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INDIAPERSPECTIVESAdvancing India’s Conversations with the World

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INDIAVOL 26 NO. 5 AUGUST 2012

PERSPECTIVES

INDEPENDENCE DAY SPECIAL

PATHBREAKERS EXPERIMENTS IN EDUCATIONTHAT ARE GIVING THE DISADVANTAGEDA NEW SENSE OF FREEDOM

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AUGUST 2012INDIATHISMONTH

August 11NEHRU TROPHY BOAT RACETeams vie with each otherfor the trophy instituted in1952 by then PrimeMinister JawaharlalNehru. It is one of themost important races ofthe season. Where: Punnamada Lake,Alappuzha, Kerala

August 15-16INDEPENDENCE ROCKFESTIVALPopularly known as I-Rock, it is India’s oldestand biggest. City-levelwinners contest on day 1 for prizes, day 2 isopen to “pro” bands. Where: ChitrakootGrounds, Mumbai

August 25-27GOGAMEDI FAIRIt is held to worshipGogaji, a local snake-godof Rajasthan. Thefestivities include music,dance and match-making. Enjoy shoppingfor local handicrafts onthe sidelines. Where: Ganganagardistrict, Rajasthan

August 29ONAMIt is the state festival ofKerala. House fronts aredecorated with flowercarpets or pookkalams,people wear new clothes,and enjoy feasts andboat races. Where: Kerala

August 1-2NARO-NASJAL FESTIVALA bronze statue of YogiNaropa, housed in aroom adjacent to themonastery, is unveiledevery year on the eve ofthe festival. Maskeddances are otherattractions.Where: Sani Monastery,Zanskar, Jammu andKashmir

August 9-11RAASRANG WORLD FLUTEFESTIVALThe theme of this year’sfestival is Love, Peace,Water and the focus is ontribal and folk musiciansand instruments. Artistsfrom all over the worldwill attend.Where: Lotus Temple,New Delhi

August 29-September 8VELANKANNI CHURCHFESTIVALThe Virgin Mary is knownas Our Lady of GoodHealth in Velankanni,which is known as theLoudres of the East.During the festivalmillions of orange-cladpilgrims visit the shrine.Where: VelankanniChurch, Tamil Nadu

August 10JANMASHTAMIThe day marks the birthof Lord Krishna. InMumbai, teams formhuman pyramids tobreak high-hanging dahihandis (clay pots filledwith curds). Fasting andfeasting are part of therituals. Where: Across India

AFP

03AUGUST 2012 � INDIA PERSPECTIVES

editorial notehis month we are celebrating our Independence Day. It was on August 15, 1947, that

India became a sovereign nation; with pride we recall the immortal words of our first Prime

Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru which are part of one of the most famous speeches in

contemporary Indian history. Addressing India’s Constituent Assembly a little after 11 p.m.

on August 14, he spoke about a “tryst with destiny” and ushering India into “life and freedom”,

emphasizing: “A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old

to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.”

A reason why this utterance, even three score and five years after Independence, has not

translated into a voice for many of our countrymen is the lack of education. This despite the fact

that education is a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution, and one of the world’s largest

ongoing programmes aimed at providing education for all, the Government-run Sarva Siksha

Abhiyan, has enrolled 20 million out-of-school children between six and 14 over the last decade.

The country has forged ahead on the economic front, but the shackles of illiteracy have yet to

be shaken off completely — the challenges are enormous given the sheer size of our population.

When the task is colossal, every effort, big or small, that seeks to help accomplish it, is laudable.

This is why our Special Independence Day issue is a tribute to experiments in education. A

celebration of those who are spreading literacy to strengthen the hands of the unempowered.

In this issue, we also bring you some stunning photographs of Kailash-Mansarovar. Every year,

the Ministry of External Affairs organises a yatra (pilgrimage) to this awe-inspiring part of the

Himalayas, believed by the Hindus to be the abode of Lord Shiva, the destroyer of the Hindu trinity.

Mythology has it that it is from his matted locks that the River Ganga originates. The place is also

of religious importance to Jains and Buddhists.

And in Rio recently, about 90 heads of state and government met for the United Nations

Conference on Sustainable Development. Representing India was a high-level team headed by

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. Building on its earlier record, India emerged as a strong

voice of the G77 caucus comprising 131 countries, including the least developed nations and the

island states. The PM’s message seeking a future which promises “ecological and economic space

for sustainable growth for all,” was echoed in the final outcome of the conference which endorsed

India’s stand on equitable burden sharing.

On a personal note, I would like to bid all of you goodbye. I have enjoyed bringing you the

magazine but am leaving to take up a new assignment as India’s ambassador to Egypt. India

Perspectives will continue to bring you the many facets of India that make it such a fascinating

country.

Navdeep Suri

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INDEPENDENCE DAY SPECIAL

August 2012 n VOL 26 No. 5/2012

AUGUST 2012

COVER PHOTO: TWO SCHOOL BOYS IN A SMALL TOWN IN INDIA / IMAGESBAZAAR

COVER DESIGN: BIPIN KUMAR

INDIAPERSPECTIVES

Editor: Navdeep SuriAssistant Editor: Abhay Kumar

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India Perspectives is published every month in Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Bengali,English, French, German, Hindi, Italian,Pashto, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Sinhala, Spanish, Tamil, Turkish, Urdu andVietnamese. Views expressed in the articles are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Ministry of External Affairs.

This edition is published for the Ministry ofExternal Affairs by Navdeep Suri, Joint Secretary, Public Diplomacy Division,New Delhi, 140 ‘A’ Wing, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.Telephones: 91-11-23389471, 91-11-23388873, Fax: 91-11-23385549

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Text may be reproduced with anacknowledgement to India Perspectives

For a copy of India Perspectives contact the nearest Indian diplomatic mission.

