Vidyamandir Trust celebrates its Diamond Jubilee

The Vidyamandir Trust started off by Kantilal Chhotalal ‘Kanubhai’ Mehta to boost primary education in the city of the Palanpur, sixty years ago, recently celebrated its Diamond Jubilee amidst a gathering of eminent personalities from the Indian government, current students and alumni of the institution. The two-day celebrations took place on January 14 and 15, 2010 in Palanpur.

The programme was addressed by Praful Patel, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises and Suryakantbhai Parikh, former Director and Mentor of Vidyamandir and others. A gala function was addressed by Chief Guest Dipak Jain, Dean of INSEAD, one of the world’s most prestigious business schools based in Paris were part of the two day functions.

The gathering expressed high regards for the institution and its feat over the sixty years. Many dignitaries and donors inaugurated over 20 new buildings and other projects set up by the Trust. Prominent among the dignitaries were Ambassador Prakash Shah (IFS), former Under-Secretary General, United Nations, senior advocates Dushyant Dave and Janak Dwarkadas, Dr. Hemixa Rao, Vice Chancellor of Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University, Pranav Mistry, renowned for development of Sixth Sense, a new computer technology, Ashwin Dani, Vice Chairman, Asian Paints Ltd. and Vice President of FICCI, H.H. Nawab Muzaffer Khan of Palanpur and others. Dave and Mistry are both also ex-students of Vidyamandir.

Over 22,000 current as well as former students and their families gathered at the Vidyamandir Parivar Mahasammelan held at the King George V Club on January 15.

Minister Patel described Vidyamandir as a “Centre of Excellence” which has been instrumental in transforming the district of Banaskantha. The two-day event concluded with the staging of ‘Heera na Vavetaar’, a play depicting Vidyamandir’s journey of 60 years at the same venue by past and present students.

The Trust today has expanded into a reputed educational institution with activities spread across 14 campuses, with 124 institutions, and educating over six thousand children from varied backgrounds, and with different needs. The Trust has a staff of over 400 persons.