Isha Vidhya Chronicle 2010

ISHA VIDHYA CHRONICLE 2010An annual review

VIDHYAEducating Rural India

Educating Rural India...

VIDHYA

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CONTENTS

Why Isha Vidhya – A Synopsis

Founder's Vision

Project Director'’s sharing

Our Management Structure

Key Events and Activities During this year

Our Journey So Far

Our Scholarship Program

Financials

Future Plans – Expansion at Seven Schools

A Day in the Life of an Isha Vidhya Student

Muthuraj's Story

You are making it Happen

01

Why Isha Vidhya - A Synopsis

India as a whole has experienced great economic success over the past two decades, yet poverty continues to

pervade rural life. Eighty percent of India's 780 million rural population (which constitutes 70% of India's total

population), still lives on less than $2 a day*. Education is the key to opening the door for India's rural populations to

escape poverty and share in the country's economic growth. For most rural children, however, school means run

down facilities with unmotivated and frequently absent teachers. Education imparted in the local language restricts

future opportunities to the small boundary of the native locality**. After completing 12 years of schooling, rural

students often graduate lacking basic skills and are unable to find suitable employment or pursue higher education.

Isha Vidhya aims to transform the lives of rural children by providing affordable, high-quality education where it is

otherwise unavailable.

Isha Vidhya's scalable model employs a carefully designed methodology which guarantees a high standard of

education despite the limitations of the rural setting. In the first phase, Isha Vidhya plans to set up 207 schools in

villages across Tamil Nadu, one school for each of Tamil Nadu's 207 taluks.

* International Fund for Agricultural Development, 2004-2005 studies

** Primary school teachers in rural India have a 25% absenteeism rate

Study by Chaudhury N., J. Hammer, M Knemer, K.Muralidharan, and F.H.,Rogers (2006). 'Missing in Action: Teacher and Health Worker;

Absence in Developing Countries', Volume 20, November 1,Journal of Economic Perspectives, Pittsburg

*** Annual Status of Education Report, India 2009

Less than 50% of Tamil Nadu students in the 3rd through

5th standards can read simple sentences in Tamil, and

only 10% can read simple sentences in English. ***

02

Founder's Vision

Generation after generation people in villages are living in the same suppressed socio-economic conditions

without any improvement. The only remedy to this situation is education. If we can provide villagers with this ladder,

they will have a chance to come out of their situation. But, what is happening is education is being conducted as a

business: New schools are being built in cities where money is abundant, but they're not being built in places where

they are needed the most. To put India on the developing path, we need to provide education to each and every child

in the country, irrespective of where they are; whether they are in villages or in cities.

Having one billion illiterate, uneducated, disorganized, unhealthy and undernourished people is a huge

liability for any country. No society can ever hope to flourish with this kind of baggage. At the same time, having one

billion people who are educated, focused, disciplined, committed and inspired would be a miracle. Are we as a people

going to make ourselves into a disaster or into a miracle remains to be seen in the next 20 years. We are sitting on a

threshold of possibility. For the first time in the history of humanity, we have the necessary resources, capability and

technology to solve all basic human problems of nourishment, health, education and livelihood. The only thing

missing is the necessary willingness, the necessary consciousness to make it happen. So, for the first time we are

capable, but whether we are going to do it or not is the big question. Isha Vidhya is a small effort in this direction.

Sadhguru Jaggi VasudevIsha Vidhya Founder Trustee & Chairperson

03

At Isha Vidhya, our concern is not merely about

preparing our children to get through the

examinations, get a good job, and earn money; but

also, about making them into loving, caring, and

cheerful human beings. Education which does not

move people towards an unprejudiced, fearless,

unshackled way of life is not education.

~ Sadhuguru Jaggi Vasudev

Project Director’s Sharing

I have recently taken over as Project Director of Isha Vidhya from my predecessor, Venkat, who had tirelessly

nurtured this organization for the last four years. Being new around here, a lot of my time has been spent visiting our

schools, meeting with teachers, parents and volunteers. To me, this has been as much an emotional experience as it

has been a learning experience. I would like to share with you some of these experiences.

