Caring for poor widows and their children in India and around the world.
The Shrimati Pushpa Wati Loomba Memorial Trust was established in the United Kingdom on 26 June 1997 to raise awareness of, and care for, poor widows and their dependents. The official launch, in London in March 1998, was attended by the British Premier, the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair MP, and the following year, on 31 March 1999, the Trust was inaugurated in New Delhi by the Prime Minister of India, the Honourable Atal Behari Vajpayee. The focus of the Trust’s aid programme has been to educate the children of poor widows as a means of breaking the cycle of deprivation set in train by widowhood. The Trust set itself a target of educating at least 100 children in each of India’s 29 States, which was exceeded last year.Today, the Trust educates over 3,600 children of poor widows across India, providing each with a scholarship to fund their education for a period of at least five years.The Loomba Trust’s rapid growth in its first decade has been fuelled by an intensive programme of fundraising and awareness events, including the Trust’s renowned Diwali dinners in London – now in their eighth year and co-hosted by Mayor Ken Livingstone and London First – as well as events in India, America and South Africa. The Trust was delighted earlier this year to be named as the first Charity of the Year by Asian Who’s Who International.

Aware that injustice against widows is a significant problem in many countries, in 2005 the Trust designated 23 June as International Widows Day, an annual day of awareness and focus for sustained action to bring about change. This year sees the third International Widows Day with a worldwide programme of awareness activities.
The Loomba Trust has extended the reach of its work in various ways. Today it is working in partnership with Virgin Unite to support HIV and AIDS affected children in South Africa, and is helping to create opportunities for young widows and youths in Kenya, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in partnership with Youth Business International, a charity of HRH The Prince of Wales.

In 1997, Raj Loomba chaired the organizing committee for the British Indian Golden Jubilee Banquet held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel to celebrate the 50th anniversary of India’s independence. The Prince of Wales was guest of Honour at this glittering event, and other speakers and guests included Prime Minister Tony Blair, and three of his predecessors. The Banquet raised £240,000, which was donated to five leading universities in the UK