Two Melbourne brothers have begun a new chapter at boarding school, but a community fundraiser to secure their education and long-term stability is still far from finished.
Ryan and Dhanush Chandaka have faced an extraordinarily difficult year following the sudden death of their father, Arjun Rao Chandaka, in December. Described by family members as a hardworking and devoted parent, Arjun was the sole provider for the family.
In the weeks after his death, the boys’ mother was hospitalised for acute mental health care and later travelled to India to be supported by her sisters, leaving the brothers without a parent able to care for them in Australia.
To keep them together and maintain continuity in their education, a Melbourne school offered both boys enrolment from 2026, with boarding the only viable option. The arrangement allows the older brother to complete Year 12 while the younger begins Year 7, preserving a sense of routine and stability amid the upheaval.
“Boarding gives them the structure, care and familiarity they need at such a difficult time,” the family said, adding that keeping the brothers together was a priority.
The cost of tuition and boarding for both boys exceeds $89,000, a figure well beyond what the family can manage alone. A fundraising campaign on MyCause, titled Honouring a Father’s Legacy: Keeping His Boys in School in Australia, has been launched to help cover the expenses.
Supporters have been sharing updates as the boys settle into their new environment, marking milestones such as their first formal uniform event and their initial days on campus. Organisers say the fundraiser has reached about 20 per cent of its target so far and is still urgently seeking support.
Any funds raised will go directly towards schooling costs, with any surplus used to help the boys maintain contact with their mother through travel between Australia and India. Their cousins, who are coordinating the campaign, will act as local emergency contacts and provide weekend care to support their wellbeing.
Family members say the campaign is about more than finances — it is an effort to honour their father’s legacy by protecting his sons’ education and giving them the stability he worked so hard to provide.
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