UMA History
History of Uttarakhand Mandal of America (UMA)
Founded in the Bay Area (1997)
Dr. Anshu Bhatt, a native of Uttarakhand, moved from Boston to San Jose, California in 1997. At the time, there were few people of Pahri origin in the Bay Area, and those who were there lacked a way to connect and share their culture.
To address this need, Dr. Bhatt created the 'Bay Area Uttaranchali' Yahoo group to facilitate communication and organize annual picnics and gatherings. The first two picnics, held in Cataldi Park, San Jose in 2000 and 2001, were a success, attracting around 75-80 attendees. These events featured catered Indian food, games, and freshly brewed chai.
Growth and Expansion (2000-2005)
The Bay Area Uttaranchali Yahoo group grew to over 140 members within a few years. In 2005, a critical mass was reached, allowing Uttarakhandi volunteers to showcase their rich cultural heritage at the ICC event in Milpitas, California.
Becoming a Non-Profit Organization (2006)
In 2006, the decision was made to formalize the group by registering it as a non-profit organization named 'Uttarakhand Mandal of America' (UMA). This registration enabled UMA to raise funds for dedicated projects, solicit tax-deductible donations from Bay Area companies and individuals, and champion causes such as:
Educational support for bright and underprivileged students in the hills of Uttarakhand
Overall socio-economic development of Uttarakhand
Promoting the rich culture of Uttarakhand ('Dev Bhumi') in the United States
For more details on UMA's mission and goals, please refer to the UMA charter.
April, 2020
COVID-19 Fund Raising
UMA raised funds for frontline healthcare workers supporting COVID-19 patients. Funds were used to provide food packets to healthcare workers in Kaiser Permanente, Santa Clara, CA. Also donated funds to Red Cross towards COVID-19 drive. Donated $3000 to the family of Dilbar Negi – a 21-year old victim of Delhi riots of 2019.
2013-2017
Operation Rebuild
UMA launched “Operation Rebuild” project to help victims of Kedarnath Floods of June, 2013. Raised $300k from UMA Members/Donors and a few corporate donors. Five social upliftment projects were started in partnership with America India Foundation (AIF). All projects under “Operation Rebuild” completed by 2017 by achieving 100% target.
2005
Uttaranchal Day at ICC, Milpitas
The group, informally called Bay Area Uttaranchalis (BAU), organized Uttarachal Day events at India Community Center (ICC), Milpitas. It included display of important artifacts, and cultural performances. Uttaranchal was renamed to Uttarakhand.
1999
Yahoo Group “Pahari”
An informal social network group was formed in San Francisco, CA by families living in San Francisco Bay Area with some connections to hill region of Uttar Pradesh, India. A Yahoo Group “Pahari” was created for interaction.
August, 2019
UMA at Dilli Haat
UMA organized a promotional event at Cupertino, under the umbrella of “Dilli Haat” event. UMA Cultural team participated in Pahari-theme dance performance. The team also show-cased Uttarakhandi culture and artifacts in its own booth at the event.
2007
UMA Formally Registered
Uttarakhand Mandal of America (UMA) was registered under the laws of the state of California. Status of non-profit was granted by IRS under section 503(c) (3). From 2007 organizing atleast two events per year – Annual Dinner Function and Annual Picnic. Also, all charitable programs being run under UMA.
2000
Yahoo Group “Uttaranchali”
With creation of new state of Uttaranchal (later re-named to Uttarakhand), Yahoo Group “Uttaranchali” was created for communication among the group. Within no time, the group had over 100 Members. Outdoor Picnics were organized to provide social networking platform to people having some connection with the new state of Uttaranchal.