She will live.
She will learn.

Grateful to the abundance of blessings in our life, the foundation was set up to help girl children get education and gain access to pediatric cancer healthcare.

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even the smallest changes matter - even the smallest changes matter - even the smallest changes matter - even the smallest changes

Dr. Smita Bhatia Foundation

Our vision is to provide access to high-quality education and cancer care for
girl children.

We are pleased to announce that the Portrait Artist Challenge is back again for 2025! Compete now and stand a chance to win a cash prize, and be crowned the Artist of the Year.

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Round 1 of the competition was held online, round 2 of the competition is going to be held on Aug 19. Join us and help us make this event a success!

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Our Causes

She will live.

Our mission is to make pediatric cancer care for girls
affordable through inclusive collaboration with doctors, healthcare institutions, pharma, and other stakeholders.

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She will learn.

Education is empowerment. Our mission is to make education accessible to girls in need by partnering with schools, teachers, and parents.

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Smita: The Muse for the Foundation

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A passionate and a curious learner

Smita is an avid learner with interest in a variety of things.

Dr. Smita Bhatia is a curious cat at heart. Nothing excites her more than learning new things, mostly on her own accord.

A cancer diagnosis in 2013 and a steely resolve to continue learning led Smita taking up art
(mainly portraits, and watercolor) to express herself.

Check out her varied creations here.

Compassionate

Smita describes her tryst with cancer through her artwork.

Smita was first diagnosed with cancer in 2013, and then subsequently in 2017 and 2021. However, radiation-induced necrosis has severely impacted her vision, speech and mobility today

In this artwork titled 'Compassion', Smita brings to life her beloved cat and her soulmate, Sam. Sam too was diagnosed with cancer and had to be put down eight months before Smita's first diagnose.

Read the excerpt in Smita's words here.

Teacher

Smita's artworks are directly inspired by the people in her life.

The first external manifestation of Smita's tumor was the inability to form complete sentences and to be articulate. Initially, this was dismissed as an allergic reaction or sinus issues. However. an alert radiologist's hunch led to a timely diagnosis.

In this artwork titled "Teacher", Smita pays tribute to her wellness instructor, Satheesan, who has been a big part of her support system. Just months before she had to undergo radiosurgery in 2017, Satheesan helped Samita complete her first 10k race.

Read the excerpt in Smita's words here.

Critique

Art gave lile to Smita's creativity and has since become an avenue for expression.

Smita was in the middle of a masters degree in 2013 when she was diagnosed with cancer, and she was completing her LLB. in 2021 when her cancer recurred for a third time. Her tumor was impinging upon her front left temporal lobe, and she was unable to express herself because of that. Art provided an excellent avenue to give life to her creativity.

This portrait titled 'Critique' is of her mesho (uncle). He has been a constant supporter of Smita's artistic endeavors and even acknowledged that this was her best work yet.

Read the excerpt in Smita's words here.

Trustees

Dr. Mukundan Chakrapani

Smita’s husband and No.1 cheerleader.

Mukundan Chakrapani is the Sr. Vice President for Product and Portfolio Development at Clairvolex. He is a physicist, attorney and a self- proclaimed law enthusiast. He is also the managing trustee.

Dr. Sapna Nangiya

Pioneering application of Proton Therapy.

Dr. Sapna Nangia is a Sr. Consultant for Radiation Oncology at Apollo Proton Cancer Center in Chennai. While is a pioneer in Proton Beam Therapy, she is also involved in conventional radiotherapy.

Dr. Vigneswara Ilavarasan

Abdulaziz Alsagar Chair Professor at IIT-Delhi.

Dr. Vigneswara Ilavarasan researches and teaches about the interaction of information and communication technologies (ICTs), society, and business.

Ms. Swati Bhatia Ahluwalia

Bonafide Hindi Music Fan and an experienced leader.

Swati’s career has spanned across India & subcontinent markets with a proven track record in the sphere of Product Management & deployment strategy.

Advisors

Ms. Janice Brathwaite

Passionate about people, and helping the under-served.

Janice Brathwaite understands that access to education changes lives and promotes the value of quality education, social responsibility, faith and hard work.

Mr. Aravind Sridharan

Lending executive search and leadership advisory skills.

Aravind is an accomplished professional with over 25 years of leadership experience in the technology and executive search in domestic and international markets.

Dr. Preeti Raman

Growing Talent and community of women in STEM fields.

Dr. Preethi Raman is an accomplished professional with over 20 years of global technology consulting and teaching experience, gained from working in various parts of the world.

See more of
Smita's Artwork

Expression and Celebration - Art has not just been an escape but a way of expression and celebration for Smita. Expression of gratitude and celebration of life!

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