Non-profit organisation Shuruaat – Ek Jyoti Shiksha Ki has completed a decade of working with children and young people from underserved communities in Prayagraj, celebrating a journey that began with just five children and has since provided free education to more than 300 children. The organisation marked the milestone on Sunday, highlighting the academic, professional and sporting achievements of students from the Hari Nagar slum and Chungi Parade areas.
Founded in 2016 by Abhishek Shukla, Shuruaat began as an effort to provide educational opportunities to children living in slum communities. Over the years, the initiative has developed into a volunteer-driven movement operating multiple learning centres and supporting children through education and other community programmes. Shuruaat’s own records identify September 17, 2016, as the beginning of its education initiative.
The organisation’s decade-long journey has focused on children who faced significant barriers to continuing their education. Some students previously worked as rag pickers, domestic workers or restaurant helpers to support their families, while others studied in difficult circumstances with limited access to educational resources.
From Slum Lanes to Professional Careers
Several students supported by Shuruaat have gone on to pursue higher education and professional careers.
Dheeraj has completed a B.Tech in Computer Science, while Karan progressed from studying at a roadside cart to becoming a quality engineer at SEDEMAC. Abhishek has continued into postgraduate studies and is preparing for the NET-JRF examination.
The journeys of these students have also created a cycle of mentorship within the community, with several former beneficiaries now helping younger students navigate their own educational journeys.
Karan’s story has previously received attention for the circumstances in which he studied. Shuruaat’s media archive describes how he studied while sitting at his family’s roadside vegetable cart before completing engineering and securing employment in Pune. The organisation had also supported his education expenses.
Earlier academic achievements by children supported through the initiative have included strong performances in UP Board examinations. In 2022, six girls and a boy from the Hari Nagar and Chungi Parade communities were reported to have achieved first-division results, despite several of them having previously worked as domestic helpers or rag pickers.
Education Remains at the Centre of the Initiative
Shuruaat’s work has primarily centred on making education accessible to children from communities where financial and social circumstances can make regular schooling difficult.
The organisation’s founder, Abhishek Shukla, has previously described the origins of the initiative as stemming from an encounter with an eight-year-old girl who was unable to attend school because she was responsible for looking after her younger sibling. That experience prompted him to begin working on an education initiative for children from underserved communities.
Over time, the initiative expanded from providing educational support to developing programmes addressing other needs within the communities it serves.
Sports Programme Opens Another Pathway
Shuruaat’s work has also expanded beyond academics.
Its sports programme, launched in 2022, has produced three national-level kayaking athletes — Nandini, Anchal Sonkar and Bhoomi Sonkar — who have collectively won 36 national and state medals for Uttar Pradesh and competed at the Khelo India Youth Games, according to the organisation’s recent milestone celebration.
The sporting achievements have provided another avenue for children from the communities to develop skills and participate in competitive events at the state and national levels.
The organisation has linked its education and sports initiatives around the idea that academic development and sporting participation can contribute to different aspects of a young person’s development.
“Education builds character and sports build confidence,” Shuruaat founder Abhishek Shukla said during the anniversary programme.
Broader Community Work
Shuruaat’s work has also included initiatives outside formal education.
In 2021, the organisation launched the Shuruaat Pad Bank, providing free sanitary pads to women and girls living in several slum communities across Prayagraj. The initiative was established by current and former Allahabad University students and was reported to have around 300 beneficiaries in its early period.
The programme was developed as an extension of Shuruaat’s broader work with underprivileged communities. Its beneficiaries included women and girls from areas including Hari Nagar Basti, Alopi Bagh Chungi, Lal Kothi, Lookarganj, Tularam Bagh and Namani Basti.
Shuruaat’s own media archive also documents earlier academic achievements by children from these communities, including UP Board successes and students progressing towards engineering and other professional careers.
Former Beneficiaries Become Mentors
One of the notable developments in Shuruaat’s decade-long journey has been the emergence of former students as mentors for the next generation.
Students who once received educational assistance are increasingly returning to support younger children, creating a peer-led support structure within the communities.
This approach allows the organisation’s impact to extend beyond the period in which an individual child receives direct educational support. Successful students can provide younger beneficiaries with academic guidance while also offering examples of possible educational and career pathways.
A Decade of Community-Led Educational Support
From an initial group of five children to more than 300 children receiving free education, Shuruaat’s decade-long journey reflects the role that community-based organisations can play in expanding access to education and extracurricular opportunities.
Its work in Prayagraj has combined academic support with sports, mentorship and community initiatives, while the experiences of its students have included transitions from informal work and difficult living conditions to higher education and professional employment.
The organisation’s 10-year milestone therefore brings together several strands of its work — education, professional development, sports and community support — while former beneficiaries increasingly contribute to the development of younger students.
Disclaimer: This report has been editorially prepared using publicly available information and official statements. Readers are advised to refer to official announcements for further details.
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