Vivek comes from a humble background where the parent aspires that their child either becomes a doctor or an engineer. Post his engineering, he was very clear that he wanted to contribute to the education system of the country. He was very keen to explore what happens to a child in the first 14 years of schooling, that they suddenly lose all curiosity and ability to create.

This quest led him to join Gandhi Fellowship, which provided him with a space to revisit primary education and explore the real purpose of learning.

“The most fulfilling part of the Gandhi Fellowship Journey was that it strengthened my process-based thinking, which allowed me to go beyond the peripheral way of thinking”, says Vivek.

For the last six years, he has been actively involved in developing schools as a community resource centre in different context and cultures. Talking about his project, he says “With Kshamtalaya, we would like to develop a support ecosystem for students where they can successfully transition from compulsory education to become socially and economically active citizens of the country and develop aspirations and vision beyond class 12 and lead a happy and productive life.”

“Our program intervention covers the spectrum of the systemic parts – the child within classrooms and outside it. We are also working with the government teachers who need emotional and social support to work in the schools, building relationships with them through workshops or working on a vision for the school together and thereby erasing the lines of Us vs Them”, says Vivek.

Talking about his thoughts on the future, Vivek says, “By working closely with both the community and the governance, we are creating a movement where we spark change together. Our aim is to create a fertile space which entails the joy of learning and brings out the best in children, thereby transforming them into active citizens of this nation.”

Know more about Kshamtalaya here: https://www.kshamtalaya.org/