Ekal Vidyalaya collects $31,000 to support 85 Ekal schools

Unbridled Enthusiasm at Fund raising Event
Ekal Vidyalaya collects $31,000 to support 85 Ekal schools

Photos & Review: Girish Modi

Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation’s Atlanta chapter held its fund raising event with gala musical evening performed by Manoj Mishra Musical Group on Sunday March 20th at the Ashiana Banquet Hall in Global Mall. Lead singer Manoj Mishra, accompanied by Sa Re Ga Ma Pa finalist Nirupama Dey entertained a massive gathering of well-wishers, sponsors, friends and supporters numbering over three hundred.

Ekal has been striving towards eradicating illiteracy in rural and other remote areas of India since 1986. It is running single-teacher informal schools amongst tribal and rural communities, who have been denied access to basic rights including primary education. The Ekal movement has kindled a spirit of unity among the villages, created a desire to learn among tribal children, curbed superstitious beliefs, restricted alcohol consumption and overall strived to empower villages to become self-reliant through acquisition of knowledge. Currently there are 34343 Ekal schools functioning spread across various States of India with over 962,000 students on roll.

Since the event coincided with Holi festivities, guests were welcomed with a Gulaal/rang tilak and then served a delectable dinner catered by Ashiana Restaurant which included traditional holi thandai and besan sev. Documentary film showing current Ekal schools and their activities were screened during the dinner hour.

The program commenced at 7 pm with the lighting of Diya by Ekal’s longtime supporter Dr. Krishan Gupta. The emcee for the evening, Rachna Gupta introduced the artists and their three musicians – Rajendra Nakashe, a dholak/octopad player, Pramod Katekar, a guitarist and Ashwin Rokade on the keyboard. The team provided a 3-hour non-stop musical performance keeping the audience glued to their seats!

Apart from being a versatile singer, Manoj proved to be an entertaining comedian and showman as well. He sang a few O.P. Nayyar’s compositions in late Rafi Saheb’s voice during the first hour. Manoj then sang a couple of classical songs such as Laaga Chundari mein daag and Madhuban mein Radhika Naache enticingly while Rajendra adroitly brought out tabla sounds from his dholak!

Manoj Mishra was at his best when he sang alap of Man Tadpat Hari Darshan from film Baiju Bawra in Raag Malkauns. Manoj created nostalgic mood among seniors when he sang Gham diye mushtqil in late K. L. Saigal’s golden voice and a Gujarati immortal song Taari Ankh no Afini. He also rendered songs in Marathi and Punjabi. Members in the audience spontaneously rushed to the stage and joined him when he sang the popular qawaali from film Amar Akbar Anthony.

Nirupama Dey sang Asha Bhosle’s Jaiye Aap Kahan Jaayenge (Kashmir Ki Kali) and Aage bhi jaane tu (Waqt) and Lata Mangeshkarji’s evergreen songs Aayega aane wala and Aaja re pardesi. She also sang Lataji’s famous Bengali song Mano Na Laage composed by the late Salil Chowdhry. When Nirupama sang Aye Mere Watan ke logo she stirred the hearts of many in the audience.

Ekal volunteer, Rachna Gupta charmingly emceed the show and solicited school sponsorships.

Ekal schools can be sponsored with a payment or pledge of $365 i.e. a dollar-a- day to establish and run a One-Teacher school for an entire year. At the outset, the Rotary Clubs of Clayton County (Lata Chinnan-4 Schools) & Lake Spivey (Vibha Singla-2 Schools) announced that they would continue its school-matching policy this year also and matched the first 6 schools that audience members sponsored!

Some benevolent people opted to sponsor a school rather than wastefully fritter away money on birthday celebrations. A young boy donated the entire cash gifts that he received on his birthday. Ekal was ably assisted by SEWA volunteers who efficiently completed the secure online transactions for donors who sponsored schools paying through credit cards. It was a very successful fundraising night netting $ 31,000 to support 85 Ekal schools.

Ekal also conducted a raffle by selling $1 tickets and collected cash equivalent to sponsor 2 schools from the raffle. The two winners in turn donated the $50 gift cards sponsored by Rajkamal Foundation back to Ekal. It was heartening to note that other Associations like the Maharashtra Mandal of Atlanta, Sargam (music group) have come forward to join this people's movement.

Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of America saw its beginnings in Atlanta through the efforts of Dr. Basant Tariyal, CEO, Ekal Global and other Atlantans and is now registered as S.501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit entity. Southeast Regional President, Chander Aggarwal, Director, Dr. Tariyal and Atlanta Chapter President Shiv Aggarwal gave Certificates of Appreciation to the visiting artists and thanked all the sponsors, stage decorator (Fifth Season), sound system provider (DJ Bally), Ashiana restaurant, volunteers and audience.

For sponsoring an Ekal school or for further information about this noble cause that eradicates illiteracy in India, please visit www.ekal.org or call one of its local coordinators.