Impact created by Vahani - 10 Years of Building Future Leaders

Gurugram, June 2025 — Vahani Scholarship Trust is proud to announce 10 years, celebrating  a decade of dedicated and significant contributions in  educating an underserved segment of society. The Circle of Life in the Alumni success is a testament of the hard work and support from the community  of Mentors, tutors, Board members, Patrons and partners along the way. The dedicated Team led by Chairperson Reeva Misra has selflessly laid the foundations which will be built upon over the next several decades. The  two-day Summer Conference on June 28–29 at the Hilton Hotel, Gurugram, under the banner “Celebrating a Decade of Impact – Building Leaders and Change Makers,”  brought together 250 + Scholars, Alumni from 29 States and UTs, Patrons, Board Members, Mentors, and distinguished guests from various fields and countries to reflect on Vahani’s journey and take part in a vibrant program curated especially for the event.

Group photo of Vahani Family!

Founded in 2015, Vahani has grown into a dynamic and vibrant community that supports high-achieving students from underserved backgrounds with full scholarships and so much more, since at Vahani we believe in much more engagement than just financial aid . Over the past decade, it has focused not just on academic excellence, but also on cultivating leadership, creativity, sensitivity, empathy and social consciousness.

The conference opened with moving reflections from Chairperson and Founder Reeva Misra, who highlighted the organisation’s growth from a single idea to a thriving ecosystem of changemakers. She highlighted how the organisation  “Vahani was started with the belief that everyone deserves a right to education and an opportunity to realise their dreams” She was joined by Patrons Shalini and Rajeev Misra who highlighted the importance of courage, compassion, thinking and dreaming big to build a future driven by intrinsic leadership values and qualities.

Day one, featured a powerful discussion by distinguished speakers Amish Tripathi, author and cultural diplomat and  Maja Daruwala, senior advocate for civil liberties and gender justice in conversation with  patron and board member Mr Rajeev Misra, a global finance leader and Mr Bejon Misra, an international consumer policy expert having 40+ years of experience in consumer education and advocacy. The conversations explored the intersection of identity, leadership, and purpose—encouraging scholars to think boldly while taking the moral ground. Ms. Maja (QUOTED) “I very much enjoyed meeting your young protegees. They were so alive and full of energy, engaging. It is always a privilege to have a captive audience as well! Vahani has given them a chance that deserving as they all are would otherwise, have left them in struggles that were often overwhelming. I hope they realise this and pass it forward to others throughout this time when they are themselves fledging and later when they are on their life's journey and established.”

An important impactful feature of the conference were  different skill-based workshops designed to build core competence and foster deep connections within the Vahani community. These sessions went beyond academic learning to focus on entrepreneurial thinking, emotional resilience, creative expression, smart financial investments and public speaking. Each session was interactive and  focused on dialogue, built practical skills, and encouraged personal growth and further strengthened the bond that makes  the Vahani Family a lifelong and nurturing support system.

The second day centred on experiential leadership development, with interactive exercises designed to foster confidence, team building and  collaboration along with critical thinking. Scholars participated in scenario-based challenges, peer-led reflections, and activities that added to  both individual capabilities and collective resilience.

What truly stood out over  the two days was a deep sense of community, belonging  and leadership. With scholars currently enrolled in  IITs, AIIMS, LSR, and NLUs all premier institutions and alumni bagging positions with leading global firms in BlackRock, Tata Motors , Inmobi ,KPMG and Deloitte, the event was a powerful testament to what is possible when opportunity is matched with determination where excellence becomes a habit.

As the conference drew to a close, it was evident that Vahani’s journey over the past decade is only the beginning. By nurturing talent with purpose, and offering exposure to life-changing experiences, be it a scholar’s first flight, a stay at a five-star hotel, or meaningful interactions with leaders from diverse fields, Vahani continues its endeavor to shape  generations of socially conscious leaders and changemakers, committed to giving back and making a difference.