Association of Friends of India and South Asia
Association of Friends of India and South Asia "Shamiana" () is a non-governmental Polish umbrella organization of various cultural groups of South Asian origin, aimed at organizing seminars, shows at art galleries, music concerts in Poland and promoting Poland and its culture in South Asian countries. Shamiana, the Association of Friends of South Asia, promotes and fosters the integration of the Polish and South Asians in Poland. Moreover, it plans to acquaint South Asians with Polish customs and traditions. History. The Association of Friends of India and South Asia "SHAMIANA" was formed  in Warsaw by a group of five Polish and Indian activists in an effort to bring the cultures of Poland and South Asia together. The participating countries are India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The head of the Association (as of 2009) has been Anna Piekarska, with Manoj Nair, as General Secretary. Relations between Poland and the countries of Indian subcontinent are deeply rooted characterized by understanding and cooperation. In 1820 the first "History of Ancient India" by Polish historian Joachim Lelewel was published. A chair of Sanskrit was set up at the Jagiellonian University of  Krakow as far back as 1893. Aims and objectives. Shamiana is a voluntary, incorporated NGO association based in Poland and strives to be a not-for-profit, non-political and non-sectarian organization and to be transparent and accountable for its activities. Shamiana aims to promote and catalyse universal education among underprivileged children, create the process to embrace these children into mainstream in a sustained manner, facilitate them to emerge as productive assets, and set the foundation for nation building. The objectives of the Association are: