A Future-Sensitive Schooling System

Wealthy people place their valuables in a bank locker for safekeeping. At the other end of the spectrum, individuals who’ve fallen on hard times often live out of public places and restrooms. Did you realise there’s a third category of inbetweeners who seek a slightly different type of refuge, in a different type of place altogether?

Children. Even and including those who belong to ‘decent’ families, reasonably well-to-do backgrounds. For many amongst them, what they earn, their personal currency, their spectrum of emotions, feelings and sentiments, owing to a set of unsavoury circumstances that doesn’t allow them to feel ‘whole’ at home; deposit their respective emotional-chests, at school!

While we as parents, teachers and caregivers wax lyrical about steps to make schools safer, more secure, less prejudiced places; the aforementioned group of children has already, being unaffected by the pervading school environment, invested all of themselves they can’t elsewhere, at school.

These are the children who secretly long to reach school, and given a choice, remain! 

Now let us add another layer of current reality to this situation. There is a desperate need for what we broadly understand and term – social emotional learning. This is irrespective of the type of child, and their circumstances. Especially from a future standpoint, the more deeply individuals are self-aware, have formed identities they are proud of, love, and are unique and differentiated, the better their chances at surviving and thriving in an uncharted upcoming global landscape that is almost impossible to estimate with any accuracy.

With these few different directions and reasons that are making a strong case for ‘education’ to be much more ‘emotionally inclusive & evolutionary’, perhaps it is time we questioned some core fundamentals & constructs, rather than trying our current approach of retrofitting & retrofitting?

Ironic. When  I teach Essay Writing as part of my communication skills classes, I suggest to students that as far as possible, and particularly when they raise a problem in their respective pieces, they should also try to provide potential solutions/suggestions. I find that having presented what I see to recognize as a very real reality, one that needs urgent and probably paradigm-altering solutions, I do not myself have any to offer!

Having realized, for myself at least, that retrofitting the existing mainstream schooling systems is not proving particularly effective, residential schools also falling into similar traps, not to mention their own existential crisis; I do have a certain thought. It is a radical thought. One that will require a leap of faith, and redefining several vital facets of mass-standardized education. But when has catering to a completely new/different set of needs ever been easy!

The way I see this. A possible solution could be in the form of a hybrid model of education, that combines a Gurukul-style physical micro-school that will bring together a modest cohort and unite them with a mentor who will address holistic values, spirituality, self-exploration & awareness, and building identity, purpose and morality. And this will co-exist with a completely technology & AI based customised academic/scholastic learning solution that each learner will also attend on an everyday basis, from home itself, encompassing the bulk of what students today physically visit schools for. 

To my mind, this system could present numerous advantages. In addition to the obvious merits stated above, for instance, gurukul would return children to nature, s key suggestion being strongly put forth by many in the mental health & wellness space, for good reason. Furthermore. Why, for example, can we not embrace and compliment education with allied services from AI, instead of waiting for our fears of AI making human teachers redundant, to actually take place? Similarly, why not, rather than retrofitting the current schooling system with diluted elements of SEL, turn it on its head, and take a few systems from the current that are good, and bring those to a revivalist-gurukul. In my school for instance, aside from our headmaster and housemaster, we had tutors. In other schools, a similar role was performed by people called house-parents; only the nomenclature changed. Individuals who’d be quasi parents, emotional supports, pastoral carers. Bolster gurukul with these roles and evolve the rest of current schooling’s academic duties and obligations and make it AI led. 

Is it not in any case observed in as many sectors and realms of life; there comes a point on an evolutionary cycle, that we reference, draw from, reconstruct past/historic systems and values. The gurukul system, so deeply embedded in our culture and conditioning, could just present what we, rather what children at this point need.

Nobody has the elusive magic-mantra to educational success. Trial and error, just as good teachers advise their students, is a process that we as alleged education-leaders must also adopt. It is the only way. The right way. So the E in that word is equal Education & Emotion.

Kartik Bajoria – Founder Driveway Devi Life Guidance

Transformative Learning: Strategies for Success

Reflection questions based on Chapter 5: Performance Scores Must Be Honest and Chapter 6: People, Scores and Outcomes from My Good School by Sandeep Dutt:

Chapter 5: Performance Scores Must Be Honest

1. How can we ensure student assessments reflect their understanding and growth rather than just test-taking ability?
   (Consider both academic and personal development perspectives.)

2. How does honest feedback, both given and received, influence the learning culture in a school?
   (Reflect on the role of trust and transparency in your teaching or learning environment.)

Chapter 6: People Scores and Outcomes

3. How can we better measure a student's contribution to the school community beyond academic grades?
   (Think about leadership, collaboration, empathy, and service.)

4. What changes can we make in our schools to shift the focus from competition to character and community development?
   (Reflect on how success is currently defined and how it could be reimagined.)

📚 My Good School Reading Session Summary

🌿 A Special Session at Khan Farm

The recent reading session was uniquely held at Khan Farm, near Rajaji National Park, offering a serene and natural setting for a meaningful gathering. The session was designed for our Special Schools and brought together participants from various regions.

The virtual meeting ran smoothly thanks to a smooth technical setup and strong coordination. The peaceful surroundings and collaborative spirit made the session memorable, highlighting the power of learning in harmony with nature.

📖 Chapter Discussion: Reflections on Chapters 5 and 6

The main body of the session was focused on Chapters 5 and 6: Performance Scores Must be Honest and People Scores and Outcomes from the reading material.
Key discussion points included:

• Self-Care and Love: A highlight was the importance of nurturing the self—connecting body, mind, and soul.

• Teacher Reflections: Sandeep Dutt encouraged teachers to reflect on their challenges and share personal stories to build mutual understanding.

• Work-life balance: This theme emerged as a crucial takeaway, emphasizing emotional well-being and balance in professional and personal spheres.

⚖️ Balancing Act: Challenges in Education

The session moved into more profound reflections around the daily struggles teachers face:

• Peer Pressure and Burnout: Discussed as everyday stressors among educators.

• Work-Life Balance: Reiterated by Seema Khare, who introduced the idea of a "Tipping Point", stressing the need to maintain harmony to prevent burnout.

• Group consensus formed around the importance of self-awareness, mindfulness, and time management.

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Self-care is not a luxury—educators need to be effective.

• Building positive connections within oneself enhances professional capability.

• Regular reflections help personal growth and create a culture of empathy and openness in schools.

• Staying connected helps maintain momentum and mutual support among educators.

🏁 Closing & Gratitude

The session concluded with a warm thank you from My Good School Retreat.
Sandeep Dutt and Manisha stressed the importance of:

• Staying connected through WhatsApp groups and other digital platforms.

• Continuing open dialogue around well-being and personal development.

I request everyone to share their learning outcomes by posting a reflection below the post or emailing it to mk@learningforward.org.in. Your thoughts and insights will be valuable to the community! I look forward to applying these strategies and growing through such learning opportunities.

Session highlights

Meeting ID

My Good School Retreat 2024 - Gyanoday Vatika 2024

I learned a lot of new things in this retreat, some of them are:

• Good Leadership quality
• Communication skills
• Collaboration
• Management

No one has become poor by giving, so always help needy people at your level.

Kunal, Teacher-in-charge

We learned that sometimes, our minds and hearts think differently, but we should follow the path that will be good in the future. We also learned communication skills and how animals survive in forests.

Garvit Kumar, Grade 9th

मैंने माई गुड स्कूल रिट्रीट से सीखा कि दूसरे की मदद करनी चाहिए| हमें अपनी टीम के साथ काम करना चाहिए| हमें दूसरे से अच्छे से बात करनी चाहिए। हमें हर चीज़ में भाग लेना चाहिए| हमें समाज सेवा करनी चाहिए | देने का आनंद का मैंने असली अर्थ समझा | The Inner Life Of animal book से मैंने  जानवर कैसे जीवित रहते हैं वो सीखा हैं |

Ruddraksh, Grade 6th

Fear VS Courage - Sunbeam Bhagwanpur

Fear vs. Courage highlights two contrasting yet interconnected emotions. Fear is like when your heart races, your palms get sweaty, or you feel shaky before doing something that scares you. Fear can impact a person’s life in both positive and negative ways.

Negative:

1. Physical Health leads to chronic stress, high B.P., sleep deprivations, tension, fatigue

2. Anxiety and Depression decrease self-esteem, panic situation

3. Fear can lead to avoiding situations or activities

Positive: 

1. It increases awareness, can sharpen focus, and helps people to stay alert.

2. Fear is a natural, subjective feeling; there is no place for objectivity in it. Everyone has this feeling at some point in life.

Courage can be used to handle fear. People believe that courage is the absence of fear. But I think that courage is not the absence of fear; rather, it is the ability to deal with it.

Courageous people do feel fear, but they can manage it. Courage is the willingness to act despite fear.

Finally, fear is normal, but courage is what helps us grow.

Sneha Singh
Sanyogita Dubey
Reeta Tiwari
Sunbeam School Bhagwanpur

Unity and Caring - Shalini Solanki

Unity brings power, and caring gives the power of being in the company of people who love, care, understand, and stand with you in good and bad times. We must have heard the quote, ‘United We Stand, Divided We Fall’. Such a short quote has a powerful meaning and feeling. I still remember the award-winning song on the Doordarshan channel, ‘Ek chidiya, anek chidiya’. No matter how small or weak we are together, nothing is impossible.

I got to experience ‘Unity and Caring’ with my students outside the classroom.

All Grade 2 sections went for an excursion to Zoological Park, New Delhi, under the theme ‘Animals Around Us’. I started discussing the trip with my class two days before the departure date to get their ideas and expectations. We decided to make groups of 2 students each in a queue. The partners were accepted on the approval of each student as per the requirements. 23 students were present on the final day, so I made a queue of 11 groups + 01 with me (He needed special care☺). I was surprised to see their unity and caring for each other here. They sat in groups on the bus and counted each other. Students were even concerned about each other’s bags and water bottles. I was so happy to see their belongingness and care for each other.

We finally reached the zoo, and before I counted till 11 to ensure that every group was present after getting off the bus, they counted themselves and told me they were all with me. Each one has taken responsibility. Even if one child had to go to the washroom, the whole class would wait without complaint. We went to see different categories of animals, and I observed that my students wanted to experience everything with their entire group. They were holding hands, walking and enjoying together, sharing caps and giving places to their peers to stand and see the animals. Children made space for the entire class to see the ‘Malaysian Bird’ and ‘Jaguar’ together. They also ensured the shorter ones could get in front and experience the complete view.

What else could a teacher desire? This is itself an achievement to see our children reflecting the behaviour desired by us. Sometimes I feel powerful as I have little contribution to shaping the lives of our future leaders. This feeling is beyond anything that exists.

           

Shalini Solanki
Gyanshree School, Noida

Thoughtfulness and Understanding- Prachi Jain

We meet these people almost every day in our life, whenever we step out of our house.

They are important, but we underestimate them because their hard work is not packed up in some expensive and decorative wrappers and then labelled with some big brand names. Even after knowing this fact, we try to low-ball these vendors in price, we bargain with them while we pay EXTRA very much when it comes to brand name. 

If we talk about a classroom, the same thing happens with the children also. We always go after those children who can fetch our attention towards them. But what about those who actually need attention and are not able to express it. Most of the times, they are missed out, their need is also underestimated, and their emotions are bargained with.

So, on the part of a teacher-

Ø Thoughtfulness is the quality of thinking carefully about how to do something which is effective for every child.

And, for a student-

Ø Thoughtfulness are showing kind and considerate regard for those who showed the right path to them and helped them reach their goal. For them,

It’s THOUGHTFULNESS that inspires them to send a “thank you” note to –

§  Their grandparents for the birthday gift.

§  Their teachers on Teacher’s Day and much more….

We should always be thankful to the people at the previous steps who taught us how to move up, how to grow before we move to the next one.

Thoughtful people pay attention to the people around them, reflects on the situation and then choose to react and act purposefully and lovingly which takes a bit more consideration & time and most important-

A lovely quote that fits here-

                   “Never underestimate the power of thought; it is the greatest path to discovery.”

It shows that – Thoughtfulness and Understanding work in a cycle. If we start with Thoughtfulness, we come with a better understanding all the way and when we start with Understanding, we make an arrangement about actions to be taken.

Thoughtfulness has the power to change/improvise our thoughts, and Understanding gives us the power to take action for an effective outcome.

