North-South Foundation
Education excellence beyond the classroom
Education excellence beyond the classroom
excellence is realized, not only within the academic setting, but also outside the classroom. The
Foundation also helps Indian youth back home get on their feet by providing college scholarships.
Parents are crucial to North-South’s efforts in the Madison area, proving to be invaluable partners in
guaranteeing the program’s success.
(Editor’s note: Asian Wisconzine conducted a three-way interview with both Dr. Ratnan Chitturi (NSF
founder), M.S. Rao (NSF Madison coordinator), and Usha Shankar (parent and NSF volunteer)
North-South Foundation
North-South Foundation (NSF) is a nonprofit established in Illinois in 1989 by Dr. Ratnam Chitturi,
initially to raise funds to provide scholarships to poor youths in India and encourage excellence among
them. Since then, its mission has become two-fold: it also promotes scholastic excellence among Indo-
American youth through its increasingly popular educational contests throughout the United States.
“North-South Foundation initially supported the children who didn’t have the opportunity to pursue a
higher education in India,” Srinivasa Rao Mogallapu (or M.S. Rao), NSF-Madison coordinator, said in
an interview with Asian Wisconzine. “NSF identified the children who are doing good, but having
financial problems and the organization gave scholarships until they completed their undergraduate
studies. Here in the U.S., NSF raised money — about $250 per scholarship. If anybody is willing to
sponsor someone, he/she can give $250, and that will go to one child’s education in India. Aside from
sponsorships, funds are sourced from fees collected from parents of contest participants, which is $25
per contest.”
M.S. Rao got involved with NSF in Chicago when he witnessed one of the contests being conducted
there. “I saw the children were learning the skills, and I realized this is important,” he said. “I should also
take part, so I started volunteering for the North-South Foundation in 1989. Basically, at that time, NSF
used to run only Spelling and Vocabulary contests. Now, there are many contests, including Math,
Geography, Essay Writing, Public Speaking, and Brain Bee.”
He added that the two-fold mission of NSF is remarkable because they help Indian children here
and in India. “Here, we build up the children’s competitive spirit, since the American society is very
competitive,” M.S. Rao stressed. “We want our children to have that foundation for success.”
NSF Founder Dr. Ratnam pointed out that in the U.S., children have lots of distractions and parents are
very busy. “When both husband and wife work, they go out during the day, and in the evening, they still
have to cook ,wash dishes, and vacuum. It’s a lot of work, and it’s very difficult to focus on the child,” Dr.
Ratnam said. “So we have to pick up the challenge. We’re trying to do our best to help children so they
can set higher goals and reach them for a period of time.”
How does NSF do this? NSF conducts several competitions to promote students’ learning beyond
what they learn in school. “We conduct contests once a year,” M.S. Rao explained (a process that is
done by 80 NSF chapters throughout the U.S.). “Here, we have about 50-60 kids a year in various
contests. Each kid can participate in all the contests, or one or two, depending on their interest. Each
contest fee is $25. This year, I think they increased it a little bit more, because of the rising cost of
conducting these contests. The winners get a certificate and a medal. In the local level, we get
sponsors who give funds for prizes like books. Then those who reach a certain cut-off point get invited to
compete in the national level. The scholarships are given only to national winners. The top three
national winners get scholarships ranging from $250 to $1,000. The national contests are held once a
year, and it has been held in various parts of the country. This year, it will be held at MIT in Boston,
during the Labor Day weekend.”
Foundation also helps Indian youth back home get on their feet by providing college scholarships.
Parents are crucial to North-South’s efforts in the Madison area, proving to be invaluable partners in
guaranteeing the program’s success.
(Editor’s note: Asian Wisconzine conducted a three-way interview with both Dr. Ratnan Chitturi (NSF
founder), M.S. Rao (NSF Madison coordinator), and Usha Shankar (parent and NSF volunteer)
North-South Foundation
North-South Foundation (NSF) is a nonprofit established in Illinois in 1989 by Dr. Ratnam Chitturi,
initially to raise funds to provide scholarships to poor youths in India and encourage excellence among
them. Since then, its mission has become two-fold: it also promotes scholastic excellence among Indo-
American youth through its increasingly popular educational contests throughout the United States.
