Operation Shanti - Our People


Our Kids (presented in the order we met them. * = further links)

Pallavi*	Vishnu	Sumitra ("Chumi")*	Prema*
She and brother Vishnu were the first street kids we met. Tomboyish, adorable, and quite huggable. Now at Karunya Mane and attending a nearby private school. Born March 10, 2001.	Just a three-month old when we met him and mom Sushila. Mischievous little one with the biggest sweet tooth. Started tiny tots school this year through Karunya Mane. Born August 15, 2005.	Now staying with us at Karunya Mane and attending a nearby private school. Family includes brother Venkatesh, sister Prema, brother Mohan, mom Kumari, grannie Rachamma. Born May 14, 2000.	Smart and sensitive, but often neglected by her mom as the middle female child. Now stays us at Karunya Mane and attends a nearby private school. Born February 12, 1998.

Venkatesh	Latta*	Asha*	Nanjunda ("Goonda")*
Good kid who likes to protect the smaller ones, and truly Mom's boy. At Karunya Mane and attending a nearby private school. Born October 20, 1996.	Now staying with us at Karunya Mane and attending a nearby private school. Family is sister Jyothi, mom Lakshmi, dad Lakshman, grannie Rachamma. Loves to hug. Born April 5, 2001.	Now with us at Karunya Mane, after a rough life on the street and with relatives. Orphaned in 2006 when her mom died. Attends a nearby private school. Smart and resourceful. Born February 24, 1993.	Featured in the film, Goonda. Bright, ambitious and a leader of the pack. At Karunya Mane and attending nearby private school. Born April 6, 1995.

Darshan	Jyothi	Gundha	Rajesh
Had spent most of his life battling health issues, and is fInally getting better. Loves to tease and be teased. Family includes brother Umesh, mom Kavitha, dad Rudra. Born April 27, 2005.	The little princess. Born malnourished and underweight, she's now a chubby and very happy, well-behaved sweetheart of a little girl. Born July 1, 2005.	Completely lovable, shy yet outgoing at the same time. Wears his emotions on his sleeve. Stays at Karunya Mane and attends a nearby private school. Born September 1, 2004.	Rajesh's parents died when he was a baby and he was raised by his grandmother, Kaveriamma, on the street.

Ganesha	Manikanta	Raguvendra	Antony
Grew up in a children's shelter then spent a year on the street at age 11, selling tea after mom pulled him out. We cleaned her up, helped her find work, and then she put Ganesha back at the shelter, where he is today attending school, and wants to study to be an engineer.	We've known Manikanta for two years now. He often runs away from home after his mom beats him for not bringing home money. Often stays with Nanjunda's mom and his friend Raguvendra. Currently at Karunya Mane, we are trying to get him into school.	Friends with Manikanta, Nanjunda, and Antony, Raguvendra often shows up on the street when his dad leaves for work elsewhere, leaving his son behind to fend for himself. A smart and polite boy who needs support and guidance, difficult to provide when a parent is ever-present but often neglectful.	Beautiful, polite boy with an equally beautiful smile, and a dad who wanders from job to job, taking his son with him. We haven't seen Antony in since mid-2007, and got to know him when he was in Mysore, where he lived on the streets for about a year.

Devaraj	Harish	Baby Darshan	Saumya
Sweet little Devaraj, shy until he gets to know you, lost his dad several years ago. Lived on the street with his mom for years. Attended boarding school last year and is now at Karunya Mane with brother Harish. Born January 3, 2001.	One of our more serious boys, often with a pensive look on his face. Lived on the street for years with mom and brother, and used to sweep the floors at a local store for money for food. Attended boarding school last year and is now at Karunya Mane to continue his education. Born August 29, 1997.	Little brother of Saumya and Surya. Healthy and happy, and almost walking. Mom begs while her children play on the street. Their dad abandoned them about a year ago, and mom tries her best to take care of her little ones.	Saumya, along with her brothers Surya and Darshan spend the day on the street while mom begs for a living, then goes home in the evening. We're trying her out at Karunya Mane and sending her to tiny tot school, and hope mom lets her stay with us. Born June 1, 2005.

