin•r
The chadty's trustees ara r8sponslble for the prepara￿On of the accounts. Th•
charlty's Irusl88s consider that an audit is not required lor this year under seolion
144 of Ihe Charities Act 20111.the Charities Act'l and th81 an independent
gxominalion is need8d. It is my responslbillly lo..
8xamine the accounts under secuon 145 of the Charilles Act,
to follow the proceduros lald down in Ihe general Direellons g￿en by the Charlty
Commission (under seclSon 14515llbl of the Charities Act, and
to state whèthor partlcular matters have come lo my attenti￿.
Basis of Independent My exarnlnallon wa3 carrfed out In ac¢¢Ydance wSlh general Dlreclions glven by th
•xamlnor'8 8tstem•nt Charity Commisslon. An oxamlnation Includes a revlew ol Ihe a¢¢ounting records
kepl by the charity and a comparlson ol the accounts presented with those records.
It also includ88 consideration of any unusual items or dlsclosurgs In the accounts,
and seeklng gxplonations from the Iruslees concarning any such matters. The
procedures undertaken do not provltje all Ihg evidence that would be requirad in an
audrt, and consaquenlly no c)plnion Is glvan as lo whether the acwunts present
'Iru8 and falT' view and the report is limrted lo those matters set out in Ihe statement
below.
Ind•pend•nt examlngrf8 In connectlon wllh my examlnall¢)n. no rnatter has come lo my Bttanllon
•tat•m•nt 1. which give5 me reasonable cause lo believe that in, any malgrial respect, tho
requirements..
to keep accounllng f8cords In aceord8nce w￿h sectlon 130 of the Charllle8
Act.. and
to pr8pare accounts whlch accord wllh the accounllng record8 and comply
with the accounting requlraments ol the Charities Act
have not been mel., or
2. to which, Sn my oplnlon, attèntSon should be dr8wn In order lo enablè a proper
und8rslondSng of the accounts lo be reaohod.
Slgned:
Date:
0110212023
Name:
Rudy Sargo
Relevant professlonal
quallflcatlonlsl or body):
SAICA {mernbership # 04910029)
Addr•ss:
Flat 1, Moreton House, Holly Walk
London
NW3 6RA
IER