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Sree Narayana Trust, also known as the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) or Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, has been an educational organisation in the Indian state of Kerala since 1952. It is named after Narayana Guru. The institutions operated by the Trust follow his footsteps, trying to create strength through organisation and to seek liberation through education. The Trust aims to realize the high ideals of its namesake, who professed the welfare of all without any discrimination on the basis of caste, creed or religion. It was formed by a former Chief Minister of Kerala, R. Sankar, in 1952 to manage the Sree Narayana College, Kollam. Later, educational institutions were started in other parts of Kerala for the upliftment of the socially and educationally backward strata of society. Today, the Trust runs numerous educational institutions and hospitals.
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Schools and colleges
SNDP founded schools and colleges in the independent India. Previously the only private colleges were those managed by the church. The movement started with Sree Narayana College in Kollam. Many educational institutions were started under leadership of SNDP yogam. But soon it became quite difficult to maintain many such institutions by the Yogam, whose main objective was the propagation of Narayana Guru's vision among the masses. Under such circumstances, under the leadership of Sankar, the Sree Narayana Trust was started.
Controversies
Though these educational institutions were started to help socially and economically backward sections of the society. In the recent years there had been wide spread allegations against instances of bribe and corruption in SN Trust institutions in the form of capitation fees which had malafide intentions to serve the interests of richer sections.