- Prachi Jain, The Doon Girls' School, Dehradun

Do You See ? - Nibbrati Rathore

Observation - The Master skill

Some people see, some observe.  Some see and yet don’t see! Some see and observe but don’t comprehend.  Some see, observe and comprehend, but don’t act! Look at this picture, now observe it carefully. Try to think of a one-line story for the picture.  Now, think of 2 more aspects that can be drawn from this picture. . . . By now, you must have come up with various versions of your views. This is the power of observation. When we observe anything closely, we come up with many new findings.

Well, some of the one-liners which came to my mind are: 

Observation is an integral act every living being does. It is the fundamental requirement and a gift embedded by nature with the primary motive for the “survival “of all living beings. But in the case of humans, we go one step ahead beyond survival – “SUCCEED.”

To make observation worthwhile, you can keep in mind the following points:

1. Sachetan (सचेतन ): Be mindful, means become “conscious”. A state where you are conscious of your acts, thoughts and observations. To initiate the mind consciously, one needs to live in the present. Which requires decluttering your brain every day through conscious efforts. Most of the time, we remain engaged in what others think of us, how have I spoken in the meeting, have I been able to impress others etc. this way, we spend a major quantum of our energy on ourselves. As an observer, you need to consciously notice the world around you and not just the world within you. 

2. Purpose (उद्देश्य): A piece of note-sheet lying on the floor of a class could very well be overlooked by the teacher, but if it is an examination hall, the note sheet will get immediate attention. We observe better when we have a purpose behind it. If you wish to retain any observation for a longer period of time, try to attach a purpose with it. This works.

3. Brainstorming: (मंथन ): Observations would be meaningful only if we ask questions like, why, what, how, when, etc. Sherlock Holms mesmerized people with these questions and could catch the culprit. His main skill was observation. The mind churns the inputs given to it with the churning rod of logic and past experience. Repeated churning helps to infer the true nature of things. Due to this nature of ‘churning’ minds, we are called manushya in Hindi, which means someone who continuously evolves to create something new (solutions, discoveries, etc.).

4. The missing piece: (अनुपस्थिति): Power of seeing what is absent is another aspect of observation. For example, if a fire extinguisher is not present where crackers are made, it tells a story. Observe a situation for a period of time and set a baseline of what is normal. And then, you can compare the future events back to the normal event. This helps you in finding the changes. A conscious observer can quickly pick the missing things. 

As a class teacher, I happen to spend my zero periods with the same class every day. It’s a wonderful opportunity to closely observe the behaviour of the children and know them better. Only because of the observations I make through the year could I identify behavioural changes in my students, find reasons behind them, and devise solutions to manage them better.

Try and observe every child of your class, derive inferences and dig out ways to help them. And the only investment is your “TIME”. 

To give a kick-start to fine-tune your observation skill, leaving you with another picture. 

Try to observe it and drop a one-line story in the comment box.

Nibbrati Rathore is an educator at the Gyanshree School, Noida

She is a Life Members and volunteer on the National Training Team of Learning Forward India.

Join Learning Forward, find out more at www.SchoolEducation.com.

Peace and Freedom - Triumph DGS

Attainment of Peace in life is something that perhaps all human beings aim for. They struggle all through their life in search of Peace. They spend money, devote time, try to control everything around them but, in the end, find themselves landed on an island that is isolated and deserted. This leads to unrest and discomfort in life, and they suffer.

One can never get Peace if he/she keeps himself/herself entangled with the boundaries of materialistic things. You let yourself free from these boundaries, and the sky is open for you. Your liberty to be the way you are, do the things you want to do for the betterment of people around you will open all the doors of peaceful and calm surroundings.

If one gets,

A chance to try,               

To walk on water,

on Earth thy,

When one pleases to dance,

And gets anklet bells hereby,

When one wishes to sing,

They sing without being shy,

And when FREEDOM is given to everyone,

it gives us real PEACE and wings to fly!!

In our view, the meaning of Peace and Freedom differs from one person to another. A child finds Peace when he finally gets the toy he wants and is free to express his madness for it. A teenager when gets appreciated for his/her efforts feels peaceful because he is given the Freedom to express his thoughts and use his calibre. A mother and father, when seeing their child climbing the ladder of success are filled with the feeling of Peace and contentment. Similarly, an elderly person, when given the Freedom to have an equal say in the family finds happiness, and happiness leads to Peace.

Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding

-Albert Einstein

Proudly created by the inspiring team of Triumph DGS @ The Doon Girls' School, Dehradun - Prachi Jain, Ritika Chandani, Shalu Rawat, Mohini Bohra Chauhan and Prachi Parashar

Happiness and Tolerance - Dynamic Alphians

Happiness is something that we can’t describe in words. It can only be felt from someone’s expression of a smile. Likewise, happiness is a signal or identification of good and prosperous life. Happiness is straightforward to feel and difficult to describe. Moreover, happiness comes from within, and no one can steal your happiness.

Every day we see and meet people who look happy from the outside, but deep down, they are broken and are sad from the inside. For many people, money is the main cause of happiness or grief. But this is not right. Money can buy you food, a luxurious house, a healthy lifestyle, servants, and many more facilities, but money can’t buy you happiness. And if money can buy happiness, then the rich would be the happiest person on the earth. But, we see a contrary image of the rich: they are sad, fearful, anxious, stressed, and suffering from various problems.

Happiness and Tolerance are like two sides of the same coin. For example, if we talk about the students and the teachers may face difficulty in applying them in their everyday lives. Tolerance is an important concept that helps people to live together peacefully. To be tolerant means that you accept other people’s opinions and preferences, even when they live in a way you disagree with. Tolerance also means that you don’t put your opinions above those of others, even when you are sure that you are right. Tolerant people show strength in that they can deal with different opinions and perspectives.

Freedom through tolerance

Tolerance doesn’t just make peaceful coexistence possible; another advantage is that being open to other ways of thinking can help with personal development. When you know more about different thinking and ideas from around the world, it will help you to understand the world better.

Teaching children about tolerance is the best gift that you can give them. Children shouldn’t grow up with feelings of hate and suspicion. Children who grow up with hate and jealously of others turn into unhappy people. Children who are forced to believe certain opinions will develop into people who aren’t free or independent thinkers. If children experience love and tolerance, they will grow up and lead a happy and peaceful life.

Dynamic Alphians at the Alpha Beta School Jaipur - Apoorva Jha, Neha Vijay, Vandana Khatri and Soniya Mordani

Happiness and Tolerance - Rudrani Ray

Happiness is something which we can’t describe in words it can only be felt from someone’s expression or a smile. Happiness is a signal or identification of good and prosperous life.  Happiness is a feeling and difficult to describe. However, happiness comes from within, and no one can steal any one’s happiness.  True happiness comes from within yourself.  Happiness is basically a state of mind.

Happiness is defined by different people in different ways. When we feel positive emotions, we tend to feel happy. Happiness is also regarded as the mental state of a person optimistically.  Every person defines happiness in his/ her own manner. Happiness should be distinguished from joy. When joy as a constant state of mind, happiness depends on events in our lives. Happiness is that feeling that comes over you when you know life is good, and you can’t help but smile.   

Happiness is one of the most important and most desirable aspects. Happiness may also be defined as being nice and spreading it all around. When joy and happiness are a constant state of mind, Happiness depends on events in our lives.  

To achieve the state of complete happiness, one has to practice on improving the state of life by: 

1. Staying contended in life what you have been cribbing and grumbling never lead to happiness.

2. Staying focused on the current life instead of daydreaming of the good days or old days.

3. Stop blaming for something that went terribly wrong in life. Life is all about moving on. stop worrying and set new goals in life.

4. Being thankful to God for all the good things that you have in your life.

5. Having good people around you who can boost -up positivity in your life. 

Happiness is a sense of well-being, joy or contentment. When people are successful, safe or lucky, they feel happiness. 

Tolerance is being patient understanding and willing to accept the ideas of others. Tolerance is accepting others and appreciating difference and live together peacefully. Tolerance means that you accept other people’s opinions and preferences even when they live in a way that you disagree with. To be tolerant means that you accept other people’s opinions and preferences, even when they live in a way that you disagree with.  Tolerance can be defined as the possession of a fair and objective perspective and attitude towards those people who are different races, religions, nations or have a set of opinions, beliefs and ideas. 

