Mrs. Purviz Shroff and her late husband Rusy Shroff have made lasting contributions to several social, charitable and cultural causes that have greatly benefited the elderly, the young, the differently abled, and the underprivileged in Hong Kong, China, India and throughout the world. Their initiatives represent the lasting philanthropic legacy of the Ruttonjees, a Parsee family based in Hong Kong since the late 19th century. Mr. Rusy M. Shroff BBS MBE, who regarded Hong Kong as home, was Chairman of The Hong Kong Tuberculosis, Chest and Heart Diseases Association for 17 years from 1983 to 2000, during which then Ruttonjee Sanatorium was re-developed into the present-day Ruttonjee Hospital. Mrs. Purviz R. Shroff was awarded the Medal of Honour (MH) by the Hong Kong SAR Government in 2018 in recognition of her outstanding and dedicated community service, especially her contribution to Hong Kong Tuberculosis, Chest and Heart Diseases Association, and Mother’s Choice.
Chellaram Foundation is the initiative of Lal Chellaram, following a tradition established by his late father and grandfather. Lal Chellaram is the archetypal entrepreneur, with a keen eye for opportunity and the willingness to take risks with huge energy, passion and ambition. Chellaram Shipping, started by Lal Chellaram, is now one of the most highly regarded and successful shipping companies in Hong Kong. Chellaram Foundation supports initiatives in seven areas: health; education; children and youth initiatives; arts, music and culture; humanitarian and disaster relief; environment; animal welfare and vegetarianism. The Foundation is registered in India, UK, Hong Kong and Gibraltar (Southern Europe).
Royal Commonwealth Society, Hong Kong Branch, was established in 1983 and provides a valuable network for Commonwealth citizens in Hong Kong. It fosters friendship between people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, supports small local charities, and promotes the values of the Commonwealth, a free association of 54 independent nations with close historical links and shared values. RCS/HK Branch brings together citizens of Commonwealth countries and their Consuls General in Hong Kong. It organises speaker lunches and interesting events such as charity concerts, exhibitions; an interfaith service in St John’s Cathedral and reception on Commonwealth Day; an annual RCS Cricket Cup; an annual Charity Ball and the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition (the oldest English language essay competition in the world).
MeMeraki’s mission is to create a world where anyone can explore an authentic connection with their culture through the master artists who have inherited artistic knowledge through generations, creating sustainable livelihoods for traditional artisans through the use of technology as a differentiator. They aim to digitize more than 3,000 arts and crafts of India with online and offline experiences, including handcrafted products that integrate into modern lifestyles. Yosha Gupta, CEO of MeMeraki, curates visual arts for SAA Academy’s festivals.
Asia Society Hong Kong Center (ASHK) is an independent non-governmental educational organization established in 1990 by a group of Hong Kong community leaders led by Sir Quo-wei Lee, then Chairman of Hang Seng Bank. It is one of 14 centers of Asia Society’s diverse network across the globe, with the mission to navigate shared futures for Asia and the world in the fields of arts and culture, business and policy.
Friends of SAAA include our many well-wishers including the late Lady Betty Kadoorie, Seema Kothari, Minoo & Arjan Melwani,, Girish & Sarika Jhunjhunwala, Niti Patel and many others who have whole-heartedly supported our events with their valuable time and resources