“North-South Foundation initially supported the children who didn’t have the opportunity to pursue a
higher education in India,” Srinivasa Rao Mogallapu (or M.S. Rao), NSF-Madison coordinator, said in
an interview with Asian Wisconzine. “NSF identified the children who are doing good, but having
financial problems and the organization gave scholarships until they completed their undergraduate
studies. Here in the U.S., NSF raised money — about $250 per scholarship. If anybody is willing to
sponsor someone, he/she can give $250, and that will go to one child’s education in India. Aside from
sponsorships, funds are sourced from fees collected from parents of contest participants, which is $25
per contest.”
M.S. Rao got involved with NSF in Chicago when he witnessed one of the contests being conducted
there. “I saw the children were learning the skills, and I realized this is important,” he said. “I should also
take part, so I started volunteering for the North-South Foundation in 1989. Basically, at that time, NSF
used to run only Spelling and Vocabulary contests. Now, there are many contests, including Math,
Geography, Essay Writing, Public Speaking, and Brain Bee.”
He added that the two-fold mission of NSF is remarkable because they help Indian children here
and in India. “Here, we build up the children’s competitive spirit, since the American society is very
competitive,” M.S. Rao stressed. “We want our children to have that foundation for success.”
NSF Founder Dr. Ratnam pointed out that in the U.S., children have lots of distractions and parents are
very busy. “When both husband and wife work, they go out during the day, and in the evening, they still
have to cook ,wash dishes, and vacuum. It’s a lot of work, and it’s very difficult to focus on the child,” Dr.
Ratnam said. “So we have to pick up the challenge. We’re trying to do our best to help children so they
can set higher goals and reach them for a period of time.”
How does NSF do this? NSF conducts several competitions to promote students’ learning beyond
what they learn in school. “We conduct contests once a year,” M.S. Rao explained (a process that is
done by 80 NSF chapters throughout the U.S.). “Here, we have about 50-60 kids a year in various
contests. Each kid can participate in all the contests, or one or two, depending on their interest. Each
contest fee is $25. This year, I think they increased it a little bit more, because of the rising cost of
conducting these contests. The winners get a certificate and a medal. In the local level, we get
sponsors who give funds for prizes like books. Then those who reach a certain cut-off point get invited to
compete in the national level. The scholarships are given only to national winners. The top three
national winners get scholarships ranging from $250 to $1,000. The national contests are held once a
year, and it has been held in various parts of the country. This year, it will be held at MIT in Boston,
during the Labor Day weekend.”
By Heidi M. Pascual
In this age of advanced scientific and computer
technology, Asian Indians are perceived to be in the thick
of things. There is a lot of truth to that perception; but
many of those who have “made it” know that there are
millions of Indians who never even went to school. They
know that there are millions more Indian youth who
cannot afford education beyond high school. They also
know that today’s Indian youth in the diaspora needed a
better school system than they currently have in order to
succeed. They know all this and they are actively doing
something to reverse this trend.
We don’t have to look far to see some of these efforts in
action in the Madison area. The North-South Foundation
local chapter is working hard to make sure that the general
perception about Asian Indians’ educational
In this age of advanced scientific and computer
technology, Asian Indians are perceived to be in the thick
of things. There is a lot of truth to that perception; but
many of those who have “made it” know that there are
millions of Indians who never even went to school. They
know that there are millions more Indian youth who
cannot afford education beyond high school. They also
know that today’s Indian youth in the diaspora needed a
better school system than they currently have in order to
succeed. They know all this and they are actively doing
something to reverse this trend.
We don’t have to look far to see some of these efforts in
action in the Madison area. The North-South Foundation
local chapter is working hard to make sure that the general
perception about Asian Indians’ educational
The Madison chapter, according to M.S. Rao, is taking the lead in developing materials for some of the contests. “We started Math here first before it was
started nationwide,” he proudly stated. “We’re now trying to come up with new ideas and maybe in the next year or so, we may do coaching for the SAT, ACT ,
and college board exams. People are asking whether we should develop some curriculum for those exams.” NSF taps the knowledge and talent base of its
volunteers and parents in the diaspora to develop review and contest materials.
