HemAth Team
Ambika Raina
Born and brought up in Kashmir, I completed graduation from Govt. College for Women and pursued Post Graduation from the University of Kashmir.
Having lived outside the Valley till 1987 but never had the feeling of being at home, I always wanted to go back to Kashmir and pick up the threads from where I had left those. I grabbed the opportunity in 1987 and returned to Kashmir. Being deeply rooted with the valley I wanted to further strengthen the bond with my homeland, and dreamt of starting a school in the valley. Unfortunately, that dream could not be realised as the gloom of militancy hovered over Kashmir and we all had to flee in 1989 leaving behind everything, in order to save our lives.
To kindle the spark in me to run my own school I joined a school in Gurugram as the founder Principal and shaped it into a full fledged senior secondary school.
Having an urge to contribute to the community I always looked for an opportunity and now HEMATH has provided me a platform to work for the cause I am passionate about.
Dr. Shakun Malik has carved a niche for herself among the displaced Kashmiri migrant ladies by doing unflinching service towards making them financially independent and taking care of their mental health. It is a pleasure to be associated with an organisation under the leadership of Dr.Shakun and work for for the benefit of the community and help the needy. I may not be able to bring a big change but I can certainly bring in a hope for some.
“Not all of us can do great things but we can do small things with great love” ~ Mother Teressa
Asha Kanna
Karuna Dhar Munshi is a teacher for children, teens and adults at the ART OF LIVING foundation, India . A science graduate , she went on to obtain a B.Ed. and possesses vast teaching experience in academics. She has taught children across reputed schools in countries like India and Singapore.
She also conducts parenting workshops on a regular basis to address the problems today's parents face while bringing up children in a fast-paced modern world. She is associated with UDAAN, an NGO in Hyderabad that helps to impart education to under privileged children. Having established herself as a successful teacher since 1994, she went on to pursue an MBA in Educational administration from Symbiosis Pune .As an Art of living faculty, she also undertakes Wellness programs for adults, in addition to children's programs. She has been felicitated and awarded for her academic teaching excellence as well.
Dr. Neelma Dhar Bhan was born in Srinagar and spent her childhood on three different continents, India, Africa and Canada. In spite of that, “kashmiriyat” was instilled in her as she heard the wonderful stories and experiences of our culture. This was reinforced when she returned to Srinagar to complete her MBBS and eventually got married into a Kashmiri family. She returned to Canada in 1981 where she completed her residency in psychiatry and worked as a consultant in the Department of Psychiatry (Dalhousie University) for 30 years.
Her expertise is specifically in mood disorders especially Bipolar Mood disorder. She found it quite rewarding and challenging. Earlier in her career she helped in starting an Eating Disorder Program for her department which is still running. She also initiated Transcultural psychiatry, working with their local immigration services and other community organizations, to help people coming into the country as refugees dealing with losses, emotional upheaval and adjustment to a new life.
Since relocating to Vancouver in 2017, she has been working part time as a consultant psychiatrist, in Fraser health.
On a personal level she has volunteered and been the secretary of “Indian Women’s auxiliary“ of Nova Scotia where they funded many causes in India, especially, with education of children and with women empowerment programs. Women’s mental health remains a passion of hers and in retirement, she would like to devote some time to this worthy cause.
Rewa Cherwoo Kaul
Namaskar, my name is Rewa Cherwoo Kaul. I grew up in Srinagar, Kashmir. Our family is from Anantnag, Kashmir. I got Masters degree in Botany from Kashmir university. After I got married in 1988, came to US right after. Besides wearing a cap of a daughter, wife, mother etc, I have been wearing a cap of a yoga teacher for close to 10 years now. I have been practicing yoga for 13 years. I have trained in Bikram Yoga style of yoga. Regardless whatever style you train in, it all comes from Patanjali Maharaj Yoga Sutras, which is the ocean of Yoga Shastra.
Ishu Dhar Kaul.
Ishu Dhar Kaul was born in Srinagar and was fortunate to spend seven golden years of childhood in Kashmir. Did schooling from Caset School Karan Nagar and post Exodus completed schooling from Jammu then did engineering and MBA. She worked in corporate at Delhi, Pune , Shimla and finally got settled in Jammu after marriage and right now she is working as Corporate Services Manager in Telecom company. Her Aunt Raj introduced her to HemAth and she is really grateful to be part of this progressive organization. For her Women empowerment is utmost requirement in today's time when women is still getting suppressed whether educated or uneducated. Every women has full right to lead a life with dignity and self-respect. She looks forward to contribute her part to HemAth.
HemAth Team Leaders from Jammu
Rainoo Raina was born in Kathsu (Pahalgam) Kashmir. She is residing in Jammu since exodus in 1990. She has done Post Graduation from Jammu University. Rainoo has always dream of building a society where everyone has equal rights, so she started her carrier as a teacher in many slum schools for uplifting the needy. She is also an active volunteer of YAIKS (Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj) from 2015. She got married to Mr. Rakesh Raina in 2006 who is currently working as Government employ presently working in Crime Headquarters J&K. She has blessed with two children's namely Bhumika Raina and Master Shivas Raina studying in class 8th and 3rd. Bhumika is also a young YAIKS volunteer. She is also a profession of music and dance. She became a part of Hemath in 2021 in order to empower the KP women. She will always try to serve the community
Shakuntala Koul Bhat was born in Ramnagri (Shopian) , Kashmir. She is residing in Jammu since exodus in 1990. She has done B.com from Kashmir University. She got married in 2004 with Sh. Ram Krishen Bhat who is currently working as a government teacher in Kashmir. She has been blessed with one daughter namely Ragni Bhat who passed class 12th in the year 2022. Shakuntala is working in a reputed goods transport company (NITCO) in accounts since 2008. She became part of HemAth in 2021 with a hope to empower women which will definitely help in upliftment of women from our community.
Sonu Bhatt was born in Bomai, Sopore, Kashmir, J&K and grew up in Jammu after the forced Exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990. She has done Post Graduation from Kashmir University. From her childhood, she wanted to serve needy people, As a result she worked as a school teacher in many schools in order to educate poor kids. Presently she is working in social welfare department, along side she has been an active volunteer of y a i k s and h e m a t h organisations. She wants to empower Kashmiri Pandit women under the guidance of h e m a t h organisation
After a brief marriage in 2006, she worked in Delhi until 2012 as a single mother. She returned back to Jammu and while living with her mother and daughter in Jagati Township, started a security surveillance business of her own.
She has remained an active community volunteer all throughout and has led a group of volunteers known as HemAth angels during the recent Covid 19 pandemic.