As you know, our schools are all located in villages at least 10 to 25 km from the nearest town or city. Many of

our teachers travel the extra distance (and the extra two hours) every day. Also, given our resource constraints, the

salaries we offer our teachers are also perhaps relatively lower than most private schools and certainly far below

those of Govt. schools. Our students too come from the lower economic strata of society. Most of them are first

generation school goers and can get absolutely no help in their academics at home. These children not only learn a

new language, but they have to learn in a new language, viz English. To overcome the handicap of their background,

our teachers use several tools which they themselves spend several days learning to use. But the cheerful way I saw

them go about their work, the commitment and sincerity they showed, was simply touching. It is very clear that our

teachers deeply cherish the opportunity that our schools provide them, to shape the destinies of these otherwise

helpless children.

The meeting of the PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) is an annual feature in each school and I had the

privilege of attending them in each of our seven schools last month. The first thing that struck me was the heavy

attendance at every one of these meetings, irrespective of whether it was a relatively new school or old. Out of the

average 400 children in each school, almost 200 to 250 parents were present for each of the PTA meetings. And when

we asked them to tell us their grievances and suggestions for improvement, they more often than not, ended up

praising the school.

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Being a part of Isha Vidhya is certainly one of the

greatest privileges of my life. As Sadhguru told me just before I

took up this responsibility, this is not just another job. If we

don't build and run these schools, these children just don't have

any other chance to get out of their helpless situations and

improve their lives. These words have been ringing in my head

every wakeful moment of mine, reminding me of the long way

we have to go. My sincerest thanks to every single donor who

has cared enough to make this happen for children they have

neither known nor seen...

~ Project Director, Isha Vidya

Most parents feel sad that they are unable to help their child with the homework but are deeply grateful that

the school does not demand it of them as the extra help their children need is provided by the teachers themselves.

Many share that they cannot believe the kind of education their children are getting, despite their low incomes,

something they had not even dreamed possible earlier. Many are plainly relieved and grateful that the future of their

children seems far more secure and meaningful than their own. I had to wipe a tear off my own eyes, when an illiterate

parent, working as a laborer, shared, that his little daughter was now teaching him to read.

A parent shared about her two older children, whom she had moved from school to school, dissatisfied with

what they had offered. Despite all her efforts to help her children study, the results did not show. Only one barely

passed the 10th standard exam, while the other failed. Neither of them learnt to speak English properly despite

studying in English medium schools. Her third child, who was now in Isha Vidhya, was a far happier contrast and

thoroughly enjoyed school and studying. From her past experience she could really appreciate the importance of a

child enjoying the process of learning and thanked the school for using methods that ensure it.

Another parent came up and said she was from a lower middle class sect, but seeing how so many totally

unseen and unknown people cared enough to contribute and build this school, she too wanted to contribute in her

own small way. She said she felt deeply grateful to all those donors who gave her child this school. She pulled out

Rs.250 which she said she had been saving for the last few weeks, and handed it to me to buy two new books for the

school library. Hers was the last sharing of the meeting, which concluded soon after. To our surprise, several parents

came to us after the meeting and in 15 minutes we found that we had Rs. 2600 in spontaneous, unsolicited

contributions. These were very ordinary people, with very ordinary income levels. To see them make this effort and

show such concern was truly touching and deeply humbling.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has made these schools possible; the teachers,

parents, volunteers and our donors in particular.

Sincerely

Vinod Hari, Isha Vidhya Project Director

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Our Management Structure

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Founder Trustee & Chairperson

Shri. Prahlad Kakkar, Ad Guru

Shri. Deepak Satwalekar, Ex Managing Director, HDFC Ltd. and HDFC Standard Life ltd.

Shri. Dorairaj, Attorney

Swami. Nisarga, ME, Educationalist

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Shri. Ravi Venkatesh, Chairman, Microsoft India

Shri. K.Kumaran, Industrialist

Shri. Dr. Sama, Chairman, Sir Ganga Ram Hospitals, New Delhi

Shri. D.R. Karthikeyan, Former Director, CBI

Smt. Radhika, Lawyer

Smt. Barathi Varadharaj, Managing Trustee

Shri. M.S.Rajarathinam, Treasurer

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Key Events during this Year

al ammedic c pkrishna jayanthi

iw i c le ati nd al e br o

o t’s D ysp r a

Annual Day

on u ndedicati f nctio

ndependence i

Day

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Key Activities during this Year

