Toshakhana-i-Azaadi

Toshakhana, from the Persian, literally "treasure house", was the term used for the royal treasuries of the Sikh Empire and across the Indo-Persian world. Toshakhana-i-Azaadi is the financial and coordinating institution underpinning the wider Misl Azaadi ecosystem. It is currently set up as a UK-registered Community Interest Company (CIC) designed to raise funds and deploy them sustainably for community development, the advancement of Sikhs, and the welfare of all mankind (Sarbat Da Bhalla).

I serve as co-director. The CIC's focus areas span education in Sikh philosophy, the practice of Sikh principles in modern life, guidance on contemporary issues, and initiatives that encourage social cohesion, entrepreneurship, and community investment.

Revenue flows in from across the ecosystem: donations, Substack subscriptions, event ticket sales, merchandise/publication sales, and membership fees from projects like the Sikh Investors Club and Arta Labs. Thousands have been raised through these channels to date. The model is an endowment structure: accumulate capital to a threshold at which the funds can be deployed and invested, generating returns that sustain the mission long-term. Portions of these returns can be used to finance grants in impactful Sikh projects, and what is left over goes back into the investment pot to compound further.

BungaAzaadi.com/Support