Founded in 2015 by visionary social entrepreneur Shri. Shantilal Muttha, the Shantilal Muttha Foundation (SMF) is a non-profit organization committed to ensuring every child receives holistic education.
To ensure that all children get an education that will help them become caring, responsible and democratic citizens.
To help school-systems, schools and teachers, enrich their capacities for fostering the all-round development of children.
Schools should have safe, inclusive and nurturing learning environments for the all-round development of children.
Schools should be inclusive spaces which welcome children from diverse backgrounds and offer them equitable and engaging learning opportunities.
Schools should foster active participation from all stakeholders for the well-being of the school and the students
Schools should offer leamers opportunities to appreciate, experience and demonstrate Constitutional values in a conducive environment.
Shantilal Muttha Foundation addresses the need for a scalable and well-designed model of value education for schools.
While traditional approaches—such as lectures—often have limited impact, SMF’s Mulyavardhan programme offers a child-centred alternative that responds to the realities many young people in India face today. These include exposure to violence, discrimination and prejudice, rising mental health concerns, and digital risks such as cyberbullying.
By nurturing values such as compassion, trust and respect, Mulyavardhan aims to create a supportive psychosocial environment in which students can learn and thrive. Through changes in teacher practices and everyday classroom interactions, the programme contributes to the broader transformation of school culture and ethos.
Mulyavardhan supports the goals of the National Education Policy 2020, which emphasises the development of thoughtful, ethical and responsible individuals. Its design draws on the values expressed in the Preamble to the Constitution of India, and on internationally recognised social-emotional and ethical development (SEED) competencies.
Alongside its value education initiative, Shantilal Muttha Foundation works to strengthen the overall quality of schooling through its System for Enrichment of School Quality (SESQ).
While Mulyavardhan focuses on values and school culture, SESQ provides a structured framework for continuous and holistic improvement in how schools function.
Moving beyond conventional school assessments, SESQ strengthens school culture and everyday learning practices so that schools become environments where students can learn, grow and participate fully.
SESQ examines the academic and co-scholastic opportunities available to students and how these support their cognitive and non-cognitive development. It also reviews the guidance, leadership and infrastructure provided by school management. In addition, SESQ considers overall outcomes and the experience of key stakeholders, including students, parents and educators.
SESQ aligns with the goals of the National Education Policy 2020 and Sustainable Development Goal 4, which emphasise inclusive and high-quality education. By strengthening school systems and learning environments, SESQ supports the development of thoughtful, capable and responsible individuals.
SMF follows a systems-strengthening approach. It works closely with all key stakeholders in the school system and builds their capacity to implement school transformation initiatives effectively.
To support this, SMF provides educational materials, training, and technical assistance in line with agreements with relevant stakeholders. SMF also conducts studies from time to time during programme implementation to generate evidence and improve the impact of its programmes.