CArt lass

Y ga Classo

i -d y meals a o mb tore,

M d at C i aCu dalore d Na e coil

dan g r

iscience exhibit on

ruit af s d y

Physical tra

ining

c r dompute Aide learning

Our Journey So Far - Milestones

Three s a Vidhya Schools opened in village near Erode, Nagercoil

I h s

nd Tuti orin. Isha Vi hya S holar hip Program was lso launched

a c d c sain ame year o ensu e c ildren from eve th m t econ call

s t r h n e os omi ydepr ved backgrou ds ave a ch n e to rece ve quality d cati

i n h a c i e u on

2 070

i st I ha i S ho l d n F r s V dhya c o opene i

go l o oSande undenpa ayam 25 Km outside f Coimbat re,

w t t r m L e to 2ith 263 s uden s f o ow r Kindergarten the nd

tanda d.S r

2006

ool l a ies e ally roduc d in 20 8 and in 20 9

Sch ibr r wer inform int e 0 0

two ne s hools d near Cud e and Villupur m w c opene dalor a and

l a ies aining 5 0-30 0 childr b s e e i augurated

ibr r cont 1 0 0 en’s ook w r n

n wo existing s hools Is V a als be a signing ani t c . ha idhy o g n de d

publis i own line f t xt ook an hre boo s e ehing ts o e b s d t e k w r

el ed during the adem e r.r eas ac ic y a

One new school opened in Vanavasi near

Salem. We also started providing nutritious

lunch every day at three of our schools in

Coimbatore, Cuddalore and Nagercoil.

2 10 0

09

2008 & 2009

Our Journey So Far - Students

Isha Vidhya welcomes students from all castes, creeds and socio-economic backgrounds, encouraging a rich

diversity amongst students and teachers. With the school locations specifically selected to serve areas where the

majority population is economically weak and where access to quality education is limited, roughly 60% of Isha Vidhya

students are first generation learners in their families. Most students rely entirely on the school not only for academic

education, but also for introduction to the world outside of their local community. Through DVD programs, computer

classes, library period, field trips, and other methods, Isha Vidhya exposes students to the world beyond their local

villages, preparing them with the savvy to adapt and respond with ease to whatever new situations they may face in

the future.

Because of various limitations the students have at home, the Isha Vidhya teachers go beyond the duties of

regular teachers and take on a parental role in guiding students through the basics like simple hygiene practices of

brushing of teeth, bathing, and wearing clean clothes, as well as simple social skills for polite interaction with others.

The schools hold annual medical camps to check students' vision, hearing, dental, nutritional and general health, and

teachers provide ongoing guidance to the parents in these areas.

To further support students' proper physical and mental development, the schools provide students with

protein and nutrient rich health snacks composed of nuts, lentils and dried fruits. In just one year of attending Isha

Vidhya, noticeable changes occur in students' health, behavior, interest in learning and general enthusiasm and

energy.

Parents who transfer their child from another school into Isha Vidhya are often impressed to see the how

much their child improves at Isha Vidhya, not only in studies, but also in physical health, manners and overall

wellbeing.

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“Till yesterday these children were all looking so dirty

and unkempt. After joining Isha Vidhya, they look like

different children altogether. They are learning with

computers and singing in English. And the uniform has

a richness that cannot be explained!”

~ Kootampuli Sirupadu Villager

Our Journey So Far - Teachers

If the testament to a good school is when those most closely associated with it enroll their own children, then

Isha Vidhya is coming out with flying colours. Teachers, principals, van drivers, administrators - those who know the ins

and outs of the Isha Vidhya Schools are the first to get their children's applications in for enrollment.

11

I have worked for many years as section head and teacher at another school, but being in Isha Vidhya is something very different. The training they give us here has been very useful. We find ourselves changing into students and bubbling up with energy and anticipation for the activities conducted in the workshops. We’ve adapted ourselves to the new methods, which include not beating, punishing or using harsh words with students, and I’ve seen remarkable growth in the students because of this approach. The children are very frank and open because they have no fear of the teachers or the Principal. They are taking up their studies out of interest and self-motivation rather than fear, and they are doing so well.

~Shylakumari, Principal Isha Vidhya Kurandi

Our Scholarship Program

Isha Vidhya strives to keep fees to a minimum; however, even minimal fees are unaffordable for many rural

families. Most students' parents work in temporary jobs as laborers, dhobis, barbers, carpenters, field workers,

construction workers, tea shop owners, auto drivers and street vendors. Income from these jobs is inconsistent,

varying based on the season and demand for employment, and often insufficient for meeting basic household and

dietary requirements. This often forces families to cut expenditures in other areas such as food, medicine and

clothing. The reality of this situation necessitated the development of a scholarship program.

