Dubai: Expatriate Indians based in Saudi Arabia have launched a new forum to promote education and literacy among the poor and the underprivileged in India, particularly in Bihar and Jharkhand.

The Association for Humanitarian Services and Solidarity (AHSAS) will focus on assisting poor students and checking dropouts by helping them continue with their studies.

"AHSAS is committed to serve the underprivileged people in India in general and people living in the eastern states of Bihar and Jharkhand in particular," AHSAS president Wakil Ahmed said at the launch ceremony.

There are over 1.7 million Indians in Saudi Arabia and over 100,000 of them are from Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

The forum has started off with three programmes.

The first is to sponsor teachers in a school, which the forum said would be expanded to cover more schools.

The second is to sponsor needy and underprivileged students in Bihar and Jharkhand and the third is to provide scholarships to meritorious students in the rural areas of Bihar.

"Education is the key to a meaningful life but is often denied in our society. Whatever the gender, caste, creed or religion, we at AHSAS are committed to raise awareness, help eradicate illiteracy, spread education and to provide support to the needy," the forum's mission statement said.