05AUGUST 2012 u INDIA PERSPECTIVES

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India This Month 02

Travel:Jewel in the Ice 06

INDEPENDENCE DAY SPECIALPATHBREAKERS 12

Science on Wheels: Agastya Foundation 14

Street Dreams: Salaam Baalak Trust 16

School for Thought: Dattatray Sakat 18

Mass Connect: IGNOU 20

Culture Station: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan 22

Girl Power: Pardada Pardadi Society 24

Hope for the Hopeless: MV Foundation 26

Beggars Turned Choosers: Sarvan Kumar 28

Dream Makers: Dhirendra Singh 30

Age No Bar: Aziz Indori 32

Global Perspectives:Green Goals 34

Partnerships:A Narrative of Opportunity 40

Reviews:Film: Faith Accompli 44Book Extract: The Bollywood Connection 45

Verbatim:Shakuntala Devi 46

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A DESIRE TO SEE THE SUBLIME BEAUTY ANDAN ABIDING FAITH COMPEL THOUSANDS OF

DEVOTEES TO UNDERTAKE THE SACRED JOURNEY TO KAILASH MANSAROVAR

Jewel IN

THE ICE

SNAPSHOTS

(Clockwise from right) The majesticMount Kailash over Rakshastaal; a localwoman in traditional attire; land cruisersare a popular mode of transport in thehigh terrains; a single circumambulationor parikrama is said to wipe away thesins of a lifetime

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(Clockwise from left) The emeraldlake, Gaurikund; a villager sellingyak tea; the rocky terrain leading toKailash Mansarovar; pilgrims takinga break; sherpas with their yakscarrying pilgrims’ baggage

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This area in the northof the Himalayasconsists of the twinlakes ofMansarovar andRakshastaal andMount Kailash.Four main rivers ofnorth India —Sutlej,Brahmaputra,Karnali (a tributaryof the Ganges) andSindh — originatefrom this region.

11AUGUST 2012 u INDIA PERSPECTIVESINDIA PERSPECTIVES u AUGUST 2012

(Clockwise from left) The hills ofTibet reflect in the water nearParyang, Tibet; a Tibetan womanperforms a circumambulation; the view from above; Dolma Passwears a colourful look with Tibetanprayer flags

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Spread over 127 sq km,Mansarovar is a gift of Kailash

and other mountain ranges.Located in Tibet at a height of21,778 ft, the Hindus believe it isthe abode of Lord Shiva. It is alsorevered by the Buddhists, the Jains and the Bonpas of Tibet.

The Ministry of External Affairsconducts trips to KailashMansarovar every year betweenMay and September. A person has to be medically fit and healthyto undertake the journey, as itinvolves trekking at high altitudesof up to 19,500 ft, underinhospitable conditions, including extreme cold and rugged terrain. The 27-day trekstarts from New Delhi.

The routes are: Delhi-Almora-Chaukori-Dharchula-Sirkha-Gala-Budhi- Gunji-Nabhidhang-Takalakote.

While in the Chinese territorythe camping sites are at Taklakote,Darchin, Deraphu, Zongrebu Hore,Quju, Zaide and KailashMansarovar.

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On Independence Day, India Perspectivescelebrates those who are enabling people tofree themselves from the bonds of illiteracyand face the future, confidently

Pathbreakers


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INDIA PERSPECTIVES u AUGUST 201214 AUGUST 2012 u INDIA PERSPECTIVES 15

Founded to fuel a scientific temper among studentsand teachers, the Agastya Foundation’s mission is to bringscience education not just to children in the metros but also inthe smaller cities, towns and villages of India. It was set up 13 years ago by Ramji Raghavan, an NRI investment banker,who had the desire to do something in the field of education andwanted to give back to society in his own way. What started as adream is today a reality that is benefiting scores of childrenacross the country. Besides dedicated science centres, the

foundation operates mobile vans, which attract thousands of children.A mobile science van or Mobile Lab as it is called, is fitted with equipment that provides hands-on

knowledge of science to underprivileged children in India. “One of the first few mobile vans had low-cost labequipment, all of which was donated by Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education,” Raghavan remembers.“The most recent addition of the mobile van in Magadi, Karnataka, has been sponsored by Bharat PetroleumCorporation Ltd.” Over the last decade the number of these vans has increased from one to 61.

The Bangalore-based education trust is today one of the largest mobile science education programmes fordisadvantaged children and rural teachers in the world. “We use scientific concepts that are fun, useful andaccessible. While in Andhra Pradesh’s rural area of Kuppam, a science centre was set up, the mobile labsencouraged children to look beyond rote learning of science and enjoy experiments,” Raghavan explains.

Not surprisingly, initiatives by Agastya Foundation have benefited over 3 million children and over 0.1 million teachers from disadvantaged communities. Backed by luminaries from Indian Atomic EnergyCommission, Engineers India, Goldman Sachs, Defence Research and many others, Agastya’s journey towardsthe uplift of children in the education sector continues.

“We can’t wait for the day when children all over the country will run behind mobile vans to learn everythingthat science has to offer. We need to shift from yes to why in school systems, from looking to observing; frombeing passive to exploring,” Raghavan says.

Agastya Foundation’s unfailing attempts have fascinated many, including the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology’s media lab and the Clinton Global Initiative, a testimony that the new generation is beginning toexplore things the Agastya way. n

PATHBREAKERSAGASTYA FOUNDATION

Science on WheelsThe mobile education programme has benefited over 3 million children

The mobile vans are an attraction for thousands of children

TEXT: ABHILASHA OJHA

Started 13 years ago by Ramji Raghavan, Agastya Foundation’s mission is to bring science

education not just to children in the metros but also to those in the smaller cities, towns and villages

PATHBREAKERS-MD.qxp:Layout 1 07/08/12 10:11 AM Page 2


PATHBREAKERSSALAAM BAALAK TRUST

Street DreamsSBT has nurtured and launched many poor children into the professional world

Haran Kumar, a street kid, brought up andeducated by the Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT) in Delhi,showed interest in photography and was encouraged toattend a workshop. A year later, he called up Sanjoy Roy,one of the founders of SBT, to invite him to his first photo exhibition.

Backed by the confidence and self esteem instilled inhim by SBT, Haran approached the Visual Arts Gallery in Delhi’s prestigious India Habitat Centre and bookedspace. He then approached eminent photographer Raghu Rai to edit his photographs and the NorwegianEmbassy to sponsor his exhibition of 24 frames. The very first day all his photographs were sold, one was evenselected for the All India Photography Association Award. This award catapulted him onto the internationalarena and he was invited to shoot an essay on street life in Amsterdam for the World Photography Association.Today, Haran’s exhibitions have toured Singapore, South Africa, the UK and Canada and as a commercialphotographer he has done assignments for advertisement agencies and many other establishments.

Like many other street children, Haran is grateful to SBT for changing his life. The trust was set up byfilmmaker Mira Nair, her mother Praveen Nair and Roy in 1988-1989, after Salaam Bombay focused worldattention on the fate of street children. The first to be rehabilitated were the child actors of the film, since then50,000 street children has been educated and rehabilitated.

Initially, SBT supported programmes for working children in Delhi, Mumbai and Bhubaneswar. The Mumbaichapter was set up as an independent body. The Delhi chapter began with just three persons on its staff and25 children from the New Delhi Railway Station. Today, it has 17 centres and a staff of 150. “By 2013, we hopeto support 5,000 children in Delhi,” says Roy.

