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Aim for Seva to establish Integrated Educational Institutions across India
The New Jersey chapter recently held a donor appreciation event, honoring donor couples Dr. Kamala Das and Dr. Kiron Das; Subha and Hari Srinivasan
Donors, Subha, a well-known Carnatic vocalist and a teacher in NJ with her husband Hari Srinivasan / Image - Supplied
The All India Movement for SEVA (AIM for SEVA) founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswati, enables rural students to continue their education by staying in a Chatralaya, a free student home built near government schools.
The initiative was inspired by a tribal woman who requested residential space for children who had stopped school due to unsafe travel without transportation. Since its inception in early 2001, AIM for SEVA has constructed 94 Catralayas in 17 states across India, positively affecting the education of more than 9000 children.
However, the scope of the movement is now expanding to include the construction of integrated institutions that could function as gurukuls in the modern era. Speaking to New India Abroad, COO AIM for Seva, Srini V Raman said construction for three school buildings is underway and will be inaugurated in 2024.
COO AIM for Seva, Srini V Raman
“We did extensive research during the pandemic that revealed the lack of quality education in rural areas. We plan to build top-class education institutions on par with those available for urban children.” The construction of schools have already begun in Uttarakhand; Pune, and Belgaum. Srini stated that land has been purchased in Nagpur, Udaipur, and Udupi, and that construction will begin soon, adding that land in West Bengal has also been identified.
Each school will be built with an investment of about $ 1.7 million, spread in about 5 acres of land with the classrooms. laboratories and other modern-day school facilities for 1000 children. There will be separate hostels for boys and girls and separate staff quarters, he shared.
According to Srini, the emphasis will be on regional language education, with Sanskrit and English being taught. AIM for SEVA already has a school in Indore, MP, that opened just before the pandemic and currently has 500 students. It operates two schools in Tamil Nadu.
The AIM for SEVA projects are being funded by volunteers in the US and elsewhere. “We offer opportunities to sponsor from $42 to cover a child’s per day expenses to anywhere to build the campus,” Srini said.
The New Jersey chapter recently held a donor appreciation event, honoring donor couples Dr. Kamala Das and Dr. Kiron Das; Subha and Hari Srinivasan for sponsoring the construction of one floor each at the West Bengal Chatralaya, the state's first unit housing 44 children.
Donor couple Dr. Kamala Das and Dr. Kiron Das
Dr. Pachu Abraham of Detroit is the sponsor for the third floor, according to Hari Subramanian, coordinator of the NJ chapter, who went on to say that AIM for SEVA has 28 chapters in the United States and that New Jersey has always seen generous donors.
"Each year, we hope to secure sponsorship for 500 children, covering $500 per child per year in expenses as well as a couple of capital project contributions," Hari added. Rukmini Vijayakumar, a Bharathanatyam dancer, presented Anubhava- An experience of the senses with Ambi Subramaniam on violin and Rohan Krishnamurthy on percussion at the donor appreciation event.
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