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daan is situated on the ground floor of 8/3A, Alipore

Park Road. Since its inception four years ago, this

Centre for learning has grown from strength to

strength.The journey has been challenging but the Vision is

always one of HOPE. Children of Classes 5 to 12 from lower

income families in Kolkata are chosen based on the

recommendations of the Principals from humbler English

Medium Schools in the city, like Indira Academy, MG

Rungta, Loyola High School, Holy Mission English

Medium School and Loreto Literacy Centre on Middleton

Row, to name a few, and given customized tutorials at the

Centre in all subjects.

Udaan is fondly known as the Centre and for good reason

too. Every weekend, the doors of this free coaching

establishment which is sponsored by McLeod Russel India

Limited are thrown open to seventy-five children. Under the

comforting guidance of Mrs Kavita Khaitan, and the parent

figures, Vijay Chowdhary and Anju Chowdhary, along with

their dedicated team of twelve staff and willing volunteers,

many a young dream is turned into a realistic future.

Classes on Friday evening are a recent initiative but generally

school begins at 9.30 on a Saturday morning and continues

throughout the day. True to the saying, “Healthy Food for a

Wealthy Mind,” the children are provided with a nutritious

meal at lunch time and are never sent home without an

evening snack. Sunday offers the same routine and the

children are infused with confidence and the strength to face

the week ahead.

There is a well stocked Library to encourage the children to

read and a Computer Room as well.

academic achievements

Over the years there has been a marked improvement in the

academic progress thanks to the tireless efforts of the teachers

at the Centre; even those children who are not able to make

their grades have a certain sparkle in their eyes – a result of

constructive nurturing.That in itself is an achievement.

Education isn’t confined to just the classrooms. Co-curricular

activities are encouraged and the boys and girls get as much

time for recreation as they do for study.

An educational

trip was arranged on

the 1st of May 2015

to the Birla Industrial

and Technological

Museum on

Gurusaday Road.

e annual

day Function

Children

have

talent and their

talent is displayed

during the annual

production which is staged sometime in December/January.

The success of the event is the culmination of enthusiastic

and happy hours of practice a month prior. Academics aren’t

compromised in any way and these practice sessions are held

during their spare time.The audience, primarily the families

of the children, and special invitees, are treated to amateur

theatre and an energetic display of contemporary and

‘Bollywood’ styles of song and dance. Over the past two years

talented young actors have dramatized ‘A Christmas Carol’

and one of the witty stories from ‘Akbar and Birbal’.

The evening closes with speeches, a formal prize distribution

and a high tea which provides a pleasant platform for parent-

teacher interaction.

e Summer camp

This was a new initiative introduced during the summer

holidays in 2015. The months of May and June were the

hottest ever, but this didn’t deter our children from coming

to school once a week to take part in the Summer Camp.

They were given T-shirts to paint on and

taught the art of block printing on cards and

paper bags which they made by themselves.

The mood was invigorating and while the

young girls immersed themselves in

embroidery and crochet lessons, the boys

enjoyed some indoor games on a light competitive level. A

matinee show of ‘Mary Poppins’ was also screened and the

young and impressionable mind was drawn into the make

believe reality played out by Julie Andrews.

If you ever come to Udaan, at the head of the road you will

see a noncommittal signboard which has a footnote that

reads, “We leave no stone unturned.” I often ponder on the

strange coincidence of how this saying points such a lead to

the happenings down the road…at 8/3A, Alipore Park Road.

~Lesley Guha Sircar

Kolkata

“

Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and

one teacher can change the world.

”

Malala Yousafzai,

the 17-year-old winner of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize

20 January 2016

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