Women’s rights and women’s education are among the key concerns of Attorney Sheela Murthy’s philanthropic work. Preventing domestic violence is an important part of this effort, and for the past several years, Sheela Murthy and her husband, documentary filmmaker Vasant Nayak, have supported the work of the Asian Women’s Self Help Association – ASHA for Women – a Washington DC-based charity that helps domestic violence victims of South Asian descent with culturally-specific, multi-lingual support, ranging from attorney referrals to psychological counseling. ASHA for Women is an important resource for South Asian women living in abusive circumstances – particularly where linguistic, cultural, and social barriers might otherwise prevent abused women from getting the help they need.

ASHA for Women recently celebrated its 21st year of service at its annual benefit gala in northern Virginia. Ms. Murthy was proud to serve as honorary gala chair and Master of Ceremonies for this event. You can hear a brief statement by her as well as others on YouTube. The MurthyNAYAK Foundation was a Platinum-level sponsor of ASHA’s anniversary gala, and is an ongoing supporter of the important work they do, every day. If you know someone who could use their help, or if you’d like to join us in supporting their work, further information on ASHA for Women is available on their website, www.ashaforwomen.org.

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