About the SABAC Endowed Fund

SABAC officially launched the SABAC Endowed Fund in 2014. The Fund was established in order to award scholarships to Connecticut area law students who have demonstrated a commitment to SABAC’s mission, and to the South Asian community and culture, through their personal and professional accomplishments. SABAC established the Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, (HFPG) a well-respected community charitable foundation that has been in existence since 1925. Cecil J. Thomas, past president of SABAC, led the efforts to launch, develop, and fundraise for the Fund, and serves as Chair of the Scholarship Selection Committee.

In 2015, SABAC reached its initial fundraising goal, allowing us to make our first scholarship award in the summer of 2016. SABAC was able to reach this goal through the generous support of many, and in particular because of a $10,000 challenge pledge from the Day Pitney Foundation.

SABAC Endowed Fund Scholars

Since the Fund’s launch, SABAC has been proud to present scholarships to the following SABAC Endowed Fund Scholars.

  • 2016: Ahmed Galal, University of Connecticut School of Law
  • 2017: Amina Seyal, Quinnipiac University School of Law
  • 2018: Shehrezad Haroon, University of Connecticut School of Law
  • 2019: Kajal Patel, Quinnipiac University School of Law
  • 2020 Tanushree Bansal, Yale Law School
  • 2021 Shariful Khan, Yale Law School

2021 Fund Supporters

Interested in Supporting the Fund? You may make a tax deductible contribution online by clicking here or by mailing a check, payable to “SABAC Endowed Fund” to Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, 10 Columbus Circle, 8th Floor, Hartford, CT 06106. Each year, SABAC designates 50% of the net proceeds of its Annual Awards Dinner to the Fund. SABAC is grateful to the following individuals and organizations that have contributed generously to the Fund in 2019.

The South Asian Bar Association of Connecticut Endowed Fund SABAC is grateful to the following individuals and organizations that have made generous contributions to the SABAC Endowed Fund in 2020 and 2021: 

Rashmi Chandra
Charmoy & Charmoy
Andy Corea
Riju Das
Najia Khalid
Choity Khan
Suphi Philip
Nandita Ruchandani
Namita T. Shah
Radhika Tahiliani
Cecil J. Thomas

SABAC Scholarship Committee

Cecil J. Thomas, Chair
Muneer Ahmad
Karen DeMeola
Anika Singh Lemar
Asker Saeed
Sudha N. Setty
Namita T. Shah
Neeta Vatti
Rashmi Chandra
Nandita Ruchandani