Continuing its community service initiatives, the Lions Club of Bombay West Coast donated essential kitchen and residential equipment to the Smt. Kamla Mehta Dadar School for the Blind in Dadar on August 4, 2026. The initiative aimed to improve the daily lives of the visually impaired girls residing at the government-aided residential school.
The visit was led by Club President Ln Ekta Khosla along with Ln Mala Shetty, Ln Gouri Channe (DC) and Ln Rita R. Gowda (DC Blind Welfare). During the programme, Ln Mala Shetty donated a 16-litre pressure cooker in memory of her late son, Satej S. Shetty, to help prepare meals for the school’s nearly 200 visually impaired female students. In addition, Ln Rita R. Gowda and Ln Gouri Channe donated three stainless steel foldable double-rack clothes drying stands to support the residential students.
The school houses around 140 resident students, while the remaining girls commute from nearby areas with the assistance of their parents or relatives. Some students also travel independently by public transport despite their visual impairment, demonstrating remarkable confidence and self-reliance.
During the visit, the Lions Club members interacted with the students and staff and observed the confidence with which the girls moved around the campus, attended classes and carried out everyday activities. The members appreciated the determination of the students, many of whom come from different parts of India, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and several southern states, to pursue their education.
The school’s long-serving principal, Varsha S. Jadhav, highlighted the institution’s continued efforts to provide quality education, residential facilities and life skills that enable visually impaired girls to lead independent lives. She also noted that parents regularly stay in touch with the school to check on their children’s well-being, reflecting the trust they place in the institution.
Founded in 1900 by American missionary Anna Millard under the American Marathi Mission, the institution began as a small shelter in Byculla for children who had lost their vision during the Solapur famine. Over the decades, it evolved into a dedicated educational centre for visually impaired girls. The school shifted to Dadar after receiving government land in 1920 and was officially renamed Smt. Kamla Mehta Dadar School for the Blind in 1986.
Today, the school functions as a government-aided residential primary and secondary institution, providing free education and accommodation to nearly 170 visually impaired girls. It continues to focus on academic learning, skill development and independent living.
The donation is part of the Lions Club of Bombay West Coast’s ongoing social service activities during the current Lions year, which began on July 1, 2026. According to the club, it has already completed 25 community projects, including providing meals for over 500 cancer patients at Ashok Rugnalay, distributing 100 raincoats to patients and their families, and planting 2,500 trees comprising neem, mango, ashoka and guava saplings as part of the country’s 80th Independence Day celebrations.
Through initiatives focused on education, healthcare and environmental conservation, the club continues to strengthen its commitment to serving communities across Mumbai while supporting institutions that empower vulnerable sections of society.
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