AHMEDABAD SOUTH INDIAN ASSOCIATION, popularly known as ASIA took birth on 20th February 1955. The main objective of the Association is preserving and propagating Dravidian Languages such as Kannada, Malayalam Tamil, and Telugu.
At the first General Meeting held on 20th February 1955, it was unanimously decided to name the Association as “Ahmedabad South Indian Association”. The first official address was “Ahmedabad South Indian Association, Above Ambica Hindu Hotel, Shahpur Mill Compound, Ahmedabad-380001.
The present address is, Ahmedabad South Indian Association, Ground Floor, ASIA School, Drive-in-Road, Ahmedabad-380054.
The Association is registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 with Registration Number Bom./11/ABD. Now ASIA is representing 5 States, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu, and Telangana. As on date, there are approximately 3000 members in the Association.
The objectives of the Association: 1.Strive and to promote a harmonious community feeling in and among the South Indians residing in Ahmedabad/Gujarat in general. 2.Cater to the cultural tastes of its members by offering regular programmes in the field of fine arts etc. 3.Strive to establish Institutions to promote classical instrumental and vocal music etc.
First Managing Committee Members: Mr. P.G. Rao President Mr.S, Nagaswamy Vice-President Mr. G, Natarajan Secretary Mr. S.A.V. Raghavan Treasurer
In 1965, the founder Members of ASIA decided to start an English Medium School in a rented building at Champaner Society at Usmanpura with 125 students to solve the great problem of admission for South Indian Children in English Medium School at that time.
or the administrative convenience, a separate entity in the name and style of ASIA CHARITABLE TRUST (ACT) was formed to look after all the academic matters. The Trust was Registered under Bombay Charitable Act with Reg. No. BOM/11/ABD. In the coming years, many Trustees and Managing Committee Members came, helped the organisations to grow. Many of them have even left the realm of this world too.
Under the proactive and able aegis of ASIA CHARITABLE TRUST, Educational Institutions have flourished. It all started with starting an English Medium School and then an International School, the leap was so great that ACT manages 21 colleges now. The journey has become more meaningful with the germination of a University in 2021. All these happened only because of an untiring, committed and dedicated team under the able leadership of many stalwarts, especially Dr. John Gheevarghese, and Dr. M.P. Chandran.
Present Managing Committee Members: 1.Mr.T.V.S.Ram -President 2.Mr. Rajesh Balu -Vice-President 3.Mr.V.D. Prabhakaran-Hon. -Secretary 4.Mr.Madhu Menon -Jt.Secretary 5.Mr.Jose Mathew -Treasurer 6.Mr.Johnson Philip -Member 7.Mr.Sudhir S. Nair-“ 8.Mr.Radhakrishnan Unnithan-“ 9.Mr.George Kuriakose-“ 10.Mr.M.Jayaprakash-“ 11.Mr.Benny Varghese-“ 12.Mr.Joy Jose John-“ 13.Mr.Harikrishnan Pillai-“ 14.Mr.Balaji Iyer-“ 15.Mr.K.Mohanlal -Ex-officio member 16Mr.T.K.Balappan-“ 17.Mr.M.P. Chandran -Co-pted member 18.Mr.K.M.Ramachandran-“ 19Mr.Philip Job -“
Present Board of Trustees: 2.Mr.T.K. Balappan-Hon. Secretary 3.Mr.Alex Luckose- Treasurer 4.Mr.M.P. Chandran- Trustee 5.Mr.K.P.M. Nair-“ 6.Mr.K.L.N. Sastry-“ 7.Mr.T.V.S.Ram- Ex-officio member 8.Mr.V.D.Prabhakaran- Ex-officio member
ASIA Family adoringly remembers the forerunners: 1. Mr. P.G. Rao 2.Mr.S,Nagaswamy >3.Mr.G,Natarajan 4.Mr.S.A.V.Raghavan 5.Mr.P.Subramanian 6.Mr.A.Bhashyam 7.Mr.Pathagudy Ramaswami 8.Mr.U.R.Menon 9.Mr.P.B.Sreenivasan 10.Mr.P.S.Sankarji 11.Mr.T.P.Venkatachari 12.Mr.S.Nagaswami 13.Mrs.Mrinalini Sarabhai 14.Mrs.Nagaswami 15.Dr.V.Sreenivasan 16.Mr.Purushotham G. Mavlankar 17.Mr.Champaklal P. Mehta 18.Mr.S.A.V. Raghavan 19.Dr.Diggavi Andthe list is incomplete…
Institutions run by ACT. 1.ASIA English School 2.J G International School 3.JG College of Commerce (B. Com & M. Com) 4.JG College of Computer Applications. 5.JG College of Education (B.Ed. English) 6.JG College of Education PG (Med. English) 7.JG Institute of Business Administration 8.JG College of Performing Arts, (BPA & MPA) 9.JG College of Nursing (B.Sc., M.Sc., P.B.B. SC & GNM) 10.JG College of Physiotherapy (BPT & MPT) 11.JG Institute of Law 12.JG College of Education (B. Ed, Gujarati) 13.JG Institute for English and Professional Studies. And JG University.