The Trust has had 60 per cent success rate in encouraging and supporting children to return home. SaysRoy: “The rest stay on in our full care centres. They are expected to complete class 10 after being put througha bridge course and getting admission in to a formal school. Children showing potential are sent to LawrenceSchool, Sanwar, and even engineering colleges. Five children have won scholarships for college programmesin the US to study business, tourism and international relations”.

Vicky Roy, who is following in Haran’s footsteps, was selected by the Maybach Foundation andthe Silverstein Properties as one of the four photographers to document the rebuilding of the World TradeCenter. When the tower opens, his photographs will form a part of the permanent exhibition.

With limited resources and an annual budget of about ̀ 45 million, of which 12 to 15 per cent comes fromthe government, the founders of SBT hope to rebuild the lives of more and more street children. n

The children at Salaam Baalak Trust

TEXT: USHA RAI

Set up by filmmaker Mira Nair, her mother Praveen Nair and Sanjoy Roy in 1988-1989, after Salaam Bombay focused

world attention on street children, SBT has so fareducated and rehabilitated over 50,000 street children

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It’s 7.30 in the morning and children are walking into school. Thismay sound routine but the students of Zilla Parishad (ZP) Primary School,Kardelwadi, Maharashtra, have a spring in their steps that is not so routine.They reluctantly leave school at around 5 in the evening the previous dayand are back eager to begin a new day. Unlike in most other schools, here theresponsibility of keeping the premises clean rests with the children, they alsohave to tell the cook what to make for lunch and the teachers what they wantto study. All 92 students, aged between 5 and 10 years, get down to theirassigned tasks without being told, moreover, no adults are needed to supervisethem. The school building is a quaint four-roomed, single-storey structure, ithas a covered verandah in front. Of the four rooms, one is an office, anotherthe computer lab. The remaining two serve as classrooms as does the

verandah and the open space in the front. The school is run by Dattatray Sakat and his wife Bebinanda who teach everything from mathematics and

science to painting and physical education. They believe that “being educated is not about knowing things butapplying them to make your life better”. When the couple was allotted the school about a decade ago, it wasin a shambles, it had no furniture not even a blackboard. Undeterred the Sakats, painted the walls in brightred and green, cleaned the floors and cooked food for their students. Today, the school is so popular thatsome families have reportedly relocated so that their children can attend it. With financial support from gratefulvillagers of Kardelwadi and its neighbourhood, the school now has 18 laptops, two desktop computers, anLCD projector and water purifiers (because potable water was a big issue in the area).

With every passing year, enrollment in the school, which operates 365 days a year, is rising. During thesummer vacations workshops in photography, clay modelling, computers, yoga and more are organised. Thisis also the time when students conduct classes for their parents on hygiene, safety and energy conservation.With no fixed time-table, children are free to study at the level at which they want to.

Kardelwadi is located about 10 km from the large manufacturing zone at Ranjangaon, off the Pune-Ahmednagar state highway. The last stretch of the approach road is a little better than a dirt track, but this doesnot faze parents who send their children here, by bus, from surrounding villages. “Good education comesfrom teachers willing to go that extra mile,” says Bebinanda. The Sakats work hard at keeping themselvesupdated on changes in the field of education. “We read up on new ways to teach students, visit book fairs andkeep in touch with other teachers,” says Dattatray. While the dedication of the Sakats is hard to replicate, thedrive for quality is certainly replicable. n

PATHBREAKERSDATTATRAY SAKAT

School for ThoughtThe dedication of the teachers has made the school a role model

(Facing page) The Sakats; children at Zilla Parishad Primary School, Kardelwadi

TEXT: MALTI PANDE

With every passing year, enrollment in the school, which operates 365 days a year, is rising. During the

summer vacations workshops in photography, clay modelling, computers, yoga and more are organised



PATHBREAKERSINDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY

Mass ConnectOver 3.5 million students are enrolled at the world’s largest university

When the University of Tokyo sought tocollaborate with Indira Gandhi National Open University(IGNOU) last month, director of University of Tokyo HiroshiYoshino remarked that teaming up with IGNOU wasessential for Japan to attract more Indian students in thecountry. A tie-up with IGNOU, felt Yoshino, would benefitthe country, encouraging Indians to study in Japan.

Tokyo is not the only one that wants to collaborate with IGNOU. Considered the world’s largest university,imparting distance education to over 3.5 million students, IGNOU was also in the news for its plan to launchthe India-Africa Virtual University, with an investment of `1.5 billion. Established in 1985 with an investmentof ` 20 billion, it was launched to provide education opportunities to all. Besides acting as a resource centre,it also has a dedicated research wing.

For Tarun Malviya, deputy manager (marketing) at a media organisation, there’s no end to education. Armedwith an MBA degree and an experience of six years, he is keen on joining corporate communication. However,a degree in journalism is essential. But his hectic schedule and frequent outstation trips does not give him theliberty to join a full time course. This is where IGNOU came in handy. Says Tarun: “I opted for IGNOU’s PostGraduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication because for a working professional this course willhelp enhance the career prospects. The classes were held on Sundays, which I could easily attend.”

There are many working professionals like Tarun, who have opted for this university because of the qualityeducation, the practices and the constant upgrading and introduction of new and relevant courses.

Vice chancellor, (acting), IGNOU, professor M. Aslam says that the enrollment ratio at IGNOU has increasedby around 7 per cent. According to him, the basic idea is to reach out to individuals as per their convenience,means and affordability. “We want to transform India into a knowledge society. Through IGNOU, we want thecountry to progress socially and economically while also empowering individuals,” says professor Aslam.

With 445 courses on offer, IGNOU boasts of the largest number of open and distance learning courses. Ithas 21 schools of studies, 67 regional centres, 47 university centres and also special centres for the armedforces, allowing them an option to study further while they are completing their duty. The university also has82 overseas centres with around 47,000 academic experts.

Twenty-seven years and counting, it is also staying with the times. The e-services on offer allow studentsto interact with experts via VSAT and information and communication technologies. For instance, IGNOUrecently developed e-library services and is in the process of converting most of its services into e-services.

Despite all the technological advancements, the mantra of IGNOU still remains the same: to provide learningas the basic tool that will continue to empower India in all its glory. n

(Facing page) A student receiving her degree at a convocation ceremony; Human Resource and Education Minister Kapil Sibalinaugurates modular chemistry laboratory at IGNOU School of Sciences, Bengaluru


IGNOU boasts of the largest numberof open and distance learning courses — 445. It has 21

schools of studies, 67 regional centres, 47 university centres and special centres for the armed forces


Sometime last year, a friend from the US was on avisit to India. She was not on an exotic holiday. On the contrary, shewas desperately searching for the original print of P.C. Barua’sDevdas (1935), which the director had adapted from Sarat ChandraChattopadhyay’s Bengali novel. In the course of our conversation,she mentioned how her teenaged daughter, also interested in Indianfilms, was getting immense help in understanding the movies,

especially after she began undergoing a course in Hindi language at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB) institutein New York. Today, her child is fluent in not just reading the language, she also speaks it fluently.

