Bangalore: Sheela Murthy, an Indian American philanthropist and entrepreneur will be honoured with the 2012 Sadie Award by the Children's Guild on April 14 at the Kids fundraising event which will be held at Maryland, U.S. Her philanthropy and humanitarianism have made her eligible for this recognition, reports Rediff.

The event aims to support special needs students and adolescents who face difficulties in pursuing further studies due to autism, multiple disabilities and trauma.

Murthy is the founder, President and managing attorney of Baltimore County, law firm based in Maryland and also looks after Murthy-Nayak Foundation, a non-profit non-governmental organization which provides help to the educational and medical needs of women and children in India and U.S. The organization also supports immigrants and disaster relief efforts.

The United Way of Central Maryland recognized Murthy as the Philanthropist of the Year two years ago for her contribution of $1 million to the United Way. She told Rediff that she would like to give a portion of her contribution to a project which intends to support slum children in the Chennakeshaya  school in Bangalore.

"There are about 1,800 kids and the school offers meals to the students as an incentive for them to attend school,’’ she had said.

"Because of the mid-day meal scheme through the Akshaya Patra Foundation, they get lunch, but these kids are starving when they come to school -- the parents don't have money to give them breakfast. So, we provide the cereals, the milk, the breakfast. Then we give the ones who don't have money for uniform, uniforms, tuition, and scholarships and transportation for those who have to walk 5 miles each way without chappals (slippers) to come to school."

"When I think back to my own story," she added, "all of this has special meaning because my father came from a very, very poor home. He was one of 13 children, sharing one room.

Sheela was also honoured as the Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young for the Washington, DC metropolitan area.