Pardada Pardadi Educational Society (PPES) was formed in Anupshahr, Uttar Pradesh (UP) in 2000. To address the issue of gender bias in society, PPES developed an educational programme and began running the Pardada Pardadi Girls Vocational School (PPGVS).

PPES was established by Virendera (Sam) Singh, a retired U.S. Dupont South Asia head, originally from Anupshahr. Besides returning home, other compelling reasons to focus on India and particularly the state of UP include the fact that India is the second most populous country, with nearly half the population illiterate: males outnumber females 2:1 in literacy and drop out rates for girls are as high as 58% in primary and upper primary schools. Moreover, girls face various kinds of gender discrimination daily. These include female feticide, nutritional and economic disparities with male members of the family, and violence in and out of the home.

UP is also one of the least developed states in the country. It is the most populous comprising 16 percent of the total population of India. UP has an extremely low sex ratio of 898:1000 for females to males as compared to the national average of 933:1000. Furthermore, the state’s literacy rate is only 57 percent, with only 43 percent of females being literate.

Sam began this initiative to improve the quality of life of the weaker sections of the region. He focused particularly on the rural girls children, who are generally neglected and remain uneducated, therefore forever dependent on male family members for their livelihood.

PPGVS initially started with 45 girls from the poorest families of the area. Girls have received free education, and vocational training to make them socially empowered, self-supporting and actively earning members in their families.

Today, PPGVS has proven successful and invaluable to the students and their families. This has inspired PPES to expand its existing program as well as spread its model of education throughout the country.