विद्यार्थी साहाय्यक समिती

Because of the availability of numerous educational courses a , significant number of students aspire to come to this city for higher education of good quality, not only from surrounding rural areas but from many other States. However, right from the beginning, the high cost of urban living is causing great problems to the intelligent, hardworking but financially deprived students coming to this c

ity with a dream in their eyes. They have to share accommodation in any small dingy room with several others, and eat unwholesome food available cheaply. With the aim of providing proper support and guidance to the poor and deserving students coming to Pune,a few voluntary workers under the guidance of Dr. Achyuat Shankar Apte founded Vidyarthi Sahayak Samiti ( Students Welfare Association ) Pune in 1955. Dr.Achyuat Shankar Apte, was young brilliant mathematician and freedom fighter, After India’s independence he was appointed as a Govt.officer at Central Water and Power. He was deputed to the university of Grenoble, France for further studies in hydraulics. There he found the Church and the Govt. helping financially deprived students in completing their education. On returning home, he developed the idea of helping students from rural areas with financial family constraints coming to Pune for higher education giving them good residential accommodation and wholesome food at affordable rates. All this was to be achieved purely with voluntary donation from individual citizens. Under his able leadership, a few friends and voluntary workers formed this “ STUDENTS WELFARE ASSOCIATION ) in 1955.Initially he arranged residential accommodation for a few students. He also arranged with several friends to give meals to a student one day every week .Very soon, houses were taken on rent to provide residential accommodation, and started dining clubs at three different college hostels for these students all at subsidized rates. All these were managed by a group of voluntary workers.