Note from the Chairman
Prof. A. R. Mitra
Chairman, Achalabharathi
The relevance of learning English language has been a topic of discussion since a long time. Many of our great educationists and thinkers, while maintaining that Kannada has to be revered and nurtured, have stressed the importance of learning English.
Stalwarts like B.M.Sreekantaiah, Kuvempu, P.T.Narasimhachar, A.N.Murthy Rao and a host of educationists have laid a firm foundation for the future generations. These scholars have had excellent, in-depth knowledge of English, but have always written and spoken in Kannada and have also contributed to the growth of Kannada literature. During my student days, many of my professors and mentors, mainly Prof. V.Seetharamiah and Dr.Prabhushankar urged me to study English Literature. I have always thanked them for their thoughtful (and appropriate) suggestion. Well, this was almost fifty years ago!
In my long journey as a Professor at various Government Colleges across Karnataka, I have often been saddened by the plight of our young students who come from rural areas.
I have often interviewed (as a Subject Expert) several youngsters aspiring to be lecturers. I have come across some gifted and intelligent youngsters with very good knowledge in their specific subject. Their explanations and answers to questions are apt, when the conversation is in Kannada. When we try to switch to English, we are in for a shock. The candidate, who till then has displayed immense confidence in his subject, falters and fumbles. From then on, the conversation is one-sided, with mono-syllable responses from the other end. Most of the times, the candidate is rejected.
Sadly, this is the scenario all over Karnataka. While students studying in Private Institutions are able to answer questions in English easily, their counterparts from Government Schools and Colleges suffer. This has very serious implications, since, in today’s world, English is the window to knowledge and opportunities. Hence, the lack of English reading, writing and speaking skills affects the careers and most importantly, the self-confidence of the students.
It is disheartening to see our rural children losing out to the city-bred children due to lack of English speaking, writing and reading skills. We have to bridge this divide and provide an equal playing field to our rural children as well.
Let us create new opportunities for our children, open new windows and enable our children to enter the new world which is full of new opportunities and hope.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “I do not want my house to be walled on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be swept off my feet by any."
As Nehru said, “Change is essential but continuity is also necessary. The future has to be built on the foundations laid in the past as well as in the present. To deny the past and break with it completely is to uproot ourselves and become hapless”.
Let us introduce a beloved aunt to our rural children, but also ensure that they continue to love their mother, to whom they (we) owe our existence.
We have to go to the root of this problem to find a solution. Most of the times, the fear of the language is so great that it masks the other capabilities of the people. If we work at the grass-root level and try and eradicate the fear of the language, teaching them the language, by itself is not a formidable task.
It is with this motto that Achalabharathi was born. Dr.G.K.Jayaram, the First Chairman of Infosys and the Director of ILID (Institute of Leadership and Institutional Development) is also the creator of Project Pygmalion, which aims to teach English to Government School children in a fun-filled manner. My daughter, Mrs.Soumya Mitra headed this Project at ILID for two years. Dr.Jayaram transferred the Project to Achalabharathi in 2010.
We then renamed Pygmalion Pygmalion Vanasuma. Soumya, who continues to work as Project Head of Achalabharathi and Gautham, who is the Managing Trustee of Achalabharathi have taken Pygmalion Vanasuma to new heights.
We launched "Makkala Mela", a day of fun and learning for children from Government Schools in February 2012. It was a huge hit and was loved by the children and teachers who attended the event. In 2013 February we conducted 3 Makkala Melas(one at Chamarajanagar, one at Channarayapatna and one at Agrahara Layout, Bangalore). Volunteers from LNT Infotech volunteered in huge numbers and helped us in conducting the competitions. I take this opportunity to thank the volunteers who helped us in making the events memorable.
We introduced 2 new Projects-Vijnana Darshana and Ganita Bhaskara (Science and Math Programmes) in the academic year 2012-13. The teachers and students have welcomed the projects with great enthusiasm and are making good use of them. We have several new ideas and Projects and I will keep you updated about them from time to time.
Of course, we have been able to achieve all this due to the continued support and encouragement of Dr.G.K.Jayaram and also many of my friends who have patted our backs and given financial contributions.
