Interview: How govt teacher in UP raised Rs 150 crore from Rs 16 to help educators’ families

Hyderabad: In the heart of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, a quiet revolution in solidarity and support is taking place—without institutional backing, media amplification or celebrity endorsements.

It’s being led by Vivekanand Arya, a full-time government school teacher and the founder of the Teachers’ Self Care Team (TSCT), a grassroots movement that has mobilised over Rs 150 crore to support families of deceased educators. What began with just Rs 16 and a Telegram group has now grown into a nationwide force of 4 lakh volunteers.

Arya speaks to NewsMeter about how TSCT came to be—and why it must be known by every teacher in the country.

A beginning rooted in loss and realisation

Q. What inspired you to start the Teachers’ Self Care Team (TSCT)? How did it all begin with just Rs 16?

Vivekanand Arya: It started with a simple, painful realisation—there is no insurance or fallback for government school teachers. I come from a family that has always valued education and social responsibility. During the pandemic, I noticed how disproportionately teachers were dying, and how their families were left with nothing. No support, no system. I decided I had to do something. I reached out to friends and family, asking for help. We each contributed Rs 16. That’s all. That’s how it began.

Q. What was the first case you supported, and how did that moment shape you?

Vivekanand Arya: A teacher named Shakeel Ahmad passed away, leaving behind a daughter. We came together and raised Rs 7 lakh for her. It was the first time I saw the power of collective compassion. That moment cemented the idea: this wasn’t charity—it was responsibility. From then on, we kept going.

How the model works

Q. How does the TSCT model function in practice, from collection to disbursement?

Vivekanand Arya: TSCT doesn’t function like a typical NGO. There’s no central account. All funds are directly transferred by the users to the victims’ families through our website. Volunteers in every village help verify cases, collect documentation and guide families through the process. Every transaction is recorded, receipts are uploaded and photos/videos are taken on site for complete transparency.

Q. You’ve raised over Rs 150 crore without any institutional backing. How do you explain the collective trust that powers this?

Vivekanand Arya: Trust is earned through accountability. Every detail—from donation receipts to beneficiary photos—is available on our portal. There’s no ambiguity. People give because they know where it’s going. There’s no figurehead here. No name on the door. Everyone is family. That’s what we call ourselves: family.

Stories that stay

Q. Can you share a story of one teacher whose family TSCT helped?

Vivekanand Arya: There was a teacher couple from Uttar Pradesh who passed away, leaving behind two young daughters. We raised Rs 53 lakh for their education and future. Another family received support for a home loan after their only earning member passed away. These stories don’t leave you. They remind you why this work matters.

Q. How do you take care of your own emotional well-being while dealing with such heartbreaking cases?

Vivekanand Arya: I won’t pretend it’s easy. But every family we help gives me the strength to go on. The gratitude in their voices, the dignity we can help restore—it heals something inside me, too. The mission carries me through my own storms.

Building trust, avoiding politics

Q. What steps do you take to ensure transparency and prevent misuse or fraud?

Vivekanand Arya: Every applicant is verified personally. Volunteers collect photos, ID proofs and on-site documentation. We’ve designed our website to track every user’s activity. There’s no anonymous giving—every donation is logged. We even allow teachers to pre-nominate a beneficiary during enrolment to avoid disputes. One instalment per year is allowed to be missed, for which the institution covers the amount.

Q. Why don’t you tie up with media or political organisations?

Vivekanand Arya: We have no affiliations, deliberately so. TSCT isn’t about publicity or politics. It’s about people. Once you start aligning with power, you start diluting purpose.

Beyond Teachers: Expansion and vision

Q. Are you expanding TSCT beyond the teaching community?

Vivekanand Arya: We began with government school teachers in Uttar Pradesh, but now we’re expanding to other states such as Delhi, Haryana, West Bengal. We’re also opening the portal to non-teaching users and helping with cases of cancer, organ failure and even weddings for those in the user base. The idea is to grow, but without losing the core values of transparency and compassion.

Q. Do you think this model can work for other sectors like healthcare workers or frontline staff?

Vivekanand Arya: Absolutely. In fact, many from other sectors have already reached out. It just requires one thing: emotional buy-in. Once people feel a part of the mission, the money follows. That’s what we’ve seen time and again.

Ground realities and future plans

Q. How do you balance TSCT with your full-time job as a teacher?

There’s no balance, really. It’s one life, one purpose. My teaching and this work come from the same place—service. I manage my time around it. My students and colleagues understand. Many are even part of the network now.

Q. What’s next for TSCT? Do you plan to formalise it as a larger NGO or keep it grassroots?

We just spent Rs 12 lakh on building a secure website. We have over 4 lakh users. Our goal now is to continue expanding across India—slowly, organically, and responsibly. We’ll stay rooted in the community. We don’t want to become an institution. We want to remain a movement.

Q. What message would you like to give to young teachers entering the profession today?

Teaching is more than a job. It’s a bond. When we lose a colleague, we lose a part of ourselves. My message is simple: don’t wait for systems to take care of you. Take care of each other. That’s what will sustain this profession.