A Man with Midas Touch- VASANTBHAI HARIBHAI GAJERA

· Nikhil Chandwani

Education has always been a keen criterion to develop young minds in the world.

20th Century saw a various transformation in education in India.

But, it came with an impossible task of taking the reforms to the towns and villages. For many years, numerous towns in India were unaware of the variety of courses that were widely accepted in India until an industrialist born in Amrali took over.

Vasantbhai Haribhai Gajera, born in a middle-class agricultural family, started his journey in the Diamond Industry and successfully laid a foundation that lasted the test of time.

But, Vasant bhai took a step further.

He advocated education as the primary driving force of personal growth. He believes that it was the knowledge that made a person great. Despite the range of awards he had earned in his lifetime, the visionary preferred to call himself an educator.

Vasantbhai believed that our education system needs a foundation to, both in terms of spirit and practicality of the knowledge imparted.

Vasantbhai also believed “When the students pass out of senior secondary schools, they should have two certificates — of passing 10+2 examination and of a specific skill acquired by him during schooling,”

Keeping giving back to the community as an aim, Vasantbhai Gajera started school and colleges for the village students and the underprivileged.

According to him, besides the normal curriculum, the children should receive special training towards one skill set which will offer an extra certification which will not only help them get a job after school but also make them aware of the how real-world industries function.

Vasantbhai, with his belief to give back to the society, initiated Smt Shantaben Haribhai Gajera Charitable Trust, founded in 1993 in loving memory of his mother, today runs 09 campuses in Gujarat — 17 schools, 7 professional colleges, 1 medical college and Vatsalyadham (home for the disadvantaged) — thus molding and enhancing the lives of more than 50000 students.

Laxmi diamond started giving back to the society by educating the community through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities moulding 50,000+ Students at large.

It turned into an initiative to create a sustainable system for community at large

Paralysis of analysis had finally found a solution. The educator has now transformed thousands of lives of the students through his vision to make India free from illiteracy.

Emphasizing that education cannot be categorized as a business product or system and only great teachers can inspire quality learning, Vasantbhai concludes, “It is not the great building or a great facility or great advertisements which give quality, but loveable education and great teachers do.”.

This is what Smt Shantaben Haribhai Gajera Charitable Trust has been doing for the past 25 years.

State of Art learning facilities, countless success stories, and eradicating illiteracy through dozens of degree and diploma programs even fort he disadvantaged, Gujarat has seen blessing come in form of a vision from Vasantbhai Gajera.

Research creativity, innovation, ability to use high technology, entrepreneurial leadership, and moral leadership capacities are built up among students in their formative years by the Gajera trust, and this brought diverse awards and recognition to Vasantbhai Gajera and Gujarat now sees literacy rate grow a thousand folds due to his esteemed contribution.

Developing students in these five capacities, Laxmi Diamonds CSR Initiative Gajera trust under Vasantbhai produces ‘Autonomous Learner’ a self — directed, self-controlled, lifelong learner who has the capacity to both respect authority and at the same time is capable of questioning authority, in an appropriate manner.

Vasantbhai Gajera is a practical educational thinker and visionary who stands for integrating ancient and modern educational ideas for the development of a balanced Indian society. Being a top industrialist of international reputation, his direct contribution to the advancement of education in Gujarat through his different schools and colleges is unique and commendable. His vision for overall growth has initiated new avenues for research and studies in the diverse areas.