The interaction I had with my friend came back to me when I spoke to Ashok Pradhan, director, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Delhi centre. Speaking about the institute, Pradhan says: “The primary objective ofBharatiya Vidya Bhavan is in its spreading of Indian roots, culture and tradition not just in the country butacross the world.”

Over the years, the institute has grown not just in terms of the number of centres but also in the numberof courses that are offered to students. Though all courses are popular, the one in astrology, agrees Pradhan,is immensely sought after.

Founded in 1938, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan was launched as an educational trust by Dr K.M. Munshi in Delhibefore it gradually spread its roots in other parts of India and abroad. Today, the trust’s programmes are runin 117 centres in India and 7 abroad, including the US, UK, Australia and the Middle East.

The institution is especially relevant in today’s times. Given the high costs of private courses offered byvarious institutions, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan offers a range of courses for youngsters at reasonable rates. What’smore, the institute offers courses that could give youngsters a chance to connect with India. From in-depth courses in Sanskrit studies to astrology to even courses offered in film and television studies,Pradhan says that the institute’s edge lies in the fact that the courses are well-thought out, updated timely andvery structured.

The educational trust has spread itself in a manner so as to inculcate teaching right from the early age. TheBhavan runs schools, including Bharatiya Vidya Mandir, Bhavan’s Mandir and Bhavan’s Vidyalaya. What’s more, its publishing unit brings out a range of books on subjects that allow people to connect withIndian culture.

“Eventually, we follow our motto at the institute inspired from the Rig Veda: Let noble thoughts come to usfrom every side. That’s our vision, that’s what we aspire to do,” signs off Pradhan. n

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PATHBREAKERSBHARATIYA VIDYA BHAVAN

Culture StationBVB is helping to spread Indian culture and tradition

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s edge lies in the fact that the courses are well-thought out, updated timely and very structured


Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s courses give people a chance toconnect with India. Well-thought out, updated timely and

structured, they cover in-depth Sanskrit studies, astrology and film and television studies


I use only my first name. We don’t followdesignations in this organisation. I have been a part ofPardada Pardadi Educational Society for the last 12 years ever since it was started by Virendra Singh.After years of being abroad, working in one of the toppositions at DuPont, South East Asia, Singh sought theanswer to one question: If Indians are successful theworld-over, why isn’t India? This quest led him to take a life-altering decision: he took voluntary retirement andreturned to his roots in Anupshahar, in the Bulandshahar district of UP.

What began was a mission, not just to empower women economically but socially. Our endeavour was toencourage young girls to come out of their homes, study and make a future for themselves. We also wantedto focus on the guru-shishya parampara (teacher-student tradition) of teaching. Our learning centre, therefore,looks at not just teaching the girls but also giving them the strength to go beyond the regular 6-km radius oftheir homes and villages and explore a future confidently. Today, many of our students are journalists, nurses,merchandisers, front desk officers in corporate houses and teachers. For an organisation that started withabout 40 girls, of whom only 14 completed their education, we now have at least 100 girls waiting outside ourgates to study. Over 1,200 girls are studying at the centre.

The USP of our organisation is earmarking ̀ 10 daily for students who complete their class 10 successfullyand are dedicated to learning. We give this money to the student when she turns 18 or 21 years or when shedecides to get married. This, on our part, is ‘economic’ empowerment for the girls whose families are strugglingto make ends meet. The girls studying at our centre come from backgrounds where the head of the familybrings home something between ` 1,000 and ` 1,500 per month.

Our model is not just replicable but also scalable. I will be happy if our centres can open across India andothers start replicating the model and begin teaching children who are economically disadvantaged. However,the challenge is in encouraging public-private partnerships. Raising funds is also a big challenge. Our cost offunding the education of each girl is ̀ 21,000 per year. That is less than ̀ 2,000 per month. But still getting fundsfor our centre is quite a challenge. Also, it is difficult to scale up the number of teachers. Most of our teachersare locals, many of whom we have trained. Some of our teachers are foreigners who come and stay with us andteach our students for between 6 months to a year.

Nearly 12 years ago, we made a beginning. Now it’s time to carry forward the good work with the sameenergy, same enthusiasm. n

(As told to Abhilasha Ojha)


PATHBREAKERSPARDADA PARDADI EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY

Girl PowerEncourages girls to come out of their homes, study and make a future

Pardada Pardadi Educational Society’s mission is not just to empower women economically but socially

“We earmark ` 10 daily for students who complete their class 10 successfully and are dedicated to learning.

This money is given to the student when she turns 18 or 21 years or when she decides to get married

Renuka, part of Pardada Pardadi Educational Society



Twenty years and 1 million children pulled out from bonded labour:M. Venkatarangaiya Foundation (MVF) is proof that child labour can beeliminated and the children can become articulate working professionals. Thechildren helped by MVF stand as living testimony of how to break free and soar.“Our parents gave us birth, but MVF gave us life,” they say. Many of them arestill diffident but most of them walk tall and earn good money as doctors,engineers, nurses, teachers and businessmen.

MVF’s movement is recognised by the Indian government and earned ShanthaSinha, who was then with MVF, the prestigious Magsaysay award. Sinha is currentlyChairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. “Theachievements of all these children are inspiring, their struggles daunting,” says

Venkat Reddy, national convenor of MVF.Among the many icons graduating from the Foundation is Malleshwari (22). Her melodious voice has not

only ensured her a place at all MVF functions, but has also put her name on 11 albums with songs on socialissues, child labour and even devotional music. One day, she hopes to do play back singing for the film industry.Her talent for music was discovered and nurtured at the residential bridge course camp. Malleshwari is alsoHyderabad’s first media camera woman and is currently working with Telangana News Network. For a girl whotill the age of 12 was herding goats and cows, her growth in the 10 years under the MVF umbrella has beenimpressive.

Another heart warming story is of Mahender, 31, of Pullimamdi Village, who is an operation theatretechnician at Yashoda Hospital, Mallakpet, Hyderabad. Till he was seven-and-a-half-years-old he tendedbuffaloes in his village. His parents were agricultural labourers. MVF volunteers put him in school and after athree-month bridge course, he was admitted to class 1 in a government school and lodged in a governmentboys’ hostel. Even as he joined junior college, he began assisting a doctor and trained as a technician at theBanjara Hills Apollo Hospital. To pay back the institution that has nurtured him, he keeps going back to hisvillage to ensure that every child gets an education. “From my batch of 23 children, one is a sarpanch, anothera constable and many are working with the 104 emergency health service and a few are teachers,” says he.“It is education that has brought us out of the trap of poverty,” they claim. These youngsters are now networkingand are eager to help others facing the problems they once had. And many of them acknowledge with a senseof pride that their villages are today child labour free.

