History

DKSHA’s founder, Isaac Arulappan, is a proud native to the nearby village of Manapparai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Isaac was raised as an orphan himself after the loss of his mother at the age of ten. Following his graduation from the Boys Town Orphanage, Isaac went on to achieve a Physics degree at St. Joseph’s College in Tiruchirappalli and a degree in Community Development from the Coady International Institute in Nova Scotia. Mr. Arulappan then worked for a time as a Vice Principal at the Montfort Matric High School in Aizawl, Mizoram. Isaac worked for a total of three years before quitting his job in order to start the orphanage now known as DKSHA.

In 1993, the Deva Kirubai Social Help Association (DKSHA) was officially founded. Initially, DKSHA consisted of one building and worked only to complete service projects in the surrounding areas of Manapparai. During this time, DKSHA had not yet begun to admit children under their care. In 2004, DKSHA built itself up to two buildings and admitted four children into the orphanage. By 2020, DKSHA had expanded to the size of a small campus and is currently home to fifty-eight orphaned/semi-orphaned children.

DKSHA remains under the ownership of Mr. Isaac Arulappan and his wife, Mrs. Isabella Arulappan. The two have a daughter and a son who live alongside the children of DKSHA. To this day, DKSHA continues to provide its community with essential resources and sustainable opportunities.