Sponsoring a student represents a unique way to dramatically touch the life of a child. Each sponsor is

matched with a student(s) and encouraged to donate yearly for the child's full education at Isha Vidhya. Sponsors

receive regular updates on the student's progress, including letters from the student, photos, and academic progress

reports. The school facilitates correspondences between the sponsors and students, and sponsors are welcome to

visit their student at school, act as a mentor, and watch as the child grows and blossoms. The scholarship donation

amount of RS 10000/USD 240 provides tuition, books, notebooks and nutritional health supplements for the

scholarship student.

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Sponsoring a student was so clear a choice. It was

so obvious. What it costs to support a child for a

year is very little by American standards. But how

it's put to use here… it means everything for

someone else.

~Isha Vidhya Scholarship sponsor

I'm a barber by profession. Only because of the scholarship program my daughter is able to study in this type of English-medium school with computer facilities. She is the first one in my family to study in a matriculation school.

-Parent of scholarship student

The Scholarship Program began in the 2007-08 academic year, with 238 students covered between the four

Isha Vidhya schools. The number of scholarships more than doubled the following academic year (2008-09) to include

663 students, again nearly doubled for the 2009-10 academic year to include 1264 students, and presently includes

1485 students in 2010-11.

All the schools will be expanded for the upcoming academic year up to the 7th Standard. An estimated 800

additional students will be enrolled, with close to 600 of them likely to need scholarship support, which needs to be

mobilized by the end of May 2011.

STUDENT & SCHOLARSHIP GROWTH

*2011-12 numbers are estimates

‘07-’08‘06-’07 ‘08-’09 ‘09-’10 ‘10-’11 ‘11-’12*

1000

2000

3000

4000

Students Strength

Students on Scholarship

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In my other school, there was no water and the food

was bad. Here, I like the clean place, food and water. I

play a lot, learn English and Tamil, play on the

computers and watch DVDs. I have learnt Tamil,

English rhymes, drawing and letter sounds.

~ Nandhana, Isha Vidhya School, Kindergarten

Details Cost (Rs)

Income from School Fees 7,887,365

Schools Operational Expenses 15,829,989

Excess of Expenditure over Income 7,942,624

Infrastructure Assets Added

Computers, Furniture, Electrical, Library books, Lab/Play Eqpt 5,557,645

School Buses 2,167,000

School Buildings (completed & under construction) 14,757,196

Total Fixed Assets Added 22,481,841

FinancialsIsha Vidhya Matriculation Schools - Key Indicators for 2009-10 (Audited)

Infrastructure development in each school¹ Total number of rooms includes classrooms, offices, staff room, and audio/video and computer laboratories² Development cost indicates expenditures towards the entire school infrastructure in respective years

hool LocSc ation

A e ecad mic y ar 9200 -10 2010-11Total n . of rooms ¹o01 21l yg oundP a r

1 1T l t ockoi e Bl1 1e te V sR n d an 3 3

sOwned Buse 0 1lDeve opment cost ² in

M llion RSi 6.30 4.73

in 000 U D ‘ S151.20 113.59

Mad v pallaa a m( udd lore)C a

o oSch ol Locati n

Academi ec y ar 00 -12 9 0 01 -12 0 1

T tal . f r o ¹o no o o ms 31 12

la o dP ygr un 1 1

Toilet Block 1 2

Rented Vans 3 1

O Bu ewned s s 0 2

e o en co t iDev l pm t s ² n

li RMil on S.95 8 .6 74

in ‘0 0 U D0 S 1 3 74 .5 1 1 46 .6

i un va urT r a ll

(Villupuram)

School Location

A ade c ye rc mi a 2007-08 092008- 2009-10 2010-11

Total no. of rooms ¹ 8 12 19 23

lay rounP g d 1 1 1 1

e oToil t Bl ck 1 1 1 1

Ren d Vanste2 3 4 5

O n sew ed Bu s 0 0 0 0

e cDevelopm nt ost ² in

ll o RSMi i n6.54 3.07 2.00 1. 78

n ‘i 000 USD 157.01 73.68 48.00 7644.

