About AHIMSA
Association for Human Integrated Massive Social Action was instituted in 1989. It was registered under Section 10 of the Society Registration Act 27 of 1975, of Tamil Nadu and under FC(R)A, Govt. of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The primary focus of the organization is to identify & alleviate problems faced by marginalized farming communities & landless laborers.
Established by the Late Mr. P.A. Ignacy, the Founder Director of AHIMSA, the organization has its office in Vaiyampatti, which is part of Tiruchirapalli district in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. AHIMSA has a team of committed men and women who are trained to design, implement and monitor projects that focus on key issues such as, conservation, biodiversity, women empowerment, skills enhancement, vocational education, employability etc. The underpinning focus is to work towards improving the quality of life in marginalized communities.
In collaboration with likeminded organizations and with the support of generous funding agencies, AHIMSA has worked in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu since 1989.
Founder Profile
Mr.P.A. Ignacywas found Association for Human Integrated Massive Social Action (AHIMSA) on 21 st February 1989. Before his social development he was working teacher for thirty years. After his retirement he fully involved social development activities. 1990 he was attuned national level Trainers Training (ToT) on Ecological Agriculture Development at Pondicherry organized by Agriculture Man and Ecology (AME). After the training he involved agricultural development activities around Vaiyampatty Block, Trichy District, Tamilnadu. In his intervention of development sector he established Pesticide free villages, NGO Based System of Rice Intensification (SRI), Integrated Pest Management (IPM) on Paddy, Cotton, and Vegetables. He father of revived traditional small and minor millets in this region and established People based Seed Banks. He was play roll as District Convenor (Trichy District) of Low External Input and Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) Network Tamilnadu. He is well experienced person in social development sector in Tamilnadu. 30 years of his social development sector, he passed away on 11.06.2019.
Some of our project locations
Core Values
To achieve this vision, AHIMSA encourages its members to imbibe and sustain these core values:
- Dedication – applying knowledge and skill in a concerted effort to achieve set targets
- Responsibility – implementing assigned duties with a deep sense of accountability
- Empathy – stepping into the shoes of every beneficiary to fully understand and address challenges faced
- Resourcefulness – creatively utilizing available resources with the vision of the organization and the needs of the project in mind
ADVISORY TEAM
Mr Oswald Quintal
With a career spanning over three decades in the NGO field, Mr Oswald Quintal has pioneered the cause of sustainable agriculture and social uplift of marginalized communities in multiple locations in Tamil Nadu state and other parts of the country as well. His organization, KUDUMBAM continues to be a beacon of hope to underprivileged communities, by engaging them in viable, sustainable livelihood initiatives and practices. Mr Quintal has been associated with AHIMSA since its inception and has worked closely on several projects, as an advisor and as the head of the LEISA network.
Dr Rangan Varadan
Dr Rangan Varadan brings with him extensive experience in the financial services domain. His current focus is on taking branchless banking services to villages in the most efficient manner through technology and field partnerships. Prior to this, he was the Head, Banking and Capital Markets Domain Competency Group at Infosys Technologies. He holds a Ph.D. in finance and economics from Lehigh University, Pennsylvania, USA and is also a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. Through MICROGRAAM, Dr Varadan endeavours to bridge gaps in the financial need marketplace, facilitating small loans at affordable rates.
Mr C. Sudhakar
As close associate and financial advisor, Mr Sudhakar has supported AHIMSA as a financial sounding-board, rendering sound and timely advice while managing projects and funds. His banking experience of over three decades has been the foundation for the viable choices that he has always offered to clients. He has worked as a Lead District Manager and Director of the Rural Self Employment Training Institute for thirteen years, specializing in rural finance & financial literacy. He is a member of the Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Bankers; he continues to support individuals and organizations with his wide-ranging financial expertise.
Dr R Krishnamani
Dr R Krishnamani, a professional Rainforest Ecologist is also a Landscape Photographer, and an Open Access web portal guru, based in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. He has a Ph.D. in Zoology on the Phyto-ecology of the endemic lion-tailed macaque habitats in the Western Ghats of southern India. He runs a not-for-profit organization, The Rainforest Initiative, to foster research on the mosaic of the Western Ghats’ vegetation. Kicha is a self-taught photographer, excelling in the nuances of Landscape Photography. Currently, he works at photo-documenting landscapes, flora and fauna, to support organizations in the field of conservation and environmental protection.
Ms Viola R Krishnamani
Ms Viola R. Krishnamani, an academician and edu-business strategist, is the Managing Director of Scholarius EdSer Private Limited, an organization offering wide-ranging solutions to schools, training institutes & NGOs. Viola works extensively with international boards of education, like CAIE, Pearson Edexcel, UK & national boards like the CBSE & CISCE. She is an accomplished teacher-trainer and academic systems auditor, advising individuals & corporates in the education sector. Viola works with multiple NGOs, advising them on documentation, organizational systemization and QA protocols. Viola is also an International Standards Verifier with Pearson Edexcel, UK and continues to present papers on learning and education management.