FAQ

Bala Mandir is a registered society which has been actively working for the welfare of the children from a disadvantaged background. It is a non-profit organisation which was founded in 1949 and has an impeccable track record of a highly ethical and professional approach.  Bala Mandir is well known for working towards holistic and all-around development of the children under its care. 

Bala Mandir was founded by Sri K. Kamaraj in 1949 when two abandoned newborns were found in Congress grounds. He entrusted the infants to his esteemed associate, Smt. S. Manjubhashini, a distinguished freedom fighter and charged her with a noble mission – to establish a Home for these innocent lives. The two founders, along with Sri Ramnath Goenka, established the institution with a strong foundation and paved the way for the holistic and all-round development for thousands of orphans, destitute and socio-economically deprived children, who come under its care.

Bala Mandir was set up in 1949 as a Registered Society and it continues to be one. Till his death in 1975, Sri. Kamaraj was guiding and leading Bala Mandir. His death left a big vacuum. In 1979, through the efforts of his successors, the structure of Bala Mandir underwent a change, and it was renamed ‘Bala Mandir Kamaraj Trust’ while retaining the essential nature of the entity – a registered society. Through a well-documented Memorandum of Association (MOA), the management structure and processes and the role of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee were formalised.

The main campus is located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu at No.8 G. N. Chetty Road, T. Nagar, Chennai -600017. Bala Mandir also has another unit in Nagercoil. We have no other branches. However social workers are located in various districts and they operate from their homes for servicing the needy children who are located in these  districts.

At an overall advisory level, Bala Mandir has a Board of Trustees – persons with experience and eminence who safeguard the assets of the organisation, play the role of friends, philosophers and guides to the management team of Bala Mandir, and ensure that the initiatives for the future are well directed and pursued with rigour. At an operating level, the management of Bala Mandir lies with the Executive Committee (EC). The 20 members of the EC are elected from and by the General Body of volunteer members and they volunteer their time and expertise for the specific responsibilities they undertake within Bala Mandir. A few among them hold office to oversee the efficient and smooth functioning of its various service activities. Headed by the President, Honorary General Secretary and Treasurer, the EC meets quarterly to review the progress in each area and plan for corrective actions where necessary. 

Bala Mandir’s activities are divided into “units” which work independently in specific areas under the directions of one of the EC members. The units are supported by a common group of support services including Accounts, HR, IT, Donations and Sponsorship, Administration etc. which enable the unit to concentrate on the core activities. All these areas are headed by paid employees who form the backbone of the organisation and handle the day-to-day work. This team helps achieve the clearly defined goals in each area, through a well-planned routine / calendar established over the years. They are encouraged to excel and perform efficiently while remaining committed to the code of conduct, ethics and value systems of Bala Mandir.

Bala Mandir’s activities are now organised into the following 5 verticals/units –

1. Bala Mandir Children’s Home – Home for destitute children in Chennai and Nagercoil.  FAQ on the children’s home activities is provided below.
2. Bala Mandir Schools – Creche, Primary and Higher Secondary classes in Chennai. Refer to https://balamandirschools.org/ for more details.
3. Bala Mandir MNC – for children with intellectual disabilities. Refer to https://mncindia.org/ for more details.
4. Bala Mandir Research and Resource Centre – Outreach and Research in early childhood practices.  Refer to https://bmrf.in/ for more details.
5. Bala Mandir Kinship Care – Supports needy children who have lost one or both parents. Refer to https://www.kinshipcare.in/ for more details.

Bala Mandir’s activities are divided into “units” which work independently in specific areas under the directions of one of the EC members. The units are supported by a common group of support services including Accounts, HR, IT, Donations and Sponsorship, Administration etc. which enable the unit to concentrate on the core activities. All these areas are headed by paid employees who form the backbone of the organisation and handle the day-to-day work. This team helps achieve the clearly defined goals in each area, through a well-planned routine / calendar established over the years. They are encouraged to excel and perform efficiently while remaining committed to the code of conduct, ethics and value systems of Bala Mandir.

The rich history of Bala Mandir Kamaraj Trust over the last 75 years has helped shape its values and approaches. As the name implies, Bala Mandir – a temple for children, is where every child is cared for and helped to develop and grow. Historically the organisation has chosen to work closely with the Government in all areas of its work and taken a conservative approach. In the last 10 years, the organisation has successfully worked on many outward looking projects with good success. Without changing its intent and the core values, Bala Mandir plans to leverage on its inherent strengths to meet the needs of a much larger number of children who are facing various difficult situations. While working on improving “scale” in all its activities, Bala Mandir will also focus on measuring and improving the “social impact” in all its activities. The future plans of Bala Mandir will be driven by the underlying theme of the 75 year celebration – Every Child Matters.