FRIENDS OF SANGAM FOUNDATION

A Company Limited by Guarantee, Registered No: 4627919

MINUTES OF AN EXTRA-ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING.

COVENTRY, 14 February, 2009

(Document reference Minutes_EGM_090214)

Present: Clare Barnett, David Fish, Mary Heath (non-member), Eleanor Nesbitt (Chair), Stephen Petter, William Waddilove,

Apologies for absence were received from: Joy Barrow, Jo Hallett, John and Sue Smithson, May Youett

As Honorary Company Sectretary, Stephen Petter informed the meeting that in accordance with our Governing Documents, all Resolutions at an EGM were Special Resolutions and thus to be accepted they would require 75% of the members present voting for them.

Stephen Petter then outlined the circumstances that let to the directors calling this EGM.

Eleanor Nesbitt submitted a report dated 13/2/09 about Sangam Foundation (SF) which described the nature of the crisis which had arisen and the developments of the past few days. She also submitted an email message from G N Singhal, the General Secretary of SF dated 12/2/09, titled “Future of Sangam School at Indri”. These two reports will be attached to these minutes. She also reported on an email message she had received that morning from P K Khurana, another of the SF Trustees, stating his and the other trustees' full support for Mr Singhal's position.

The main point of these reports was that the circumstances which had led to SF announcing its abandonment of the school were now apparently alleviated by the appearance of another group from the village who were willing to work with SF to maintain the school as a charitable institution with the same aims and ethos as in the past. Mr Khurana had referred to their new plans as a calculated risk.

The meeting discussed the situation. The first four motions on the agenda were each considered and each fell due to lack of support. The first motion was an admission that FOSF was no longer able to support SF. The second was that FOSF should be dissolved. The third was that FOSF should work to found another school. The fourth was that FOSF should support some other existing school.

Thus the policy of FOSF was substantially unchanged. However it was suggested that the position be reviewed at the autumn, 2010 AGM. The Directors would call another EGM before then if necessary.

The meeting then considered the fifth motion:

Motion 5. That this general meeting of the members of the Association known as Friends of Sangam Foundation directs the Directors and Trustees to amend the Object of the Association in paragraph 3 of its Memorandum of Association by

i. deleting “at Sangam School, Indri, Harayana and elsewhere”; and

ii. by replacing the word “India” with the words “South Asia”.

The following amendment was proposed by William Waddilove, seconded by Clare Barnett:

That sub-items i and ii in the motion be replaced by “replacing 'Haryana and elsewhere in India' with 'Haryana, India and elsewhere in South Asia'.

The Company Secretary's view was that this amendment was permissible since it did not add to the effect of the original motion, in fact it reduced its effect.

The amendment was carried unanimously.

The amended motion was then put:

That this general meeting of the members of the Association known as Friends of Sangam Foundation directs the Directors and Trustees to amend the Object of the Association in paragraph 3 of its Memorandum of Association by replacing 'Haryana and elsewhere in India' with 'Haryana, India and elsewhere in South Asia'.

This was carried unanimously.

NOTE The Objects would then read:

To promote and provide quality education for children at Sangam School, Indri, Haryana, India and elsewhere in South Asia giving preference to those from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.

In conclusion Eleanor Nesbitt thanked those present for their attendance.

Minutes Signed:

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(These draft minutes will be submitted for acceptance at the next General Meeting. It was agreed that the AGM would be on Saturday September 19^th subject to confirmation.)

Report for EGM, Friends of Sangam Foundation

14 February 2009, Friends Meeting House, Coventry

During the past year (June 2008 -February 2009) FOSF have been satisfied that Sangam School has been continuing to provide education for its pupils under the headship of Mrs Vijata Arya and we have remained supportive of Sangam Foundation (SF) in its efforts to maintain the school despite difficulties that developed vis-à-vis Indri village.

---

Because of these difficulties May Youett’s plans to visit the school as a volunteer for a few weeks had to be suspended and no other visits from the UK occurred.

The school currently consists of 200 pupils (from Kindergarten to Class 8) and eleven teachers are employed. Mrs Arya’s contract has been extended to 31 March. Seven ancillary staff are employed, including the driver.

Thanks to the careful administration by SF there have been no financial crises for the school. Moreover, during this period fears for the future of the school – which led the directors of FOSF to call this EGM - have turned to cautious optimism. Following the attempt by powerful villagers to take over the school’s assets, another group of villagers have expressed appreciation for SF and indicated their intention to work through SF to maintain the school.

As reported at the AGM in June 2008, on 24^th April at a meeting of SF the following resolution was passed: ‘the Governing Body of Sangam Foundation, not finding the atmosphere prevailing in Indri village conducive to run Sangam School any more, resolves that the land and the infrastructure created thereon be returned to the Village Panchayat, Indri.’