Ku a d ir n a

(Nagercoil)School Location

Ac c eademi y ar 20 7- 80 0 20 8- 90 0 0 -20 9 10 120 0-11. o s ¹Total no f room 8 12 15 21Pla gr u dy o n

1 1 1 1T et koil Bloc

1 1 1 2Rented V san

1 3 4 3Owned s Bu es

0 0 0 1Development cost ² in

il i n RM l o S 4. 28 1 62. 1.96 3.61in ‘000 USD

1 .751 5 .938 3 4 47.0 8 46.5

mb liKuta o(Tuticorin)

c ool oc t onS h L a i

A ademic yearc 2006 07- 2007-08 2008-09 2009- 01 2010-11

Total no. f roo s ¹ o m 9 12 17 20 26

Playgr ndou 1 1 1 1 1

ile B cTo t lo k 1 1 1 1 2

e aRent d V ns 3 4 3 2 0

wnO ed Buses 0 0 0 2 4

Dev lopment cost ² in e

illion RM S5. 04 1.86 1.76 2.20 3.84

in ‘000 USD 129.60 44.66 42.26 52 85. 92.04

S g e ayande ound npal am

C tor )( oimba e

CoimbatoreSchool Location

Aca eademic y r 0 - 82 07 0 0 8- 92 0 0 0 120 9- 0 1 120 0- 1 sTotal no. of room ¹ 10 15 17 23Pla gr uy o nd

1 1 1 1T et koil Bloc

1 1 1 2Rented Va sn

3 4 3 5wnedO Buses

0 0 1 2e tDevelopm n cost ² in il ionM l RS 5.80 1 7.7 1.58 5.84

in ‘000 USD 3 221 9. .342 6 3 47.9 0 414 .0

r ma l y mPe u pa a a(Erode)

r eE od

Tutic inor Na erc ig o l

Vi mllupuraCuddalore S ho oc i nc ol L at o

aV nasi

(Salem)

Ac d m c e ra e i y a 2 001 -11

o . o sT tal no of r om ¹ 21

Playground 1

Toile Blockt1

nte VRe d ans 5

BOwned uses 0

Development cost ² in

M llio Ri n S21 .00

n ‘ Di 000 US .0288 0

S lea m

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Future Plans

Expansion at the seven schools

Isha Vidhya Schools from now on aims to open their first year with classes from Lower Kindergarten up to the

6th standard. The plan is to expand one grade level each year till the schools reach full running capacity up to the 12th

standard. All the Isha Vidhya Schools are to be expanded up to the 7th Standard for the 2011-12 academic year and

each school is to be equipped with additional classrooms, CAD learning labs, Maths labs, VSAT stroke audio-visual

rooms, multipurpose hall, compound walls and noon meal kitchen.

Isha Vidhya Capex Requirement for the academic year 2010-11 to be incurred before May 2011. [Cost in Indian Rupee]

