Srijan Foundation

This beautiful article written by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, appeared in the Hindustan Times: http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1930245,00120001.htm. Key points in the article with my notes:

• Every morning the Puja in Tirupati temple is first offered by the Scheduled Caste Banjara community
• Dalits have to assert their rights rather than turning their back on Hinduism; It isn’t solving anything otherwise
• Dalits have remained dalits even after conversion [...to Islam, Christianity and Buddhism. I have witnessed posters in Leh to stop the practice of casteism in Buddhism; Dalit Muslims are recognised by the government of India as the most oppressed. Even Pakistan has Dalit Muslims. There are even Dalit Sikhs in India. More on this point: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_(outcaste)]
• Hinduism has seen several reformers who have fought casteism
• The author of Ramayana was a Dalit [More on this point: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backward-caste_Hindu_Saints]
• Hinduism without a top central command cannot dictate a change; the change must come by assertion by the practitioners of the religion itself

Art of Living Foundation of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is organising a Dalit Swarn Sammelan to put forward a 7 point action plan and take the message to rural India. These Seven points are:

• Temple entry for Dalits
• Collective celebration including community feasts
• Abolition of separate utensils for Dalits
• Empowerment of women from economically weaker sections of society
• Providing educational facilities especially to weaker sections of society
• Providing spiritual and religious education to Dalit children, which they have been deprived of for hundreds of years
• Equality and justice for one and all without any discrimination.

The domestic help at my mother’s home, and somewhat of a younger brother to me, Puran Chand Swain, went home to his village near Puri in Orrisa in December 2006. The state of the government run school was as pathetic as ever.

Puran explored the idea of running a school with one of his friends, a 12th grade pass, one of the few in the village, who incidentally was looking for a job.

Srijan Foundation has started with a small fund of Rs.1000/- per month, of which Rs.750/- will go to the teacher, and the rest in buying materials for the 30-40 children who are becoming regulars in the school.

A picture from the school with the teacher coming up soon.

A list of all the children studying there.

On 31 October, 2006, we started another school for the underprivileged children in Nehru Place – right outside the office of our funding software services company – Srijan Technologies.

Pics coming up soon.

We financially support a non-formal school for underprivileged children at Vasant Kunj, which is run by several volunteers from the upmarket residential colony, under the untiring and highly committed efforts and leadership of Col. (Retd.) Ramakrishna. In the running of the school, Mr. Prasad, a retired Railways officer, is no less motivated than Col. Rama.

Some pictures from the school.

See here, the school running in the Sector A, Pocket-C, Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) office.

The seated man in shorts, is Mr. Prasad.

Zeeshan, seen standing on the extreme right, is one of the few people I recognise in the school. Sharp, bright, full of enthusiasm and very naughty eyes.

Ah! That’s me!

Our Great man, and the inspiration and motivation behind the continuity of this school running since 1998 now.
Presenting – Col. Ramakrishna!