Why did Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation do this? Vandana Aggarwal asserted the non-profit, charitable trust is shaping a people's movement in India to enable them take charge of their own education and empowerment. It initiates, supports, runs non-formal one-teacher schools in India's rural, remote and tribal areas spread all over from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. As of March 2009 they have 26,429 schools with 753,810 students. Apart from basic education, these schools offer health-care and vocational training aimed at empowerment through education. In fact one school becomes the transformation point for the entire village!


An Ekal school only needs $365 to get started. It also receives the support of the villagers who donate in cash or kind and after five years each school becomes self-sustaining. So the program designed to entertain, conveyed the message how a sponsor's dollar-a-day contribution could transform an entire village. The program indented on the generosity of Atlantans to support the education of 20-25 children in an Ekal school for the entire year!


The program started promptly as scheduled at 8pm with the Chief Guest, Mr. Curt Thompson, Georgia State Senator for District 5, lighting the lamp. It needs to be stated the Senator is an ardent supporter of the local Indian community's education and economic development projects.
 

Artists like Archith Seshadri, Supriya Sridharan, Pankaj Bhargava and Anand Srinivasan who have competed in Atlanta Desi Idol came forward to lend their support and perform for an audience of nearly 400. Members of the Shaam-e-Sargam music group and other amateur artists sang old and new Bollywood songs. Sandeep Savla of Nritya Natya Kala Bharati provided the music system and sound support for the evening.


Five year old Anthony Shajan received a thunderous applause for his wonderful rendition of "Mere sapnon ki rani....". Paramjeet Gill, who works for Georgia Public Broadcasting, Smita Daftardar and Shyam Gupta who volunteer at Bal Vihar were delighted to sing at an event which was intended for the cause of education. Chandrika Narayan aptly summed it up when she said "everything is really well organized, the show started on time, and people were really enjoying themselves! I'm really glad to be a part of Ekal".


After the show, Anand Srinivasan, the Atlanta Desi Idol for 2008-2009 had this to say on behalf of all the artists: "Thank you for giving us fledgling artists an avenue to do what we love, and yet contribute back to society in a productive manner."


The Master of Ceremonies Rachna Gupta and the short Ekal film presentations were able to unobtrusively connect the audience with the Ekal cause. Enthralled, the people chose not to merely watch from the sidelines but actively came forward to sponsor 48 schools - 3 of which came from one sponsor, Madhuri Saxena!


Shiv Mandir and the volunteers of SEWA were the non-profits who will have Ekal schools running in their names. A raffle draw sponsored by Rajkamal Foundation was a fitting finale for the evening’s exciting events. Some people who had come for the first time were so enamored of the Ekal cause and said they were expectantly looking forward to the next Ekal events on July 12th Mata Ki Chowki by Atlanta Chowki Group at Global Mall and on September 12th for which "The Narasimha Academy of Arts" is choreographing a thematic dance presentation.