Through its diverse educational initiatives, Nalanda strives to make quality higher education accessible to youth from marginalized communities. Led by a team of educators — proud beneficiaries of the reservation policy — it is inspired by the vision of anti-caste leaders like Jotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Sustained entirely through the strength and generosity of the community, all its initiatives thrive without institutional funding — keeping Nalanda a living resource centre, rooted in the people it serves.
Students from marginalized, non-English-medium backgrounds face many challenges — limited English skills, poor schooling, little exposure to competitive exams, lack of guidance, digital illiteracy, and financial hardship. Many also experience social isolation when they enter urban or English-dominated academic spaces. Nalanda Academy, based at Samyak Buddha Vihar in Wardha, addresses these barriers through a 10-month free residential program offering academic coaching, mentorship, and confidence-building. Students receive free accommodation, food, books, and internet access. By combining academic training with digital learning and a supportive community, Nalanda helps students not only enter top universities but also succeed there with confidence and purpose.
Founded in 2013 with strong support from the local community
Provides free residential training to over 200 students each year
2,000+ alumni in top Indian universities, with 60 studying abroad
Nalanda Abhiyan Labs, at Samyak Buddha Vihar, Wardha, nurtures curiosity, creativity, and scientific thinking among students from marginalized communities. The Lab offers free hands-on training in Arts, Science, Technology, and Design, with projects using Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Scratch, 3D printing, and more. Students develop innovative solutions such as Face Recognition systems, Smart Headgear, and Gesture-Controlled Arms. Beyond the Lab, regular workshops in rural schools inspire young learners to explore, invent, and build future-ready skills. By combining practical learning with mentorship and creativity, Nalanda Abhiyan Labs empowers students to think critically, innovate, and solve real-world problems.
Founded in 2018 by the visionary Late Abhiyan Humane
Conducts hands-on workshops in Arts, Science, Technology, and Design
Trained 3,000+ school students through 60+ workshops in rural and suburban schools
Launched in October 2020 to address the educational challenges faced by Nalanda students during the COVID-19 lockdown, Digital Nalanda (www.digitalnalanda.com) provides free, high-quality online education for rural, non-English medium, and first-generation students across India. Supported by a dedicated team of 200+ mentors, it offers guidance in subjects including Medical, Law, Arts, Design, Management, and Foreign Education, reaching over 18,000 learners nationwide. With 12 online schools, 1700+ video lectures, and 3000+ hours of interactive educational content, Digital Nalanda makes learning accessible, engaging, and future-ready, helping students build knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed academically and professionally.
3000+ hours of free online educational content
18,000+ website subscribers
12,500+ YouTube subscribers
In alignment with Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s vision of Buddha Vihar as centers of knowledge, Nalanda Academy launched the Abhiyan Libraries campaign in 2019 as a tribute to Late Abhiyan Humane. Today, 15 Abhiyan Community Libraries in rural Wardha serve as vibrant, open learning hubs for students from all communities, equipped with books, newspapers, magazines, desktops, and internet access. By empowering communities to manage their own learning spaces, the libraries nurture curiosity and knowledge, with the goal of establishing similar community libraries in every village across the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.
Community Libraries in 15 villages of Wardha
Founded by Nalanda, managed by local communities
Providing free reading resources for rural school students
Founded on January 3, 2017, on the birth anniversary of Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule, the Sanghamitra Collective brings together women students to raise awareness about higher education among underprivileged girls. The Collective conducts regular workshops and career guidance sessions and is building a network of undergraduate women in Science and Technology. It also hosts the annual Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule Education Fair in Wardha, where alumni studying in top universities across India and abroad provide guidance to students and parents. The fairs—first held on May 27, 2018, followed by May 29, 2022, and July 2, 2023—have helped thousands make informed higher education choices.
A network of 500+ Nalanda women students and alumni
Supporting rural women students in higher education
Hosts an annual Education Fair in Wardha, attended by thousands
Founded in 2022, the Samyak Centre supports Nalanda alumni and young scholars from marginalized backgrounds in pursuing research and intellectual growth. It mentors 50+ early-stage scholars and fosters a dynamic ecosystem through workshops, seminars, and collaborative projects. The Centre organizes the annual Ayyankali Academic Conference, providing a platform for emerging researchers to showcase their work. The 2nd Conference (2023) focused on “Critical Caste Theory” and brought together 30 young scholars. Notable projects include documenting the oral history of the Ambedkarite movement, celebrating intellectual contributions from historically marginalized communities.
Mentoring 50+ early-stage scholars from marginalized backgrounds
Organizes the Annual Ayyankali Conference — a platform for emerging researchers
2023 Conference on “Critical Caste Theory” brought together 30 young scholars
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