On the Auspicious Occasion of Navratri, DM Offers Homage to Goddesses; Education of 10 Girls Revived
Under the Guidance of the Chief Minister, the District Administration Has Revived the Education of Over 136 Girls
Following the Demise of Their Fathers—Aradhya, Mahi Chauhan, Sofia Alvi, Anushka Sharma, and Harshita—Faced a Crisis Regarding Their B.Com Education; The District Administration Stepped in as Their Guardian and Revived Their Studies
Manyaata Thakur, the Bright Daughter of a Single Mother—Whose Elder Sister is Differently-Abled and Whose Family Bears the Burden of Raising Four Other Siblings—Saw Her 10th-Grade Education Interrupted Due to a Financial Crisis; Her Studies Have Now Been Revived
A Financial Crisis Gripped the Family Due to the Father’s Addiction Issues, Causing a Disruption in Niyati’s Education; The District Administration Stepped in to Provide Support
The Helpless Sisters, Nandini and Nandita—Whose Mother Suffers from Heart Disease—Saw Their Education Halted as the Family Could Not Afford to Pay Nine Months’ Worth of School Fees Due to Medical Expenses; The District Administration Paid the Fees and Revived Their Education
Trisha’s Mother Passed Away Due to Cancer, Leaving Her Father Facing a Financial Crisis; The District Administration Stepped in to Revive Trisha’s Education
Dehradun, March 21, 2026 (Information Department): The 14th edition of the “Nanda-Sunanda” program was organized today at the Rishiparna Auditorium within the Collectorate complex. On the auspicious occasion of Navratri, District Magistrate Savin Bansal offered his homage to the Goddesses by reviving the education of 10 young girls—symbolizing the divine forms of Nanda and Sunanda. Cheques totaling ₹2.03 lakhs were distributed to support the education of these 10 girls. Through the District Administration’s “Nanda-Sunanda” project, the education of over 136 helpless and needy girls within the district has been successfully revived to date. This initiative has emerged as a beacon of hope for daughters belonging to the weaker sections of society and is establishing itself as an effective model for promoting girls’ education. The District Magistrate stated that it is the resolve of the Honorable Chief Minister that, should any gaps remain at the district level in the implementation of schemes aimed at public development and education, these gaps must be bridged to ensure that deserving beneficiaries receive the intended benefits. Under the guidance of the Honorable Chief Minister, the objective of the project “Nanda-Sunanda”—spearheaded by the district administration—is not merely to provide financial assistance, but to strengthen the foundation of a bright future for young girls—revered as embodiments of the Goddesses Nanda and Sunanda—by providing them with an education. Through this scheme, girls are being identified whose education has been disrupted due to the financial repercussions of an accident or unfortunate event within their families. The aim is to revive the education of these promising girls—who possess a strong yearning to become educated and progress in life—thereby empowering them. The District Magistrate also commended the efforts of the selection committee and the ground-level teams working on this initiative. Indeed, if we empower a daughter, the entire lineage is empowered.
Aradhya Singh, a resident of Baniyawala, saw her education—at the Class 4 level—interrupted following the demise of her father. Manyata Thakur, a resident of village Suddhowala, comes from a family where her father is missing; with five siblings—including an elder sister who is differently-abled—and a dire financial situation, her Class 10 education had been disrupted. Mahi Chauhan, a resident of Molaram Colony, Sahastradhara, lost her father in 2021, leaving her family in a state of financial vulnerability. Niyati Vasudev, a resident of MDDA Colony, Dalanwala, faced a disruption in her Class 6 education; her father, who suffers from substance addiction, is currently admitted to a de-addiction center, leaving the family in an extremely precarious financial situation. Sofia Alvi, a resident of Nai Basti, Guru Road, Patel Nagar, lost her father, leaving her family in a destitute financial condition. Anushka Sharma, a resident of Jhanda Bazar, lost her father in 2022; with her mother working at a clothing store and the family facing extreme financial hardship, her Class 9 education had been interrupted. Nandini and Nandita, residents of Ogal Bhatta, Subhashnagar—whose father has been living separately for a year and whose mother supports the household by working as a domestic cleaner—have seen their education interrupted (Nandini was in Class 6 and Nandita in Class 4). Their mother is also a heart patient. Similarly, Harshita, a resident of Haripur Raiwala—whose father has passed away—has had her B.Com studies disrupted due to her family’s dire financial situation. Trisha, a resident of Harrawala—whose mother succumbed to cancer—also faced severe financial hardship following the exorbitant medical expenses incurred during her mother’s treatment; her father was unable to pay her school fees, and her Class 5 education was consequently interrupted. However, the education of all these girls has now been revived through “Project Nanda-Sunanda.” This project has taken up the mission of empowering girls—whose families have been plunged into financial crisis due to personal tragedies—by reviving their education. To date, the education of 136 girls has been successfully revived under this initiative.
Chief Development Officer Abhinav Shah urged the girls to focus on their studies, assuring them that the administration would continue to provide assistance in the future. He expressed the hope that, upon achieving success themselves, they would go on to uplift other needy individuals like them. Superintendent of Police (City) Pramod Kumar commended this project by the district administration, adding that should the girls or their families require any assistance from the police, the force stands ever-ready to help.
Parents present at the event lauded this initiative by the district administration—undertaken under the guidance of the Honorable Chief Minister—and expressed their gratitude to both the State Government and the district administration for reviving the girls’ education. They described this scheme as an inspiring model for society.
Also present on this occasion were Chief Development Officer Abhinav Shah, Superintendent of Police (City) Pramod Kumar, Chief Education Officer Vinod Kumar Dhondiyal, District Program Officer (Child Development) Jitendra Kumar, and District Probation Officer Meena Bisht.