Padma Bhushan Shri Karamshi Jethabhai Somaiya’s first initiative in education was the founding of Somaiya Vidyavihar Mandir school in 1942 in rural Maharashtra (Kopargaon taluka), to provide quality holistic education. It was founded on the belief that education is an important pillar of nation-building with the power to change lives, and that it is the duty of the privileged to provide education to the needy.

Shri K J Somaiya guided Somaiya Vidyavihar until 1999; his son Dr S K Somaiya was at the helm of affairs till 2010. Presently, Shri Samir Somaiya, a Cornell University and Harvard University alumnus, serves as the President.

At Somaiya Vidyavihar, we want to create an education institution that is proudly Indian, world class in research and universal in the reach of ideas. Somaiya Vidyavihar comprises 34 allied institutions, with more than 39,000 students and 1,500 faculty. These educational institutes are spread across two widespread main campuses in Vidyavihar and Ayurvihar in Sion, both located in the heart of Mumbai. A number of smaller campuses across rural Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are also managed by the Trust. The Somaiya educational institutions offer a wide range of programs at the undergraduate, Post-Graduate, and Doctoral levels. The Somaiya Vidyavihar campus also offers vocational programs, in addition to junior colleges and schools in English, Gujarati, and Marathi medium from pre-primary level onwards.

Somaiya Vidyavihar fosters an ecosystem that excels in education, research, consultancy, and service. It is a place where knowledge is preserved, disseminated and new knowledge is created. It is well-known for its Science, Technology, Medicine, Engineering, Management, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Commerce programs, as well as for its studies in various Faiths and Cultures of India.

Vision

To transform the school into a place of joyful learning where students learn, feel, experience the value for their potentials and talents by being and becoming an active learning partner, which will enable them to walk confidently towards their future by contributing to the well-being of their society, environment and the nation.

Mission statement

We are committed to educating our students beyond the confines of the classroom in order to make them better individuals/ Citizens, and to develop their personalities with the deep appreciation of knowledge, culture, values, environment and learning.