{Press Release} February 21, 2007
Ganesh Davuluri
Public Relations Director
Next Generation Foundation

NGF and MSCL Join Hands for Cricket and Charity The Next Generation Foundation (NGF), the non-profit organization that works to provide access to primary education, basic healthcare and sustainable economic development to underprivileged people in the rural villages in India announced their partnership with the Massachusetts State Cricket League (MSCL), a Boston-based state level Cricket League that's a current member of the USACA (the United States Cricket Association, http://www.usaca.org/) and an associate member of the I.C.C (http://www.icc-cricket.com), cricket's international governing body.

In picture on the occassion of signing the Memorandum of Understanding Top (from left to right): Adrian Jordan (MSCL), Wesley McIntosh (MSCL), Stanley Herbert (MSCL) Bottom (from left to right): Ganesh Davuluri (NGF), Peo Nathan (NGF), Arlin Hinds (MSCL), Rex Dean (NGF)

At a recently concluded joint meeting, the partners announced the first event to be organized under the new partnership, the US International Cricket Cup, Boston's first Annual cricket tournament with truly international participation by players from all the cricket playing country based communities in the New England area and elsewhere in the continental USA. More details about the cup can be found at the USICC tournament website at http://www.usicc.net.

NGF's Founder and Chairman Peo Nathan and MSCL's President Adrian Jordan announced the formation of a joint cricket committee, with members from both the organizations, including MSCL Vice President, Stanley Herbet, Secretary Arlin Hinds and NGF's Rex Dean, Karthik Natarajan to oversee the logistics of the USIC Cup.

MSCL Secretary Arlin Hinds says, "This partnership presents a unique opportunity for the MSCL to bring much needed exposure to the game of cricket here in America and especially the New England area. The implementation of cricket as regular game at the school level in the area is a very important goal for the MSCL. The USIC Cup presents a perfect avenue to implement this goal while allowing us to cash in on the popular appeal of cricket towards helping the poor."

Witnessing the overwhelming response to the BCC Cup 2006, co-hosted by NGF, Peo Nathan wanted to take the enthusiasm and energy to the next level and channel the enormous appeal cricket has among the communities of people from cricket playing countries in New England towards the good causes of NGF. That led him to initiate the dialogue with Adrian Jordan, MSCL President to explore partnership opportunities to host an annual, truly international cricket tournament.

"We hope this joint USICC tournament will bring in visibility to NGF's causes outside the Indian community in the New England area in the short term and establish a fresh channel for NGF to attract and retain youth, raising funds for its causes in the long term. MSCL's goal was to promote cricket in US while helping the kids in Dorchester Public Schools and there was a synergy that evolved in this partnership due to the shared common beliefs/values between NGF and MSCL to serve the common good of helping kids while promoting cricket in US. This is a perfect win-win situation", says Peo.

"From the MSCL perspective, this joint cup will bring in additional manpower and increased exposure to MSCL within the Indian community in the New England area and help in furthering MSCL’s reputation in the area as a strong supporter of 'cricket for just causes' through more tournaments in partnership with NGF in the future" said Adrian.

MSCL plans to channel some of the funds to help local area schools and motivate cricket playing kids to attend school. NGF plans to utilize a significant portion of the funds generated from these tournaments through sponsorships to help underprivileged children in India to go to school. In essence its playing cricket to help the next generation.

The USICC tournament will hopefully invigorate the latent fervor towards the game of cricket in the area and usher in another dawn of hope for the underprivileged kids supported by MSCL and NGF, in the coming years.

The Massachusetts State Cricket League (MSCL - http://www.mscl.org) was founded in 1906 and has been in continuous operation since the early 1960s. Games are played throughout the Boston area and as far away as Wrentham. Take a look at their schedule at http://www.mscl.org and go see a game or two over the course of the season. They generally begin the season on the first weekend of May and end in the middle of September. There's always someone around who knows the game and will be very willing to share that knowledge.

Next Generation Foundation (NGF - http://www.nextgenfoundation.org) has branches in various places in India that take up and execute various programs to help underprivileged people. Sadanand Bhagawat, co-founder, who has left US for good solely to concentrate on NGF's social service activities co-ordinates a team of other volunteers to implement NGF's programs and realize NGF's mission. For more details about NGF's activities and how you can HELP SPONSOR A CHILD FOR A WHOLE YEAR WITH AS LITTLE AS $100, visit NGF's website at http://www.nextgenfoundation.org