Let’s make India better!

New India,  lots of jobs… like US, lots of money… like US, Busy schedules… like US, lots of TV Channels… just like America, Pizzas, burgers, multiplexes, pubs, discotheques, fancy clothes, designer wears, lots of booze, wines, amusement parks, .. all like US.. few more things that come as part of this “inclusive growth” are children shootouts in school.

What is wrong with us? Are we so fast in catching up in all the wrong things with US?  Do we really need that screwed up western education methods for primary schools? Add to this that we have developed these fancy schools where the buildings are air conditioned, earthquake proof, holidays in Europe, prom nights and what not. We see kids spending hundreads of rupees and time on cafe coffee days talking about sex, booze and smoking. Is this what we are giving our future generation?

I want to write much more on this topic but I am just too depressed by this news. I think we need to copy one more thing from America. We need to copy the phrase “God bless India”!

Shaheen Mistri runs Akansha; a non-profit organization working towards improving the poor children’s lives. There is a great article about her and her dream, her Akanksha. The article is at rediff.

Something about Akanksha from the home page:
“The Akanksha Foundation is a non-profit organization with a mission to impact the lives of less privileged children, enabling them to maximise their potential and change their lives. Akanksha works primarily in the field of education, addressing non formal education through the Akanksha centre and also formal education by initiating school reform.

Over the past 15 years, the organization has expanded from 15 children in one centre to over 2,600 children in 51 centres in Mumbai and Pune, with an additional 2100 children in 10 schools. A commitment is made to support each child by giving him or her a strong educational foundation, a good time, self esteem and values, and to help them plan how they can earn a steady livelihood as a step towards improving their standard of living.”

I had the opportunity to meet Shaheen in Pune. My wife is interested in being part of Akanksha and she got an appointment with Shaheen. The sheer exuberance, confidence and the passion to do something for the kids was so obvious. We were swept by her dedication to reach out to as many under privileged kids as she can. Shaheen is not just trying to educate these children, but she is taking more holistic and practical approach to actually spread the model. She is trying to bring changes in the educational system that can help these kids. She told us that she is working with Anu Aga (Thermax Foundation) to run a municipal school.

I am sure few will disagree that good education and inculcating good values in our children is the key to a developed India. Of course we need many more Shaheen Mistris all over India. But what we can do to make our education system better? Any thoughts?

Support Akanksha and be part of a good cause!