ORAM Receives Generous Grant in Memory of Jaya & Pranjivan Shah: Celebrating Service and Generosity

ORAM is pleased to announce that we've received a transformational gift from the Shah Happiness Foundation, a part of the Sarva Mangal Family Trust, whose mission is to improve and strengthen the health, education, and wellness of communities and help them prepare for global jobs of the 21st century. This gift was made in memory of Mrs. Jaya Shah and Mr. Pranjivan Shah, who embodied a lifelong commitment to service through humility, service, and kindness, despite all the challenges experienced by them in their lives. The Shah Happiness Foundation was founded and is led by Jaya Shah’s brother, Mr. Manu Shah, and his wife, Mrs. Rika Shah, successful entrepreneurs and co-founders of MS International, as well as well-known philanthropists, based in Los Angeles, USA.

Mrs. Jaya Shah and Mr. Pranjivan Shah openly accepted and supported people of all backgrounds, and truly embraced all forms of diversity. They were especially dedicated to supporting local communities, the middle and working classes, and those who were disproportionately affected by societal issues. ORAM’s mission of supporting and empowering extremely vulnerable and marginalized refugees and asylum seekers aligns with the values of Jaya and Pranjivan. Throughout his life, Pranjivan traveled to several developing countries, witnessing firsthand the plight of underprivileged individuals. ORAM has extensive programming in Kenya, where Jaya was born and spent a few formative childhood years.

Mrs. Jaya Shah (1928 - 2004)  Mr. Pranjivan Shah (1924 - 2011) 

About Mrs. Jaya Shah (1928 - 2004) & Mr. Pranjivan Shah (1924 - 2011): Jaya was born in Mombasa, Kenya, and was the eldest of eight children. Her father, an accountant with the British East India Company, had to return to India due to the impact of World War II on immigrants in Kenya. Jaya’s school principal in Mombasa, Kenya, impressed with her intelligence and diligence, offered to keep her at school. However, Jaya had to return to India to marry into a good family and pave the way for successful matrimonial paths for her three younger sisters. Pranjivan was born in Kolkata, India, as one of ten children, and came from a wealthy merchant Gujarati family. Pranjivan demonstrated immense resilience and openness in the face of cultural and language differences in Kolkata. 

Photo Caption: Jaya’s family photo taken in Kenya in 1942, just before they all left Kenya and came back to India. Jaya is standing in the middle of the back row, with her parents and siblings.

Jaya and Pranjivan’s families brought them together, and they began their married life in Kolkata. Due to his strong principles, Pranjivan eventually fell out with his own family, and with Jaya, raised their four children in a modest, middle-class environment, yet with dignity and grace. Despite financial challenges, Jaya’s home became a place where even the wealthiest of society came with humility. Jaya’s hospitality was sophisticated - something money could not buy - and she managed household duties and child-rearing with remarkable efficiency. She taught herself Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangements, and quickly became a local judge for flower-arranging competitions. She also excelled at other traditional Indian crafts, such as embroidery and rangoli (the art of creating intricate designs with colored powders). Pranjivan was very active in his local community and frequently received honor and recognition for his service.

Even in the face of adversity, Jaya and Pranjivan remained steadfast to their progressive values.  They displayed religious tolerance during a time of heightened religious divides following the India-Pakistan partition. They accepted people of all backgrounds and truly embraced all forms of diversity. They were especially dedicated to supporting local communities, the middle and working classes. Now, their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren live across continents, fondly remembering and striving to uphold the values instilled by Jaya and Pranjivan.

At our fourth annual Minneapolis fundraising event in October 2025, ORAM had the honor of recognizing the generous grant from the Shah Happiness Foundation. ORAM’s Executive Director, Steve Roth, shared how this transformative gift will expand our work in support of LGBTIQ refugees and advance the legacy of service, humility, and kindness that the Shahs exemplified.

ORAM extends our deepest thanks to the Shah Happiness Foundation, a part of the Sarva Mangal Family Trust, for this remarkably generous gift. It will make a profound difference in the lives of the LGBTIQ+ refugees and asylum seekers we serve around the world, and it honors the enduring legacy of Jaya and Pranjivan Shah.