The Chennai based MARS Foundation awards cash prizes to the toppers in theHSC (+2) examination who has secured the overall highest marks, and also to two Students hailing from the poorest of poor families for scoring highest marks inindividual subjects.

MARS Foundation is a non-governmental organization founded by Mr. P. Manohar, a Non-resident Indian based in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is currently the Vice President (Finance) in a large Multi-national company. Moreover, he is associated with more than 25 companies across the world as a Consultant. He is basically a Chartered Accountant by profession and has great interest in Tamil. He is also the President of the Jakarta Tamil Sangam

MARS Foundation was conceived and established as a service organization by Mr.P. Manohar. It's award purpose is to serve the cause of educational development of the downtrodden beyond the barriers of caste,creed or color.

This year a batch of 110 poor students scoring first rank are selected for a scholarship of Rs.2000/-each. Also, the top six in the HSC Examination in Tamil Nadu will receive total benefit of Rs.60,000/- from the MARS Foundation. The first prize of Rs.15,000/- goes to Mr.V. Vidyasagar, the overall best scorer.

The second and the third rankers Selvi S. Srishakthi and R. Yogesh Kumar respectively will be getting. Rs.10,000/- each. Likewise, the topper in the Tamil subject Ms. A. Kalaivani gets Rs. 10,000/- and the subject toppers namely G. Veerapandian (Geography),P. Meenakshi (Civil Draughtsman) get a special prize of Rs.7,500/- each.

"MARS Foundation is the only NGO to award cash prizes to the toppers in plus two exams, within a week after the publication of HSC results. This will be of immediate and immense help to those beneficiaries who would like to pursue their studies. It will be helpful to pay their college fees, purchase of books, etc."says Mr.KL. Raja Ponsing, the Managing Trustee of the Foundation.

Though the broad objective of the MARS Foundation is 'Education for all', the little acts of kindness such as the cash awards are but small steps towards achieving the goal…!.

MARS Foundation, an Educational Trust founded by Mr. P. Manohar, a NRI, based in Jakarta, Indonesia aims at catering to the educational needs of the meritorious underprivileged children. As a mark of its first activity MARS Foundation had awarded cash prices amounting Rs.60,000/- to the six State Toppers in +2 examination on 5th June 2000 immediately after the announcement of the results.

As the main activity of the Foundation, 106 meritorious students (54 boys and 56 girls) from a very poor financial background were identified from the peripheral areas of Madurai and Tuticorin. The schools in the places like Othakkadai, Therkutheru in Madurai and Pannavellai and Sayarpuram near Tuticorin are worth mentioning. Of the 106 students, 30 students are part time workers, 20 students are single parented - mostly living with mother, 5 students are physically handicapped and nearly 6 students are orphans.

Sponsorship averaging Rs.1600/- per student towards the school fees, books, note books and two sets of uniforms amounting to nearly 1.7 Lakhs were distributed in person at their respective school premises in front of all the students of the school in the school assembly by the Managing Trustee Mr. KL. Raja Ponsing within a span of just 5 days during the last week of June 2000.

Cash award of each Rs.2000/- for four school toppers were distributed to the students of four different schools, which has co-operated to a greater extent in identifying the above deserving students.

MARS Foundation encouraged Ms. Rajarajeswari (a school topper from Karapettai Nadar Girls Hr. Sec. School, Tuticorin, working in a shop for a meager salary, despite scoring 1116 marks in +2 exam with 200/200 in Commerce and Accountancy) and sponsored her for a 1 year job oriented computer education to pursue her career in Computer Software.

MARS Foundation also adopted a tuition centre in Othakkadai, Madurai, run by a single tuition master for the benefit of poor children preparing for their public examinations. MARS Foundation has provided the tuition centre with the basic amenities like Fans, Tube Lights and black boards for the cause of education to the poor. MARS Foundation also has plans to adopt such tuition centres and make education easily accessible by the under privileged.

MARS Foundation, an Educational Trust founded by Mr. P. Manohar, a NRI, based in Jakarta, Indonesia aims at catering to the educational needs of the meritorious underprivileged children.

As the main activity of the Foundation, 204 meritorious students (74 boys and 130 girls) from a very poor financial background were identified from the peripheral areas of Madurai and Tuticorin. The schools in the places like Othakkadai, Therkutheru in Madurai and Pannavellai and Sayarpuram near Tuticorin are worth mentioning. Of the 204 students, 30 students are part time workers, 35 students are single parented - mostly living with mother, 5 students are physically handicapped and nearly 6 students are orphans.

Sponsorship averaging Rs.1500/- per student towards the school fees, books, note books and uniforms were distributed in person at their respective school premises in front of all the students in the school assembly by the Managing Trustee Mr. KL. Raja Ponsing within a span of just 5 days during the 2nd week of June 2001.

Mars foundation in its third year… The action plans for the academic year 2002 - 2003 include. 1.The Foundation has plans to concentrate/ throw more focus on Govt. schools only in the rural suburbs of Chennai, Coimbatore and Mettupalayam. 2. With the proven performance of ‘Aim High +2 Coaching centre’, the Foundation plans to consider initiating another plus two coaching centre either in Chennai or in Coimbatore peripherals.

MARS Foundation, an Educational Trust founded by Mr. P. Manohar, a NRI, based in Jakarta, Indonesia also aims at providing better educational infrastructure in peripheral areas.

As an extended activity the Foundation, has initiated “Aim High +2 Coaching Centre”, a plus two -coaching centre for the rural poor in Y.Othakadai, Madurai District

The objectives of initiating coaching center in Othakadai are as follows - 1. To provide opportunities for the rural poor student beneficiaries from all the surrounding villages and satellite villages to

gain access to an infrastructure providing good coaching classes for +2 and entrance examinations. 2.To not only impart educational inputs but also moral and confidence building exercises leading to overall personality development.

‘Aim High +2 Coaching Centre’ is situated in proper Othakadai equidistant to all surrounding villages making it easily accessible for the rural students from these villages. At present there are about 37 rural poor students studying plus two from 8 villages attending the centre.