Ekal Raises Raises $810K for Tribal Education
Last Updated:August 01, 2008
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HOUSTON: “You are here for a great cause. When students come to the university, their life is transformed. At the Ekal Foundation, you are transforming young minds at the grassroots level in remote villages in India. Knowledge is a necessary asset in today’s global world and without education, what is a young person to do? One day some of your students in India will come here to the US and delight you,” said Renu Khator, President and Chancellor of the University of Houston, speaking at a fund-raiser organized by the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA, Houston, on Saturday, July 19 at the Stafford Civic Center. By the end of the function, Ekal Houston raised $810,000 toward 2,200 Ekal schools.
By the end of the day, Ekal Houston raised $810,000 toward 2,200 Ekal schools. The Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation is a charitable trust that initiates, supports and runs non-formal, single-teacher schools (known as ekal vidyalayas) in very remote parts of India. The Ekal Foundation is a “people’s movement” in India, which runs one school with one teacher in one village at a cost of one dollar per day.
“If one child goes to sleep without food and education, I am also responsible for it,” yoga guru Swami Ramdev said and pledged to support at least 50 to 100 schools for tribal children in India. Swami Ramdev hailed the Indian-American community’s support for the Ekal Foundation, and described the gift of education as a great “punya” or noble act, and the greatest of all charities.
The Ekal Foundation runs over 26,000 schools in remote places where people have no roof over their head, where two women take turns and share the same clothes to cover themselves, and where there are no accessible roads.
Swami Ramdev said Indians living abroad made their motherland proud and by donating to good causes kept the spirit of service to society well and alive.
Swami Ramdev did not forget his life mission of yoga for health, though education was the theme of the event. He quickly demonstrated a few breathing techniques and drove home the message that yoga is as important in one’s life as is eating and sleeping.
Braham Aggarwal, a real estate developer from Florida, epitomized the spirit of giving as he pledged to support 1100 Ekal schools every year (roughly $400,000), becoming the largest donor of the evening. Aggrawal is Chairman of Ekal USA’s board of advisors.
Aggarwal knew first-hand the value of education as he himself had to struggle to acquire get educated. After visiting tribal areas and villages in India, Aggarwal was moved by the plight of the people and subsequently decided to contribute.
Atul Gupta, 16, a Memorial High School junior, pledged money to fund one school for five years. Every Ekal school matures to self-sustainability within five years. There are now has nearly 4,000 schools that are fully independent, but continue to be monitored by Ekal. staff Gupta was the youngest donor of the evening.
Subhash Gupta of Houston, president of the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA, said, “Ensuring that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling is one of the UN Millennium Development Goals, to be reached by the year 2015. We here at the Ekal Foundation want to make sure that India does not fall behind in its responsibility.” Nearly 100 million Indians in tribal and rural areas are illiterate and unable to access the benefits on India’s overall growth. “Ekal runs 26,000 schools at present; our goal is to reach 100,000 schools by 2015 and completely eradicate illiteracy in India,” Gupta said.
The Stafford Center was overflowing with more than 1,100 supporters who had a dinner prior to the musical evening.
The Pandya family, with their music of yesteryear and modern day Bollywood entertained the audience. The family has dedicated its musical talent for the Ekal Foundation’s benefit by providing entertainment all over the U.S.
Kavya Rajan, executive director of Ekal USA said, “As the first executive director of the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA, I’m honored to join a dedicated and energetic team of staff and volunteers. I have tremendous love and passion for India’s development and Ekal affords me the opportunity to pursue that passion.”
“I intend to streamline operations, grow our donor base, and contribute to the larger dialogue on India’s social and economic development,” Rajan said.
The Ekal Foundation of India works in four areas of education: (1) basic education, (2) health education, (3) development education and (4) empowerment education, becoming one of the largest non-governmental grassroots movements in India. The Ekal Foundation of USA works to spread awareness and connect resources between the US and India, and has 18 regional chapters.
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