History of SOS in India
To give you a little idea of the history SOS Children’s Villages in India:
In 1963 Hermann Gmeiner met Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, then Prime Minister of India, who was extremely impressed by the SOS Children’s Village concept.
Under the auspices of his daughter Indira Gandhi, a committee and subsequently an association were founded, which immediately hastened the realization of the first SOS Children’s Village Greenfields near Delhi. Of the founding members of the Indian SOS Children’s Villages Association, J.N. Kaul became the first village director who in subsequent decades would greatly influence the SOS Children’s Village work in our country.
Present Activities
At present there are 40 SOS Children’s Villages in India including facilities for Tibetan children and a new Village coming up in Mumbai, with corresponding SOS Youth Facilities and SOS Kindergartens, 8 SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools, 6 SOS Vocational Training Centres, 32 SOS Social Centres (Family Strengthening Programs), and 4 SOS Medical Centers.