Parents are an integral partner of NSF in this endeavor, and Usha Shankar has a lot of good things to share about NSF. “Not only does it help the kids to
exhibit their other talents and skills in education, but it also is for a very good cause,” Shankar said. “And I think it’s one of the best things that every Indian parent
should encourage their kids to do. It is not about winning or losing but it helps them to find out how good they are in comparison with other kids of the same
level. Plus, whatever they do, even though they don’t win, whatever knowledge they have gained in the process of preparing for the competition, goes a very
long way. My son has been doing this for about four years. This is his fourth year and I think every time he goes to the competition, he learns something new; he
learns a lot of new words; his vocabulary skills improve a lot, and it helps him in the school. Twice, he made it to the school district level for the Spelling
competition. He is 11 years old and in middle school. He was then in fourth grade, and he was the youngest speller in the district competition from Middleton.
He went back again in fifth grade. He didn’t make it to the State level, though, but I think it’s just a stepping stone. It’s really good.”
Shankar said she tries to convince other Indian parents to encourage their children to participate in the NSF contests by telling them her own experiences.
“As a volunteer parent, it gives me a lot of happiness because it’s an opportunity for me to serve and give something back to the community,” Shankar said. “My
primary role in this is, I go around canvassing a lot, trying to get as many people as possible because the more kids you have, the better the competition. I play
an active role, and since I’m with different organizations, I try to pass the word around. I am able to convince people because I have gone through this as a
parent, because my son participates in it, so I’m able to tell them the experiences, rather than just tell them, ‘Hey, there is a competition; just come over for this.’
I actually tell them both the positive and the negative side of it. (For the spelling and vocabulary contests) it’s a lot of words for a small kid, say a second grader
or a third grader, to learn 1,500 words. It may not be possible to learn all the words, but even if they do 10 percent of it, I think it goes a very long way.”
M.S Rao added that they will once again conduct some seminars and workshops for both parents and their children in December or early January, so they
understand the impact of NSF contests in the students’ learning.
Dr. Ratnam gives all the credit to the parents who are taking an interest in NSF work. “In our tradition, parents want our children to do better than us, because
they’re the future” Dr. Ratnam said. “They are now beginning to understand that education is very important; that children need to be highly competitive. And
also, they realize that the American school system is not the best in the world; they’re good schools but they’re not the best. So we want to complement what the
children learn in school. We want to go beyond that.”
Dr. Ratnam posited that perhaps in the mid ‘60s, American schools were the best, but he believes this is no longer true. “I used to go to the school of my
second daughter,” he recalled, and he would ask her teacher. “’How is my daughter doing in school?’ and the teacher would say, ‘Yes, she’s doing great!’ I was
interested in what her challenges were, what she could do better at; but the teacher would say, ‘Oh nothing, don’t worry; she’s doing fine.’ And if I pressed harder,
the teacher would say, ‘If she’s happy, I’m happy; you should be happy too.’” We’re all happy, right? But at the end of the day ... each child should be
challenged.”
Citing several examples of human successes despite obstacles, Dr. Ratnam stressed, “Everything being equal, this society prefers the locals, right? But if you
do better, then this society will look at you. So we have to struggle hard, work hard, and take on the challenge. Our children should be challenged and should
set higher goals. That’s what we need to teach our children. It’s all right if they do better; but it’s much better if they do their best. There are no limits to what any
human being can do.”
Note: Many NSF children have scored among the top — including the championship — in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, National Geographic Bee and
MATHCOUNTS. Top U.S. colleges have accepted numerous NSF children. More importantly, these contests help children improve their communication skills,
gain self-confidence, and empower them to become better citizens for tomorrow. For more information on NSF-Madison Chapter contests, how to participate
and to volunteer, contact M.S. Rao at (608) 661-7604; (608) 206-6909; ms@symphony.cc; or Usha Shankar at (608) 206-3009; (608) 294-4090 x 874. Also, visit
www.northsouth.org.
started nationwide,” he proudly stated. “We’re now trying to come up with new ideas and maybe in the next year or so, we may do coaching for the SAT, ACT ,
and college board exams. People are asking whether we should develop some curriculum for those exams.” NSF taps the knowledge and talent base of its
volunteers and parents in the diaspora to develop review and contest materials.
