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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.

Is India Tolerant of Feminist Protests?

Updated: Nov 15, 2024

India Tolerant of Feminist Protests

Freedom of expression is a broad concept that cannot be explained simply. Expression includes what we speak, what we eat, how we react, what we wear, and much more. When I set out for work, I look into the mirror and decide what to wear; I just wear it. My loved ones express opinions, but they don’t dictate. If I don’t have something, I buy it with just a click on any shopping app. Irrespective of whether I am a working woman or a homemaker, I admit, I am blessed. I chose my educational path, I chose my career, I chose my life partner, I chose to quit work for kids, I chose to resume my profession, I chose what I eat, I decided what I wear. However, many are not blessed to have the independence to even make basic decisions in life. Being born and brought up in India, more so in Mumbai, my upbringing and broad-minded family allow me the freedom to express, decide, and protest.


As the theory of relativity rightly explains, compared to some countries, India is relatively a safe place for women who can raise their voices and still hope to lead a safe life. Especially in comparison to some Islamic countries where women do not even breathe without a man’s permission, India seems much more tolerant. In some countries like Iran, Dubai, and Pakistan, women are so suppressed that their frustration either finds a drastic path to explode into the world of freedom or they choose the most uncomfortable paths to feel relieved. In countries like Syria, women may look up to the women in Iran and Afghanistan who dare to protest. A recent example of an Iranian female student who was arrested after she stripped in protest against alleged assault by security guards over an improper hijab. Many countries witness horrible repercussions for women after they raise their voices. Some countries give them the right to express themselves freely by law, while others don’t. Many women like Malala Yusufzai have paid a huge price for objecting to the norms. Movements against the oppression of women in Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and many such Islamic countries are not new to our knowledge. Some women chose to protest, after which they faced horrible consequences from the moral policing monitors, while others unknowingly fell prey to mob lynching after their attire didn’t match the ideology of the fanatics. For example, just a few months ago, in early 2024, Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi of Pakistan saved a teenage girl in Lahore from falling prey to horrible consequences after an angry mob accused her of blasphemy after mistaking the Arabic calligraphy printed on her dress for verses from the Quran.


Some women lack the courage to defy societal norms and openly seek discreet ways to fulfill their desires. Mumbai-based photographer Veena Gokhale shared how a Sheikh's daughter in Dubai secretly hired her for a bikini photoshoot, expressing her frustration with always being fully covered."


While I’m grateful for my freedom, it’s too simplistic to generalise India’s approach to women. Many areas still dictate what women must do. Not a single day the sun sets without bringing unfortunate news of a woman or a child being harassed, raped, or murdered in India. Women's safety has long been a concern across both cities and villages in India. Safety concerns keep many women from relocating to the national capital. Children face harassment in school vans. From domestic violence and dowry deaths to gang rapes and daily harassment in crowded spaces, women in India constantly struggle to lead a safe, healthy life of their choice. So, the question remains: what is the difference between India and these oppressive countries? The difference is that India's approach to the protests raised was in contrast to that of others. Take the classic example of the 2008 protest by a young lady in Gujarat. It was the same way of protest that the Iranian girl chose. 22-year-old Pooja Chouhan had taken to the streets of Rajkot in undergarments in protest against police inaction in arresting her husband and in-laws who were allegedly abusing her mentally and physically over dowry demands. Was she killed or arrested after that? The answer is no. Rajkot police arrested Chouhan’s husband and others involved and initiated a probe into her grievances within 24 hours of her protest. She chose to take an extreme step to be heard, and her voice was heard. While India has a long way to go in ensuring equal rights for women and safety for women in all corners of its landscape, India’s legal system has allowed India to be tolerant of thoughts and counter thoughts that pave the way to break age-old stereotypes.

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