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By:

Shoumojit Banerjee

27 August 2024 at 9:57:52 am

Classroom of Courage

In drought-scarred Maharashtra, a couple’s experiment in democratic schooling is turning child beggars into model citizens In the parched stretches of Maharashtra, from Solapur to the drought-hit villages of Marathwada, a modest social experiment has quietly unfolded for nearly two decades. It is neither a grand government scheme nor a corporate-backed charity. Since 2007, the Ajit Foundation, founded by Mahesh and Vinaya Nimbalkar, has worked with children living at the sharpest edges of...

Classroom of Courage

In drought-scarred Maharashtra, a couple’s experiment in democratic schooling is turning child beggars into model citizens In the parched stretches of Maharashtra, from Solapur to the drought-hit villages of Marathwada, a modest social experiment has quietly unfolded for nearly two decades. It is neither a grand government scheme nor a corporate-backed charity. Since 2007, the Ajit Foundation, founded by Mahesh and Vinaya Nimbalkar, has worked with children living at the sharpest edges of society in Maharashtra. The foundation has become a home for out-of-school children, those who have never enrolled, the children of migrant labourers and single parents, and those who scavenge at garbage dumps or drift between odd jobs. To call their foundation an “NGO” is to miss the point. Vinaya Nimbalkar describes it as a “democratic laboratory”, where education is not merely instruction but an initiation into citizenship. The couple were once government schoolteachers with the Solapur Zilla Parishad, leading stable lives. Yet what they witnessed unsettled them: children who had never held a pencil, begging at traffic signals or sorting refuse for a living. Prompted by this reality, the Nimbalkars resigned their jobs to work full-time for the education of such children. Leap of Faith They began modestly, teaching children in migrant settlements in Solapur and using their own salaries to pay small honorariums to activists. Funds soon ran dry, and volunteers drifted away. Forced out of their home because of their commitment to the cause, they started a one-room school where Vinaya, Mahesh, their infant son Srijan and forty children aged six to fourteen lived together as an unlikely family. The experiment later moved to Barshi in the Solapur district with support from Anandvan. Rural hardship, financial uncertainty and the pandemic repeatedly tested their resolve. At one stage, they assumed educational guardianship of nearly 200 children from families that survived by collecting scrap on the village outskirts. Eventually, the foundation relocated to Talegaon Dabhade near Pune, where it now runs a residential hostel. Twenty-five children currently live and study there. The numbers may seem modest, but the ambition is not. Democracy in Practice What distinguishes the Ajit Foundation is not only who it serves but also how it operates. Within its walls, democracy is practised through a Children’s Gram Panchayat and a miniature Municipal Council elected by the children themselves. Young candidates canvass, hold meetings and present their budgets. Children maintain accounts and share decisions about chores, activities and certain disciplinary matters. In a country where democratic culture is often reduced to voting, the foundation’s approach is quietly radical. It treats children from marginalised backgrounds as citizens in formation. The right to choose — whether to focus on sport, cooking, mathematics or cultural activities — is respected. “We try never to take away what is their own,” says Vinaya Nimbalkar. Rather than forcing every child into a uniform academic mould, individual abilities are encouraged. A boy skilled in daily calculations may not be pushed into hours of bookish study; a girl who excels in cooking may lead the kitchen team. For children who have known only precarity, standing for election, managing a budget or speaking at a meeting can be transformative. On International Women’s Day, the foundation seeks visibility not just for praise but for partnership. If you are inspired by their mission, consider supporting or collaborating—your involvement can help extend opportunities to more children in need.

A Global Creative Connect

The WAVES paves the way for international creative collaboration

Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone during a session at the first World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai on Thursday. Pic: PTI
Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone during a session at the first World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai on Thursday. Pic: PTI

Mumbai: The roads in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex were bathed in hues of pink with banners announcing the first-of-its-kind WAVES summit. But inside the power-packed halls of the swanky Jio Convention Centre, the theme was all about the ‘orange economy’—an industry that encompasses the creative fields such as gaming, films, music and animation which is seen as a powerful tool of economic and cultural growth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who inaugurated the high-profile World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), emphasised that the summit was indeed an actual ‘wave’ symbolising creativity and global connections that could channelise the energy of the Indian youth constructively.


During his impactful hour-long speech to an audience brimming with ministers from several countries, India’s leading industrialists and members of the Indian film fraternity and young gamers, Modi dipped into Indian mythology and history while appealing to the youth with emphasis on animation and gaming.


The Prime Minister stressed on numbers, catchy slogans and statements and showed the immense potential the industry holds—the global animation industry, he said, is worth $430 million and is set to double within the next 10 years. India, with its huge young population, stands at the crossroads of building a prosperous orange economy.


