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ethnographic interviews, substitute taught science classes, taught sex education, and
did health assessments, and community visits. Throughout her stay in Manipur she was
inspired by the warmth and generosity of the Manipuri people who opened their hearts
and homes to her.

Seeing how fulfilling and impactful it was for Ananya, my wife Saviya and I and our
two other children Sahanya, and Adithya decided to make the trip to Manipur while she

was there. Chris’s wife Myrna accompanied us. While spending six days in that beautiful
state, we were enveloped by the love and hospitality of the Sunbird Team members
and our local hosts. It was an eye opener to see a movement in the making: We have
no doubts that what was started by one person, with the support of all of us and the
country, can lead to lasting and sustainable peace over the next couple of decades.
Hopefully the billions of rupees spent on counter insurgency operations could instead be
saved for critically needed projects for education, healthcare and livelihood. This could
possibly be duplicated in other places like Kashmir and expanded to strife torn Middle
East, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Chris was visiting the US at the time of the VPA 2019 convention and I had requested
VPA president Dr. Babu Keelara if Col. Chris Rego could speak at the convention. Babu
readily agreed and Chris gave a very moving presentation with pictures about the lives
he had changed by his work through the Sunbird Trust.

Contact details of Sunbird Trust are available on their website at www.sunbirdtrust.com
Col.Chris Rego and his wife Myrna with the students

Ananya with children from an orphanage The Bhaktarams at Paangkriang Friendship School, Manipur

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