top of page

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.

Strength, resilience in a volatile world

Mumbai: India is set to enter 2026 as one of the most resilient and opportunity-rich real estate markets in the Asia-Pacific region, according to Knight Frank’s Asia-Pacific Outlook 2026. At a time when global economic uncertainty, shifting trade policies and geopolitical volatility are forcing markets to recalibrate, India stands out for its robust domestic fundamentals, deep talent pool and a steadily maturing real estate ecosystem.


While Asia-Pacific’s overall economic growth is expected to moderate in 2026, the report highlights India’s relative insulation from global headwinds. Strong internal consumption, policy stability and sustained corporate expansion continue to underpin demand across office and logistics segments, positioning the country as a strategic growth hub rather than a cyclical recovery story.


Office Market

India enters 2026 with one of the strongest office market outlooks in the region. GCC-led expansion, continued technology sector hiring and access to skilled talent enabled the country to record among the highest leasing volumes in Asia-Pacific during 2025. Gross office leasing is expected to cross 80 million sq ft, marking a historic peak.


Bengaluru, Mumbai and the National Capital Region remain the standout performers, with rental growth projected in the range of 7.5–9% year-on-year in 2026. India also crossed a significant structural milestone in 2025, with Grade A-led office stock surpassing one billion sq ft across the top eight cities, reinforcing its scale and institutional depth.


Shishir Baijal, International Partner, Chairman and Managing Director of Knight Frank India, said India’s affordability, regulatory stability and maturing workplace ecosystem continue to enhance its appeal compared to other global hubs. He noted that occupier sentiment remains resilient, supported by a comparatively strong domestic business environment.


A defining theme for 2026 will be the growing emphasis on retrofitting and asset repositioning. Early-2000s office buildings are increasingly facing functional obsolescence, prompting landlords to invest in HVAC upgrades, improved natural light, workplace experience technologies and ESG-led enhancements. Occupiers, the report notes, are now willing to pay a premium for performance, sustainability and employee well-being rather than for space alone.


Flexibility is also expected to gain further importance. In an environment marked by cautious capital deployment and global trade uncertainty, enterprises are prioritising shorter leases, expansion-ready floors, managed office formats and hybrid-fit solutions. India’s cost competitiveness, with rentals in several major markets still below USD 1 per sq ft per month, strengthens its position as a consolidation hub for multinational firms.


However, the divide between high-quality, future-ready assets and older stock is set to widen. As Grade A space now accounts for more than half of total supply and vacancies tighten, occupiers are consolidating into ESG-aligned, digitally enabled campuses. Assets that fail to undergo substantive upgrades risk being priced out of consideration.


India Vs Asia-Pacific

India’s relative strength becomes more pronounced when viewed against conditions in other Asia-Pacific markets. Greater China continues to grapple with elevated vacancies and rental pressure, while Singapore and parts of Southeast Asia are experiencing rental moderation amid cost controls and a substantial development pipeline. Australia’s office markets remain tenant-favourable due to high occupancy costs and cautious corporate expansion.


In contrast, India benefits from limited oversupply in core hubs, steady rental growth and sustained absorption of Grade A space, resulting in a healthier supply-demand balance.


Logistics & Industrial

India also remains the standout performer in logistics and industrial real estate. While rental growth across much of Asia-Pacific flattened in 2025, India recorded sustained occupier expansion driven by manufacturing growth, resilient exports and the accelerating adoption of China+1 strategies. Bengaluru, Mumbai and NCR are projected to see around 5% rental growth in 2026, again outpacing regional peers.


Government incentives, infrastructure upgrades and rising investment across electronics, automotive and other industrial sectors continue to strengthen India’s role in global supply chains.


Structural Strength

Knight Frank concludes that 2026 will be a year of recalibration rather than retreat for Asia-Pacific real estate. Against this backdrop, India’s trajectory is anchored in structural strength — domestic demand, institutional maturity and policy clarity.

Comments

bottom of page