Lessons from the Hills
The Morning Standard
|November 02, 2025
Steering away from conventional education, a school in Uttarakhand's hills is bringing children back to their roots
In a classroom at Suraah school in Dehradun's Katapatthar village, students receive a fictional letter from archaeologist Alexander Cunningham, requesting their help in investigating an Ashokan edict found nearby. Curious, the children visit the site, study the ancient inscriptions, and then respond to Cunningham's question: If you were to leave behind an edict of your own, what would it say and in what language?
This curiosity-driven and student-led journey into history, is one among the many lessons that take place at the school everyday, one that reflects the philosophy of its founders, Shrey and Jyoti Rawat, who believe learning should start with wonder rather than textbooks.
This story is from the November 02, 2025 edition of The Morning Standard.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The Morning Standard
The Morning Standard
Too Many Checks, No Balance
What just passed was the year of democratic exhaustion and electoral strife.
3 mins
January 04, 2026
The Morning Standard
Art of never giving up: From odd jobs to owning 17 buses and mini trucks
ROMEN Das seems to have the Midas touch. Whatever business he lays his hands on appears to prosper.
2 mins
January 04, 2026
The Morning Standard
India's Happiness Paradox
As ambitions soar and prosperity rises, inner peace declines, revealing a deeper crisis of purpose behind the nation's visible progress
3 mins
January 04, 2026
The Morning Standard
ARAVALLIS, A NEW TURN IN ECOLOGY BATTLE
THERE are some twists in the legal battle to save the Aravalli Hills.
3 mins
January 04, 2026
The Morning Standard
US SNATCHES MADURO
Venezuela President, wife being taken to America in dramatic coup; US will run it for now
1 mins
January 04, 2026
The Morning Standard
KKR DROP BANGLADESH PLAYER, FOCUS SHIFTS TO T20 WORLD CUP TIES
AMIDST the rising criticism over signing Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur Rahman, Kolkata Knight Riders released the player from their IPL 2026 squad following instructions from the cricket board.
1 min
January 04, 2026
The Morning Standard
CELEBRATING A SAGE FOR THE AGES
I write these words in the wake of the release of my newest book, The Sage Who Reimagined Hinduism, by the Vice-President of India at the Sivagiri Ashram established by the peerless Sree Narayana Guru more than a century ago.
4 mins
January 04, 2026
The Morning Standard
Snake bite claims 13 lives in 50 days in U'khand amid climate-change scare
CLIMATE change is increasingly being cited as the primary driver behind the alarming surge in wildlife attacks across Uttarakhand, with recent data suggesting the impact extends beyond bears and leopards to include venomous snakes becoming unusually active during winter months.
1 min
January 04, 2026
The Morning Standard
A Search Called Home
In his debut novel Our Friends in Good Houses, journalist Rahul Pandita unveils a stark portrayal of a man's search for home.
2 mins
January 04, 2026
The Morning Standard
Raj conducts raids in Aravalli areas, 7 FIRs filed
THE Rajasthan government has stepped up enforcement across the state to curb illegal mining and protect the fragile ecology of the Aravalli mountain range.
1 mins
January 04, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size