Most people celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi are knee-deep in modaks and festive treats. But a Mumbai couple, Pooja and Dipesh Dedhia, has a different kind of offering in mind this year: school supplies.
They're asking visitors to skip the traditional sweets and gifts and bring stationery instead. Their ambitious goal? To collect enough notebooks, pencils, and colors to create 400 school kits for students at an Adivasi Ashram Shala in Khadavali. Because apparently, the spirit of Bappa can also be found in a geometry box.
The Sweet Spot of Giving
This isn't the Dedhias' first rodeo when it comes to thoughtful celebrations. Their Ganesh idol is eco-friendly, immersed at home, and the seed-infused water is used to nourish their plants. They're basically turning religious ritual into sustainable gardening. This year, they're simply extending that thoughtful touch beyond their own potted plants.
We're a new kind of news feed.
Regular news is designed to drain you. We're a non-profit built to restore you. Every story we publish is scored for impact, progress, and hope.
Start Your News DetoxPooja, a chef and nutritionist, and Dipesh, a banker, are the power couple behind the Matoshreee Foundation. This stationery drive is just one more chapter in their ongoing saga of good deeds. Since July 2023, they've served fresh breakfast to over 100 people every single Sunday for an impressive 167 consecutive weeks. Let that satisfying number sink in.
Last year, they assembled 40 stationery kits, and the sheer joy on the kids' faces was apparently addictive. So, like any good entrepreneur, they decided to scale up. From 40 kits to a whopping 400, packed with everything from drawing books to, yes, geometry boxes. It's a logistical challenge involving vendors and quality checks, but they figure every kit is worth it if it helps a child feel even slightly more prepared to learn. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying.
If you're in Mumbai, you can drop off fresh, unused stationery until September 20th. Friends and family visiting their home on September 14th and 15th know exactly what's on the guest list. And for those outside Mumbai, or even outside India, you can still contribute directly by contacting Pooja and Dipesh for details on what's needed. Because who needs another laddoo when you can fund a whole year of learning?
