[Reader-list] "Unsung Hero: Vipul Thaker" ( by Arnav Anjaria )

[Rajendra Bhat Uppinangadi]

Thanks, Kshemendra,
good thoughts.
regards, rajen

On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 8:57 PM, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com>wrote:

> Thanks for sharing this Kshmendra!
>
> On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 2:06 PM, Kshmendra Kaul <kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com
> >wrote:
>
> > This article has been picked up from the "Better India" website. Anyone
> > seeking further details should contact the author.
> >
> > Kshmendra
> >
> >
> > "Unsung Hero: Vipul Thaker"
> >
> > (This article has been written by Arnav Anjaria. He is a third year
> student
> > of Integrated Masters in Political Science at the University of
> Hyderabad.
> > He can be contacted at arnav.anjaria at gmail.com)
> >
> > This article is dedicated to one of the many unsung heroes bringing about
> a
> > change. His name is Vipul Thaker, a simple man with simple dreams.
> Without
> > going into his background, let me start from one of his birthdays. It was
> on
> > that day when he decided he wanted to do something different. He decided
> to
> > educate a Rabari (a tribe in Gujarat) child.
> >
> > A makeshift classroom was created on the terrace of his two bedroom
> house.
> > As days passed by, Vipul went on to explore the talent in the slum
> > surrounding his housing society. A few more students joined his class and
> > subsequently the classroom was shifted to a light post on a nearby road.
> His
> > class had no roof and was hence exposed to the harsh elements of the
> > weather. The classes went on nevertheless. Every evening at around 09.00
> pm
> > the class would commence.
> >
> > Within one year Vipul had around twenty children who worked in the day
> time
> > and regularly attended his evening classes.
> >
> > Looking at the progress of this informal school, the parents who belonged
> > to the Rabari community came to his aid. They gifted Vipul with an empty
> hut
> > to which the classes now moved. Of all the problems that Vipul faced, one
> > was that of gender discrimination. The girls were not allowed to study.
> > After much persuasion from Vipul, the parents were convinced and the
> girls
> > walked in for the very first time. Within a month their strength doubled.
> >
> > This school wasn’t Vipul’s full time profession. He had a day job. He did
> > receive some voluntary contribution from a few NRIs. After a point, he
> > decided to admit his students in to a municipal school. Additionally, the
> > evening classes were regularly conducted to ensure students did not miss
> out
> > in case they didn’t go to school in the day.
> >
> > Vipul had a dream to nurture – he wanted every child to get education on
> > par with what their more privileged peers got. He negotiated with the
> > private school principals, head masters, teachers and finally led to the
> > introduction of a scholarship scheme. And so today out of forty students,
> > around twenty five of them have been admitted to a school with better
> > amenities for the students.
> >
> > In the last few years, some of his students have shown their skills at
> the
> > state level in the field of dramatic and graphic arts. Today he can
> proudly
> > say that these children have something to look forward to. They have a
> > future too. Vipul considers the renowned Gujarati educationist Gijubhai
> > Badheka as his source of inspiration. He believes that Gandhian ideals
> too
> > have been a prominent force behind his willingness to contribute
> selflessly.
> >
> > The important thing, dear readers, is that this man and many more like
> him
> > are actually striving to provide an identity to these children. They are
> > providing a platform through which these children can express their ideas
> > and needs.
> >
> > Vipul and thousands of such grassroots revolutionaries are working
> towards
> > bringing a constructive change in the society and we salute them for
> their
> > relentless work in making a better India.
> >
> > http://www.thebetterindia.com/1349/unsung-hero-vipul-thaker/
> >
> >
> >
> >
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-- 
Rajen.