Dr Kaushik Sridhar along with his wife and parents visited us all the way from Australia, to bring a gift for Nitisha, the child he is sponsoring, and for her classmates!
It was wonderful having Kaushik and his family at school!
Our loving thanks to him and family to come over to school in between their hectic schedule! :-)
Here is Dr Kaushik Sridhar's account of his visit:
Here is Dr Kaushik Sridhar's account of his visit:
“As one person I cannot change the world, But I can
change the world of one person”
I recently went on a six-week holiday to
visit India, Egypt, Jordan, and Mauritius. When you think of my holiday, you might
think of beaches, pyramids, and jetlag! I did all of the above during the six
weeks but there was one highlight that became a significant milestone in my
personal life and one which made me reflect on the past, present and future of
the ‘state of affairs’ in this world. This highlight was a visit to the
Gurukulam School in Chennai.
Gurukulam is a free school for the
under-privileged children located in Kovalam, Chennai. The foundation of the
school is based on the principle that education is and always will be very
important in building a strong foundation in one's life. My initial interest in
the school was sparked when I learnt KPMG India’s involvement with them and the
social impact created in the community by the school’s founder, Captain
Nandakumar. While I had been communicating with the school since March and
started sponsoring one of the students, Nitisha, from September, I (really)
wanted to visit the school, see a class in action, and most importantly see
Nitisha, whose education I had decided to sponsor over the next 12 years.
The school itself seemed like a sanctuary
for anyone wanting to get away from hustle bustle of city life but its more
serious role of providing education for the underprivileged became apparent
when we arrived. It provides resources where children have much-needed opportunities
to play, read and learn. This includes a large playground, computer lab,
vocational education facility, classrooms etc. KPMG India facilitated the
development of the school’s computer lab where children are encouraged to take
a course in basic computer literacy. Each student is equipped with a uniform
and bookbag, provided by the Gurukulam trustees and sponsors. Regardless of the
poverty they encountered at home, every young student was clad in a grey and
white uniform. Despite the disadvantaged status, I noticed the Gurukulam
students thrive when given the opportunity. The bright (and adorable) students
share an enthusiasm for learning and a competitive spirit that shined through
the classrooms when I arrived.
After a tour of the school’s facilities we
visited the Lower Kindergarten class which is where Nitisha is currently
studying. The LKG children had all settled down in the classroom sitting in
organised rows and were ready for their visitors (my parents, wife and I)! As
we entered the classroom all the tiny tots yelled “Good Morning”. We were
overwhelmed with their affection and decided to grow their (already infectious)
smiles; we went around the classroom and gave each child a gift we brought from
Australia! I had also spotted Nitisha sitting in a corner and was overcome with
joy and excitement. We spent about 30 minutes with the children and I was able
to absorb their happiness, enthusiasm and eagerness to learn and play. Some of
the children showcased their talents and sang some songs in both English and
Tamil; I was amazed with their confidence levels at such a young age. While
Nitisha didn’t speak much (compared to her peers), her piercing eyes and
keen/observant nature left me with a positive impression of her future. On a
personal level, it was an honour for me to spend 30 minutes with the future of
our eclectic country.
For most Indian slum families, educating
their children is the last thing on their minds. Children in poverty make up
thirty-nine percent of the population, and most of these children do not
receive a good education because their parents cannot afford to send them to
anything but a public school. As slum children grow up, parental pressure to
leave school and start work increases, and most young people leave school by the
age of 16. Among slum residents, the most common belief about higher education
– or even completing school -is that it’s a waste of time and money. This is
where Gurukulam comes in!
Gurukulam gets the most disadvantaged
children into the school, and the Gurukulam employees engage with the children’s
parents on why education is worthwhile. The work done by the people of the
school reminds me of a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “The best way to find
yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
My visit to Gurukulam has made me
optimistic about India’s future. India is a complex country with a variety of
cultures and traditions. To lead in tomorrow’s world, it needs something or
someone to help it achieve its vast potential – a good education is that
something and Capt Nandakumar/Gurkulam is that someone. Nandakumar’s work
mirrors the saying: “He who opens a school door, closes a prison.”
Keep up the great work!
- Dr Kaushik Sridhar
It's so nice to read that you resonate the feelings of those already on board on this long haul:-)
ReplyDeleteReassuring that there are like minded people who believe that education changes lives of not only one individual but families and those around us.
Collectively we can bring a change.