A village that refused to stay illiterate

A remote West Midnapore village with no schooling facilities until 2007 now produces doctors and engineers, thanks to a grassroots education initiative. Retired army officer Milan Chandra Maikap invested 75 per cent of his pension in 2007 to start a free school with 17 children, despite poverty, political unrest, and skepticism.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 16 AUGUST

A remote West Midnapore village with a population of just 1,603 people, that had no educational infrastructure whatsoever until 2007, today boasts of doctors and engineers being produced from the village, thanks to a unique initiative that started back in 2007, with 17 children, some enthusiastic volunteers, and a vision.

Here, formal schooling was absent. Poverty, political unrest, and a lack of infrastructure kept generations away from classrooms. The flicker of hope emerged in 2007 when retired army officer Milan Chandra Maikap took the first bold step. This step later found its grounding in the humanitarian vision of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, bringing qualitative education that is inclusive, holistic, and based on human values in a significant way.