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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.

Punjab’s Unbroken Spine

My name is Punjab, the land graced by five mighty rivers. My story is one of resilience, woven deeply into India's fabric since 1947, a year that marked both heartbreak and hope. The trauma of the Partition ripped through me, leaving scars that time has not erased. Yet, I rose from those ashes to cultivate my fields once again. The Green Revolution flourished here, transforming me into the breadbasket of India.


Though I lost my beloved city, Lahore, I embraced change and built Chandigarh, a modern capital designed by Le Corbusier, symbolizing a fresh start after partition. Though my territory shrank and my claim on the five rivers diminished, my people steadfast. Hindus and Sikhs-stood firm. Their courage is etched in the history of the Punjab Regiment, Sikh Regiment, and Sikh Light Infantry, which bravely defended the nation's borders through wars and conflicts


My citizens, though making up just about 2.37 percent of India's total population, have contributed immensely to the nation’s freedom struggle. Sikh freedom fighters, though a small community, bore a disproportionate burden. Leaders like Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh and Kartar Singh Sarabha led revolts, inspired by the Gurdwara Reform Movement and Ghadar movement, fighting fiercely against colonial rule.


My essence is shaped by the spiritual teachings of Guru Nanak and the inclusive faith of Sufis, who taught love, peace, and equality. But today, I ask not for division but for justice, for peace, and a better future for my children.


To facilitate visits from Indian pilgrims to the holy shrine of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan's counter parts on November 9, 2019, coinciding with the 550th Prakash Purab of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. And renewed in 2024, stands as a poignant symbol of connection, allowing Sikh pilgrims from India to visit the sacred Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Narowal, where Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent his last eighteen years. This corridor includes a modern highway and immigration facilities, fostering peace and cultural unity between India and Pakistan.


The principles of Guru Nanak Dev Ji-Naam Japna (focused remembrance), Kirat Karni (honest labour), and Vand Chakna (sharing with others) are not just spiritual ideals they are the foundation of a thriving, harmonious society.


The creation of Haryana from my land and the contentious sharing of Chandigarh as a Union Territory have been painful wounds. The darkest chapter came during two decades of militancy, yet my spirit, called Chardi Kala remained unbroken.


That period was marked by a grim proxy war waged by Pakistan through the Khalistan movement, ravaging my lands with violence and economic hardship. The Centre’s failure to adequately support the counterinsurgency forces left me burdened with debt that will weigh on future generations General Zia-ul-Haq's strategy of “a thousand cuts will bleed India” epitomized the persistent strain placed upon me. The policies of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, initially fostering Bhindranwale and later suppressing the movement, deepened my wounds. The legacy of that period persists, when corruption entrenched itself as a centralized system. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), corruption cases in Punjab rose by 13.2 percent in 2021, following a negative growth of 15.3 percent two years earlier.


But I am Punjab. Through blood and sacrifice, through hardship and renewal, I endure. I call on India to treat me with the justice and respect I deserve. For I am not separate from this nation - I am its heart, its guardian and its undying spirit. I am the land of five rivers, forever flowing strong within the soul of India.


(The writer is a former journalist and Vice-President, Punjab BJP unit. Views personal.)


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