The MVF model of educating child labourers is now being replicated in countries in Africa and this istestimony to its impact. n

PATHBREAKERSMV FOUNDATION

Hope for the HopelessLiberated from child labour, 1 million celebrate life

(Left) Venkat Reddy, the national convenor of MVF; Malleshwari is Hyderabad’s first media camera woman

TEXT: USHA RAI

MVF should earn global accolades for its movement in eliminating child labour and getting all children into school. Manyof them are today educated and articulate working professionals

and living testimonies of how they were able to break free

PATHBREAKERS-MD.qxp:Layout 1 07/08/12 10:14 AM

Today, there are more than 2,500 students studying in schoolsrun by Nishkam Sewa Trust, from Nursery right up to

Class 10. The schools are housed in multi-storey buildingsowned by the trust. Each school employs around 25 teachers


PATHBREAKERSNISHKAM VIDYA MANDIR

Beggars Turned ChoosersSarvan Kumar got children off the streets and gave them lessons in dignity

Every morning 10-year-old Raju would accompany his motherShama to a busy traffic junction to help her with her job — begging. Raju bravedwinter chills and the summer sun to evoke the sympathy of the passersby. Heearned about ` 100 a month, sometimes more if he was lucky.

Then Sarvan Kumar, 77, came along with a mission to get Raju and hisfriends off the streets and into school. Convincing Shama to forego Raju’searnings and send him to school was hard. “When I first asked the children’sparents to send them to school, they said, ‘What will you give us?’” Kumar says.“They told me the children managed to get ̀ 3 by begging every day.” The matterwas settled with Kumar agreeing to pay them ` 3 every day to allow the childrento attend Nishkam Vidya Mandir (NVM), a school founded by Kumar in 1976 forchild beggars. Along with lessons, the children were given meals, baths and taught hygiene.

“It was frustrating. Even after taking money, the children would go back to begging once school was over,”says Kumar. He turned to his friend, Baba Amte, for a solution. The well-known social activist told him to stoppaying the parents, instead, he advised that the children be given vocational training to help them earn aliving. “It worked,” says Kumar. “After enrolling in NVM, my sons refused to beg and asked me to stop as well.I understood the meaning of dignity and took up work as a domestic help in neighbouring areas to support mysons,” says Shama.

Motivated by the success, the Nishkam Sewa Trust set up five more schools — at Samrala Road, KirpaDham, Ambedkar Nagar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and New Chander Nagar — along with an open schoolat a park in Dugri. Today, there are more than 2,500 students studying in these schools, from Nursery rightup to class 10. The schools are housed in multi-storey buildings owned by the trust. Each school employsaround 25 teachers besides volunteers who take extra classes in science and mathematics for students ofclasses 7 to 10.

With 30 years of experience behind him, Kumar gives the students lessons in morals. “High moral valuesare a significant part of growing up and without them even a successful professional cannot become a goodhuman being,” he says. n

—Anshu Seth is Principal Correspondent, Hindustan Times. The story was a part of the series on education carried by the daily.

(Facing page) Sarvan Kumar; the children at Nishkam Vidya Mandir

TEXT: ANSHU SETH

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Dhirendra Pratap Singh, 21, realised veryearly in life that he had access to a good life in the city, butthere were many others in remote villages who couldn’t evendare to dream.

This prompted him to set up Milaan with four otherstudents of Delhi University to help empower children fromsocially challenged backgrounds. Today, he and his team ofaround 20 is making children realise that they can dream of

completing their studies and have a better life beyond their village.Shanti, 17, of Sitapur, UP, wanted to study and change her life and the lives of those around her. However,

when she was in class 8, she had to give up her studies, as her family wanted her to get married. Dhirendraand his team had just set up base in the village when he came to know of Shanti’s plight. Despite opposition,he persistently interacted with Shanti’s parents for over a year and finally convinced them to let the girl continueher education. Today, they are proud of Shanti’s achievements and revel in the vision of her bright future.

In 2007, Milaan had conducted a survey on basic education facilities and accessibility in Sitapur. The resultstartled them: Despite a literacy rate of 92 per cent, less than 1 per cent of the community had actuallycompleted secondary education. And with high dropout rates, a large number of students did not make it pastsenior secondary level. The reason for this they realised was inaccessibility to higher education and the lackof affordable primary education. This is when they came up with the idea of setting up an educational institute.

They came up with Swarachna, an educational project, dedicated in providing quality and affordable seniorsecondary education and vocational training to children from economically weaker families in the community.The children are given books and magazines to read and are shown critically selected films and are encouragedto participate in discussions and debates. Swarachna, which started with just 10 students and a single teacher,now has 400 students on its rolls and 14 teachers on board.

Likewise in Natpurwa village of Hardoi in Uttrakhand, where most of the village people have taken upprostitution for a living, Dhirendra and his team are working to give children a better shot at life. Dhirendra says:“We don’t want the younger generation to follow the same path, therefore, we are trying to work with the youthin capacity building. Our model is being replicated in this village.”

Milaan’s model is also being replicated in Kausani, Uttrakhand, where the dropout rate of students is veryhigh. Says Dhirendra: “We are working towards bringing back the children to school in Kausani.”

Shanti and others who can now afford to dream big are proof that the programme is working. n

PATHBREAKERSDHIRENDRA SINGH

Dream MakersThis youth-based organisation gives remote areas access to quality education

Besides studies, the children also enjoy activity-based learning

Milaan was set up by Dhirendra Pratap Singh and four other students of Delhi University

in 2007 to help empower children from socially challenged backgrounds



PATHBREAKERSAZIZ INDORI

Age No BarAt 80, Dr Aziz Indori runs a school for 80 poor students

Dr Aziz Indori, an Urdu scholar, has not let his 80summers scorch him, instead he has the joy of 80 springs in him.After retiring from Islamia Karimia Degree College, located in Indore,the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh, he has diverted hisenergies to fulfil a dream: educating the poor of his city. Everyonecares for the rich, but who cares for the poor, has been his constantrefrain. This is the reason why he has started Indori’s Pathshala, aschool for the children of local daily wage earners. Though, his focushas been poor Muslim children, he has kept the doors open for poorstudents from all religions. The children learn English, maths,science and are given lessons in hygiene, etiquette and appearanceby Indori chacha (the uncle from Indore), as he is popularly knownto his students.

