Dr. Natteri V Chandran is the founder and a trustee of The East-West Foundation of India (TWEFI). He migrated from India to Australia in 1971 and began his career by opening a full-time private practice. Dr. Chandran, through his work, has been committed to causes in health care, education, child rights, community development, and environmental sustainability.

From his practice, he gained the funds to found TEWFI in 1993 with the purpose of garnering support from individuals across the globe to donate skills, funds, and resources. It is a foundation committed to the integrity of charitable donations as they focus on the development and empowerment of socially and economically disadvantaged people in rural areas of Tamil Nadu. In addition to the widely known TEWFI, Dr. Chandran also founded the volunteer-based Charitable and Education Foundation in Australia which was dedicated to aiding disadvantaged people who were struggling with mental disabilities.

Dr. Chandran and his wife have also been heavily involved in funding research for leprosy and schizophrenia care in India — his primary goal is to give back to his ‘mother country.’ Due to his enormous charitable contributions and community impact through TEWFI and beyond, Dr. Chandran was awarded the Certificate of Recognition by the Prime Minister of Australia in 2001. He also received the ‘Hind Rattan’ award in New Delhi in January 2004 for his service to India.