Bangalore, July 2, 2025: The Shibulal Family Philanthropic Initiatives (SFPI) has announced plans to expand its flagship Vidyadhan scholarship program to reach 1,00,000 economically disadvantaged students across all 28 Indian states over the next four years. The initiative aims to prevent high dropout rates after high school by supporting students from Grade 11 through graduation with scholarships ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹75,000 per year.
Currently active in 22 states and union territories, Vidyadhan also provides residential training, career guidance, and employability skills in addition to financial support.
“At SFPI, we believe education is the greatest equalizer with the power to transform both individuals and the nation sustainably. Our goal is to scale our efforts by providing scholarships and mentorship to guide students toward meaningful careers. We aim to reach 1,00,000 scholarships to meritorious, economically disadvantaged students across all Indian states,” said Kumari Shibulal, Founder and Chairperson of SFPI.
The program has already awarded 63,000 scholarships and impacted over 17,000 families. In FY 2024–25, it supported 4,900 students, and by the end of FY 2025–26, it expects to support 13,000 students. An IIM-Kozhikode study found that Vidyadhan graduates typically earn first-year salaries three times the value of their scholarships. Within 1–2 years, 100% of scholarship recipients’ families moved above the poverty line.
“In today’s rapidly evolving Indian and global economy, where education is the only enabler of upward mobility, financial access is vital for students from less privileged backgrounds. Vidyadhan bridges this gap early on, enabling students to access high-quality education and secure positions in the higher end of the economic value chain. Scaling is critical in India due to its vast student base. By combining strategic thinking, technology, and collaboration, Vidyadhan significantly improves students’ career and income prospects. Its core mission is to economically empower those with limited means,” said S.D. Shibulal, Co-Founder of SFPI and Former CEO of Infosys.
So far, 60% of Vidyadhan scholars are girls, 90% come from rural areas, and 5% are specially-abled students. More than 4,000 alumni are now employed at organizations such as Infosys, Wipro, TCS, Dell, Accenture, and HDFC. Many graduates are also becoming sponsors, enabled by the program’s unique one-to-one sponsorship model, which sends 100% of donations directly to students with no administrative costs to sponsors.
“At Vidyadhan, we believe education is the most powerful transformative enabling force and the foundation of inclusive progress. We focus on higher education not just through financial aid, but also by providing training, mentoring, and counselling to help students reach their full potential. Every citizen, corporation, and social sector organization shares the responsibility of creating opportunities for our youth,” said Meera Rajeevan, Chief Operating Officer, Vidyadhan.
Launched in Kerala in 1999, Vidyadhan is now leveraging partnerships with state departments and digital platforms to expand its reach, with a strong emphasis on affordability, awareness, and inclusivity.
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 and Co-Founder Infosys and Kumari Shibulal, Founder and Chairperson, SFPI..jpg)
