Triumph from tragedy

A University of Alberta alumnus has turned an unimaginable tragedy into an opportunity to help others.
Dr. Chandra Sankurathri lost his wife, Manjari, and children, Srikiran, 7, and Sarada, 4, when Air India Flight 182 exploded off the coast of Ireland on June 23, 1985.
In 1988, Dr. Sankurathri, who received his PhD from the U of A in 1974, cashed in his pension and returned to his homeland in India.
He set up the Manjari Sankurathri Memorial Foundation (MSMF) in honour of his wife.
The MSMF funds a school and ophthalmology hospital in the southern town of Kakinada where Manjari was born and raised.
The Sarada Vidyalayam school opened in 1992 and provides free education for local children in grades 1 to 7.
Construction is underway on a building that will allow students to continue into grades 8, 9 and 10.
Asha Rao, a family friend of Sankurathri and administrative officer at the U of A, told Sun Media that the children receive some of the highest marks in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
The MSMF is a registered Canadian charity and its programs are supported by donations and through the Eye Foundation of America.
Establishing the charity and working with children has helped Sankurathri deal with the loss of his family, said Rao.
16/06/07 Nicki Thomas/Edmonton Sun, Canada

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Categories: Air India Jun 2007, Foreign Jun 2007, Safety Jun 2007