Maitraban is a no grant, no donation social service project and is being run by Gandhe Jeewanchhaya Sanstha which was established in 2001 and is duly registered with Registrar of Societies and Joint Charity Commissioner, Nagpur.The registration number is Maha-1031/01 and F-18727 (Nagpur) respectively.

Motto of Maitraban

“Dignified and respectable life to Senior Citizens”
is the motto of Maitraban & it is with this aim that it is operated.

How did the idea originate?

The tightly knit joint family structure for which Indians are known all over the world is slowly getting unstable for some or the other reason,(of course nobody is to be blamed for this) and impact of this is mainly felt by elderly people of joint family. More ever the Western practice of staying away from parents,(in educated Indian families) added to the miseries of senior citizens in their own home. Many youngsters have to leave their matrubhoomi in search of good karmabhoomi, thereby leaving their parents alone and care is taken telephonically or by web camera talk. The youngsters cannot look after the needs & problems (physical & psychological) of their parents for want of better career opportunities.

Thinking of dire need of senior citizens of upper middle class educated Indian families, the Gandhe family of Nagpur thought of this unusual social project and that germ of idea has today grown into Maitraban.

What is Maitraban?

Maitraban, as name suggest in Marathi is “A Forest of Friends”.

It is beautifully developed small-mini township exclusively constructed for senior citizens and is not for sale. A full thought and due consideration is given to various aspects of residential requirements of senior citizens, while designing and constructing this township. Due care is also taken not to make it conventional Vruddhashram or Home for the Aged.We feel that, Maitraban will be best use for senior citizens who
* Have successfully executed domestic responsibilities and are now looking for a happy life free from all day-to-day hassles.
*Want to stay away from their home, just for a change.
*Are staying with their children comfortably & want to stay for some period if their children are going out for some tour or holidays.
*Have children settled abroad.

In the charming and cheerful years of retired life, when one is physically & mentally fit & active, one would like to stay in an atmosphere, which is peaceful, picturesque and pollution free and also free from daily domestic chores. Such persons would definitely like to have a place like home with a company of like minded friends in the same age group. A place where friendly discussions & exchange of thoughts is the way of life. Maitraban is a place, which precisely fulfils all the above aspects of retired life.

Maitraban is not Vruddhashram or Home for the Aged

The creators of Maitraban do not wish to call it as Vruddhashram or Home for the Aged and are trying hard to emphasize this in the minds of senior citizens.

Vruddhashram or Home for the Aged creates in mind a gloomy & pathetic picture, a place where there is no ray of hope in the life of inmates, a place where there is no dignity of life, a place where food is a ritual. In general our society thinks that Vruddhashram is synonym for a dingy place with common dormitory type accommodation, common toilet & congested dining hall with ordinary food arrangements. Some also interprete Vruddhashram as a place for keeping elderly in a pitiable condition, a place for keeping people who are unwanted by their children & relatives, a place which can be termed as a “dumping ground”.

We at Maitraban are trying hard to remove this stigma of Vruddhashram or Home for the Aged from the minds of people. In our brochures, website etc. we have been careful about not using negative language about old age. Utmost care has been taken while designing & constructing Maitraban so that charming atmosphere prevails in the entire premises. We sincerely wish that it should be understood & known only as Maitraban.

Senior citizens residing at Maitraban are called as residents and not inmates, and it is right from here that the concept of dignified and respectable life starts.

The creators of Maitraban sincerely feel that a place of residence of Senior Citizens should be such-
Where the atmosphere is fresh & full of delight.
It should be beautiful & charming having all modern facilities of standard living.
It should be free from air & noise pollution and above all the surroundings & behaviour of working staff should have warmth & affection.

Hence all the concepts of conventional Vruddhashram or Home for the Aged which are normally thought by any social voluntary organization or Government are kept miles away while designing, constructing, furnishing and now running of Maitraban.