History of Shri Mahavir Charitable Trustis a live example that inexhaustible morale and unbreakable confidence bring magical success.

First year of twenty first century has experienced major earthquake. Many families of Sthanakvasi Jain Samaj became victim of the earthquake. Heartbreaking scream coming from debris of this disaster has made deep wounds on the heart of Sthanakvasi Jain Samaj. Many people came to rescue and help.
All Sthanakvasi Jain Sanghs came together and there was a call for the help of humanity. There was a huge collection of Rs. 32 Lakh in a shorter time and Shri Mahavir Charitable Trust is created. Thus, this trust has become common trust of allSthanakvasi Jain Sanghs of Ahmedabad.Due to earthquake 276 families affected received benefit from the amount collected.

The great spirit of Jain Samaj has created a history. Some earthquake affected people have preferred to receive help in the form of loan rather than the aid and trust had a surplus amount of Rs. 4-5 Lakh as a result of repayment of this loan. There was a dilemma, how to deal with this amount? neither it can be given back to donors nor it can be wasted. There was a consensus about a proposal to use this amount in some creative work. And after bread, cloths and building the fourth essential requirement in present time is “Higher Education Loan”..

With globalization. higher education has become essential in order to match pace with this world developing at a fast pace with the science& technology and a globalthinking.Bright students can advance their career with the help of higher education because today the nation is rapidly progressing on its way of education revolution after the green revolution, white revolution and economic revolution.

But the problem is that the higher education at international level has become very expensive and without money Worship of Saraswati is not possible. If a middle class student remains deprived of higher education because of high fees of education, huge cost of self-finance colleges and other educational expensesthen it is a matter of pain for their family and a matter of shame for the society.

With a firm determination that “each student of Ahmedabad Stanakavasi Jain Samaj should be at least a graduate in any professional course” , interest-free loan assistance scheme for higher education came into effect under the flagship of Shri Mahavir Charitable Trust for bright children of Stanakavasi Jain members without the discrimination of the sect. Thus an opportunity is created from the adversity.

There was quite a complex question that how to help 12,000 students of Stanakavasi Jain families of Ahmedabad with an amount of Rs. 4-5 lakh. However, this scheme was started in 2002-2003 with firm confidence on Jain donors. Under this scheme, interest-free loan is given as an assistance to a bright family member from the member of any Stanakavasi Jain Sangh of Ahmedabadfor study in any approved university or polytechnic for full college fees during the entire study subject to maximum limit.

Initially, only 12 students have taken benefit of the scheme because of hesitation but after the assurance of confidentiality more students have started taking benefit of it and till date total 2722 students have taken benefit of this scheme and the numbers are rising each day.

Initially, because of the financial limitation of the trust, loan assistance was given at a rate of Rs. 8000/- for complete course up to 4 or 5 yearsto a family up to 4 members in which if total annual income of all earning members is less than the Rs. 60,000/-. With cooperation of generous donors,we were able to raise the limit of annual income from Rs. 6,00,000/- to Rs. 11,00,000/- and maximum loan assistance amount to Rs. 4,00,000/- annually. We were also able to do other schemes, details of which are given in ‘our schemes’.

All above loan assistances are given interest-free