The school started with just 10 children, today it has 80 students. Though not affiliated to any board, itscurriculum is designed to give the children a shot at a better life. Says Indori, a doctorate in Urdu, “I havealways stood for the education of the poor. Rich have the means and resources. I want to break this traditionthat the child of a cart-puller will be a cart-puller.” The school is housed in a two-storey school building donatedby his Muscat-based brother-in-law and runs on funds provided by four or five friends who find the money whenthey can. Despite his enthusiasm, the fact that now the number of students match his age, he has had toemploy two helping hands.

There is no structured examination and grading in his school. All the same, at least 20 of his students havesuccessfully cleared the matriculation examination after completing their education at the Pathshala. Thisachievement speaks volumes for Indori’s selfless work. “I have to make them self-reliant and they should getknowledge not just degrees,” he says.

Indori’s successful experiment is even more laudable given the dropout rate in Madhya Pradesh. Accordingto the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2011-2012, the largest survey of what children across thecountry are learning, the education dropout rate in the state has dipped from 54 per cent to 67 per cent from2007 to 2011.

Alongside their studies, students are taught personal grooming, hygiene and etiquette and given muchneeded winter clothes and stationery. Another Indori initiative is the Jan Shikshan Sansthan, which providesvocational training especially to the girls to help them contribute economically to their family.

For this octogenarian it is all in a day’s work. n

(Right) Dr Aziz Indori; (above) with his students

TEXT: ARCHITA BHATTA

Though his focus has been poor Muslim children, he has kept the door open for poor students from all religions. The

children get to learn English, math, science besides lessons onhygiene, etiquette and appearances from Indori chacha (uncle).

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Forty years after then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi famouslyobserved that poverty is the greatest polluter, India ensuredthis principle is well enshrined in the contemporary discourseon sustainable development at the Rio+20 Summit in Rio de

Janeiro, Brazil, this June. “It will be ironic if the fight against pollutionwere to be converted into another business, out of which a fewcompanies, corporations or nations would make profits at the cost of themany,” Gandhi had told the Stockholm Conference on HumanEnvironment in 1972.

In Rio de Janeiro, where some 90 heads of state and governmenthad gathered for what is formally called the United Nations Conferenceon Sustainable Development, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ensuredthis thought once again becomes a key guiding principle in addressingdevelopment issues. This was also the most tangible takeaway for Indiaas it articulated the aspirations of poor and developing nations, sayingthey cannot be forced, or even expected to, share equally the burden ofenvironment degradation perpetrated by rich nations in the past.

Assisted by a team of officials and policy-makers, includingEnvironment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan, Prime Minister Dr. ManmohanSingh said economic development, social inclusion and environmentalsustainability were equally critical as the three dimensions of sustainabledevelopment. “The task before us is to give practical shape and contentto this architecture in a way that allows each country to developaccording to its own national priorities and circumstances,” Dr Singhsaid. All of this was also echoed in what is called the Outcome Documentendorsed by all countries, entitled “The Future We Want” — with fourclear takeaways that India in particular, and the developing and poorcountries in general, were happy to go back home with:i) The restoration and reaffirmation of what are called the Rio Principlesput in place in the Brazilian city 20 years ago in 1992 (hence the nameRio+20). ii) Equally significant was the restoration of the centrality of the principleof common but differentiated responsibilities in the sustainabledevelopment discourse. This principle recognises the implicit historicalresponsibility of the industrialised West, both in terms of theircontribution to global environmental degradation and the advantage intechnologies and financial resources they command.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES u AUGUST 201234

Green GoalsRio+20 Conference endorses India’s stand on sustainable developmentTEXT: ARVIND PADMANABHAN

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressing at the Rio+20 United Nations Conference at Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

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iii) The unambiguous recognition of poverty eradication as the greatestglobal challenge. In doing so, the outcome document places thissquarely at the centre of the global development agenda. iv) The decision to launch an open-ended inter-governmental process todevelop the so-called sustainable development goals (SDGs) while notdeciding any specific goals a priori in Rio itself. This would ensure equalrights to both developing and developed nations to find equitable andacceptable solutions.

Rio+20 was able to chart a balanced way forward on sustainabledevelopment while building upon its past commitments and reaffirmingits fundamental principles. The developing countries can be reasonablysatisfied that they were able to shape the final outcome in a way thattook into account their key concerns and also prevented a prescriptiveoutcome on issues such as Green Economy and SDGs that may haveconstrained their development space.

The proposal by developed countries to lay down concrete andtangible quantitative goals and targets for all countries under the ambitsof SDGs in Rio itself did not find muster with G-77 and China — a caucusof 131 countries now. Developing countries felt that unlike the MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs) which were not negotiated and in practiceapplied only to developing countries, the SDGs should be discussed andelaborated in an open and transparent inter-governmental setting andshould apply equally to developed countries as well.

The interlocutors of European Union who pushed for green economyto be recognised as a new paradigm were forced to make it one of thecomponents of sustainable development. The final outcome documentclearly notes: “We consider green economy in the context of sustainabledevelopment and poverty eradication as one of the important toolsavailable for achieving sustainable development and that it could provideoptions for policymaking but should not be a rigid set of rules.”

India and other developing countries also managed to insert a clausethat said these policies must not constitute a means of arbitrary orunjustifiable discrimination or disguised restriction on international trade,and that measures taken must be based on an international consensus.Dr Singh said: “At the global level, our approach to the problem shouldbe guided by equitable burden sharing. This was why the first RioSummit enshrined the principle of common but differentiated

(Clockwise fromabove) Dr Singh withPremier of thePeople’s Republic ofChina Wen Jiabao, onthe sidelines of theSummit; with hiscounterpart fromNepal BaburamBhattarai; and withSri Lankan PresidentMahinda Rajapaksa

Rio+20 was able to chart a balanced way forward on sustainable development while

building upon its past commitments



responsibilities. I am happy we have reaffirmed this principle as well asthe principle of equity during this Summit.”

There was disappointment as well — but that was an area whereneither India nor the other countries that participated at the Summit hadany control over, as stated by the prime minister himself. “Manycountries could do more if additional finance and technology wereavailable. Unfortunately, there is little evidence of support from theindustrialised countries in these areas. The ongoing economic crisis hasmade matters worse,” Dr Singh said.

He also highlighted that India has not shied away from takingambitious and proactive actions to promote sustainable developmentand was doing its bit, on its own, including efficient use of availablenatural resources in a much more frugal manner, while also promotingenergy efficiency and a shift to cleaner energy sources. He noted forinstance that emissions intensity in India as a percentage of grossdomestic product (GDP) has declined by 25 per cent in the 13 yearssince 1994. “In India, we are implementing an ambitious National SolarMission as a critical option for our energy security,” Dr Singh said,adding: “Looking ahead, we have set a target to further reduce theemissions intensity of GDP by 20-25% between 2005 and 2020.”

