HIMMAT SHALA - A Unique School

Monu, a 13-yr old class VIII student at a govt. school in a village Pirangut in Mulshi Taluka near Pune, was fortunate enough to survive the fatal injuries when four adolescent friends attacked him with broken beer bottles in the fields on the outskirts of the village. Certainly not the age when children should indulge in such serious crimes rather they should enjoy a new world view as an adolescent.

The attacking students were expelled from the school. When they returned from the Juvenile Detention Centre after two years, they had already become criminals in the eyes of the people. Their hatred might have turned these young children into hardened criminals had the Himmat Vidyalaya not turned their lives around.

This unique Himmat Vidyalaya is run by Rashtriya Sarvangeen Gram Vikas Sanstha in Ambadvet village in Mulshi taluka near Pune. This school runs only one class (tenth standard) for such students who left studies for reasons like crime or substance abuse or other such problems. Some rejoin studies after a break as long as 10 to 12 years.

The Vidyalaya came into being when thoughts and efforts of RSS Prant Sewa Pramukha of West Maharashtra, Shri Anil Vyas and Swayamsevak Shri Nitin Ghodke took concrete shape. Starting with only 8 students on 15th July 2012, this unique school has now students from across the country. More emphasis is laid on vocational training such as mobile phone repairing, dairy and agro farming, electrical appliance repairing, etc. rather than rote-learning with a view of livelihood opportunities.

Manish Athavale (name changed), one of the four who had injured Monu most, is now a chapati supplier to various catering companies in Hinjewadi IT Park, Pune. Principal of Sahyadri School in Pune has no complaint against Sushil, son of a reputed family, who had set his school bus on fire in a fit of rage, on a school picnic. He later went on to study engineering at a reputed college in Nasik.

Shri Pradeep Patil, a Marathi language teacher at this Vidyalaya since its inception, gives credit of this change in youngsters to school\'s emphasis on vocational training for employability & livelihood as well as regular physical training, Yoga, meditation and disciplined and value based lifestyle.

Industrial development can bring its own share of woes along with prosperity. Mulshi taluka was not an exception either. When land prices suddenly skyrocketed due to rapid industrialisation, owners sold their lands at high prices, but were mostly clueless about proper use of the money. These neo riches could neither control themselves nor their children who took to crime on account of sudden and unexpected affluence. As a result, Mulshi taluka became Number 1 in crime rating in the whole state of Maharashtra in 2011-12.

On the other hand, due to state government policy of not failing any student till eighth standard, schools started failing those in 9th standard who were extremely poor at studies. Himmat Vidyalaya lent supporting hand to some such students who were willing to work hard and learn. Vidyalay’s manager, Shri Yogesh Kolvankar told that many of the students do not even know basic reading at the time of admission. While some other students restart schooling after a gap of 10 years. Many of these students took 2 to 3 years to pass tenth standard examination. He gave example of Santosh Kakde who had become a drug addict and took admission in this school at the age of 21. He cleared four subjects after two years of hard work and is now leading a healthy and peaceful life in his village working on his farm after de-addiction.

Only few stories are mentioned here but Himmat Vidyalaya is a unique school in the country which has helped more than 160 youth in last 8 years to earn a better life for themselves.