Gadchiroli: Home to the Gond tribe in the naxal area of Gadchiroli, Lokbiradari Prakalp is a residential school initiated by Dr. Baba Amte. Cut off from the civilization and forms of basic rural existence, this tribe’s condition prompted Baba Amte to begin a school. The hardest part was persuading the tribes, who saw no immediate value in schooling. After much persuasion, the school began under a tree with 25 children.
The school today has a strength of 650 students. The 17th batch of HSC had a pass percentage of 97.22% and was topped by 3 girls. In an interior part of the country where education is not a priority let alone educating a girl child, the state sees 3 girl toppers with 76.67%, 74.67% and 74.17% respectively.
The Three topper girls Archana Potti Sadmek from Irapnar, Renuka Rampuri Manjhi from Palli, and Vandana Raju Timma from Lashkar, today, sit at home enjoying their summer vacation with parents, in villages far away with no cellular network oblivious of having scored so well.
Samiksha Amte proudly said “Tomorrow belongs to the girls, adiwasi women and women from rural India are gradually not only entering the world but making a place for themselves shattering the age-old patriarchy. A place that they rightly deserve!
Adiwasi society is quite equal and egalitarian, they support and encourage girls' Education.”
Lokbiradari Prakalp in dist. Gadchiroli | Special Arrangement
Located in the last village of Maharashtra, deep in the forests with no mode of transport or cellular network these tribal children find refuge in this residential school for the better part of the year. Most families’ occupations here are single farming, Tendu Patta collection, and doing labour jobs in the forests.
Dr. Aniket Amte, director of Lokbiradari Prakalp said “All these students come from villages in the jungle. Farming depends on the rains and they can only grow one type of crop which is rice. They belong to Madia and Gond tribes.”
Being a residential school in the interiors of Maharashtra, it has some unique activities followed as part of its schedule. All students are woken up by Bhupali (wake up) songs sung by a group of students. All students also do Shrama Daan (volunteer physical work), which includes cleaning school premises, picking up plastic waste, etc. “It increases their responsibility and their ownership towards facilities of the school,” said Head Master Zode.
Every evening, including Sunday, students have Paripaath (routine). Students then chant the Sanskrit mantra which is known as "Medha Mantra". Some students tell "Suvichaar" (inspiring quotes) and singing a song in the local language (Madia or Gond) is mandatory. They also practice math tables regularly. It concludes with "Pasaydan".
Lokbiradari Prakalp in dist. Gadchiroli | Special Arrangement
A school that aims to not discriminate, Multi-Lingual Education (MLE) is being implemented in order to increase academic efficiency and decrease school intimidation. Madia tribe being of Dravidian race, it is extremely difficult for the kids who enter school to understand and learn Sanskrit-based languages like Marathi and Hindi.
As Baba Amte rightly said “Happiness dies when not shared”, the happiness that these girls have brought is worth the share.