Qty Cost Qty Cost Qty Cost Qty Cost

1 School Bus 1,200,000 2 2,400,000 1 1,200,000 0 0 2 2,400,000

2 Class rooms (500 sqft) 570,000 2 1,140,000 2 1,140,000 2 1,140,000 2 1,140,000

3 Maths Lab (500 sqft) 570,000 1 570,000 1 570,000 1 570,000 1 570,000

4 Computer Aided Learning Lab (500 sqft) 570,000 1 570,000 1 570,000 1 570,000 1 570,000

5 V-Sat / Audio Visual Class (500 sqft) 570,000 2 1,140,000 2 1,140,000 0 0 1 570,000

6 Toilet Block (Boys 12 & Girls 12) 700,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

7 Multipurpose Hall (2250 sqft) 900,000 1 900,000 1 900,000 0 0 0 0

8 Compound Wall (ft) 1,000 1,750 1,750,000 1,750 1,750,000 1,750 1,750,000 1,750 1,750,000

9 Noon Meal Kitchen Building & Equipment 300,000 1 300,000 1 300,000 1 300,000 1 300,000

10 Class & Lab Furniture & Fittings 25,300 6 151,800 6 151,800 4 101,200 5 126,500

11 Student Benches 2,500 50 125,000 50 125,000 30 75,000 40 100,000

12 Library Furniture, Computer 51,200 1 51,200 1 51,200 0 30,000 1 51,200

13 Library Books 150 1,000 150,000 1,000 150,000 0 0 1,000 150,000

14 Educational Aids 50,000 1 50,000 1 50,000 1 50,000 1 50,000

15 Maths Lab Materials 127,000 1 127,000 1 127,000 1 127,000 1 127,000

16 Science Lab Material & Furniture 74,400 1 74,400 1 74,400 1 74,400 1 74,400

17 Computer Aided Learning Lab Eqpt 306,000 1 306,000 1 306,000 1 306,000 1 306,000

18 V-Sat/ Audio Video Equipment 100,000 2 200,000 2 200,000 2 200,000 2 200,000

19 Sports Equipment Set 33,000 1 33,000 1 33,000 1 33,000 1 33,000

20 PA System Mike, stand, amp, speaker set 25,000 1 25,000 1 25,000 1 25,000 1 25,000

21 Plastic Chairs 600 20 12,000 20 12,000 20 12,000 20 12,000

Total 10,075,400 8,875,400 5,363,600 8,555,100

Cuddalore Vilupuram SGP ErodeName Unit CostS.No

Qty Cost Qty Cost Qty Cost Qty Cost

1 School Bus 1,200,000 3 3,600,000 3 3,600,000 3 3,600,000 14 16,800,000

2 Class rooms (500 sqft) 570,000 2 1,140,000 2 1,140,000 2 1,140,000 14 7,980,000

3 Maths Lab (500 sqft) 570,000 1 570,000 1 570,000 1 570,000 7 3,990,000

4 Computer Aided Learning Lab (500 sqft) 570,000 1 570,000 1 570,000 1 570,000 7 3,990,000

5 V-Sat / Audio Visual Class (500 sqft) 570,000 2 1,140,000 2 1,140,000 1 570,000 10 5,700,000

6 Toilet Block (Boys 12 & Girls 12) 700,000 0 0 1 700,000 0 0 1 700,000

7 Multipurpose Hall (2250 sqft) 900,000 1 900,000 0 0 0 0 3 2,700,000

8 Compound Wall (ft) 1,000 1,750 1,750,000 1,750 1,750,000 1,750 1,750,000 12,250 12,250,000

9 Noon Meal Kitchen Building & Equipment 300,000 1 300,000 1 300,000 1 300,000 7 2,100,000

10 Class & Lab Furniture & Fittings 25,300 6 151,800 6 151,800 5 126,500 38 961,400

11 Student Benches 2,500 50 125,000 50 125,000 40 100,000 310 775,000

12 Library Furniture, Computer 51,200 1 51,200 1 51,200 0 30,000 5 316,000

13 Library Books 150 1,000 150,000 1,000 150,000 0 0 5,000 750,000

14 Educational Aids 50,000 1 50,000 1 50,000 1 50,000 7 350,000

15 Maths Lab Materials 127,000 1 127,000 1 127,000 1 127,000 7 889,000

16 Science Lab Material & Furniture 74,400 1 74,400 1 74,400 1 74,400 7 520,800

17 Computer Aided Learning Lab Eqpt 306,000 1 306,000 1 306,000 1 306,000 7 2,142,000

18 V-Sat/ Audio Video Equipment 100,000 2 200,000 2 200,000 2 200,000 14 1,400,000

19 Sports Equipment Set 33,000 1 33,000 1 33,000 1 33,000 7 231,000

20 PA System Mike, stand, amp, speaker set 25,000 1 25,000 1 25,000 1 25,000 7 175,000

21 Plastic Chairs 600 20 12,000 20 12,000 20 12,000 140 84,000

Total 11,275,400 11,075,400 9,583,900 64,804,200

Tuticorin TotalS.No Name Unit Cost

Vanavasi Nagarcoil

15

A day in the life of an Isha Vidhya student...

16

At the break of dawn the child enthusiastically gets ready for school. Brushes through the lessons and hops

onto the Isha Vidhya bus to get to school.

A day in the life of an Isha Vidhya student... [Continued]

At school they enjoy various tasks like audio-visual and computer-aided learning, nutritious meal,

curriculum classes, yoga, indoor and outdoor sports.

