Prominent North East Entrepreneur Launches Charitable Foundation

The head of one of the North East’s most successful family-owned PLCs is continuing his commitment to giving back to the community, by creating a charitable foundation.

The Malhotra Family Foundation is the initiative of Meenu Malhotra DL, Chairman and shareholder of Malhotra Group PLC and is the culmination of a long held desire to set up an an organisation to support a range of worthy causes.

It will build on the charitable donations that Mr Malhotra and his family have already given in the past, with more than £1m already set aside for suitable-health related and community-based causes.

The first commitment is a £1.5m project for a community-based charity hub at Darras Hall in an existing historic building, which is already contracted to purchase and will create 25 jobs.

Previous donations have included significant funding towards the pioneering orthopaedic research at the Newcastle University’s Medical School in collaboration with Newcastle Hospitals Foundation Trust, as well as a £100,000 towards the building of The Institute of Neurosciences of West Bengal ‘Kolkata Hospital Charity Appeal’.

The Kolkata hospital opened in 2014, offering half of its beds free of charge to the people of West Bengal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.

The Foundation will be based at India House at Parrish Buildings, Shields Road, Newcastle which was officially opened last year following Mr Malhotra’s appointment in 2024 as Honorary Consul General of India – the first such appointment of its kind in England since India gained its independence 75 years ago.

Giving back to the community has long been a subject close to Mr Malhotra’s heart. He provides mentoring to a wide range of start-up businesses and investing in and guiding Little Angels in the UK and overseas.

In recognition of his valued work Mr Malhotra was appointed as a Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Northumberland in 2021.

Mr Malhotra said: “Creating the Malhotra Family Foundation is the realisation of a long-held dream for me and my family. It will enable us to continue with our support of worthwhile causes in the UK and in Asia.”

The criteria for applications and the funds available will be announced soon, as well as news of further trustees and a major patron.