Getting into IIT and IIM is a dream millions of people have while growing up. And what if you end up getting into both of them? A lucrative and high paying job is something that you would naturally expect and go for, right?
But an IIT and IIM graduate chose a unique path.
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Why Vinayak Lohani Opted For A Road Less Taken
parivaar
After earning degrees from IIT Kharagpur (B.Tech.) and IIM Calcutta (MBA), 45-year-old Vinayak Lohani dedicated himself to providing free education and shelter to some of the most disadvantaged children in eastern India. Instead of pursuing a high-paying job, this Bhopal-born man chose to serve the society in Kolkata, becoming the first student in IIM Kolkata’s history to opt out of campus placements.
Lohani spent his time writing about social initiatives and volunteering for NGOs, drawing inspiration from societal change-makers like Swami Vivekananda and Mother Teresa. These experiences sparked his desire to help the poor and led him to create Parivaar, an ashram and educational institution, in 2003, as per a report by US based financial news website Benzinga.
Received An Award From Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
parivaar
Today, Parivaar, spread across 20 acres, is the largest free residential institution for children in eastern India. It houses hundreds of boys and girls on two separate campuses and runs a co-ed school up to Class 10. Lohani has been the recipient of the Sanskriti Award 2011 from the Former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, and the Sri Sathya Sai Award,’ presented by the Vice President of India, Dr. Venkaiya Naidu, in November 2018.
But the path was not easy. With no initial financial support, Lohani relied on earnings from giving lectures and tutoring MBA students to fund Parivaar. He started with three students who were children, living hand-to-mouth and using his earnings to provide for them. The first substantial support came from his mother and later from a group of IIM alumni who responded to his appeal for help, Lohani told The Telegraph.
The children are not asked to leave once they finish their education; older students often tutor younger ones, earn pocket money, and only leave when they feel ready. Thanks to Lohani’s tireless efforts, many of these children have gone on to earn university degrees.
More About East India’s Largest Free School
parivaar
Parivaar is a humanitarian organisation working towards the total care and overall development of children who are highly vulnerable to exploitation, victimisation and trafficking, including orphans, street children, abandoned children, and extremely impoverished children from tribal areas.
Parivaar’s Residential Institutions are seen as model institutions in the field of caretaking and the overall development of vulnerable children. The organisation has been the recipient of the 2011 National Award for Child Welfare from the then President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, the highest recognition by the Government of India. Parivaar also runs dayboarding (Meals and Education centres) for children in selected impoverished tribal and rural pockets called ‘Sri Ramakrishna Vivekananda Seva Kutir’. At these Kutirs, children are getting nutritious meals (breakfast and dinner) along with Strongly supplemented education and life skills over morning and evening shifts.
As recently as last month, in July 2023, 15 Parivaar children got admission into the prestigious Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNVs) in Grade 6.
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