Atharv Foundation · Lakhandihra, Bihar

Forty years later,
he went back.
Now they need you.

An IIT alumnus returned to his village to build a school. The system tried to kill it. Help keep it alive.

Donate Now Read the Story
80
Children Enrolled Today
Rs.500
Monthly Fee · vs Rs.1,500+ elsewhere
125
Children Needed to Sustain
The Story Behind This School

One village. One man. Forty years in the making.

In 1985, a young man from a small village in Bihar walked into IIT Kanpur and changed his life forever. His name is Girish Kumar. His village was Lakhandihra — a place where most families have been stuck in poverty for generations, where a good education can mean everything, and where, for decades, no one did enough.

Four decades later, Girish came back. In 2021, he registered the Atharv Foundation. In April 2026, the school opened its doors.

"I want to change this village — one child at a time."

— Girish Kumar, Founder · IIT Kanpur B.Tech 1985

Today, 80 children sit in classrooms learning through Khan Academy, YouTube, and dedicated teachers — all women from the local community. The fee is Rs.500 a month. NCERT books. No uniform required. No hidden charges.

🏫
April 2026 · School Opens
Lakhandihra, Bihar
What's Already Working

A school built on dignity,
not profit.

👩‍🏫

6 Local Teachers

All women, hired from the local community. Classes 1–5, taught with care and accountability.

💻

Digital Classrooms

TV screens, PCs, and WiFi in every room. Khan Academy and YouTube bring world-class learning to a Bihar village.

📚

Rs.500 a Month

One-third the cost of nearby private schools. NCERT books. No uniforms required. No hidden fees. No surprises.

The Challenge

The fight no one expected.

A neighbouring private school — charging three times the fees and exploiting families who cannot afford to know better — has launched a caste-based vilification campaign against Atharv. Paid agents have been turning parents away.

The result: 80 children enrolled, not the 125 needed to break even. Every month below that number is a month the school edges closer to closing.

Enrollment Progress

45 more children closes the gap.

80 children enrolled today Goal: 125 children by March 2027

Two minivans from neighbouring villages bring 30+ children each — that alone solves the enrollment gap and makes the school fully self-sustaining.

What Your Support Funds

Every rupee has a name.

Rs.10 Lakh
2 Minivans

Brings children from neighbouring villages. This alone solves the enrollment gap and makes the school self-sustaining by March 2027.

Rs.3–5 Lakh
1 New Classroom

Needed to accommodate incoming enrollment growth. Expands capacity for classes 4 and 5 as the school scales.

Rs.2 Lakh/mo
Monthly Operations

Teachers' salaries, utilities, and learning materials. Every Rs.500 donated = one child's schooling for a month.

Open
CSR Partnerships

Corporate partners can sponsor a van, a classroom, or full annual operations. Section 80G tax benefit available.

The Person Behind This
GK
Girish Kumar
IIT Kanpur · B.Tech 1985 · Born in Lakhandihra, Bihar

Registered Atharv Foundation in 2021 after returning to his roots. The school's first batch of IIT '85 alumni funded the launch. Now he is asking the wider Indian diaspora — and anyone who believes education changes lives — to carry it forward.