History of CRIED Foundation

During the early 1960s, the government of India sanctioned several professional colleges in the fields of medicine, engineering, and agriculture. This led to the opening of two very prestigious colleges, namely The Government Medical College, Srinagar (GMC) and The Regional Engineering College, Srinagar (REC). No such professional colleges existed in Jammu & Kashmir prior to these. However, most of the students selected for admission to these colleges came from very poor households (either middle or lower-middle-class families) unable to bear the expenses to undergo medical or engineering training.
The then Government of Jammu & Kashmir, to extend help to such underprivileged students, sanctioned interest-free educational loans in favor of them. These loans were to be repaid by the students in easy monthly installments deducted from their salaries after getting employed.
As a matter of fact, a few of us alumni engineers of REC Srinagar (now renamed NIT, Srinagar) felt that we owed an obligation to our society and must, therefore, extend help and support to the downtrodden and needy students by providing them with some financial assistance as no interest-free educational loans are made available for them anymore by either the Government of India or the banks.
Fortunately for us in early 2000, through divine intervention, an opportunity to fulfill our aspirations, a gentleman namely, Mr. Isaac Aman Shawl - a renowned Kashmiri businessman from Gogjibagh, Srinagar, helped lay the foundation of CRIED – Child Relief Institute for Education and Development.
Other than the financial assistance, Mr. Shawl also made provisions for a furnished office, besides opening a bank account for this noble cause. He also provided free-of-cost printed material such as prescribed application forms, receipt books, letterhead forms, office seals, and other necessary stationery items. He approached us to join the cause purely on a voluntary basis.
Initially, there were about 12 members who outlined a working timetable, the bylaws and other necessary framework required to run an organization. Unfortunately, few of them passed away while some left due to personal engagements. At present 5 members, whose details are given in this report, remain active.
Applications were received from the needy on prescribed CRIED forms. Showcasing case numbers along with certain important documents such as school progress reports, family photographs, bank account numbers, and the husband's death certificate (in case of widows whose husbands had passed away).
The cases were later verified and sanctioned by the Chairman on the recommendations of a CRIED member. Depending on the need of the child/family, a monthly relief was sanctioned in favor of the applicant. Only crossed cheques were issued in favor of the beneficiaries every month. No cash transactions were made in this regard. In all matters, all decisions were made collectively by the CRIED members. 23 years have passed since the foundation of CRIED. The trustees are:

Er. Mohammad Ashraf Jan (Chairman)
Er. Nazir Ahmad Gagroo (Financial Secretary)
Mr. Mohammad Iqbal Shawl (Vice Chairman)
Mr. Mohiuddin Ahmed (Public Secretary)
Er. Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat (Secretary General)

Working Details of Cried Foundation, a Section 8 Company in Kashmir:

Er. Mohammad Ashraf Jan (Chairman):
Provides overall leadership and direction to the foundation.
Represents the foundation in external meetings, events, and collaborations.
Guides and supervises the activities of the team members.
Oversees the strategic planning and execution of projects.

Er. Nazir Ahmad Gagroo (Financial Secretary):
Manages the financial aspects of the foundation.
Develops and implements financial policies and procedures.
Maintains accurate financial records and prepares financial reports.
Coordinates with external auditors and ensures compliance with financial regulations.

Mr. Mohammad Iqbal Shawl (Vice Chairman):
Assists the chairman in overseeing the foundation's operations.
Supports the chairman in decision-making and policy development.
Represents the chairman in their absence.
Collaborates with other team members to ensure effective implementation of projects.

Mr. Mohiuddin Ahmed (Public Secretary):
Handles public relations and communication for the foundation.
Develops and implements strategies to raise awareness about the foundation's work.
Liaises with media outlets, government agencies, and other stakeholders.
Coordinates public events, campaigns, and outreach activities.

Er. Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat (Secretary General):
Manages the day-to-day operations of the foundation.
Coordinates and supports project teams in their activities.
Facilitates communication and collaboration among team members.
Maintains records, minutes of meetings, and official correspondence.

We all work collectively and make unanimous decisions wherever and whenever necessary, after obtaining opinions from everyone. Our sole aim is to provide possible help within our limits to those in need. In fact, our sincere work would have been more fruitful if we could help everyone who approaches us, but our limited resources constrain us. Nevertheless, with the passage of time, CRIED has made significant progress. We have come a long way, increasing the monthly relief from Rs 300 per beneficiary to a minimum of Rs 3,000-5,000. Our total monthly relief has risen from Rs 10,000 to Rs 2,25,000.
Currently, more than 180 beneficiaries are paid each month through transfers to their bank accounts. These beneficiaries include students pursuing medical, engineering, postgraduate, MBA, nursing, commerce, and computer application training, among others. We ensure that beneficiaries are paid without discrimination based on region, caste, or religion. Although 95% of the beneficiaries are females (mostly widows/divorcees), deserving/needy males unable to work due to ill health are also supported.
CRIED's income relies solely on donations from its office bearers, their family members, friends, relatives, and neighbors, which are mostly received during the holy month of Ramadan each year. A considerable number of donors transfer fixed amounts monthly from their respective bank accounts to the CRIED bank account. All donations are gratefully received voluntarily, without any force or publicity.
Almost 99% of the donations are direct transfers from banks, while cash donations are minimal. There are no hidden expenditures or receipts, and overhead expenditures are almost negligible. Out of the Rs 2 crores distributed thus far, only 3% has been spent on office rent, salary for one helper, and some stationery expenses.
All CRIED members work voluntarily, dedicating their time and money to this noble cause. We pray to the Almighty to reward our well-wishers/donors suitably and accept our sincere and modest efforts.
In January 2023, we applied for the registration of CRIED (Courtesy: Mr. Ajaz Rashid Bhat, S/O Dr. Abdul Rashid Bhat, R/O Gulberg Colony Hyderpora) to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, through Mr. Ranjit Kumar Yadav - FCA Chartered Accountant, who, along with his team, made exceptional efforts to complete the registration process. Finally, in April 2023, the registration was granted under the name:
"CRIED FOUNDATION"
CINU88900JK2023NPLO14417
with two directors:
Mr. Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat
Mr. Mohiuddin Ahmad
The registered office is located at House No. 445 Jawahar Nagar, Srinagar - 190008 (J&K). The other three members of the original CRIED will be appointed as additional directors in due course to complete the full board of directors for the company.
We remain deeply indebted to Mr. Ranjit Kumar Yadav - FCA Chartered Accountant, and his entire team, particularly Ms. Joyti, for their hard work in obtaining the much-required registration without accepting any professional fees. We pray to God Almighty to reward them suitably.
We are also grateful to the kind bank employees at J&K Bank Ltd. B/U Lal Mandi, Srinagar for their assistance over the past two decades.
Lastly, our heartfelt appreciation goes to our esteemed donors, without whose financial assistance CRIED would not have existed. May the Almighty reward them abundantly.
Following the registration of CRIED FOUNDATION, all the existing bank accounts were closed, and a new current account was opened at JK Bank Ltd. B/U Lal Mandi, Srinagar.
The entire balance from the old accounts was transferred to the new one. Furthermore, the scope of CRIED's work has expanded beyond education to include health, supporting the marriages of destitute girls, clearing the debts of the needy, providing livelihood opportunities, skill development, and infrastructure. May Allah Almighty help us in our humble endeavors.
In conclusion, we will seek assistance from various CSR programs of corporations, as well as their guidance in this matter.

Er. Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat
Trustee & General Secretary
Cried FOUNDATION