Vallabhi House

Vallabhi House

Vallabhi House takes its name from the ancient university of Valabhi, a centre of Hinayana Buddhism and Brahmanical learning in western India. What set Valabhi apart was its openness: Buddhist and Brahmanical scholars studied side by side, and the institution welcomed learning from different traditions rather than guarding a single one. The house draws on this legacy of inclusivity and service.

House Activities

Through the year, Vallabhi House fields teams across the full inter-house calendar — badminton, cricket and athletics on the sports side, and quizzes, debates and elocution on the academic side. Members also take part in cultural performances during the annual festival, where the house has built a reputation for collaborative rather than star-driven work. Beyond competition, the house runs community service initiatives tied to its motto: student-led drives for nearby outreach, peer mentoring for younger classes, and support roles during school events. House meetings are held every fortnight to review upcoming fixtures, assign responsibilities, and make sure no member is carrying a commitment alone.

Recent Achievements

• Winners of the Inter-House Badminton Championship (2023)
• Runner-up in the Inter-House Quiz Competition (2024)
• Reached the final of the Inter-House Cricket Spirit Cup (2024), commended for fair play across all matches

Message from the House Captain

When I first read about Valabhi, what stayed with me was not the scale of the university but the fact that students from different traditions chose to learn there together. That is the standard we try to hold ourselves to in this house. It shows up in small ways — a badminton doubles pair from different batches staying back to practise, the quiz team drilling questions with whoever is free rather than only their strongest member, older students helping Class VI children rehearse for the cultural festival. We do not always win. Last year we came second in the quiz by a single round, and the team was more disappointed for each other than for themselves. That, more than any trophy, is what "Service to Mankind is Service to God" looks like for us, and it is the part of Vallabhi House I am most proud to represent.