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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.

Thrust on skilling crucial for M&E sector’s global leap

Mumbai: A thrust on skilling of the youth from the tier 2 & Tier 3 cities along with reskilling and upskilling of the existing workforce in the media and entertainment industry would help the sector take a leap and India becoming the most preferred global destination, reports released at the World Audio-Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) here on Saturday have said.


EY India’s report ‘A Studio Called India’, BCG’s report ‘From Content to Commerce’ and Event FAQs Media’s report ‘India’s live events economy – A strategic growth imperative’ were the key reports released by the Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan at the summit.


The reports highlighted the potential that Indian M&E sector holds in terms of global impact. With over 1.4 billion people, including a rapidly growing middle class, the demand for varied and high-quality content is ever increasing. This demographic advantage ensures a steady and expanding market for media and entertainment products. It is interesting to note that digital media overtook television for the first time, becoming the largest segment in India at over INR 800 billion, contributing 32 per cent of M&E sector revenues in 2024.


This digital revolution has transformed the landscape of content consumption. Two lakh hours of content was produced in the country last year, excluding news bulletins and UGC, reflecting the vast and diverse consumer market the country offers to content creators, said the report that highlighted India as the provider of content and media services for the world.


The minister also released the minister’s statistical handbook on media and entertainment sector 2024-25 and a regulatory handbook on Indian Media and Entertainment sector prepared by the legal firm Khaitan & Co.


The EY India report warned that for the potential of the sector to be realized India will need to create high quality resources for future job demands and bridge skill gaps in emerging domains such as immersive media (AR, VR and XR), AAA gaming, high-end animation and VFX.


The report also says that, to fully harness this potential, it is essential to address emerging risks such as job displacement from automation, talent out-migration and the lack of standardized certifications. “Strengthening the talent pipeline through targeted policy support, updated curricula, and deeper industry-academia collaboration will be key. Greater diversity in leadership and creative roles will be essential to unlock the full potential of India's creative economy. By building an inclusive, future-ready skilling ecosystem, India can cement its position as a global leader in creative and digital media talent,” the report warns.


For media tech companies, India's skilled workforce and competitive production costs make it an ideal location to set up operations. The availability of talented professionals in fields such as animation, visual effects, post-production as well as Al and technology ensures high-quality output at cost-effective rates, the report adds.


The reports also hailed initiatives such as the proposed National AVGC-XR Mission, the upcoming Indian Institute of Creative Technology in Mumbai, and progressive state-level policies stating that they are expected to significantly boost employment and entrepreneurship in the M&E sector in the country.

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