Archive · 21 Sep 2026
Why Katrina Kaif’s Mother Chose Rural Charity Over Luxury
Katrina Kaif is a famous Bollywood actor, but her mother chose a very different life.
In 2008, Suzanne Turquotte moved to rural Tamil Nadu to help children and families.
She started an organization called Relief Projects India.
It first offered free evening lessons for children in government schools.
Later, the organization added health, protection and other community programmes.
Suzanne also started a school that grew from fewer than 30 children to more than 300 students.
Her village sometimes has electricity for only part of the day and may have no internet.
Katrina helps by donating money, while her mother continues teaching and helping people.
Suzanne Turquotte moved from London to rural Tamil Nadu in 2008 and founded Relief Projects India.
The organization began with free evening tuition centres and later expanded into health, protection and community programmes.
Suzanne founded Mountain View School in 2015; it has grown from fewer than 30 nursery students to more than 300 pupils.
Katrina Kaif says her mother’s village has electricity for only about 12 hours daily and sometimes lacks internet access.
Katrina supports the work financially through film and reality-show earnings while Suzanne continues living simply and serving rural communities.
- Who
- Suzanne Turquotte, Katrina Kaif’s mother, founded and runs charitable education and community programmes in rural Tamil Nadu; Katrina supports them financially.
- What
- Suzanne moved to Tamil Nadu, founded Relief Projects India, and established Mountain View School for children from disadvantaged communities.
- When
- Suzanne relocated in 2008 and founded Mountain View School in 2015; Katrina said her mother had lived there for more than 15 years.
- Where
- Madurai and surrounding rural villages in Tamil Nadu, India.
- Why
- She moved there to provide education, charity and community support for children and disadvantaged rural communities.
- Organization
- Relief Projects India
- Relocation
- Suzanne moved from London to Tamil Nadu in 2008.
- School founded
- Mountain View School was founded in 2015.
- School size
- The school has more than 300 students today; Katrina previously described it as having about 250 children.
- Electricity access
- Katrina said electricity is available for about 12 hours a day in her mother’s village.
- Program reach
- Relief Projects India says its community outreach extends across 25 villages.
- Katrina’s support
- She contributes money from film and reality-show earnings and has appealed for donations.