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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.

BJP’s youngest working President takes charge

Bihar leader Nitin Nabin’s rise signals a strategic shift for the saffron party amid leadership transition

New Delhi: The appointment of Bihar BJP minister Nitin Nabin as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) National Working President has created a frisson of excitement through party ranks as well as among political observers. The decision was announced on Sunday by national general secretary Arun Singh on behalf of the BJP’s Parliamentary Board. Following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, party president JP Nadda was appointed Union Health Minister, prompting a search for a new national president. Nadda had become national president in 2020, with his term ending in June 2024, he has been on extension since then.


This move is viewed as a strategic shift linking Bihar’s politics with national dynamics. The central leadership chose Nabin for his organizational experience, grassroots connect, and administrative skills. His appointment also implies that the so-called ‘cold war’ that was brewing between the BJP and its parent body, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has ended.


The appointment naturally signals more than an organizational tweak as it is poised to shape national politics ahead. Nabin is seen within the BJP as a leader who has served at every level, from the youth wing to state government and now the national organization, embodying the party’s trust.


Insiders know him as a disciplined organizer, a strong strategist and a solid ground-level connector. Thos familiar with Nabin’s skills say it is no surprise that when the party needed to sharpen its national structure, eyes turned towards him.


Nabin began his political journey with the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), serving as national general secretary and to engage youth for Bihar. This experience propelled him to state in-charge for Chhattisgarh and now working national president.


Nabin boasts a strong hold in Bihar, credited with helping the BJP win more seats there. He has won the Bihar Assembly elections for a record fifth consecutive time and rejoined the cabinet. He currently represents the Bankipur constituency.


Bengal Gambit

Hailing from the Kayastha community, a reliable core BJP voter base, this appointment strengthens organizationally while signalling social representation and balance. Top posts for Kayastha leaders have long been discussed. Nabin could play a key role in upcoming West Bengal elections and Uttar Pradesh’s 2027 polls.


A familiar name in Bihar politics, the five-time MLA serves as Road Construction Minister in the current government. Winning Bankipur constituency four times in a row after delimitation, Nabin has carried forward his late father Naveen Sinha’s legacy while shining in government and organisation.


He is known for accelerating road construction and advancing urban housing schemes under his leadership. His path from youth politics to cabinet minister and now national working president places him among the BJP’s influential leaders.


The BJP appointed him in-charge for Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, which the party won decisively. His dual experience in government and organization is extensive.


Public Trust

Nabin, MLA from Patna’s Bankipur seat, has won public trust for five straight terms. His debut victory came in the 2006 by-election, followed by wins in 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025. In 2020, he triumphed by nearly 84,000 votes, defeating Shatrughan Sinha’s son Luv Sinha handily. In 2025, he secured 98,299 votes, beating RJD’s Rekha Kumari by a massive 51,936 votes-his biggest margin yet.


Born in Patna on May 23, 1980, Nabin studied in Delhi. His father, Naveen Kishor Sinha, was a BJP stalwart and MLA who started in the JP Movement. He died of a heart attack in 2005 at age 55, when Nabin was just 26.


Post his father’s death, Nabin plunged into electoral politics, quickly building his own mark. Before that, his BJYM role honed his organizational skills. He first joined Nitish Kumar’s cabinet in February 2021 and was re-inducted last month after elections. He now handles Road Construction and Urban Development and Housing.


At just 45, Nabin is the youngest to hold this BJP responsibility, Amit Shah was 50 when he became national president. It is a bold gamble by the party.


"The BJP not only promotes youths but also guides and curates them to achieve larger goals. It is the only party that allows its grassroots workers to thrive. I have always worked on the ideas of my father, who considered the party as his mother and prioritised the nation over everything. I think that is the reason the party has blessed me with this opportunity to continue working with BJP workers."

Nitin Nabin, Working President, BJP

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