We seek your continued support and encouragement to take this Project forward and to implement new Projects, which will help the under-privileged children across Karnataka.
Thanking you,
A.R.Mitra
Stalwarts like B.M.Sreekantaiah, Kuvempu, P.T.Narasimhachar, A.N.Murthy Rao and a host of educationists have laid a firm foundation for the future generations. These scholars have had excellent, in-depth knowledge of English, but have always written and spoken in Kannada and have also contributed to the growth of Kannada literature. During my student days, many of my professors and mentors, mainly Prof. V.Seetharamiah and Dr.Prabhushankar urged me to study English Literature. I have always thanked them for their thoughtful (and appropriate) suggestion. Well, this was almost fifty years ago!
In my long journey as a Professor at various Government Colleges across Karnataka, I have often been saddened by the plight of our young students who come from rural areas.
I have often interviewed (as a Subject Expert) several youngsters aspiring to be lecturers. I have come across some gifted and intelligent youngsters with very good knowledge in their specific subject. Their explanations and answers to questions are apt, when the conversation is in Kannada. When we try to switch to English, we are in for a shock. The candidate, who till then has displayed immense confidence in his subject, falters and fumbles. From then on, the conversation is one-sided, with mono-syllable responses from the other end. Most of the times, the candidate is rejected.
Sadly, this is the scenario all over Karnataka. While students studying in Private Institutions are able to answer questions in English easily, their counterparts from Government Schools and Colleges suffer. This has very serious implications, since, in today’s world, English is the window to knowledge and opportunities. Hence, the lack of English reading, writing and speaking skills affects the careers and most importantly, the self-confidence of the students.
It is disheartening to see our rural children losing out to the city-bred children due to lack of English speaking, writing and reading skills. We have to bridge this divide and provide an equal playing field to our rural children as well.
Let us create new opportunities for our children, open new windows and enable our children to enter the new world which is full of new opportunities and hope.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “I do not want my house to be walled on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be swept off my feet by any."
As Nehru said, “Change is essential but continuity is also necessary. The future has to be built on the foundations laid in the past as well as in the present. To deny the past and break with it completely is to uproot ourselves and become hapless”.
Let us introduce a beloved aunt to our rural children, but also ensure that they continue to love their mother, to whom they (we) owe our existence.
We have to go to the root of this problem to find a solution. Most of the times, the fear of the language is so great that it masks the other capabilities of the people. If we work at the grass-root level and try and eradicate the fear of the language, teaching them the language, by itself is not a formidable task.
It is with this motto that Achalabharathi was born. Dr.G.K.Jayaram, the First Chairman of Infosys and the Director of ILID (Institute of Leadership and Institutional Development) is also the creator of Project Pygmalion, which aims to teach English to Government School children in a fun-filled manner. My daughter, Mrs.Soumya Mitra headed this Project at ILID for two years. Dr.Jayaram transferred the Project to Achalabharathi in 2010.
We then renamed Pygmalion Pygmalion Vanasuma. Soumya, who continues to work as Project Head of Achalabharathi and Gautham, who is the Managing Trustee of Achalabharathi have taken Pygmalion Vanasuma to new heights.
We launched "Makkala Mela", a day of fun and learning for children from Government Schools in February 2012. It was a huge hit and was loved by the children and teachers who attended the event. In 2013 February we conducted 3 Makkala Melas(one at Chamarajanagar, one at Channarayapatna and one at Agrahara Layout, Bangalore). Volunteers from LNT Infotech volunteered in huge numbers and helped us in conducting the competitions. I take this opportunity to thank the volunteers who helped us in making the events memorable.
We introduced 2 new Projects-Vijnana Darshana and Ganita Bhaskara (Science and Math Programmes) in the academic year 2012-13. The teachers and students have welcomed the projects with great enthusiasm and are making good use of them. We have several new ideas and Projects and I will keep you updated about them from time to time.
Of course, we have been able to achieve all this due to the continued support and encouragement of Dr.G.K.Jayaram and also many of my friends who have patted our backs and given financial contributions.
We seek your continued support and encouragement to take this Project forward and to implement new Projects, which will help the under-privileged children across Karnataka.
Thanking you,
A.R.Mitra