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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.

No, Shaniwar Wada Isn’t Megha Kulkarni’s Family Property!

On October 18, Muslim women offered namaz at Pune’s Shaniwar Wada. After a video of the event went viral, it triggered a political storm. In response, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni, along with Patit Pavan Sanghatana leaders, performed Shiv Vandana at the same spot as part of a “purification” drive. Her action drew sharp criticism from NCP spokesperson Rupali Patil-Thombre, journalist Nikhil Wagle, Paigambar Sheikh, and Sanjay Sonawne, who mocked her. Instead of seeking action against those who offered namaz, they demanded police action against Kulkarni. Rupali Thombre even made a personal remark, saying Shaniwar Wada does not belong to Medha Kulkarni’s father. While that is true, it equally does not belong to Thombre’s father — a fact she should have remembered before making such comments.


In August 2018, a controversy erupted at Pune’s Ferguson College over a Satyanarayan puja. At the time, MP Supriya Sule advised citizens to perform “religious rituals like the Satyanarayan puja at home.” Rupali Thombre would have done well to recall that advice before criticising Medha Kulkarni. The double standard of “pujas at home but namaz anywhere” will no longer be tolerated. Addressing this issue, Minister Nitesh Rane asked whether Hindus performing Maha Aarti or Hanuman Chalisa at Haji Ali Dargah would be acceptable — a question that silenced many critics. If Hindu rituals at the Taj Mahal are deemed a crime, why doesn’t the same rule apply to Shaniwar Wada? Would Maha Aarti or Hanuman Chalisa at Pune’s Aga Khan Palace or Bibi Ka Maqbara be tolerated? MP Medha Kulkarni’s firm stance, therefore, remains both justified and commendable.


Shaniwar Wada is not just a structure or a ruined building; it is a historical site from where the victorious hooves of Hindu warriors rode toward Delhi’s throne, overthrowing Islamic empires and hoisting saffron flags beyond Attock. Therefore, the sanctity of this site must be preserved, which reflects the sentiment of the common man. MP Megha Kulkarni has raised the voice of the common people against the namaz offered at Shaniwar Wada. Her stance is justified, and her movement was intended to warn against such incidents recurring in the future or namaz being offered in the Shaniwar Wada premises. It must be understood that her movement was not for personal gain, and the reason behind it should be acknowledged. A similar controversial incident occurred at Sarasbaug some time ago, showing a pattern between the events at Sarasbaug and Shaniwar Wada. Offering namaz at Shaniwar Wada may seem like a minor incident with no significant impact. It is a fact that needy individuals have offered namaz at the homes or offices of leaders across the country. However, it must be verified whether the incidents from Sarasbaug to Shaniwar Wada are part of a larger conspiracy. There is a possibility that experiments of offering namaz at places like Shaniwar Wada are being conducted gradually. If no one pays attention or opposes these acts, they may continue regularly, starting on Fridays and later whenever convenient. Such conspiracies have been observed in the past at forts like Vishalgad and Pratapgad, where small experiments were made to Islamise these sites. Similar experiments are reportedly underway on national and state highways as well. Therefore, the vigilance shown by MP Medha Kulkarni must be considered appropriate.


Shaniwar Wada holds immense historical and cultural significance, and while the Archaeological Department oversees it, the fact remains that namaz was offered there. MP Medha Kulkarni’s efforts were aimed at issuing a warning to prevent such incidents in the future. With the BJP in power both at the national level and in Maharashtra, questions have been raised about why a BJP Rajya Sabha MP like Medha Kulkarni needed to stage a movement. Some have even argued that her actions threaten Pune’s social harmony.


However, why is no one questioning the recurrence of such controversial incidents? Considering the sequence of events from Sarasbaug to Shaniwar Wada, her fearless movement, despite being a woman, is certainly praiseworthy. While other political parties in Pune have remained silent or hesitant for political gains, MP Medha Kulkarni has boldly raised the voice of Hindutva through her movement. Her actions will undoubtedly be noted in history, and it would not be an exaggeration to say so.


(The writer is a resident of Akola. Views personal.)

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