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...

min read

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.

The ‘Nabin’ Turn in BJP Politics

Kiran D. Tare
Dec 16, 2025
3 min read

By elevating Bihar Minister Nitin Nabin as Working President of the BJP, the party signals a generational shift with some canny decision-making

New Delhi: Nitin Nabin, 50, was not the only choice of the top BJP leadership for the post of national executive president. He was among the 10 other names shortlisted by the BJP for the coveted post. Nabin’s caste, Kayastha as well as the Assembly elections scheduled in West Bengal in next year made him the final selection, according to a source in the BJP.

The BJP and its parent organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were keen on roping someone who is below age of 50, experienced in politics with a proven loyalty to the RSS. “The top brass had shortlisted at least 10 such leaders from across the country. Nitin Nabin emerged as the final selection because of the prevailing political situation,” the source told ‘The Perfect Voice.’

Nabin’s appointment also points towards a paradigm shift in the party’s policy pertaining to future leadership. “Nitin Nabin is not an isolated case,” the source said. “You may witness many young leaders taking centre stage in the party’s decision making in near future.”

By appointing Nitin Nabin at the number two position, the BJP has made it clear that its focus is firmly on building future leadership. In the party’s history, he is the youngest leader to assume such responsibility.

Bengal Files

The Kayastha community plays a decisive role in at least 15 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal. These are the constituencies adjacent to Bihar. Nitin Nabin could galvanise the community, which is otherwise a staunch BJP supporter, in its favour.

The Kayastha are in large numbers in Uttar Pradesh too which will go for the Assembly polls in 2027. The BJP has tried to pacify the Kurmi community by appointing Pankaj Choudhary, a Kurmi, as state president. The disappointment in the Kurmi community was one of the reasons behind the party’s suffering a setback in the 2024 Lok Sabha election in UP. Upset with less number of Kurmi candidates the community had put its weight behind Samajwadi Party, which had fielded sizeable Kurmi candidates.

Nabin’s appointment also serves as a message that the BJP has emphasised that politics requires dignity, humility, and decorum, and that sensationalism through provocative statements is not its political approach. A clean image and disciplined conduct continue to be core values of the party.

Nitin’s father Navin Kishore Sinha was associated with the party since the Jan Sangh era and served as a seven-time MLA from Patna. After his demise, Nitin carried forward the legacy without allowing the label of dynastic politics to be attached to him. He began his political journey with the ABVP and later joined the BJP Yuva Morcha. Though he comes from a political family he does not carry the label of dynast politician.

Gujarat Connection

A set of Gujarat politicians were grooming Nabin unbeknownst to him. The BJP’s Bihar general secretary (organisation) Bhikubhai Dalsania, the in-charge of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Virendra Desai, and the state co-in-charge C.R. Paatil kept a close watch on Nabin. They all are from Gujarat and considered to be very close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The BJP assigned Nabin a crucial responsibility by appointing him as in-charge of Chhattisgarh. There, he focused on booth-level management, organisational expansion, and electoral coordination, leading to a decisive victory for the party. This success established that his leadership capabilities extend beyond Bihar to the national level.

Appointing an MLA of a state as a state in-charge is a rare thing in the BJP. Since the in-charge has to deal with the state’s top leadership there is a convention that a senior leader is appointed as an in-charge of the state. Nabin was an exception because he was under watch from Modi himself for the possible big role in the party.

Chhattisgarh Model

During his tenure in Chhattisgarh, Nabin toured remote regions with youth general secretaries, interacted with party workers, and aligned them with state-level priorities. He effectively advanced promises related to the election manifesto and ensured strong, targeted communication against the well-organized political machinery led by Bhupesh Baghel.

Following the BJP’s defeat in 2018, workers were demoralised due to prolonged grassroots inactivity. He initiated the ‘Mor Awas Mor Adhikar’ campaign in coordination with the state leadership, reaching nearly 18 lakh families deprived of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship housing scheme under the Congress government.

Along with Mansukh Mandaviya, he conceptualised the ‘Mahtari Vandan’ scheme as a response to Bhupesh Baghel’s loan waiver promise. This women-centric campaign became a decisive factor in the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections. Even after other leaders moved on to new roles, he continued extensive tours to strengthen the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, leading to an impressive 10 out of 10 result in the State.

2 Comments

srjoshi31.sj

Dec 18, 2025

This will meet the strategic requirements of coming Electoral results and is also for guidance and benchmarking to the future upcoming eligible candidates for the post. However, this strategy will not work for the One Nation One Election with single Working President. Many such appointments will be necessary.

srjoshi31.sj

Dec 18, 2025