A brief history of its first decade of existence
Digjyoti is the brain-child of its Founder-Chairman, Prof. Khageswar Pradhan. The Trust was registered under the Indian Trust Act on January 2006. Right from its inception, five orphan and socially challenged meritorious children were selected from orphanages in the interior districts of Koraput, Phulbani, Mayurbhanj and Bolangir. These children were given financial assistance and other support for their higher education.
In the academic year 2007-08 there were 8 children under the Trust’s educational assistance programme who were similarly selected from orphanages in the three other interior districts – Sundargarh, Angul and Keonjhar. The Trust also sponsored two highly meritorious children for undergoing specialized coaching for OJEE under a leading Coaching Centre in Bhubaneswar. The financial assistance to the other scholars were also enhanced.
There were 10 beneficiaries in the academic year 2008-09 from orphanages across the state.
In the year 2009-10 during which there were 15 beneficiary children, the Trust successfully brought on board the Earth Stone Group a multinational company to sponsor the entire expenditure of higher education of two outstandingly meritorious children – one for MBBS program and the other for the Degree in Hotel Management & Administration. The Trust also enhanced its financial assistance for all other students.
During the academic year 2010-11, the number rose to 16 which included 3 children (2 girls and one boy) coming from families in extreme distress, besides the children from orphanages. The financial assistance was raised again.
The number of beneficiaries in the academic year 2011-12 was kept at 15 while further raising the assistance in consideration of rising costs of education and living too.
The educational assistance program was extended to 20 children in the year 2012-13.
There were 19 beneficiary children in the year 2013-14 including one sponsored Nemi Chand Jain Scholarship award for a highly meritorious girl from a farming family for completing her entire three year Science degree program with a scholarship of Rs.24,000/- per annum.
23 children were benefited through the Trust in the year 2014-15 which included a meritorious orphan girl who was awarded Dr. S.S. Prabhu Scholarship with yearly grant of Rs.20,000/- for two years to complete her Post-Graduate program in Animal Production & Management besides two Nemi Chand Jain Scholarships worth Rs.24,000/- per annum each.
In the current academic year 2015-16, there are 25 children in receiving educational assistance for different program including professional courses like M.V.Sc, MBBS, B.Tech, MSW, Bio-Tech, B.Ed.
In the last ten years, Digjyoti has helped 155 orphan and disadvantaged children with scholarships and other educational support. In the first decade of its existence the Trust has had the satisfaction of seeing 23 “Digjyotians” get placed in good jobs and 7 disadvantaged girls entering a happily married life.
Digjyoti 