Rich heritage

Modi drew from India’s rich cinematic and cultural heritage. The first ever feature film, Harishchandra, was made on this day, 112 years ago. He harked back to the contribution of India’s literary and cinematic giants from the poet Kalidas to Guru Dutt and Raj Kapoor. Indian cinema, he said, has reached the corners of the world. But while hailing the work of the maestros, Modi acknowledged the numerous stories, folklore and musical traditions of every little corner of the country. Music and dance, he said, was patronised by none other than the Gods in Hindu religion and the lullaby, set to tune, is the mother’s first interaction with her child. “Just as a mother weaves dreams for her child through poetry and music, artistes weave together the collective dreams of an era,” he said. Modi’s speech stressed on India’s powerful storytelling tradition and heritage of languages, dialects, folklore and music.


The speech wasn’t all about heritage and nostalgia. While positioning India as a creative hub for other nations to turn their attention to, Modi emphasised on the all-encompassing nature of the land that has welcomed and assimilated various cultural identities. He appealed to the youth—be it a podcaster, musician, gamer or filmmaker from any part of the country, to join this new revolution that could boost the Indian economy.


Hailing the WAVES as the “beginning of the orange economy”, Modi proudly said that Indian films release in more than 100 countries and people watch Indian content with subtitles in their own languages. The Indian OTT industry has seen a 10-fold growth in recent years. Relying on catchy slogans to drive home the point, Modi said that while screens are becoming “micro”, the message is “mega” and while the screen size may be shrinking with OTT and games, the scope in the field is infinite.


Global exhibitors

The summit has exhibitors from around the world, a Bharat Pavilion which will showcase the creative talent and opportunities across India, panel discussions and talks which will unfold over the next four days.

WAVES, which is likely to see more than 10000 delegates is likely to be a transformative platform for India’s creative industries by facilitating international collaborations and business while dipping into our country’s rich cultural tapestry.


Create in India Challenges

Thirty-two challenges and competitions saw more than one lakh participants from 60 countries of which 800 finalists have been selected


Three key challenges will see their finale during WAVES


Wah Ustad: A nationwide competition for young vocalists, it provides a platform to classical, semi classical and Sufi singing talent.


Make the World Wear Khadi: A call to global advertising and marketing professionals to design campaigns promoting and position Khadi as an international brand through innovative advertising


Resonate: The EDM Challenge: Organized by the Indian Music Association (IMA) along with the I and B Ministry, this challenge invites global artists to showcase their talent in Electronic Dance Music (EDM) production.


I'm going to tell myself I have done pretty well: Deepika

As someone who moved to Mumbai when she was just 18, Bollywood star Deepika Padukone says she has done quite well for herself by creating a space in the world of entertainment.


The 39-year-old actor joined superstar Shah Rukh Khan for a session, titled "The Journey: From Outsider To Ruler", at the inaugural WAVES Summit on Thursday here.


"Today when I look back at the journey... For an 18-year-old to move to a big city... It was a big decision to make. Those little things, having to navigate life with trial and error. Overall, when I look back I say not bad, well done.


"I am actually going to tell myself I have done pretty well. You don't really sit back and look at the journey. I don't celebrate the moments too much. I look at things in a straightforward way," said Deepika, who started out as a model before making her acting debut with 2007's "Om Shanti Om" opposite Shah Rukh.


In her "me time", the "Padmaavat" star said she focuses on everyday things like running her house.


"There's a study where all the mail comes... I sort out all of it... Cleaning the kitchen, checking vegetable stock for the week, laundry...  I don't know any other way. Maybe because I started out this way. I didn't have a big house earlier. I didn't have house help," she added.


Shah Rukh, who also starred with Deepika in movies such as "Happy New Year", "Chennai Express", "Pathaan" and "Jawan", praised the actor, saying she will be a great mother to Dua, her daughter with actor-husband Ranveer Singh.


"The role she is going to play the best, is that of a mother, to Dua. She is really going to be a wonderful mom," he said.


Deepika called the inaugural World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) "a timely event".


"The way this has come together, it was high time. India being the centre of it (cinema and entertainment) is the right time. It's the coming together of AI, tech, and storytelling," she added.


I don't indulge in overworking, overthinking: Shah Rukh Khan

When he is not working, he is in a meditative state, superstar Shah Rukh Khan said on Thursday at the inaugural day of the WAVES summit here.


Addressing a session on 'The Journey: From Outsider to Ruler' at the event, which is billed as a platform to position India as a global hub for media, entertainment and digital innovation, he also batted for more theatres and less expensive tickets in India.


"I still believe the call of the day is a lot more theatres, small theatres in small towns, cheaper theatres so that we can show more films to people in every corner of the country," Shah Rukh said.


He expressed the hope that with the WAVES summit, shooting processes should become easier "not only for Indians but also for people coming from outside".


"I don't indulge in overworking, overthinking. When I am not on the sets, I don't do anything. I am in a meditative state," the superstar said in a fireside chat with director friend Karan Johar and Deepika Padukone, his co-star on many movies.


The actor, one of the biggest superstars in Hindi cinema, said when he was young, he was "brash" but also gutsy.


"I believe when I was brash, overconfident, reckless, and a lot more stupid. I'm happy I was like this otherwise I wouldn't have chosen the path I did with such wonderful people. I was a little gutsy also. Thank you, young Shah Rukh Khan for being so cool," he said. 

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