UNLOCKING MINDS

YASHESHBHAI, a 51-year-old resident of Ahmedabad, has faced immense challenges throughout his life. His father battled severe depression, and after he married, his wife developed severe eye problems, eventually losing her sight after the birth of their child.

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His brother also suffered from mental challenges. Confronted with such overwhelming adversity, Yashesh Shah himself fell into depression. However, he refused to let his circumstances define him. With unwavering determination, he decided to dedicate his life to supporting the mentally challenged and disabled. This commitment led him to establish the Shah Jaswantlal Jeevanlal Charitable Trust (JJCT) Psychological Rehabilitation Center Institute.

Now celebrating 20 years of transformative work, the JJCT Psychological Rehabilitation Center has empowered over 500 mentally challenged individuals to become self-employed through their innovative training programs. Additionally, more than 30,000 disabled people have benefited from various initiatives led by the organization. The center’s placement department regularly organises employment fairs, inviting corporate companies to provide job opportunities, thereby integrating the disabled community into the workforce.

Yashesh Shah was born on January 17, 1974, in Maninagar, Ahmedabad. He hails from the prominent Sheth family of the Vaishnavite sect in khanpur village, Dehgam. His father is an engineer and a retired government official.

Despite facing familial conflicts, Yashesh also encountered challenges in his career. His father, a government official, wanted Yashesh to become a doctor, while Yashesh’s passion lay in the arts. Yielding to his father’s wishes, he enrolled in medical school in Anand. However, due to his father’s frequent transfers and his mother’s struggle to manage the household alone, Yashesh had to leave his medical studies to support his family.