Social service has been an integral part of The Doon School since its inception. The first Headmaster, Mr. Arthur Foot believed that “the boys should leave Doon School as members of an aristocracy, but it must be an aristocracy of service inspired by ideas of unselfishness, not one of privilege, wealth or position.” For decades since then, this has been one of the foundation principles of the school. This was long before the Indian Council for School Education (ICSE Board) structured Socially Useful Productive Work (S.U.P.W) as an ancillary, but mandatory part of its curriculum.

Over the years the Doon School has accumulated an enviable record of service. The Dosco’s have always lent their helping hand, across India, to people affected by the worst hit earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides and floods. For instance, during the 1991 Uttarkashi earthquake, when all communication lines were down, the school’s HAM radio club joined hands with the state administration and aid-providers to set up channels of communication with the base station.

All boys of the school have to complete mandatory hours of social service. The school runs a Panchayat Ghar where the students teach the underprivileged children. The School has, over the years, adopted villages and worked with the villagers in the construction of houses, community centres and school buildings; sanitation systems; energy efficiency systems; self-employment and small scale irrigation systems. Apart from village development, the school is actively involved with the Raphael Ryder Cheshire International Centre and the Cheshire Home. The School has also taken an active plunge in the slum school project in collaboration with the Gyanoday Trust, where students and teachers of the school.

The Doon School is one of the regional spearheads of the Round Square Group of Schools and regularly participates and hosts international service projects. The IAYP programme which is run by the school is a further incentive for the boys to whole-heartedly take to service projects.

• Art / Screen Printing

• Audio Visual Squad

• Bank Squad & Tuck Shop

• Chair Squad

• Child Education

• Design & Technology

• Estate Care

• First Aid & Ambulance

• House Squads

• IAYP

• Implement Store & Anti Malaria

• Information Technology

• Library Committee

• Lost Property Office

• Mountaineering

• Music

• Paper Recycling

• RLSS

• RSIS

• Stage Committee

• Sunrise Club

• Trophy Squad

• Village Development

• Weather Reporting

• Website Maintenance

Khelshala:  Since its incefption in 1935, The Doon School has believed in reaching out to the wider community as part of its social service programme. The recent initiative to work with the charity fKhelshala that is based in Chandigarh is part of our larger goal to support the under-privileged sections of society. In March this year, 14 boys escorted by Mr. Sharfuddin and Mrs.Burrett spent five days in Chandigarh working closely with Khelshala. The boys spent their mornings going door-to-door to collect clothes, musical instruments and games equipment that were then donated to Khelshala. In the afternoon, they taught the children squash, basic Mathematics and English.

Khelshala has two world class squash courts that provide free learning opportunities to the under-privileged section of  Sector 42 of Chandigarh. Squash lies at the heart of the activities at Khelshala, which attracts young boys and girls to spend their afternoons learning the finer points of this game from former Harvard coach Mr. S. Bajwa. In fact, Khelshala was started by Mr. Bajwa to promote learning through the medium of squash.

It was an enriching experience and this exposure taught the boys that life has no limitations, except for the ones set by ourselves. They realized that these children possessed an optimism and zest for life that would help them succeed. In order to broaden their horizons, it was decided to invite them to The Doon School to interact with our boys. On 4th August, 2011, six boys from Khelshala came to School to spend a weekend. They played squash with the junior School team, visited Jaipur House to see the evening toye in session, did yoga and spent time at the Music School as well as the Art and Media School. They also went sight- seeing in the evening. For children who have never been outside Chandigarh, coming to Dehradun and visiting one of the country’s leading schools was a great opportunity and experience. In the coming months we look forward to working closely with Khelshala and their mission to promote learning among the deprived sections of the society.