who we are

"What is uttered from the heart alone, will win the hearts of others to your own."

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

tira brine-andrews

the tulsi trust

Our Story

The roots of The Tulsi Trust go back to the early 1990s, when a small group of visitors from the UK travelled to rural Chhattisgarh and came into contact with the Bengali refugee communities and local Adivasi villages.

The Bengali families had been resettled in the region following the upheavals of the 1960s and 70s, rebuilding their lives in a remote area where access to healthcare and education remained very limited. The visitors were touched by the warmth and hospitality of the people they met, but also by the challenges many families faced.

Inspired by these encounters and a desire to offer practical support, Tira Brine-Andrews and a group of friends founded The Tulsi Trust in 1999. Tira became the driving force behind the charity for many years, dedicating herself to developing healthcare and educational opportunities for the communities in the region.

Today, the Trust continues that work. While our programmes have grown and evolved over time, they remain rooted in the same principles: long-term relationships, respect for local communities, and practical support where it is needed most.

How We Work

Long-Term Relationships

The Tulsi Trust has been working with communities in rural Chhattisgarh since the early 1990s. By returning to the same villages year after year, we have built relationships based on trust, familiarity and mutual respect.

Practical, Community-Based Support

From our base at the edge of the forest, our local team provides healthcare, education and referral support to communities that often have limited access to public services. We focus on practical programmes that respond to everyday needs while remaining sustainable over the long term.

Building Knowledge and Confidence

Alongside medical treatment, we place a strong emphasis on education. Through schools, community workshops and health programmes, we aim to help people make informed decisions about their wellbeing and strengthen local capacity for the future.

The People Behind the Work

Our Team in India

Our work in Chhattisgarh is made possible by a dedicated local team whose knowledge, commitment and long-standing relationships within the community are at the heart of everything we do. Together, they deliver our healthcare and education programmes with compassion, professionalism and a deep understanding of the people they serve.

sri raman bihari das babaji

Project Director

Grown up in Chattisgarh from a family of Bengali refugees, Raman Bihari Das has coordinated the Tulsi Trust and other charitable projects in India for many years.

vishnu
das

Project Manager

Overseeing the day-to-day coordination and development of the Trust's programmes.

uttam
bairagi

Assistant Project Manager

Supporting programme delivery and helping coordinate activities across the project.

dr. devashish mallik

Medical Project Lead

Providing medical leadership and supporting the development of our healthcare programmes.

nimai
mandal

Lead Healthcare Worker

Working directly with communities through village clinics and health initiatives.

amal
sarkar

Ambulance Driver

Helping patients access specialist treatment and hospital care across the region.

narayan mandal

Ashram and school support

One of the friendly faces that helps make the school and ashram feel like home.

nihar ranjan das

School Headmaster

Leading the day-to-day running of the Tulsi Trust School.

sourabh rai

School Headmaster

Leading the day-to-day running of the Tulsi Trust School.

UK Trustees

The Tulsi Trust is overseen by a board of volunteer trustees based in the United Kingdom. Together, they provide governance, strategic oversight and ongoing support for the charity, working closely with the team in India to ensure that the Trust's programmes continue to serve local communities effectively.

rose
douglas

Treasurer

peter ireson

Trustee

barbara koller

Chair person

moira
lynch

Secretary

our commitment

The Tulsi Trust has always been built on relationships. While our programmes continue to develop and adapt to the changing needs of the communities we serve, our commitment remains the same: to work alongside local people with respect, consistency and compassion.

We believe that meaningful change takes time. By supporting local leadership, investing in healthcare and education, and returning to the same communities year after year, we hope to contribute to healthier, stronger and more resilient futures.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey – our supporters, volunteers, trustees, and above all the communities and local team in Chhattisgarh, whose trust and partnership continue to inspire our work every day.

Our commitment is simply to keep showing up – listening, learning and working alongside the communities we serve, one year at a time.

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