Date: 03 February 2026

Dear Friend,

We write to you with deep admiration for the values that guide your life and work. Your commitment to social change grounded in compassion, and moral clarity has long inspired us. This philosophy sits at the heart of the Viswa Bharati Vidyodaya Trust (VBVT) and our work with the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in the Gudalur valley of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve.

For generations, Adivasi communities here lived in close relationship with the forests, guided by equality, empathy, and sharing. Over time, forest regulations and rapid social change disrupted everyday life. Formal schooling, with little space for Adivasi language, culture, or ways of learning, became difficult for first-generation learners to enter and remain in.

Over the past 30 years, we have built a community-led Adivasi education model that has enabled most of the 3,500 Adivasi children across 320 villages to attend local schools. This work includes an Adivasi school, village learning centres, and the training of Adivasi youth as para-teachers. Through this long-term, trust based effort, we have also built an Adivasi-led organisation (80%+ Adivasi team and board) and supported 500+ alumni who are now community leaders, and first-generation professionals.

Yet today, a critical challenge remains. While access has improved, learning quality and continuity are at risk. With our Adivasi school ending at the primary level, learning gaps widen, cultural disconnects persist in mainstream classrooms, and dropout risks increase after middle school. Para-teachers remain vital, but without formal credentials they cannot teach inside classrooms or influence everyday practice.

Vidyodaya 2.0 is our response. We are building a permanent, community-designed campus that upgrades our primary school to a high school with vocational and hostel facilities. Additionally, we are developing a cadre of formally qualified Adivasi educators rooted in their villages to teach in over 95 regional schools and support children through the most vulnerable schooling years. More than a school, this campus is a regional educational hub. Our facilities remain open to all local Adivasi learners, and our specialized Adivasi Resource and Teacher Education Centre provides the training necessary for those dedicated to working ethically and effectively within Indigenous contexts. 

Our Phase 1 (2026–27) budget is ₹7.98 crore, of which ₹3.24 crore has been raised and committed. We seek the remaining ₹4.74 crore to build the core campus and sustain essential programmes. This investment will lay the foundation for culturally rooted, high-quality education reaching directly over 9,000 Adivasi lives over the next 20 years.

We invite you to join us in shaping this next chapter. Your support will go beyond funding infrastructure or programmes; it will strengthen leaders and communities, fostering self-reliant Adivasi futures through education. More information is available at https://tiny.cc/vidyodaya2-presentation.

With warm regards,

B. Ramdas, M.A., B.L. 

Founder Trustee, Viswa Bharati Vidyodaya Trust (VBVT)

+91 94426 35775 · +91 98458 18264 · contact@vidyodaya.org · www.vidyodaya.org