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Muthuraj’s Story

Muthuraj comes from Keelakootudankaadu, a village so dry that only rocks and sand seem to survive. 10km

from Tuticorin, 3-year old Muthuraj lives there with his parents in a small hut. His parents work as laborers for four

months of the year. The rest of the year, work is unavailable, and hence finances are scarce. They never considered

educating Muthuraj. But his grandmother was constantly worried about him and his future. When she got a job as an

Aaya (helper) in Isha Vidhya, she found out that even poor families could send their children to an English-medium

school. She immediately admitted her grandson to the school. However, convincing Muthuraj to come to school

wasn't a simple task. His rebellious nature initially made him protest against attending, and his harsh language put a

distance between him and the other students. He wouldn't miss a chance to escape from the classroom to run off and

find his grandmother. But the patient and caring nature of the teachers gradually brought changes in Muthuraj.

By the second term of the year, he started making friends and became more interested in being in class. Even

his very nature changed; politeness reflected in his speech and he began taking care of his clothes and hygiene. At

home, he doesn't pick unnecessary fights with his siblings. His grandmother is filled with pride to see this

transformation, and is confident now that he will blossom and become like a tree which will give shelter to many

others.

18

You are making it happen...

Isha Vidhya acknowledges the support of the numerous, donors, volunteers and corporate sponsors without

which the project would not be possible. Special recognition is given to the following:

Agility Logistics Pvt Ltd fully sponsored construction of the IV School near Villupuram.

Ramaniyam Real Estates Pvt. Ltd. fully sponsored construction of IV School at Vanavasi near Salem.

Jayabaratham Furniture (JFA) donated furniture for all our schools.

Life Insurance Corporation of India donated for the expansion of Coimbatore school.

EID Parry donated for expansion of Cuddalore School.

Bharathi Airtel supported through the Mumbai Marathon to fund expansion of the Tuticorin School.

Isha Foundation supported construction of the Cuddalore School through its Tsunami Fund.

Mr. Bala Naidoo, South Africa, contributed significantly to the expansion of our schools.

Mr. Gopal Jain of Gaja Capital Advisors donated for expansion of Cuddalore School.

Ms. R. Parvathi donated for the expansion of the Nagercoil School.

Dr. Ananthanarayanan donated the land for Vanavasi School.

Cpt. Avinash Batra & Cpt. Somesh Batra with the Sea Horse Trust fully sponsored the library in Tuticorin School.

Ms. Ajanta Devi, Chennai & V. Arimilli, Hyderabad have also contributed significantly to expansion of our schools.

Mumbai Marathon participants for Isha Vidhya sponsored the expansion at the Erode and Tuticorin Schools.

Chase Community Giving sponsored expansion at various schools

Scholarship Sponsors

Barclays Capital has sponsored scholarships for 100 children.

Asha For Education sponsored 80 scholarships for students in Tuticorin.

Shri. Sudhakar Ram, Chairman, Mastek sponsored scholarships for 35 children.

Individual donors from across India and the world who together have sponsored over 1000 children and helped

make the expansion of the schools possible. We have received 1485 scholarship so far.

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Thank you for giving us a chance...

After all said and done, it is certainly not a time to rest. More children await to be touched by generous hearts like you!

If you wish to donate towards infrastructure by providing land or taking up the entire construction of the school please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or call +91 9841048949.

Please write cheques in favor of: Isha Education [for India], Isha Foundation Inc. [for USA & Canada] and Isha Institute of Inner Sciences [for UK]

All donations made from India are eligible for tax benefits under Sec 80G &All donations made from USA are eligible for tax benefits under Sec 501.

For more information on how your donation works please visit us atwww.ishavidhya.org

INDIAIsha Education,14 CA Thevar Layout, Kannaperan Road,Udayampalayam,Coimbatore, 641 028, INDIA.Ph # +91 9442544458

USA & CANADAIsha Foundation Inc.,6488 Rookery CircleBradenton, Florida, 34203, USA.Ph # +1 8134343515

[email protected]

UKIsha Institute of Inner Sciences,PO Box 559,Isleworth, TB75WR, UK.Ph # +44 [email protected]

Singapore & [email protected]

Malaysia

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This booklet is sponsored by Modfurn & Jayabharatham Furniture Appliances

Agility Logistics Pvt Ltd’s fully sponsored construction of the Isha Vidya School near Villupuram.

Ramaniyam Real Estates Pvt. Ltd.’s fully sponsored construction of Isha Vidhya School near Salem.

The basic purpose of life and the basic purpose of education is to enhance one's boundaries of

perception. I don't want the children to just survive after ten years of schooling here. They must

blossom and flower wherever they go

~ Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev