Ravi Kaimal "I am passionate about Education

Episode #75: Sandeep Dutt in conversation with Ravi Kaimal, has been involved with The Fabindia School since the first brainstorming discussions with John and William Bissell.  Ravi is a professional architect and is responsible for the design of the school buildings. He was also Chairman of Bhadrajun Artisans Trust (BAT), the non-profit, tax-exempt charitable society founded by William Bissell which established the school in 1992 and continues to help guide the school and provide financial support.  Ravi writes, “The first block was designed to be built using maximum local materials and local skills so that it could be done with the least cost and time. The buildings are made almost entirely of stone available in the local area, and there is no wood used as wood is expensive and vulnerable there. This also came close to Mahatma Gandhi's approach of using only locally available materials.  So our buildings are very much of their place, geography, climate and people. They are also optimized for their function, with very little energy being used. At the start of the hot summer of 1992 at the start of digging for the foundations of the first block at the school in Bali, the earth was so hard that water- bought from a farmer- had to be poured on it to break it! As you can see today, the land was barren, and there was no soft greenery, only thorny bushes.” Ravi Kaimal, visiting the area frequently before the school is set up to collaborate and brainstorm with John and William Bissell; As the Principal and Founder of Kaimal,  Chatterjee Associates, an architectural firm in New Delhi, formal training includes a B.  Arch (1987) from the School of Planning;  Architecture, New Delhi and has been practising in Delhi since 1990. Ravi's interests and experience extend beyond architecture to photography, art direction for films (Art  Director of Arundhati Roy's feature film) and rural education; Ravi has travelled extensively in India,  Nepal,  Sri Lanka,  US, Spain, Italy and the UK  photographing places of architectural and environmental significance. He is the recipient of a prestigious UNESCO award for heritage conservation for his work in Rajasthan. In the show, he credits his passion for education to his family and grandparents, shares how the focus on the girl child and push for quality education in rural India has made a huge difference. As a parent, he adds that today with technology and tools, couples and balance work and family raise children who are better equipped for the world.

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William N Bissell “I am passionate about Education...

‘WilliamN Bissell issell grew up in Delhi and later attended Wesleyan University in the United States. After graduating in 1988, Bissell set up an artisans' co-operative based on the Gandhianmodel, which involved working with "untouchable" leather workers in Rajasthan. In 1993, Bissell returned to New Delhi to help John run Fabindia’. WIKIPEDIA

Listen to William, he shares his passion for education with Sandeep.

Sandeep Dutt in conversation with William N. Bissell, one of the co-founders of The Fabindia School (a unit of Bhadrajun Artisans Trust - BAT), he collaboratively developed the vision and approach of the school since its inception.  In addition to his unwavering commitment to the school, William is best known as a leading social entrepreneur and is the Chairman of Fabindia Overseas Pvt Ltd, a textile company started by his father, John Bissell, in 1960. After completing his B.A. from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, USA in 1988, William returned to India with the goal of working in the rural crafts sector to address economic development issues.  Living in Jodhpur, Rajasthan and travelling extensively throughout the state, William helped to form the BAT in 1988 which was initially envisioned as an artisan cooperative for leatherworkers and weavers based in Rajasthan.  After encountering a number of limitations in running BAT as an artisans' cooperative, he changed his approach and helped to launch a Jodhpur based company in 1990 called Desert Artisans Handicrafts (DAH) in which artisans over the next 6 years became shareholders. DAH has grown to witness tremendous success for its artisan members whereas BAT has become solely focused on education, with The Fabindia School as its only project. 

The Fabindia School's mission is to provide access to high-quality education for boys and girls at the rural level using English as the medium of instruction. The school views primary education as a major stepping stone towards social mobility, equality and employment opportunities. Since its inception, the school has been committed to encouraging education for girls. A co-ed private school for pre-school through Class XII, located in Bali Rajasthan, the school champions innovation in learning.

Photo of Mr William N Bissell courtesy Neha Parmar 

You will love the stories shared by our happy teachers and passionate educators. We grow your people's capacity to improve student achievement and transform your school into a culture of trust and collaboration in less time with fewer resources. Each person in your school contributes to the culture of your school. School culture is built on the actions and interactions of the people. You make your school stronger by adding value to others and making others feel valued. 

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If you would like to feature on the Learning Forward Podcast, share your story by email with Sandeep Dutt LF@ebd.in

Taking Learning Forward : RP Devgan

Rajinder Pal Devgan

Chairman Learning Forward India

rpdevgan@gmail.com

Learning Forward India (LFIN) in the last three years has been doing very useful work in schools in India and established itself as a worthy Associate of Learning Forward, USA. Our contributions have been appreciated  Internationally and at this year’s Annual Conference we are to present our original ideas innovation “My Good School - Experiential Learning For All".

LFIN and its educators are bringing in a pleasant and happy change in learning at schools. It is now imperative that we as educators pause to think of the direction we are pursuing. We need to be careful in the use of Technology. It must not be overused and become an obsession. About 140 Waldorf Schools in the USA catering to the children of employees of Apple, Microsoft etc do not allow the use of any gadget in school till the age of 12 years. 

Today when everyone is talking about technology and AI, we must not forget the human factor. Educators as role models must groom children to be good human beings, who bring happiness to others and themselves. Gratitude should be ingrained. Being grateful brings a sense of balance to one’s personality. One’s feet are firmly on the ground. Parents who raise us, deserve that gratitude. 
Our educators must encourage the habit of reading and keeping fit. These two should become a way off life. 

It’s important that children are compassionate, kind and have a care for others. They must also develop a love for the environment and live in harmony with nature. Having lived in Bali, Indonesia for some years, I realise the value of the Balinese philosophy of respecting the elements and living in harmony with nature and fellow human beings. A truly happy and peaceful society.

I hope LFIN will spread this message of happiness, peace and caring through the educators and students. One must remain optimistic about the future and the younger generation. Without neglecting the effort needed for studies, sports and other activities connected to the school curriculum, children can be achievers and bring about a positive change by being good citizens of the world.

I look forward to LFIN spreading the message of Happy learning, Happy teachers through our programmes of "Professional Learning" and "My Good School.” Is Your Child Ready To Face The World?, The Value Of Values and other programs, all add tremendous value to the schools in transformation.

I am optimistic about LFIN bringing a change for the better in the lives of educators and students who come in contact with our programme and do the community and country proud.

With near five decades of experience as an Educationist and having served as a School Leader for schools in India and overseas, Mr Devgan is now working to strengthen Learning Forward India.

You must have fun in learning

The Fabindia School Annual Day 2015 Speech ~ Sandeep Dutt, Chairman.

Thank you, dear children, for giving us the opportunity to be amongst you! Yes, we need to thank all the people who helped us reach here, but without the joy and the fun you have has no meaning. This is the only school that I have come across (as I visit thousands of schools) where they make fresh air, the forest behind you makes the fresh air. This is the only school that actually makes fresh air this is the only school that perhaps gives you the cleanest water. This is the school where you can see the stars above and feel the mud under your feet. This is the school where you can hear the children sing, this is the school that has grown where you grow with care, love and affection.

Thank you, Mr. Bissell, for you, we are very happy to be here today. We are grateful to you for having us all together on a mission, a mission that started almost   25 years back and more, so all the board members, parents, friends who all are participating in making the mission a success. What you see here is the journey partially complete, this is just the beginning. I often say and for us the happiest day will be when we see a Fabindian lead us in every sphere of life.

It is our dream that we have a Fabindian lead us not only in Study but also Sport, Skill, Service and what else? Absolutely! We want the Fabindian’s to excel in all the four fields: Service, Skill, Sport and Study. With this motive, we feel the quality of education which the school offers is far superior to even mainstream school in the country. I travel all over the country, I have come just from Delhi, I have been to many cities, but I tell you that nowhere do you breath the clean fresh air, that you breathe here.

I will say in Hindi:
जो खाओगे वही बनोगे। जो हवा पानी आपको यहाँ मिल रहा है वो आपको आगे ले जायेगा। जो शुद्ध हवा पानी बाली में है वो आगे बढ़ाएगा। आप और हम मिलकर इस छत्र - छाया में आगे बढ़ेंगे।

Thank you Principal Ma’am, thank you Chief Guest for joining and doing everything to make this evening a wonderful one. And it is wonderful to see young people like our Head Boy, Head Girl, the Prefects all taking charge. It is wonderful to see them being part of the society who are now leading to give us various skills, sports. It is wonderful to see a boy reaching the District level in soccer, It is fantastic to see children cycling all the way to Ranakpur. It is even great to see children work on Service project. The Social Service League in the school is a noble idea, we don’t have a Social Service League in any school in Bali. The Art and Craft, the Music and the Orchestra, only The Fabindia School, gives us. Let me assure you, it is all to give your child the necessary space. It is all to give your child the necessary opportunity to excel. It is for your child, of your child and by your child. Children love having fun, and we hope they continue to have fun. Teachers love teaching and the joy only spreads when children have fun so let us all be together in the joy of learning and all the best.

Thank you, everybody.

Sandeep Dutt
Chairman

The Fabindia School

Mr. Sandeep Dutt - Chairman

Bhadrajun Artisans Trust (BAT) Advisory Board Members
A diverse and talented group of advisory board members are dedicated to creating a visionary school which continues to be a model for high-quality rural education in India. Sandeep is the BAT Chairman, visits the area frequently and is working to build the school from 'good to great'.

Over the years Sandeep has addressed students and young people in over 100 schools and colleges; attended workshops, conventions and policy groups. Leader for young people on outward bound / adventurous journeys, travels around the world  to empower people.  
Read more The Fabindia School

IAYP India team