The following is a brief outline of the history of the Brahmakshatriya Educational, Social, and Welfare Society and of its activities.
In the latter part of the nineteenth century, due to the influence of the British Empire, it became necessary to have modern education with English as the medium of instruction. As there were very few schools offering modern education in Hyderabad, some elders of the Brahmakshatriya community, under the leadership of Raja Bansi Lal, started the Mufeed-ul-Anam school in 1882, which offered modern education and gave a good opportunity to the children of the community.
In the early twentieth century, it became difficult to obtain employment without higher education. Since the facilities for higher education were insufficient in Hyderabad, it became necessary for community members to go either to other states in British India or to England in order to pursue higher education. Due to financial constraints, the members of the Brahmakshatriya community could not afford to send their children outside the state.
Some members of the community decided to start a society whose purpose was to collect funds through regular subscriptions from every earning member of the community (Rs. 2/month) and additional donations from members who could afford it. The society was called the Brahmakshatriya Educational Loan Society (Brahmakshatriya Kharzai Talimi), popularly known as the Quomi Fund. The society was started in 1926 and it began advancing loans to needy students of the community, in order for them to pursue higher education in India, as well as abroad. The loan was repayable when the person got employed and the interest charged on this loan was nominal. The same practice is being continued till this day.
In the 1940s, Rai Raj Mohan Lal donated an amount for starting a widow fund. The amount donated had to be deposited and the interest thereon had to be utilized for payment to widows of the community who had no other source of income. In the 1950s, Justice Manohar Pershad donated an amount for the same cause; but added that part of the interest should be utilized for granting scholarships to the deserving poor students of the community. Meanwhile, in the 1960s, Dr. V.N. Waghray donated an amount for starting a scholarship in the name of his mother, Heera Lakshmi Bai, to be awarded to a meritorious student who wished to pursue an education in medicine. In addition, some members of the community who have gone and settled in the United States have periodically gathered and donated funds to the Quomi Fund.
The Brahmakshatriya Mahila Mandal was started in 1976, by a few enterprising ladies of the community, under the leadership of Srimati Urmila Waghray and Srimati Daya Devi. The aim of the Mandal was to help the ladies of the community earn an additional income by making and marketing pickles, jams, jellies, etc. and also by grinding and selling masalas. The Mandal also started conducting classes for training the ladies in the embroidery and stitching of bedsheets, pillowcases, tablecloths, etc.
Apart from this, the children of the community were made to participate in cultural activities by conducting the Dussehra Sammelan, which gave an opportunity for the members of the community to interact with each other and to maintain relationships. Another activity of the Mahila Mandal was the publication of the Directory of the Brahmakshatriya Community. The directory came in handy as a guide for the preparation of lists of invitations at the time of marriages and other ceremonies and also for looking for suitable matches for the children of the community. An additional column indicating the blood group of the members was added in subsequent issues to help meet medical emergencies.
The Brahmakshatriya Mahila Mandal and the Brahmakshatriya Educational Loan Society were merged and a new society, the Brahmakshatriya Educational, Social, and Welfare Society, was formed and registered in the early 1980s. The society’s registration number is 2052 and it is based in Aitebar Chowk, Hyderabad. The society is run by a managing committee, which is elected by the general body and consists of an Honorary President, Honorary Vice-President and six managing committee members to conduct the affairs of the society. Under the auspices of this society, a few younger members of the community: Anil Kishen Waghray, Susheel Raj Shah, Laxman Kapoor, Arun Kumar Sohni, Satish Chander Lal, and others, have started a corpus fund. A collection of Rs. 300 per annum from every earning member of the society is taken for this fund. The funds collected are being used to pay a token amount on the death to the bereaved family of a member of the community.
Recently, the cost of medical treatment has become prohibitive, and in the case of illness; it has become difficult for the members of the community to afford treatment at good hospitals. It is felt that medical insurance has become essential; however, individual members of the community are not in a position to pay the premiums for it. Hence, a plan has been envisaged, wherein a group insurance can be made for the members of the community. Under this plan, a corporate hospital (Kamineni Hospital) has been approached to render medical treatment. So far, the response from the members of the community has been poor. However, efforts are being made to convince the members to join the plan by paying a reduced premium for medical insurance.
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