Adhyanam program was originally started in July' 2007 as "Dustho Medhabi Students Aid Project" with an idea and aim to assist brilliant but economically poor students in different parts of West Bengal to pursue their aim of continuing higher studies after class X . "Dustho" and "Medhabi' are Bengali words which means "economically poor" and "academically brilliant", respectively. In March' 2010, the name of this project was rechristened as "Adhyanam" (अध्यनम), which comes from Sanskrit , an ancient Indian language, and means "to pursue studies".

Within these three long years we have extended our financial assistance to about more than thirty students who hail from different parts of West Bengal. Most of these students are from very interior rural areas which still lack common amenities compared to cities. Our students have performed excellent in the Higher Secondary examination from their respective schools and currently pursuing college level education in various subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Engineering and Humanities at different universities in West Bengal. Amongst our students, we have both girls and boys including few visually impaired students.

Adhyanam also gives financial aid to a Blind Boy's Home at Seoraphuli, Howrah district in West Bengal which is run by The Society for the Welfare of the Blind. This Society was originally founded in 1959 by Srimat Swami Lokeswaranandaji Maharaj, the then Secretary, Ramkrishna Mission Ashram, Narendrapur and was registered under Society Registration Act in 1960 (Registration no. S/3908 of 1959-60). Currently, Mr. Biswajit Ghosh, a full time teacher in the Blind Boys Academy, Narendrapur , is the Secretary of The Society for the Welfare of the Blind. Though he is completely blind since his childhood, nothing stopped Biswajit from pursuing his long cherished goal due to firm determination. Biswajit has successfully graduated from Ramkrishna Mission College, Narendrapur and then completed his Masters in English from University of Calcutta. Each year, the Blind Boy's Home at Seoraphuli gives support to about 10-12 blind students from economically backward family to pursue their high school studies (post class X). The Society for the Welfare of the Blind also provides economic and logistic supports to their own students as well as other needy poor students to pursue further university education and help them in many other ways to become self sufficient with self reliance. Adhyanam is privileged to serve Mr. Biswajit Ghosh and his Society through educational assistance for the visually handicapped students for their rehabilitation into the mainstream of our society.

Presently, the Blind Boy's Home at Seoraphuli is being mantained in a small rented house which can accommodate only very limited number of students. Adhyanam is mobilising its own resources for fund collection to help The Society for the Welfare of the Blind for a permanent residential home within next two years where more visually handicapped students from economically backward family could be accommodated. For fund mobilization, Adhyanam is collaborating with a USA based non-profit foundation Amrita-Seattle.

Photo Gallery of Adhyanam :

Biswajit Ghosh is busy in proof reading a Braille manuscript page of Annual Report of Blind Boys Academy, Ramkrishna Mission Ashram, Narendrapur, West Bengal (October, 2008).

Mr. Biswajit Ghosh with Adhyanam volunteers, Prof. Sujit K. Bandyopadhyay (left) and Dr. Bidhan K. Bhaumik (right) on their way to Blind Boys Home in Sheoraphuli (November, 2008).

Mr. Biswajit Ghosh, Dr. Bidhan Bhaumik and Dr. Sujit Pal (extreme left) on their way to Blind Boys Home (November, 2008). Dr. Sujit Pal is a member of Adhyanam group and currently lives in Seattle, USA.

Welcome Aboard : the fast and economical way to reach Blind Boys Home from Sheoraphuli Railway station (Though risky but Bidhan prefers to sit in the front of Autorickshaw by sharing the seat with the Pilot and makes room for others in rear) (November 2008).

Biswajit is busy in receiving a call in his cellular mobile phone (November, 2008).

Biswajit is all set and energized to board the Autorickshaw WB-15-9137 !! (November, 2008).

Close towards our destination in Sheoraphuli (November, 2008).

Main entrance of Sheoraphuli Blind Boys Home (November, 2008)


WELCOME greetings by Blind Boys Home resident students (November, 2008).

All the resident students (class XI & class XII) of Sheoraphuli Blind Boys Home with their mentor, Biswajit Ghosh and Adhyanam Volunteers (November, 2008).

Sujit Pal (extreme right) and Bidhan Bhaumik (middle) with students in the Blind Boys Home compound (November, 2008).

Pradip Sikdar, a Sheoraphuli Blind Boys Home resident and a student of class XII, with his mother (November, 2008).

{Pradip is a fully blind student and currently (2010) studying BA in English honours in Ashutosh College under Calcutta University}.

Biswajit Ghosh with his current batch students (class XI & XII) in the Blind Boys Home (November, 2009)

Biswajit is trying to listen carefully to his Home students problems and difficulties (November, 2009).


A fully blind student, Ramprasad Julki, currently studying BA in Bengali honours in Ashutosh College under Calcutta University (November, 2009).

{Adhyanam has made commitment to financially support Ramprasad for all the three years of his college education. A sum of Rs.36,000/- has already been paid to Biswajit Ghosh in February'2010 for this purpose }.