The American Tamil Medical Association (ATMA) is a charitable non-profit organization of health care professionals with ties to the Tamil language, culture and heritage. Founded in 2005 by a group of physicians in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area, its primary mission is to help the underprivileged, promote preventative health for the underserved and assist in emergencies and disasters worldwide. Charitable projects Starting in 2005, ATMA began helping represent a sickle-cell disease project held in Guddalore, India organized by Tribal Indian Health Foundation (TIHF). Hari Prabhakar, president of TIHF, served as the main researcher and liaison between ATMA and TIHF. Services ranged from clinical intervention to genetic counseling and preventative care for the Adivasi populations of Guddalore.