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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.

Stop Cribbing. Stop Complaining. Take Responsibility. Take Action

When we take responsibility, we reclaim control—not through blame, but through awareness.

In our everyday lives, we often crib over the smallest things. The tea is too hot. The food lacks salt. Traffic feels unbearable. The weather seems unpleasant. Someone doesn’t respond as expected. Things don’t always go exactly as planned. Before we realise it, complaining becomes a habit—almost a reflex.


Cribbing may feel harmless, even comforting. It offers a momentary release, a false sense of relief. But beneath that satisfaction lies a slow erosion of inner strength, clarity, and responsibility. Complaining doesn’t solve problems; it keeps us stuck in them.


Silent Cost of Complaining: Every time we complain, we unconsciously hand over our power. We tell ourselves that life is happening to us, not shaped by our choices. Responsibility shifts outward—to people, situations, fate, or circumstance. Over time, this mindset weakens our ability to cope, adapt, and grow.


Complaining trains the mind to focus on what is wrong rather than what can be done. It magnifies problems and minimises possibilities, making small inconveniences feel like major setbacks and turning temporary discomfort into lasting dissatisfaction.


More importantly, habitual cribbing keeps us emotionally immature. Growth demands accountability. Maturity demands ownership. And evolution demands action.


Life Will Never Be Perfect: Life isn’t meant to be smooth, predictable, or always comfortable. It’s meant to teach. Challenges aren’t punishments; they’re invitations—to rise, reflect, and respond wisely.


No one escapes difficulty. Everyone faces delays, disappointments, misunderstandings, losses, and failures. The difference between those who grow and those who stay stuck lies not in what happens, but in how they respond.


Do we sit and complain endlessly? Or do we pause, assess, and act?


The question is simple, but the answer defines the quality of our life.


Turning Point of Growth: The moment we take responsibility, something powerful shifts within us. It doesn’t mean harsh self-blame, but acknowledging our role—our choices, reactions, and patterns.


When we say, “This is my life, and I am responsible for how I handle it,” we reclaim control.


Taking responsibility empowers us to:

  • Find solutions instead of excuses.

  • Learn lessons instead of repeating mistakes.

  • Respond thoughtfully instead of reacting emotionally.

  • Grow independently instead of waiting for rescue.


A responsible individual does not expect life to change for them; they change themselves to meet life better.


Antidote to Complaining: Complaining thrives in inaction. The moment we move—physically, mentally, emotionally—complaining loses its grip.

Action does not have to be dramatic. Small, consistent steps matter:

If something bothers you, communicate calmly.

If a situation drains you, set boundaries.

If you lack a skill, learn it.

If something isn’t working, adjust your approach.

If you feel stuck, take one step forward—any step.


Action builds confidence. Confidence builds clarity. And clarity dissolves the need to complain.


Emotional Maturity: An emotionally mature person understands that venting endlessly is not the same as healing. Maturity is not about age; it is about awareness. They know that complaining might get attention, but solutions bring peace.


Maturity asks, "What can I control here?" What is within my capacity to change? What is this situation teaching me? How can I respond better next time?


Instead of dramatising problems, maturity simplifies them. Instead of blaming others, it improves the self. Instead of stagnation, it chooses growth.


Growth Happens: One of the greatest strengths a human being can develop is the ability to stand emotionally independent. To not depend on constant validation, sympathy, or agreement; to handle discomfort without collapsing; and to face problems without running away.


When we stop cribbing and start owning our journey, we become resilient. We evolve from seeking comfort to building character.


Growth is uncomfortable. Change is challenging. Responsibility feels heavy at first. But the freedom it brings is unmatched.


A Life Well Lived: Life will continue to throw challenges—unexpected ones, unfair ones, and confusing ones. That is inevitable. What is not inevitable is how we deal with them.


We always have a choice: To complain or to create, to blame or to build, to stagnate or to step forward, or to remain small or evolve.


Complaining keeps us noisy but powerless. Responsibility makes us quiet but strong. Action makes us unstoppable.


Stop cribbing—not because problems don’t exist, but because complaining doesn’t solve them. Stop complaining—not because life is easy, but because you are capable. Take responsibility—not as a burden, but as a privilege. Take action—not when everything is perfect, but exactly where you are.


This is how we mature. This is how we evolve. This is how we grow into individuals who don’t just survive life—but live it with strength, clarity, and grace.


(The writer is a tutor based in Thane. Views personal.)

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