• Love requires that true education should be easily accessible to all and should be of use to every villager in this daily life. The emphasis laid on the principle of spending every minute of one's life usefully is the best education for citizenship.
    - Mahatma Gandhi
  • The real difficulty is that people have no idea of what education truly is. We assess the value of education in the same manner as we assess the value of land or of shares in the stock-exchange market. We want to provide only such education as would enable the student to earn more. We hardly give any thought to the improvement of the character of the educated. The girls, we say, do not have to earn; so why should they be educated? As long as such ideas persist there is no hope of our ever knowing the true value of education.
    - Mahatma Gandhi

Legacy

Sarojji and Lalji through their Education Trust promoted education of girls in small towns and later focused on employability through vocational and technical training. In an effort to be impactful and efficient in their philanthropic endeavor, SET adopted a two-pronged approach; setting up their own institutions and supporting and encouraging new endeavors or existing institutions by providing guidance, direction and resources. They impressed upon institutions the need to challenge traditional norms and educate girls. Far ahead of time, they recognized the importance of vocational and technical education, especially for the underprivileged and knit it along with formal education as the thematic focus areas of its work.

This legacy has descended down two generations. As also the values of simplicity, humility, integrity and collaboration. As in name, the trust has always preferred to be low profile, supportive of good work and an enabler.

Milestones

Institutions Established:

1983
Gandhi Vocational Training Institute
 
The first of its institutions, GVTI was setup as a joint initiative with Mumbai Upnagar Seva Mandal to equip underprivileged youth with skills to become self sufficient through inexpensive vocational training. It was set up in a humble Mumbai suburb, in Vile Parle. It conducted vocational courses for Fitter, Carpenter, Radio Technicians, Electric Wireman, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Mechanic and Cutting & Tailoring. The Institute was recognized and accredited by the Maharashtra government. Companies like Larsen & Toubro got involved in refurbishing the electrical trade with their equipments and absorbing students in their outfits. This institute was wound up in 2012 as the premise had to be handed over to Mumbai Upnagar Seva Mandal.
1999
Lalji Mehrotra Technical Institute
 
Next, LMTI was established in 1999 as an Industrial Training Centre with approval from the Government of Maharashtra to implement the Craftsman Training Scheme in 5 trades. LMTI admits youth who have weak academic records and have no avenues for respectable living.
“Training a smart student is no big deal. What sets us apart is that we can take the academically weak and impart them a skill and a love for learning. That is your challenge.” – Mr. C.B. Kulkarni, First Principal of LMTI to his teachers.
2011
Sar-La Learning Centre, Indore
 
Sar-La Learning Centre was started in Indore, Madhya Pradesh to skill the youth in small towns and mould them for employment. This centre focused on employability training in IT. Sar-La Learning Centre, Indore was closed in December 2016.
2015
Aspire International School, Nagpur
 
Sar-La’s commitment to reach good quality education to smaller towns in India led to the establishing of the Aspire International school in Nagpur. Aspire International School will be affiliated to the Indian CBSE Board and also with Edexcel/ Cambridge University to offer the international IGCSE / GCSE syllabi. This school will offer an education system that weaves academic and artistic excellence with social engagement and moral awareness.

Institutions Supported

1994
Saroj Lalji Mehrotra Science Faculty , Allahabad
 
The Trust sponsored the setting up of a science faculty in the S S Khanna Girls Degree College in 1994, at Allahabad.
2002
Lalji Mehrotra Lions School, Ahmedabad
 
This is a joint initiative with Karnavati Lions Education Foundation, Ahmedabad, an ICSE affiliated Secondary High School. The Trust contributed towards the capital expenses and ensured that 25% of students get need based financial assistance towards their school fee.
2006
Saroj Lalji Mehrotra Bharatiya Girls Degree College, Lucknow
 
A degree college was started with the purpose of providing higher education to girls in and around Lucknow, what is called the Trans Gomati area. The college is affiliated to the Lucknow University and offers degree courses in three streams; Arts, Commerce and Science. The Trust are lead donors to this college which is a joint initiative with Bharatiya Sanskriti Evam Shiksha Samiti.
2007
Sar-La Learning Centre, Bengaluru
 
This centre was a joint initiative with Prerana, an NGO working for education of the girl child. The Trust provided financial support for training / mentoring of bright, intelligent and talented girls from economically weaker sections of society after their matriculation and into their degree college education. Sar-La Learning Centre, Bengaluru was closed in March 2015.
2012
Iimpact Sar-La Resource Centre, Gurgaon
 
Iimpact is an ambitious plan to educate girls in rural India undertaken by few conscientious alumni of IIM Ahmedabad. SET supported Iimpact kickstart this initiative by becoming their first institutional donor in 2006 to support 5 learning centres in Alwar, Rajasthan. Iimpact today has reached out to 38000 girls in rural areas in 10 states of India. Having gained a firm footing and support from multiple donors, SET is happy to see it take off. Since 2012, SET is supporting the Learning Resource Centre that develops and collates training and pedagogical material for training teachers in its Learning Centres.
2019
Saroj Lalji Mehrotra Centre for Legal Studies, Allahabad