The Shri Sital Das Jain (SSDJ) Foundation is a registered family trust, run with the family’s own funds and overseen by family members. It seeks no external funding — its support is paid directly to institutions, never as cash to students or families.
The Foundation exists to find bright young people held back by circumstance, and to give them the support and confidence to compete on equal terms. It was established with the following objectives:
To identify Keen, Ambitious, Bright Learners (we call them KABiL) who may be deprived of their academic pursuit due to social, economic or other constraints — and to assist them with the financial support and mentoring they need.
To provide education, specialised coaching, tuition support and skills development so KABiLs can compete at par with their more endowed counterparts.
To create an online platform for KABiLs to interact with the SSDJ Foundation, mentors and other KABiLs.
To share success stories from KABiLs, offer general guidance relevant to learners, and publish Foundation activity reports.
To promote and participate in impactful programs, including partnerships with other organisations who share similar goals.
To build long-term sustainability — good work ethics, a long-term vision, activity audits and an organisational structure that earns trust, respect and dedication from those who serve and those who are served.
KABiL stands for a Keen, Ambitious, Bright Learner — a talented student from an economically challenged family whose education is at risk for want of support. Working since mid-2022 in and around Panipat, the Foundation selects KABiLs in two ways:
The Foundation guarantees tuition support for a student’s entire journey of studies in India — provided, of course, that the student maintains good grades.
KABiLs from deprived backgrounds need more than fees. Through special programs built around the belief “Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahi”, the Foundation runs English-speaking courses and sport events where KABiLs interact freely with their more fortunate peers — with guided web browsing and outdoor explorations planned next.
Working with children from less aware families revealed real medical needs. The Foundation now provides free testing and fitting for eye-glasses, hearing-aids and dental-bracing, as prescribed by qualified specialists.
Talent is a necessary ingredient of the well-being of any society. Talented ones among the well-to-do prosper and get ready to serve society on their own steam. The talent among the not-well-to-do segment of society, however, generally remains dormant or gets lost for lack of external financial or other support.
I have spent my last three decades, on an individual level, spotting talented gems among the economically weaker section. I have had some satisfaction observing several such spottings bloom, which otherwise would have been largely lost to oblivion. Simultaneous to this satisfaction, I also realised the limitations of such a search on a personal basis. To overcome this limitation, the SSDJ Foundation came into being. The Foundation depends purely on the family’s own contribution, which is designed to last in perpetuity. To maintain focus and to have a visible impact, the Foundation tries to limit its services to the geography of Panipat.
The Foundation has also realised that KABiLs from a deprived background additionally need confidence-building activities. With this in mind, the Foundation conducts special programs to instill a belief of “Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahi”. Among others, English-speaking courses and sport events are conducted where KABiLs freely interact with their more fortunate counterparts. Plans are afoot to introduce similar mixed groups for guided web browsing and outdoor explorations.
While working with children from less aware families, the Foundation discovered the need to assist with their medical needs — eye-glasses, hearing-aids and dental care. The Foundation now provides free testing and fitting for eye-glasses, hearing-aids and dental-bracing as prescribed by qualified specialists.
Above are baby steps. The SSDJ Foundation dreams of a leader coming on board with the skill, vision and energy to create a premier institution of contemporary technology, serve the community and nurture KABiLs.
— Rishab Kumar
If you are a keen, ambitious, bright learner held back by finances, we would love to help you continue your education.