Our Mission - Providing Free Preschool Education to Underprivileged Children in Thane & Mumba 

Foundation OF New Pragati Education Trust Thane

New Pragati Educational Trust, a nonprofit organization in Thane, was established on 16th December 2010 by Mr. Ganesh Dinkar Kharat with a vision to create a brighter and more educated India. The Trust focuses on supporting  underprivileged children who are unable to continue their education due to poverty and lack of awareness. Through its flagship initiative, Happy Balwadi, the Trust provides access to early childhood education across the Mumbai and Thane region. 

New Pragati Educational Trust Thane was formed with the following objectives:

1) To start, conduct, provide, establish, endow, maintain, control and manage schools and other educational institutions and to do all acts and things necessary for or conducive to the promotion of such schools;

2) To endeavour, work and conduct necessary gruhudyog activities;

3) To provide free food to poor students;

4) To conduct campaign, training programs, seminars, symposia etc. and to participate in them either in or outside India.

With our chairman Mr. Ganesh Dinkar Kharat vision, commitment and support of the team we started "Happy Balwadis" - Core initiative of New Pragati Educational Trust, providing free, quality early childhood education to underprivileged children in rural and urban areas of Thane and Mumbai.  

What is "Happy Balwadi" Project?

As our motto states - "Bloom where you are planted, Happy Balwadi's mission is to provide a caring and supportive environment, where students strive for excellence and are equipped with skills to bloom into dynamic independent thinkers. 

To achieve this motto, New Pragati Educational Trust, Thane, currently operates "Happy Balwadis" in various cities and villages across Mumbai and the Thane district. We currently provide schooling to 730 children, starting from the age of 2 up to 5 years. Education is offered at the nursery, pre-primary, and primary levels. 

As one of the leading educational NGOs working in the Mumbai and Thane region, we have always believed that India holds immense talent and potential. What the country needs today is the nurturing and cultivation of the right mindset. This is exactly what we aim to promote through our Happy Balwadi project. 

✅ What Students Learn in Happy Balwadi

At Happy Balwadi, children aged 2 to 5 years receive a strong foundation in early childhood education, focusing on both academic learning and personal growth. Our preschool program is joyful, age-appropriate, and rooted in strong moral values, making it one of the most impactful educational initiatives for underprivileged children in Thane and Mumbai. 

🧠 Academic Basics:

• Alphabets, Numbers and basic counting (English and Marathi)

• Colors, shapes, and patterns

• Days of the week, months, and seasons

• Introduction to animals, birds, fruits, vegetables, and environment

✋ Motor Skills & Activities:

• Drawing, coloring, painting and craft work

• Hand-eye coordination exercises

• Music, rhymes, and storytelling

💬 Language & Communication:

• Listening and speaking skills

• Group activities for confidence building

• Learning through songs and interactive stories

💛 Social & Emotional Growth:

• Sharing, caring, and helping others

• Building good habits and discipline

• Celebration of national festivals and special days

• Cleanliness, hygiene, and respect for community

✅ Critical Thinking at Happy Balwadi:

At Happy Balwadi, we believe education should prepare children to think for themselves. Even at an early age, we nurture critical thinking — helping children ask questions, explore ideas, and express their thoughts with clarity and confidence. These skills build a strong foundation for lifelong learning. 

✅ Integral Education at Happy Balwadi:

Happy Balwadi shall be committed to providing an integral education experience to all its students. It will strive to integrate mind, body, and spirit within an academic framework that promotes multiple ways of knowing. In all the classes conducted by the school, it plans to combine the integral education dimension with the program curriculum. It is one of the most unique offerings aimed at enhancing the learners' Intelligence Quotient (IQ), Emotional Quotient (EQ), and Spiritual Quotient (SQ). 

✅ As a part of Best Practices, Happy Balwadi shall:

Determine the appropriate mix of curricular and co-curricular programs. Support Infrastructure and Faculty Participation and forge successful relations between the School and its Community Partners.

New Pragati Educational Trust Future Projects

Currently, New Pragati Educational Trust provides education at the pre-primary and primary levels through Happy Balwadi. It proposes to conduct classes up to the higher secondary level. In this ever-changing educational landscape, Happy Balwadi endeavours to provide the best facilities to its students. In the coming years, it plans to enroll students in secondary classes. In this regard, Happy Balwadi proposes to create the following infrastructure:

• Toddler-friendly Nursery Section

• Vibrant Kindergarten Classroom

• Contemporary Primary Section Classroom

• Fully Air-Conditioned Computer Lab

• Serene and Relaxing Children’s Play Zone

• Indoor Sports Centre

• Open Playground Area