The prime minister also emphasised on the need to find newpathways for sustainable living, noting that the current consumptionpatterns in the industrialised world are unsustainable. His key message:“We want a future in which there is an ecological and economic spacefor sustainable growth for all”, was timely and sagacious and in tunewith what the final outcome of the conference sought to achieve.

According to minister Natarajan, both in the run-up to the conferenceand at the Summit, India emerged as a strong voice for the G77 caucusof 131 countries, the least developed nations and the small island states.“As far as India is concerned, the outcome document takes intoconsideration our interests and concerns and we are satisfied with theoverall package. India was constructive at Rio. In addition to our ownproposals, which met with widespread support, our delegation played acrucial role in bridging differences and building consensus on manyimportant issues,” she said.

—Arvind Padmanabhan is executive editor of IANS. He was part of the mediadelegation that accompanied Manmohan Singh to the Rio+20 Summit.

INDIA PERSPECTIVES u AUGUST 201238

According to Environment Minister JayanthiNatarajan, India emerged as a strong voice forthe G77 caucus of 131 countries, at the Summit

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff (centre) with Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol of Thailand (left) and Manmohan Singh at the Summit

AFP



goal was to rope in leading regional players and encouragethem to pick stakes in the reconstruction and developmentof Afghanistan through intra and inter-regional projects.

New Delhi exhorted companies from the region to investin Afghanistan despite risks in the spirit of solidarity andcalled for CEOs to replace generals to lead the country’sreconstruction. “We need to offer a narrative of opportunityto counter the anxiety of withdrawal, uncertainty, instabilityand foreign interference,” India’s External Affairs MinisterS.M. Krishna told the conclave. “India will continue topursue its vision to stabilise Afghanistan through trade andinvestment and regional cooperation,” he said, while jointlyinaugurating the conclave with his Afghan counterpartZalmai Rassoul. “We invite international investors andregional countries to join in this vision for Afghanistanindividually or in partnership with others,” he said.

Backing this new investment-driven approach, Rassoulsaid: “I believe greater investment results in increasedeconomic national activities in any country including, but

not limited to, additional revenues, job creation, incomegeneration opportunities which in turn lead to increasedprosperity and service delivery.”

The response to the investors’ summit was overwhelming.Apart from around 100 business delegates from Afghanistanand around 160 from India, around 80 delegates from thecountries in the region and beyond, including China, Pakistanand Iran participated in the summit. The Afghan delegationincluded five senior ministers, including Rassoul, commerceand industry minister Anwar-ul-Haq Ahady, finance ministerHazrat Omar Zakhilwal, minister of mines WahidullahShahrani and agriculture minister Mohd. Asef Rahimi.

Kabul took the lead in dispelling security fears that actas a deterrent for foreign investment. Senior ministers fromAfghanistan assured Indian investors a business-friendlyenvironment and identified several key sectors forinvestment — natural resources/mining, manufacturing,infrastructure, agriculture and agro-processing, informationtechnology, telecommunications — in which they can invest

n a pioneering exercise in transformational diplomacy,India hosted an international conclave of investors on June28 in New Delhi to promote economic rejuvenation andstability of Afghanistan. It was held against the backdrop of

the withdrawal of international combat troops fromAfghanistan by 2014. Organised by the Confederation ofIndian Industry (CII) and supported by the governments ofIndia and Afghanistan, it was billed the “Delhi InvestmentSummit on Afghanistan.” This was the first such conclave

India hosted for any other country, underlining New Delhi’sgrowing strategic and economic stakes in the reconstructionof a country for which it has pledged ` 111 billion.

Showcasing the resource-rich Afghanistan as anemerging land of opportunity for global investors, theconclave was underpinned by a narrative of optimism andrenaissance that belied bleak assessments of that country.According to an estimate, Afghanistan has minerals andother resources worth over ` 55.6 trillion. The underlying

India hosted the Delhi Investment Summit on Afghanistan to promoteeconomic rejuvenation and stability of that country

TEXT: MANISH CHAND

PARTNERSHIPS

A Narrative of Opportunity

India’s External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna addressing the Delhi Investment Summit on Afghanistan, in New Delhi

India’s Minister for Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma with his Afghan counterpart Anwar-ul-Haq Ahady

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summit, one of an ongoing series of internationalconferences on Afghanistan, placed private sectorinvestment and FDI at the centre of reconstruction efforts,”said Chandrajit Banerjee, director-general of the CII.

The overarching message of the conclave was that theinternational community needs to move beyond security-centric to economic-driven approach to ensure long-termpeace and development of Afghanistan. This approachfound enthusiastic response from the internationalcommunity at the Tokyo conference. Backing India’sconcerns over terrorist safe havens in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, the Tokyo conference of internationaldonors on Afghanistan endorsed key recommendations ofthe Delhi summit. “The participants reaffirmed thesignificance of risk mitigation and credit provision schemesby the international community in promoting private sectorinvestment in Afghanistan,” said the Tokyo declaration.

The international community is committed to takingconcrete steps to promote private investment and trade by

mobilising relevant development finance institutions, exportcredit authorities, and other governmental and non-governmental tools to encourage human and financial capitalinvestments in Afghanistan, said the declaration. In thiscontext, India has pitched for indigenisation of foreign aid toAfghanistan and asked the international community to avoidthe temptation to set ‘conditionalities’ on such assistance.

This new narrative of opportunity about Afghanistanshould find more advocates and international supporters.For India, which continues to be a victim of cross-borderterror, the Afghan stability is of immediate and urgentconcern. It is not just about strategy, but re-kindling hope ofa brighter future for ordinary Afghans. From building theAfghan parliament, roads erecting power transmission linesto digging tubewells, running sanitation projects in Kabul,and lighting up 100 villages using solar energy, India strikesa special chord among Afghans, and New Delhi isdetermined to do all it can to prevent Afghanistan slidingback into the vortex of Taliban terror and anarchy. n

and reap good returns. Other focus sectors identifiedincluded: energy and hydrocarbons, banking and financialservices, real estate and tourism, chemical andpharmaceutical products, textiles and carpets.

“Please don’t write off Afghanistan. We are willing to paypersonal attention to facilitate your investment in ourcountry,” Afghan commerce and industry minister Anwar-ul-Haq Ahady said. “We allow 100 per cent foreignownership of enterprises, easy repatriation of profits, treatforeign investors identical to domestic ones, and we allowaccelerated depreciation,” said Ahady.