Consequently, i n June 2008, SF informed the village panchayat that it was ready to hand over the leased land and the building and other assets provided the panchayat agreed to run the school and take on the associated liabilities and responsibilities. Mr Singhal accordingly informed FOSF that from March 2009 SF would no longer be running the school.

On advice from Mr Singhal, the Secretary of SF, FOSF continued to delay its uptake of possibilities/offers of funding because of uncertainties over the future of Sangam School itself.

However, the Village Panchayat (Council) did not respond to its offer to transfer management of Sangam School, and was only interested in taking over the land. SF has therefore, in 2009, revoked its offer and now intends to draw up a memorandum of understanding, mapping out the way ahead.

Mr Singhal now (13 February) reports that it is anticipated that Mr Devi Singh Panwar, a former Sarpanch (Head of Panchayat), and his associates are likely to join SF, which will continue to run the school. Mr Singhal expects that, with this stronger local involvement, the kindergarten intake will increase, and that the school will then be better placed to become financially self-sufficient. In his most recently e-mailed update he mentions that Mr Devi Singh Panwar hopes that SF will carry on funding the school for a year.

This means that FOSF is being asked to continue its present level of provision and to inform SF what the level of funding will be. Moreover, in this improving situation visits from overseas supporters are likely to again be feasible.

Throughout the changing circumstances of the past seven months Mr Singhal has kept Eleanor informed of developments. FOSF is extremely grateful to him for his commitment to SF despite his mother’s deteriorating health and his recent bereavement. The office holders have sent their condolences to Mr Singhal and his family.

Eleanor Nesbitt

13 Feb 2009

Email from G.-N. Singhal, General Secretary of Sangam Foundation, 12/2/09

to Eleanor Nesbitt.

         This has reference to our conversation and the Extra-ordinary General Meeting (EGM) of FOSF scheduled for 14th February.  I have the following points to make.

(1) We had made an offer to the village panchayat of Indri (in June 2008) that Sangam Foundation is ready and willing to hand over the leased land alongwith the building and other assets provided the panchayat agrees to run the School and take full responsibility and liabilities associated with it. 

(2) The panchayat was not ready to take responsibility and liability but was interested in taking over the leased land, which they could use for any purpose whatsoever.  

(3) One Shri Devi Singh Panwar (alongwith some other persons), who have been sympathetic to the Sangam School and wield influence in the village, did not want us to hand over the land or the School to the panchayat.  They approached Sangam Foundation to take steps to see to it that the School not only keeps running but also makes further progress - both qualitatively and in terms of the number of pupils.  They were willing to lend us a helping hand.  But they would be able to help us only if they had some say in the affairs of Sangam Foundation. 

(4) The Governing Body of Sangam Foundation considered the matter carefully and decided to work in this direction.  The first step would be, of course, to revoke the offer that had been made to the panchayat earlier. 

(5) With the help of Ms. Malavika Rajkotia, Sangam Foundation has revoked the offer made earlier to the village panchayat of Indri. 

(6) Our position is that we are to induct two more members from Indri/Sohna into Sangam Foundation.  One of them, Shri Devi Singh Panwar, would be heading a sub-committee to look after the affairs of the School.  The sub-committee will have two members (Prof. C.P. Gupta and Shri G.-N. Singhal) from the Governing Body and 3 - 4 members nominated by Shri Devi Singh Panwar.  Shri Devi Singh may also appoint a Manager to take care of the day-to-day affairs of the School (which is at present the responsibility of the General Secretary).  

(7) The objective (in the short run) is to have an impressive increase in the number of pupils (particularly at the kindergarten level) so that the School is put on the path to becoming self-sufficient.  By the end of the year (upto 31st March 2010), there has to be a marked and visible improvement in the functioning of the School in every sense.  

(8) For this purpose, Shri Devi Singh Panwar wants that Sangam Foundation should continue to meet the financial burden of the School for some more time.  He thinks that this experiment should be given a fair chance for one year, after which the whole situation should be reviewed and appropriate decisions taken.  Such a decision may also mean that some of the existing members of Sangam Foundation would give way to new members (or many more new members would be inducted) giving effective control in the hands of Shri Devi Singh and his associates, who would also assume full responsibility for running the School (including financial management).    

(9) In view of the above, I am of the opinion that FOSF should not take Motions 1 to 4 seriously.  Motion 5 seems okay to some extent since it does not exclude promoting Sangam School at Indri.  You may, in your wisdom, decide which course to adopt; but if possible and felt desirable the present provisions may continue without any of the Motions being adopted at this stage.

 

         This communication has become somewhat lengthy but I think it may be useful for the deliberations of the EGM on the 14th February 2009. 

 

         With regards, 

--
G.-N. Singhal

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