Surya	Apu	Kaleem	Imran
Surya watches over his sister and brother while mom begs on the street. Smart and happy boy, ready to go to school and is staying at Karunya Mane. Born March 5, 2003.	Apu and his sister lived on and off the street with their mom and dad. Apu, four years old in 2007, is an adorable, happy boy who loves hugs. With difficult parents, helping Apu is sometimes challenging.	The last of twelve kids, Kaleem lived on the street with his grandma, mom and dad, and niece (Parveen) and nephew (Imran). A very polite boy, Kaleem attended boarding school last year and is at Karunya Mane, continuing his education. Born May 6, 1998.	Little Imran has grown from a skinny nine-month-old when we met him into a healthy little boy, now walking and developing his own feisty personality. Stays with mom and grandma in their house, after living on the street as a baby.Born January, 2007.

Parveen	Leem	Mohan	Sreenevasa
Imran's older sister, Parveen is starting her first year in school and is staying at Karunya Mane. Grandma wants her at the shelter because she often wanders away while grandma is working selling vegetables on the street. Born February 2, 2004.	We don't see Leem very often. He is friends with the other street boys and comes by when he's hungry or has a cut or scrape that need attending. He's a pleasant and shy boy who follows his friends wherever they go.	The littlest brother of Venkatesh, Prema, and Chumi, little Mohan is an outgoing, independent, bold little boy with lots of love to share with everyone around him. Valentine's Day baby, born February 14, 2006.	Orphaned last year when his mom died, Sreenevasa has lived on the street with his brother Krishna for years, selling pens and Qtips to earn enough money for food. Sreenevasa, a happy, mild-mannered boy, is at Karunya Mane to continue his education and wants to learn computers.

Lokesh	Amita ("Amu")	Pooja	Sharath
Attended boarding school last year and is at Karunya Mane to continue his education. Mother is a street vendor. Likes hanging out with his friends Venkatesh and Nanjunda, and is quite good at math. Born September 23, 1994.	Lokesh's younger sister, who wanted to go to boarding school and wants to live at Karunya Mane, but her parents won't allow her to--we aren't sure why but suspect it's because she helps mom with household chores, as is often the case for girls like Amu. Attends the nearby government school where mom works, and is a good student.	Pooja, brother Sharath, and sister Shwetha attended boarding school last year. Mom works hard to provide for them, but gets little help from her husband, who often beats her and steals any money they have. Pooja is a very sweet, kind girl who studies hard in school. She is continuing her education with us at Karunya Mane. Born October 13, 1999.	Attended boarding school last year, and currently at Karunya Mane where he'll continue his education. Sharath loves his mom to death, and is often sad when mom leaves after a visit. Loves the snacks and fruits and homemade food that mom brings them. Born April 10, 1998.

Shwetha	Raju	Umesh	Surya
Shwetha isPooja and Sharath's little sister and stays with us at Karunya Mane, along with the other little girls she befriended in boarding school last year--Pallavi, Chumi and Latta. Shwetha loves to drink Pepsi and eat biscuits! Born March 15, 2002.	Raju's mom begs for a living, and we see this little one every so often, when they need a meal or when they get sick. Mom doesn't want Raju to leave her side and takes him everywhere she goes while she is begging. We hope she someday changes her mind and lets Raju stay at Karunya Mane.	Born June 14, 2007.

Sadik	Nagraj	Jamaka	Lakshmi


Aish	Ushanama	Sinchana	Arvinda
		Born March 5, 2005.	Born April 15, 2003.
	[to come]
Ananda	Manju
Born January 25, 2002.


Our Women and Elderly

Sushila	Kumari	Lakshmi	Kavitha

Rachamma	Kaveriamma	Jayama	Padma

Raji	Mahadevi	Kavitha	Fatima

Girija	Venkatesh (Tata)	Tata	Yashoda

Lucchi	Reeta