Schools must teach children the right values. Tolerance is a significant one. In every society, we need tolerance and acceptance of religion, eating habits, culture. To be tolerant means that you accept other people’s opinion’s and preferences even when they live in a way that you disagree with. Tolerance is accepting differences. Tolerance plays an important part in promoting equality in school.

- Rudrani Ray is pursuing the Professional Learning Program at the Learning Forward Academy, this is the post after attending Session I of Joy Of Learning. 

Rajashree Rao: How good are you!?!

"Good people are like candles. They burn themselves to give light to others" In life "Goodness" is the only investment that will never fail. An important virtue which we humans fail to practice in our life. My preceptor hashtag#KrsnaGuru shared a compelling lesson on why we must never leave our hashtag#goodness for anybody in this world. My master asked, "what is the difference between others and myself if I were to behave or mistreat someone or even worse than them?" I would only fall many notches lower than the others to whom I might be comparing. The answer is I need not leave my goodness and stoop down to their level or fall beyond them. I have to always be high-up there and be my good self. Every morning when I go to hashtag#gym, I will wish everyone whom I meet. However, not everyone does reciprocate, and it does not matter since I have done my part of wishing. I find it hard to believe that people are no more friendly since they are all lost in their world of "I, Me, and Myself." Life is beautiful if you learn to face everything like a child who is always inquisitive and wants to experience. Only through experiences can you unravel the hidden treasures. "Good, better, and best. Never let it rest till your good becomes better, and your better is best"
Rajashree Rao ThoughtLeader |AI, Cloud, BlockC, IoT, IIoT, SmartCities, AV IStrategy/ConsultantILeadership IMentor ISpeaker IWriter hashtag#RAJPEPTALKS https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6546609959134646272

Kalpana Jain: हम कौन थे क्या हो गए और क्या होंगे अभी

आपने बचपन में कागज़ के हवाईजहाज़ जरूर बनाए होंगे और उन्हें उड़ाया भी होगा। विद्यालय में भी कुछ शरारती बच्चे कक्षा में कागज़ के हवाईजहाज़ बनाकर उड़ाते हैं। वही शरारती बच्चे अब बड़े हो गए हैं और अब वे संविधान के मंदिर में हवाईजहाज़ उड़ाते हैं। चोर-चोर मौसेरे भाई एक-दूसरे को चोर ठहराते हैं। उनके पास कई बॉटल हैं और उनमें बंद कई जिन्न!! जिन्हें मौकापरस्त लोग अपना मतलब निकालने के लिए बाहर निकालते हैं। कुछ साल पहले बोफ़ोर्स का जिन्न निकला था और कई लोगों को ले डूबा था। आज-कल राफेल का जिन्न हल्ला मचा रहा है। जो कुछ राज्यों की सरकारों को ले डूबा है। ऐसा लगता है!! कुछ लोगों को ऐसा भ्रम है!

आपने एक गड़रिये की कहानी सुनी है? जिसमें वह रोज अपनी भेड़ों को चराने जंगल जाता था और वहाँ पर शेर आया.........शेर आया- चिल्लाता था। गाँववाले भागकर उसकी मदद करने आते। उन्हें देखकर वह जोर-जोर से हँसता और कहता अच्छा बुद्धू बनाया। एक रोज सचमुच शेर आ गया। वह अपनी जान बचाने के लिए जोर-जोर से चिल्लाया पर कोई भी मदद के लिए नहीं आया। आजकल एक पप्पू रोज राफेल-राफेल चिल्ला रहा है। कुछ भोले-भाले लोग बार-बार दौड़कर उसकी मदद को आ रहे हैं। 

विरोधी पक्ष भी पीछे नहीं है। कभी वह विदेशी मामा को खोज लाते हैं, तो कभी अन्य गड़े मुर्दे उखाड़ने लगते हैं। असल बात तो यह है कि सभी एक ही थैली के चट्टे-बट्टे हैं। अवसरवादिता इन सब पर इस कदर हावी है कि घात लगते ही नीचा दिखाने का एक भी मौका नहीं छोड़ते। इनकी तह में जाओ तो सब एक ही डोरी में गुंथे हुए हैं। जिनका एक ही उद्देश्य है, जैसे भी हो अपने छोटे-छोटे व्यक्तिगत हितों के लिए दूसरों के भविष्य को दाँव पर लगा दो। इनके सफेद कपड़ों के अंदर जमाने भर की कालिख छिपी हुई है। सबसे बड़े दुख की बात तो यह है कि ये सारा घालमेल देश के रक्षा सौदों में सालों से हो रहा है। देश के सर्वोच्च पदों पर आसीन व्यक्तियों के लिए अमर्यादित, अभद्र भाषा का प्रयोग, संविधान के मंदिर में रोज हंगामा खड़ा करना इनकी आदत हो गई है। 

