Ahmedabad: In 2020, as Covid-19 ravaged families across the country, members of the Diwan Ballubhai Alumni Association (DBAA) received heartbreaking news: a few students from their alma mater in Kankaria were on the verge of dropping out. The pandemic had claimed their fathers’ lives, and the children’s families were left grappling with grief and financial ruin.
Moved by their plight, the alumni sent out a message seeking help, and the response was overwhelming. “In just six weeks, contributions poured in, crossing Rs 70 lakh. The funds did not just cover fees for that academic year but ensured the children’s education was secured till they completed Class 12,” said Kshitij Thakore, vice-president of DBAA.
What began as an emergency intervention has now grown into a quiet revolution in education support. As the initiative completes five years this April, DBAA has disbursed more than Rs 55 lakh, helping about 650 students — both repeat beneficiaries and new faces — from English- and Gujarati-medium streams. In 2024-25 alone, Rs 16.43 lakh has been allocated to cover the fees of 62 students.
“Initially, we set out to help children affected by Covid. But when we realized our alumni were willing to contribute further, we expanded the scope,” said Chirag Dixit, joint secretary of DBAA. “Now we also support students who lost an earning parent due to natural or unnatural cause, and are unable to pay school fees.”
And their impact goes beyond just financial aid. DBAA members recalled a particularly inspiring story: a boy whose father, a daily wage earner, passed away while the child was in Class 10. The association stepped in to fund his studies and living expenses. By Class 12, he topped his school’s science stream with a stunning 99.7 percentile, emerging as one of the highest scorers in the city.
Founded in 2005 by 135 former students, the DBAA has since grown into a 3,500-strong community of alumni, with support pouring in not just from across India but also from abroad. “Some families have even set up scholarships in memory of our teachers. It’s been a collective effort to ensure no deserving student is left behind,” said Thakore.