The Kalgidhar Trust & Society
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3 Sustainability & Growth Educate - Enshrine - Empower The Kalgidhar Trust & Society Himachal Pradesh Mission & Vision VISION Conceptualized in 1906 To establish permanent peace in the world through value based education and spiritual rejuvenation, creating good global citizens. MISSION Gurukuls of Modern India To build 500 low-cost English Medium Rural Schools by 2020 AL REPORT 2012-13 ANNU www.RuralEducation.in Index From Secretary's Desk 1 About the organization 2 Rural Education 3 Rural School Libraries 6 E-Smart Classrooms 7 Eternal University 10 Vocational Training 15 Rural Health Care 17 Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centers 21 Home for the Destitute 23 Learning Sessions 25 Co-curricular Activities 28 New & Renewable Energy 36 Awards 37 What visitors say about us 38 ANNU Executive Team & Our Partners 39 AL REPORT 2012-13 Financial Details 40 www.RuralEducation.in From Secretary's Desk schools. I am proud to inform all present here that The Kalgidhar Trust is the number one organization in the country in harnessing solar energy. It is also a matter of great pride that in the year gone by, 1,25,000 saplings of trees were planted by children in the campuses of the 121 Rural Schools. Another important point is after all, what is being Educated all about? Man has found this enigmatic question for times immemorial. We at The Kalgidhar Trust have also pondered upon this issue and are of the opinion that as per teachings of our Gurus, the distinction between being educated and This unique institution started in 1986 with just 5 being literate can be made only on evaluating the students and one classroom. The flagship Akal fruits of education. If the knowledge gained is used Academy Baru Sahib today has 1700 students, all for the benefit of mankind, the person concerned boarders, on its rolls. Till 1990 there were no can be deemed to be educated. On the other hand, transportation services to Baru Sahib and today we one may have the highest qualification being have about 20 buses of the State Transport offered by any University in the world but if one Corporation in service and Baru Sahib has also limits the knowledge so gained in material pursuits been selected by Himachal Tourism for promotion for self or one's family, I am afraid, despite all the as a tourist spot due to heavy footfalls. degrees, he is of not much use to the society and hence a mere literate in his field. With this in mind, We have children from 24 countries and 22 Indian we at The Kalgidhar Trust, as per the legacy states covering all parts of the world and all bequeathed upon us by our forefathers, have ethnicities. This wide representation provides great included developing values as an essential exposure to our children, who learn to welcome ingredient in the system of education being diversity, to be tolerant and kind, to imbibe the best practiced in our schools. values of various cultures and to have love and respect for people of all communities and all races. With folded hands and humility, we seek each one's cooperation to join this movement and blessings of The Trust has now established 121 academies in all to give us strength and wisdom to accomplish North Indian states of Himachal Pradesh, these unfinished tasks. Also, please bless these Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab and children of God, so that they feel the pain of the I am glad to inform all that with 20 new rural suffering millions and provide the much-needed schools to be commissioned next year, the total succor and healing touch to the needy millions and numbers of Rural Schools in North India managed thereby realize our dream and Sant Attar Singh's by the Trust shall reach the figure of 141 academies. vision and mission of establishing permanent peace in the world. The Kalgidhar Trust has taken up the same environment program in a big way. We have set up May I inform to all of you that the Rural Schools have a 200 kW SPV (solar photovoltaic) plant at Baru taken up the Save Environment Program in a big Sahib, which is the only one of its kind in Himachal way. It is also a matter of great pride that during this Pradesh and in one of India's most backward year 8142 saplings of trees were planted by districts. In addition, we have the capacity for solar children in the campuses of the 121 Rural Schools, water heating of 18,000 liters per day. We have 16 total we have 1,25,557 trees in our campus. solar lights in the campus and solar concentrators for cooking. The total energy saved by all these 94% of our Rural Schools students have scored projects is to the tune of Rs. 22 lakhs every year. We above 90% of marks in their CBSE Board Exams this are now in the process of setting up Solar year. In Punjab the majority of students are Sikhs; Photovoltaic generating units in all our rural this is understandable because Punjab is a Sikh academies and also shuffler concentrators for populated State whereas in the other 4 states i.e generating steam for cooking as well as getting Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and AL REPORT 2012-13 potable water. PFC (Power Finance Corporation) a Haryana the majority of the students are from the large PSU has very kindly provided support for a Hindu community. 265 kW SPV project in 45 of our power starved rural Dr. Davinder Singh ANNU 1 www.RuralEducation.in About The Organization The Kalgidhar Trust & Society are not for profit because of the poor social status of women and charitable organizations working for the cause of high level of female feticide. 'Rural Transformation' by promoting quality low- c o s t E d u c a t i o n , H e a l t h c a r e , Wo m e n The poor educational prospects, especially for Empowerment, Social Welfare, Rural Economic women, makes the rural people more Uplift and Disaster Response & Rehabilitation to susceptible to poverty, drug & alcohol abuse, the deprived sections, in far- flung rural areas of which in turn leads to more violence against North India. They have been instrumental in women and marital discord. The states of bringing about silent but sure reforms to uplift the Rajasthan and Punjab in North India, for socio-economic status of the rural poor. The rural example, border Pakistan & Afghanistan, which areas of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, is the largest producer of Opium. This has lead to backward hilly areas of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab being the number one transit point for Punjab are being covered with 121 outstanding opium in the world (World Drug Report by Schools affiliated with CBSE. These Schools are UNODC, 2007). The trafficking of drugs has catering to 60,246 students. impacted the local population with one in every three males and two out of three school going The rural areas of northern India lack modern students now taking drugs (source: The Tribune, scientific education and employment June 2009 report). opportunities because of the widespread illiteracy and lack of quality education, since it is Good value-based education and good job only available in the urban areas. The girl child in prospects is a defense against drug & alcohol these areas is even worse off, due to son-centric abuse. While The Kalgidhar Trust operates societal attitudes; girls aged from 8-25 years are drug/alcohol de-addiction centers, it hopes that generally forced to remain at their houses for in future such centers would be unnecessary. But sharing hands at domestic works and are in the present scenario, such centers would discouraged to go for education. Most of the continue to bring back the addicts to the districts in North Indian states are 'gender- mainstream of the society. It is a call for action critical'. The gender ratio has dipped to as low as since education will prevent the future 750 girls for every 1000 boys in many areas generations from becoming drug addicts. ANNU AL REPORT 2012-13 2 www.RuralEducation.in Rural Education Rural Schools established and managed by The Kalgidhar believes that imparting value-based education not only Trust are low-cost co-educational English medium affiliated meets the demands of the present time but also trains with the Central Board of Secondary Education, which is the students to use their skills for the welfare of humanity. largest educational board in India and is duly recognized by the Department of Education, Government of India. The organization aims to make good quality schools accessible and available to all in remote rural areas. The The Rural School at Baru Sahib, Dist. Sirmaur, HP (amongst target is to open 500 value based modern scientific schools India's most backward 100 districts) is the flagship by 2020, such that there is a school within 10-15 Kms in residential school for its 121 day-boarding branches. In rural north India, this will give the rural masses a chance to coming years more number of schools is expected to start. participate in economic gains of the nation. The Kalgidhar Trust has developed a value-based education This educational system would produce productive citizens, system combined with modern scientific English language which in turn would be a bulwark against social evils. It will based curriculum. The schools are set up in remote lead towards sustainable employment for both men and inaccessible areas, which are generally missed out by women, which will bring prosperity and social harmony to government and private education system, which find them the nation.