कभी आपने सोचा है...किन लोगों के हाथ में हमने अपना भविष्य सौंप दिया है? हम सब इनके हाथ की कठपुतली बन गए हैं, जिन्हें वोट की ताल पर नचाया जा रहा है। अंधभक्तों की फ़ौज इनके पीछे है, जो इनके एक इशारे पर मर-मिटने और मरने-मारने को तैयार है। ज़रा सोचिए...किस खतरनाक मोड़ पर ले आये हैं हम, अपने साथ अपने देश को?

आज जब मैं यह लिख रहीं हूँ तो मुझे राष्ट्रकवि मैथलीशरण गुप्त बहुत याद आ रहे हैं। शायद वे भविष्यदृष्टा रहे होंगे तभी तो कई साल पहले कह गए– "हम कौन थे क्या हो गए और क्या होंगे अभी। आओ विचारें आज मिलकर ये समस्याएँ सभी।"

-कल्पना जैन, The Iconic School, Bhopal

Smiles at the The Fabindia School..Always so refreshing

Post by IAYP, India.

We will Succeed

Post by EBD Educational Pvt Ltd.

Interview of Mr. Sandeep Dutt with Niket Jain

Niket: Your Biodata mentions your profession as brewing knowledge, what do you mean by that?

Mr. Sandeep: It’s very interesting. This always happens to be the first question that is asked of me in every interview. I always ask what is life. It is like a pot in which we put in and take out information. So essentially what we do in our life is create a knowledge base. Whether you study, teach or do anything else in life. This is the key and when I say brewing knowledge, it essentially means what we do everyday. It’s your job whether you are giving, taking or learning each moment you are brewing knowledge. This I feel is the most important thing to do as an entrepreneur.

Niket: Being a Doon School product do you think residential school students have an edge over day school students.

Mr. Sandeep: There is a very simple answer to that. A residential school gives an opportunity to a person to find himself, understand himself and see the world with an advantage which an average young child does not have. And as residential schools focus on real front, on the ground work and training or delivery, they are much better than the others. This is the way it helps the students to learn and lead ahead.

Niket : How did you discover your love for adventure, mountaineering in particular?

Mr. Sandeep: To me life is an adventure itself and is a journey with ups and downs which come in our way. I feel mountains personify a leader. They are high, strong and have value. They give a lot to us and take very little in return which is what a good leader does. And that is why in adventure, mountains have always played the role of a mystic. They symbolize the ultimate for an adventurer. Lot of challenge today is based on mountains. The height of a mountain helps us to reach personal heights as an individual.

Niket: You have won many awards. One of them is the ‘Himalayas Clean Prize. How do you try to create environmental awareness in people?

Mr. Sandeep: What is the most important thing when you talk about environment? You must accept that the only reality in life is the environment around you. To make this comfortable, you have to be in harmony with it. So when we say ‘keep clean’ it doesn’t really mean picking up a broom and ensuring there is no litter around. Litter is only the surface, it’s not the answer. Litter is just what is visible but there is so much more that defiles the environment. When we look at cleanliness we have to work out a way that we leave nature untouched and don’t disturb its pristine beauty. My philosophy of going to nature is just leaving it as it is. That’s what I mean by cleanliness. A very simple thing, when you put up a camp side please restore it to as close as possible. That’s just a small message about keeping a place clean.

Niket: Sir, can you tell us how you are associated with the Duke of Edinburgh awards?

Mr. Sandeep: Essentially, I see my role today as primarily to raise the profile of the awards programme. We have been in India for almost 48 years now. So my job is to promote the award authority, our first task is to promote. Our second task is to provide which means every young person who is of the age minimum 14 and maximum 25 should have access to the award program and third is to make the award more precious to young people. To make young people live the award and not just wear it.

 Kind courtesy Editor of The Review, Scindia School at Gwalior, India