Hilda Priyadarshini is the founder and president of NOEL FOUNDATION. She is a professional in the field of education with over 20 years of experience. She holds a Master’s degree in Commerce and a specialisation in Early Childhood Education. She founded Noel Foundation in the year 2003. It was born out of the adversity she faced herself when her then month old baby son, Shaun Noel, (who is now a 13 year old boy), was suffering from congenital heart ailment and had to undergo multiple surgeries and needed continued medical treatments. In the midsts of her pain she thought about other children undergoing the same illness but were unable to receive treatment due to their economic conditions. She then decided to do her best to help as many children as she can, who are fighting the same ailment to get the appropriate medical treatment and support. Hilda lives in Chennai, India, with her husband Sudheer Merugumalla and their two children, Shaun Noel and Sheryl Merugumalla.