Teach for India
Teach for India started in 2004 but was able to have branches in different cities of India possibly around 2009. They have 5 cities covered under this umbrella today. Hyderabad being the latest included in 2012. Chennai was included in 2011. The 5 cities being Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad.
Our daughter Lalita ( Janu to us ) was selected for a fellowship under their 2013 intake. It filled me with pride that she was one of the 7% applicants selected for the program. It also made a feel sad that I would not be seeing her on an every day basis which I was used to, possibly like the hen who was content at the end of the day when the kids were back under her wing and she she could sleep in peace that the kids were safe under her wings.
Ram would always remind me that the children have to find a niche for themselves and fly away from the comfort of their homes to get on their own path but then I always thought we shall cross the bridge when the time comes. The time is already here and now. 5th may 2013 all of us came here to a Pune to get the registration done and let our first born fly away to make her beginning in a field she would like to venture into.
The program began with the national anthem which in itself was so different that it took my breadth away, choked me and had tears flowing unchecked. The national anthem was graphic with the expression and sign language used by special needs children. It was so beautiful, I wish we could make every Indian see it and appreciate it. It humbled me to see the josh of the little ones.
Ms. Anu Agha the founder and chairperson of TFI gave a short and simple speech about her views of seeing every child in India having the education which would bring about the development of our country in the long run. Ms. Shaheen Mistry the CEO of the organisation and the founder of Akanksha Foundation spoke about how the life of a fellow would be. She informed each one of us in the auditorium that life as a fellow was definitely not a bed of roses nor was it straight, it was something that was definitely a lot of ups and downs and sometimes going round in circles and sometimes there was no road at all and sometimes a fellow would feel like sitting down and having a good howl or scream out in frustration. But at the end of the two year term a lot of the fellows were personally satisfied with the outcome of their effort and came back for more and renewed their vows with TFI some did go back to the corporate field and made a lot of difference /added value with their efforts.
The next announcement was that the heads of the 5 cities would like to come onstage and welcome the 2013 fellows. I was surprised to see 5 youngsters walk up on to the stage and tell us that they were heading the 5 cities and welcomed the new entrants. The chennai leader welcomed everybody on board. Mumbai leader said that mumbai a city of dreams was waiting for its new entrants to dream and fulfill their dreams into reality. Delhi leader was a young girl who was bold enough to outline the fact that today Delhi was not one of the safe places to be in, due to the disturbing events that had taken place in the capital in the last few months which rendered this place to be unsafe in the minds of people. She said it is harder and one would need to take double the. Effort to make this place safe and erase the current view for the minds of the people. Pune leader enthralled us with his speech about the growth in numbers of schools and fellows under their wing. Hyderabad this leader said he wanted to tell us so much but then it would take a very long time.
to be continued.......
