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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.

‘Dreamliner’ – Boeing's best-seller

Mumbai: The Boeing 787 Dreamliner – one of which ended up in the nightmarish crash in Ahmedabad, minutes after it took off with 242 souls on board – ranked as a pride in the US-based The Boeing Company’s hangar of modern aircraft.

 

Soon after the debacle of the Ahmedabad-Gatwick London flight, Boeing said in a statement from Seattle: “We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected.”

 

The Dreamliner is considered a veritable masterpiece in civil aviation, bringing with it cutting-edge technology, comforts and most important fuel efficiency.

 

Manufactured by Boeing’s division, Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA), the Dreamliners are used and quickly became a favourite of many airlines plus other aviation companies globally in a short span.

 

“In less than 14 years, the 787 Dreamliner fleet has carried more than one billion passengers, faster than any other wide body jet in aviation history,” proclaims Boeing.com.

 

It said that the airplane’s industry-leading technology creates remarkable opportunities for airlines around the world and dramatically improves the air travel experience.

 

“A lighter and robust composite structure enables airlines to reduce fuel use by up to 25 percent compared to the airplanes it replaces. The 787 has unlocked more than 425 new nonstop routes around the world, many of which were never served previously,” said Boeing.com.

 

The company added that on nearly 5 million flights, fliers have an experience like none other in the air. These include: innovative interiors which provide spacious cabins, better views with the largest windows available on any widebody commercial jet today, and cabin enhancements that allow passengers to arrive at their destinations feeling more refreshed.

 

Way back in October 2012, Air India became the first airline to take delivery of a Dreamliner built at Boeing’s South Carolina plant, outside its original Everett, Washington facility.

 

The Boeing Dreamliner family of 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10 can carry 248, 296 and 336 passengers respectively, in two configurations. 

 

Its range is around 13,530 kms, 14,010 kms and 11,730 kms, making it ideal for long-haul transcontinental services, and all fitted with the same GEnx-1B/Trent 1000 engines.

 

While all the three Dreamliner aircraft are sleek, 17 metres tall with a wing-span 60 metres each, their lengths are 57 metres, 63 metres and 68 metres, respectively.

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