Pune teacher sells father's land to teach 10 poor students, all of them clears MPSC exams; now he runs a Rs 20 crore campus in his village but still stays in his rental home

Yajurvendra Mahajan sold the house and farmland he inherited from his father to start a small teaching centre for 10 underprivileged students in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. The following year, all 10 cleared the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examination and became Class I and II officers, according to a TOI report.

Nearly two decades later, the initiative has grown into Deepsthamb Foundation, which provides free residential education, competitive examination coaching, counselling and employment support to around 600 students. Its campuses in Jalgaon, Pune and Delhi serve people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including persons with disabilities, orphans and transgender students.

Among those who have benefited are Renuka Kekan, who has over 80% hearing impairment and secured All India Rank (AIR) 948 in the civil services examination, and Rajesh Pille, who lost both arms as a toddler and now works as a software engineer at Infosys.

Why Mahajan sold his inheritance to start teaching

The initiative began in 2005, when Mahajan was 25 and teaching at a competitive examination coaching centre in Pune.

He noticed that students from poor families were struggling to afford coaching, accommodation and even regular meals while preparing for government examinations. Their ability to study was affected by the financial pressure of supporting themselves.

Mahajan quit his job and returned to Jalgaon. He sold the house and farm inherited from his father and rented a house where he began teaching 10 students.

After the first batch cleared MPSC examinations, he started looking at other groups who lacked access to education and career opportunities.

An encounter with an 18-year-old orphan made him realise that children without family support needed more than classroom teaching. He also found that students with disabilities had very few options for preparing for competitive examinations.

He began bringing together counsellors, trained teachers and assistive technologies to support students with different needs.

In 2009, he formally established Deepsthamb Foundation to receive donations and expand the initiative. The organisation initially operated from 15 rented houses.

In 2019, it established an accessible residential campus in Jalgaon at a cost of Rs 20 crore, funded through donations. It later expanded to Pune and Delhi, including a centre in Mukherjeenagar.

The foundation now works with students from 14 of the 21 recognised disability categories. Its online programmes also reach students across 16 states.

Hearing-impaired student secures AIR 948

Renuka Kekan grew up in a village in Maharashtra's Akola district, where she learnt to communicate by reading lips. She has more than 80% hearing impairment.

When a doctor suggested a hearing aid, her father was reluctant because he feared that the device would draw attention to her disability.

Kekan eventually joined the foundation's Manobal programme, where she received three years of free accommodation, counselling, subtitled lectures and customised examination training.

She secured AIR 948 in the civil services examination, becoming the first girl from her village and taluka to achieve the feat.

Nineteen students associated with the same programme featured on the UPSC selection list.

From losing both arms to working at Infosys

Rajesh Pille, 32, was around three years old when an electric shock led to the amputation of both his arms. Within the next three months, he lost his parents in a car accident.

He was placed in an orphanage, which shut down a few years later. He eventually ended up on a train to Mumbai, where the police took him to an organisation caring for orphaned children.

After turning 18, he had to leave. He was subsequently sent to a home for persons with disabilities in Kolhapur.

With assistance from PD Deshpande, he secured admission to a polytechnic college and later pursued engineering. SK Patil from Government Engineering College in Karad sponsored his education.

Finding employment proved difficult. Pille, who performs everyday activities using his feet, said employers rejected him without even conducting interviews.

After receiving temporary accommodation at a hostel in Kolhapur, he learnt about the Manobal programme and joined the foundation.

The organisation helped him secure a job at an IT solutions company in Pune. He now works as a software engineer at Infosys.

Pille also recalled an interaction with Mahajan during Diwali two years ago. When he declined Rs 2,500 offered by the founder because he was earning, Mahajan encouraged him to use the money to buy new clothes for the festival.

Woman without arms becomes municipal corporation clerk

Mauli Adkur, 28, was born without arms in Kolhapur. Her family had initially not considered sending her to school, but her siblings noticed her interest in books and got her admitted to Class I.

She continued her education and completed a diploma in information technology, using her feet to perform tasks that people ordinarily do with their hands.

Despite her qualifications, she struggled to find employment. She said employers rejected her without giving her an opportunity to demonstrate her abilities.

She subsequently focused on government examinations, completed her graduation and joined the foundation's competitive examination programme at its Jalgaon campus.

In January 2025, she secured a job as a junior clerk at Solapur Municipal Corporation. She had to demonstrate her practical skills on four occasions before receiving the appointment.

Foundation also supports transgender students and marriages

The foundation's work extends beyond education and employment.

Veena Kashid, a transgender woman who had completed BTech, joined a salon after facing difficulties at work following her coming out as a transwoman.

She met Mahajan in 2022 and moved to the Jalgaon campus, where she received free accommodation, books and coaching.

Kashid cleared examinations for the post of police sub-inspector and is fighting a legal battle to secure her appointment. She has also cleared another government examination and works as an electrical instructor in the state government's skill entrepreneurship department.

The organisation also helps students with their lives after securing employment.

Mahajan said that some students who had secured government jobs faced difficulties finding marriage partners because of their disabilities. The foundation began helping them arrange marriages, with Mahajan taking on a parental role.

He said he had arranged around 20-22 marriages for students whom he considers his adopted children.

Rs 2 lakh spent on each student every year

Mahajan said the foundation spends nearly Rs 2 lakh per student annually. The expenditure covers accommodation, food, teaching, technology and other support.

The organisation also runs programmes such as Parivartan, which focuses on yoga and motivational reading.

Thanya Nathan, 24, who attended the programme for a year, said it helped her concentrate and develop confidence in self-study. She is set to become Kerala's first fully visually challenged woman judge.

Mahajan said the foundation accepts donations and does not have affiliations with political parties or socio-cultural organisations.

He continues to live in rented accommodation with his wife and two school-going children. He said he did not draw money from the foundation for 20 years. Recently, a donor organisation insisted on paying him Rs 1 lakh per month.

The foundation received the National Award for Best NGO for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in 2023.

From the 10 students who cleared MPSC in its first year to the hundreds now studying through its campuses and online programmes, the organisation continues to expand its work.

Mahajan said his long-term goal was to help at least one crore children.

(With TOI inputs)