Parents are an integral partner of NSF in this endeavor, and Usha Shankar has a lot of good things to share about NSF. “Not only does it help the kids to
exhibit their other talents and skills in education, but it also is for a very good cause,” Shankar said. “And I think it’s one of the best things that every Indian parent
should encourage their kids to do. It is not about winning or losing but it helps them to find out how good they are in comparison with other kids of the same
level. Plus, whatever they do, even though they don’t win, whatever knowledge they have gained in the process of preparing for the competition, goes a very
long way. My son has been doing this for about four years. This is his fourth year and I think every time he goes to the competition, he learns something new; he
learns a lot of new words; his vocabulary skills improve a lot, and it helps him in the school. Twice, he made it to the school district level for the Spelling
competition. He is 11 years old and in middle school. He was then in fourth grade, and he was the youngest speller in the district competition from Middleton.
He went back again in fifth grade. He didn’t make it to the State level, though, but I think it’s just a stepping stone. It’s really good.”
Shankar said she tries to convince other Indian parents to encourage their children to participate in the NSF contests by telling them her own experiences.
“As a volunteer parent, it gives me a lot of happiness because it’s an opportunity for me to serve and give something back to the community,” Shankar said. “My
primary role in this is, I go around canvassing a lot, trying to get as many people as possible because the more kids you have, the better the competition. I play
an active role, and since I’m with different organizations, I try to pass the word around. I am able to convince people because I have gone through this as a
parent, because my son participates in it, so I’m able to tell them the experiences, rather than just tell them, ‘Hey, there is a competition; just come over for this.’
I actually tell them both the positive and the negative side of it. (For the spelling and vocabulary contests) it’s a lot of words for a small kid, say a second grader
or a third grader, to learn 1,500 words. It may not be possible to learn all the words, but even if they do 10 percent of it, I think it goes a very long way.”
M.S Rao added that they will once again conduct some seminars and workshops for both parents and their children in December or early January, so they
understand the impact of NSF contests in the students’ learning.
Dr. Ratnam gives all the credit to the parents who are taking an interest in NSF work. “In our tradition, parents want our children to do better than us, because
they’re the future” Dr. Ratnam said. “They are now beginning to understand that education is very important; that children need to be highly competitive. And
also, they realize that the American school system is not the best in the world; they’re good schools but they’re not the best. So we want to complement what the
children learn in school. We want to go beyond that.”
Dr. Ratnam posited that perhaps in the mid ‘60s, American schools were the best, but he believes this is no longer true. “I used to go to the school of my
second daughter,” he recalled, and he would ask her teacher. “’How is my daughter doing in school?’ and the teacher would say, ‘Yes, she’s doing great!’ I was
interested in what her challenges were, what she could do better at; but the teacher would say, ‘Oh nothing, don’t worry; she’s doing fine.’ And if I pressed harder,
the teacher would say, ‘If she’s happy, I’m happy; you should be happy too.’” We’re all happy, right? But at the end of the day ... each child should be
challenged.”
Citing several examples of human successes despite obstacles, Dr. Ratnam stressed, “Everything being equal, this society prefers the locals, right? But if you
do better, then this society will look at you. So we have to struggle hard, work hard, and take on the challenge. Our children should be challenged and should
set higher goals. That’s what we need to teach our children. It’s all right if they do better; but it’s much better if they do their best. There are no limits to what any
human being can do.”
Note: Many NSF children have scored among the top — including the championship — in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, National Geographic Bee and
MATHCOUNTS. Top U.S. colleges have accepted numerous NSF children. More importantly, these contests help children improve their communication skills,
gain self-confidence, and empower them to become better citizens for tomorrow. For more information on NSF-Madison Chapter contests, how to participate
and to volunteer, contact M.S. Rao at (608) 661-7604; (608) 206-6909; ms@symphony.cc; or Usha Shankar at (608) 206-3009; (608) 294-4090 x 874. Also, visit
www.northsouth.org.
MS Rao
North-South Foundation-Madison competition last
Spring
Spring