The Indian government has settled Tibetan refugees in various places all over India. Some of these settlements are in Karnataka state in the surroundings of the district town of Mysore. An SOS Children's Village was built between the two largest settlements, at the small town of Bylakuppe about 85 km from Mysore. The SOS Children's Village has its own farm, where mainly corn is grown.
SOS Children's Village Bylakuppe consists of 32 family houses, each of which has its own vegetable garden. There is also a community house, a building with rooms for the staff, and the necessary administration and service area. The SOS Children's Village has its own SOS Kindergarten. In 1982, an SOS Hermann Gmeiner Primary School was built. In 1990, an SOS Hermann Gmeiner Secondary School was added. Both schools together have 36 classrooms and a capacity of 1,300 students. In the surrounding Tibetan settlements, a number of day-care centres have been established, where children up to the age of five are taken care of while their parents are at work.
Several SOS Youth Houses have been set up at Bylakuppe. Young people usually move from the SOS Children's Village to an SOS Youth Facility when they start a vocational training course or go on to higher education. With the support of qualified youth workers, the young people develop realistic perspectives for their future, learn to shoulder responsibility and increasingly make their own decisions. They are encouraged to develop team spirit and build up contacts with relatives and friends, as well as with the relevant authorities and potential employers.