The Kalyan Ashram was founded in 1952 by
Ramakant Keshav Deshpande (also known as Balasaheb Deshpande), an ex-official of the Madhya Prasdesh State Department of Tribal Welfare, with the support of the State Government and the
RSS. After Independence, Balasaheb was appointed by the then Ravi Shankar Shukla Government to work in tribal-dominated Jashpur area as ‘Regional Officer’ of the ‘Tribal Development Scheme’. Its aim was to counter the appeal of Christian missionary schools to the tribals. Based in Jashpur (214 km from
Raigarh), it established schools in
Raigarh and
Surguja districts - areas with large tribal populations. The Ashram grew rapidly and a permanent office was established in 1963, inaugurated by the RSS chief
M. S. Golwalkar. ==See also==