Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis today inaugurated ‘Maitreyi’ a new hostel building for girl students of Somaiya Vidyavihar.

Built at a cost of Rs. 30 crore by Somaiya Vidyavihar in its Vidyavihar Campus in Mumbai, the hostel with a capacity to accommodate over 300 students is the biggest hostel amongst private educational institutions in Mumbai.  With facilities such as a large community hall, well-furnished lounges on every floor, a medical room, music room, large dining area, playroom and waiting room for visitors, the hostel has been designed keeping in mind the needs of girl students.

The inaugural programme was also attended by Prakash Mehta, Cabinet Minister Housing Department, Government of Maharashtra; Sadashiv Lokhande, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) - Shirdi constituency.

The hostel will house students of Somaiya Vidyavihar from diverse streams including Engineering, Science, Management, Arts and Commerce from Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Nagpur and other parts of the country as well as international students from countries like Bahrain, Vietnam, Congo and Tajikistan. 

At the inauguration, Honourable Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis said “Our Society is based on knowledge and it is important to pass knowledge to the next generation. Only those institutions that practice innovation will survive. At Somaiya Vidyavihar, you have created a beautiful ecosystem of innovation. Our dream of making India a powerhouse is only possible when our youth are encouraged to innovate and implement new ideas “.

Further, CM Devendra Fadnavis invited Mr Samir Somaiya to provide inputs on the University Act so that it can be bettered.

Mr Samir Somaiya, President, Somaiya Vidyavihar said “Our vision is to enable development of our youth by empowering them with education. We have been receiving several requests from parents and students to expand our hostels.  This new hostel is part of our contribution to the community and towards the development of the youth, who are our future. A hostel for girls was especially important as increasingly girls are taking on courses that are challenging and need their full attention. Being in the hostel allows them to take these courses.”

Mr. T S Sundarrajan, Campus Administrator, Somaiya Vidyavihar said “The girl's hostel has already received over 300 registrations. Staying  in the campus hostel gives students time to focus on their courses which need project work or team work; parents are encouraged and comforted by the safety and security offered by the campus."

Mrs Sohiba, mother of Gulbegim a student from Tajikistan said “This hostel will turn out to be a dream come true for parents wishing to send their children to a home outside their home, I feel relieved and stress free when I know that my child is getting a chance to pursue her dreams and is safe, One of the major concerns for us, parents to send our children outside the city to study is the accommodation. It is not easy to get an accommodation in a city like Mumbai that is safe and comfortable”.

Akshita Gupta a student of K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research said, “The hostel is well equipped with all the modern facilities and the most important highlight is the huge balcony which is a rarely seen feature in accommodations in Mumbai. With the accommodation taken care of, all that we will be able to give our 100% to academics”

About Somaiya Vidyavihar: (www.somaiya.edu)

Somaiya Vidyavihar encompasses 34 institutions, with more than 39,000 students and 1,500 faculty. Its main campus is in Mumbai, but Somaiya Vidyavihar also operates six schools in rural India, i.e. in Dahanu, Sakarwadi, Laxmiwadi, Kopargaon, Sameerwadi, Kutch, Bagalkot and Bhopal. It was founded by the Padmabhushan Shri Karamshi Jethabhai Somaiya in 1959, to provide quality holistic education.

Somaiya Vidyavihar has always been a place with a purpose - making a positive difference in the quality of life of its students and the community. It is known as much for its science, technology, engineering, management, social science and commerce programs, as for its programs for academic studies in various faiths and cultures of India.