The conclave culminated in a set of recommendationswhich were submitted to the July 8 Tokyo conference where

major donors pledged ̀ 890 billion for Afghanistan. The keyrecommendations included providing the private sectorinvestment protection and risk mitigation, providingincentives for investing in Afghanistan, the creation of aninternational fund for SMEs and a ‘mutual compact’between the government and foreign investors where theinterests of both Afghanistan and the international businesscommunity are protected.

These recommendations fit into India’s larger strategyand vision for stabilising Afghanistan by replacing aid withinvestment as the primary driver of Afghanistan’sresurgence post-2014 and to push that country towardsself-sustainable economic development. “The Delhi

The underlying goal of the conclave was to rope inleading regional players and encourage them to pickstakes in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul in New Delhi

S.M. Krishna with Foreign Minister of Pakistan Hina Rabbani Khar at International Conference on Afghanistan in Tokyo

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In this land-locked mountainous country, where there isa little bit of India everywhere, one of the most surprisingelements is the popularity of blockbuster Hindi movies.

Bollywood’s links with Afghanistan are very old and quiteinseparable. It has been a virtual ambassador connectingthe two countries. While its impact has irreversiblymultiplied over the years, strengthening the socio-culturalties between the two countries, its presence has,increasingly, generated tremendous goodwill for India.

Bollywood movies are very popular in Afghanistan dueto the country’s proximity to the Indian subcontinent, andthe cultural perceptions they share. The common Afghanloves Bollywood films, because they revolve aroundfighting injustice, which is omnipresent in contemporarysociety…

The larger-than-life representations of Bollywood heroes,in sharp contrast to their stark reality, provide them a

vicarious opportunity to immerse themselves into thegrandiose reel-life fantasies. The chart-busting music isanother addictive element. For majority of Afghans, whomay not fully understand the language, songs, and dances,drama and action more than adequately make up for thehandicap. Action and musical romantic films are, therefore,most popular among them.

In every village that I have visited, I have been houndedwith unending questions regarding Amitabh Bachchan andShah Rukh Khan. Be it the desk officer of the star HotelSerena in Kabul, or a village leader down south, theydiscuss Indian actors with the same amount of elation.

The Indian film and music industry is riding high and continue to further the friendship and bring these two countries together. Despite the resurgence of theTaliban, the love for Indian cinema and music goesunabated in Afghanistan. n

The Bollywood ConnectionBOOK EXTRACT

Indian cinema continues to weave magic in the hearts and minds of Afghans

Extracted From:IN SEARCH OF A NEW AFGHANISTANBy Sujeet Sarkar

Publisher: Niyogi BooksPrice: ` 395Pages: 266

Afghans look at movie posters of Indian films at the entrance of a theatre in KabulHindu pilgrimage centre, Badrinath, which was an almost treeless zone in 1993 now boasts of greenery


Once upon a time, there was faith. Long before theworld needed modern conservationists and activiststo din green messages into unreceptive human

minds, there were priests and deities. Faith Revisited tracesancient Indian practices of nature worship and their role inecological preservation. While it tells some stories familiar tothe average Indian, some are not widely known even amongthose living within the country. One Delhi scholar explainsin the documentary how the 17th century Mughal EmperorAurangzeb came to the rescue of nilgai which were beingkilled in large numbers because of their tendency to destroycrops. Though the nilgai is an antelope, Aurangzeb told hispeople that it is in fact a gai (cow). Since most of hissubjects were Hindus who consider the cow a sacredanimal, this information from the ruler apparently led to animmediate decline in nilgai hunting.

It is anecdotes such as this that make Faith Revisited

both an educational and entertaining enterprise. Althoughthe film would have been more well-rounded if directorIshani K. Dutta and team had not restricted their travels tonorth India and confined their coverage to Hinduism, it’sstill interesting to get acquainted with so many smallcommunities willing to sacrifice their lives to protect animalsand trees, and to meet contemporary experts who havetapped religion to solve environmental problems. Perhapsthe most interesting example of all is the metamorphosis ofthe Hindu pilgrimage centre at Badrinath from an almosttreeless zone in 1993 to an area boasting of approximately29,000 saplings. How did that happen? Well, pick up a copyof this 25-minute film to discover that beyond fairytales,there are happily-ever-afters in the real world too.

—Anna M.M. Vetticad (The writer is a Delhi-based journalist. She is on Twitter as @annavetticad)

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1DKqG-fkks

REVIEW

FILM

FAITH REVISITEDGenre: DocumentaryDirector: Ishani K. DuttaDuration: 25 minutesProducer: PublicDiplomacy Division,Ministry of ExternalAffairs, India

Tracing the link between nature worship and green movements in India

Faith Accompli

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Shakuntala Devi is a name thatconjures images of numbers andeverything mathematical. Born in anorthodox family, she discovered her

love for numbers very early. It might be hardto believe that a person, who can multiplyseveral long digit numbers and do the mostcomplex calculations in seconds, has not hada formal education. Hailed as a humancomputer, she is also the recipient of theRamanujam Mathematical Genius Award andis a Guinness world record holder. BinduGopal Rao caught up with the septuagenarianin her plush 4th floor flat that is adorned withpictures of herself with celebrities from sports,movies and politics. Excerpts.

When did you know your ability with numberswas extraordinary?I was just three years old when I started doingsums mentally. Then slowly I started doing alot of shows. Basically, I believe that this is agift I have been given by God.

What has been your most memorableachievement?It has to be my achievement in the GuinnessBook of Records. It was at the computerdepartment of Imperial College, London, andI had cold feet. But when I went on stage Ihad God’s blessings. I was asked to multiplytwo 13-digit numbers picked at random, Ianswered in 28 seconds.

Tell us about your books.I have authored 14 books, my latest book,Super Memory, was released three months

ago. It teaches one how to remember names and faces by using the untappedpower of ones mind. My next book will be on simplified Vedic maths but that will take time.

Tell us about your forays into education?I have started the Shakuntala Devi Pre-University College and Shakuntala DeviInternational Institute of ManagementSciences that offers pre-university, bachelorof commerce and bachelor of businessmanagement courses. We also plan to starta full-fledged MBA programme. The collegeis still in its infancy. I also hope to start amathematics university in Hyderabad.

What is your take on Maths in today’s digitalworld?Maths gives life. Computers may come andgo but maths will remain the same. I feelmaths should be taught in a pleasant wayrather than making it painful. I have tried tonarrate this in my book In the Wonderlandof Numbers, which is told through the eyesof a girl child. Someone wanted to make thisinto a movie but I was not convinced tochange the story angle to make the girl ateenager.

What is your message for the readers of IndiaPerspectives?I would say love maths. It is the only truth inthe whole world. If you add 2 to 2 it is 4 inChina, Russia and India — it’s a universaltruth. I hope to continue to convert non-lovers of maths into lovers of the subject. n

“Maths should be pleasant rather than painful”

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