The Prajna Vihar (“Abode of Wisdom”) School is dedicated to educating underprivileged children in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India. Here, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists study, learn, and work together, learning to appreciate the richness of all religious traditions.
The school is managed by the not-for-profit Prajna Vihar Inter-religious Education Society (PVIRES) and is registered under sections 12A and 80G of the Indian Income Tax Act. This school educates children from Kindergarten through class 8 during two semesters that begin in April and September of each year.
For its first thirty years, the school was funded primarily by westerners who visited Bodh Gaya to practice meditation at a nearby Buddhist pilgrimage site. As travel patterns change and fewer westerners visit Bodh Gaya, it has become necessary to expand sources of support to ensure the sustainability of the school.
Annual running costs for the school range from $45,000–$50,000 USD or 3,800,000 – 4,200,000 INR. This is approximately $90 USD per child per year.
484 Students Attended School in 2024
226 Boys
258 Girls
Founded in 1990, the Prajna Vihara School has gradually developed from a single class in a borrowed room into a multi-storied building with life changing educational opportunities for hundreds of children.
Director
Principal
Teacher of Hindi and Social Science
Teacher Educator (Australia)
Teacher of Science and Math
Meditation Teacher (USA)
Groundskeeper and Nightwatchman
Dharma Teacher (United Kingdom)
Teacher of Civics and English Language
Teacher of Science and Math
Teacher of Hindi and English Languages
Janitor
Yes, there are. But parents feel that the quality of education offered at the Prajna Vihar School is excellent and they want their children to attend this school.
Bihar is one of the poorest and most populous states in India. According to the 2011 census, Bihar is nearly 89% rural. Approximately 83% of Bihar’s population practice Hinduism, and 17% follow Islam. The overall state literacy rate is about 70% for males and 54% for females, with rural communities experiencing far lower levels of literacy. Nearly 58% of the population is under 25 years old. There are still villages where not a single person can read or write. Most homes are not connected to roads and few households have access to piped water.
Approximately 500 children from local villages attend the Prajna Vihar School. Most of the children come from very poor families whose parents may work as farmers or laborers; a minority of the children come from middle income families whose parents may run small local businesses or work in town. Admission priority is given to the children of widows and those abandoned by their caregivers.
The Sisters of Queen of the Apostles, a local Catholic monastic order of nuns who specialize in running schools, provide the principal and deputy who run the day to day operations. Their contract has been renewed every two years.
Please visit our Facebook Page to see posts and photographs about current student and school related activities.
Prajna Vihar School educates children in class levels from kindergarten through Class 8. The school offers a full curriculum of lessons in Hindi, math, physics, chemistry, computer training, biology, geography, history, English, Sanskrit, civics, and general knowledge. We have a library and a computer lab; the school does not yet have a science lab. In addition, the school teaches ethics, respect for religious traditions, music, art, storytelling, public speaking, traditional and contemporary dance, physical exercise, mindfulness meditation, and environmental issues. When funding allows, the senior class may be given the opportunity to take a bus or train trip to visit historic and cultural sites in cities such Varanasi, Patna, or Kolkata. These trips are often the first time in their lives that the children have left Bodh Gaya.
Yes. We welcome visitors, educators, and volunteers.
Bodh Gaya has many hotels for visitors, and the school is just a short walk from the Mahabodhi Temple. Most hotel managers can direct you to the Prajna Vihar School.
The coordinates of the school for online maps (such as google maps) are: 24.692138, 84.987915.
To make sure school is in session before you arrive, and to determine a good time to visit, please contact our principal: (+91) 919 940 9016, or email the office.
Our fundraisers are primarily western volunteers who make great efforts to use your donation wisely. Costs related to fundraising are largely covered by personal donations from volunteer fundraisers. A very small percentage of the donations may used to cover unavoidable administrative fees including wire transfer fees, credit card and third party payment processing fees (less than 5%). If you wish to make a large donation, please ask our fundraisers about the most cost effective way of making your donation in the currency you plan to use.
The Prajna Vihar School is managed by the non-profit Prajna Vihar Inter-religious Education Society (PVIRES) and is registered under sections 12A and 80G of the Indian Income Tax Act. The Society has been approved to receive funds from overseas through the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
Omprakash is a 501(c)(3) organization in the USA and a fiscal sponsor for the Prajna Vihar School. Donations made through Omprakash are tax deductible in the USA to the extent allowed by US tax laws.
The Bodhgaya Development Association is registered as a non-profit in Australia. Donations made through BDA are tax deductible in Australia to the extent allowed by Australian tax laws.
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