Eklavya foundation

Eklavya is an organisation (NGO) in Madhya Pradesh working in the field of education. Registered as an all India society in 1982.

The organsiation take inspiration from the story of Eklavya in Mahabharat. The character of Eklavya is sought after not as someone who lost his or her thumb but as some one who learned with his own determination. Where the guru was an ideal and it was the effort of the student that led him to be successful and become better than the master and master's own favorite student.

The Eklavya legend from Mahabharat inspires us to bring the best in education within the reach of everyone; to support each one's effort to learn and discover, question and create. [http://www.eklavya.in/go/]

It traces the beginning of their educational programs to the initiatives of another program called Kishor Bharati and Friends Rural center Rasulia [http://www.multiworld.org/taleemnet/eduexp/hstp.htm] , [http://www.eklavya.in/go/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=69] . It had its beginnings and roots in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh. And popularly called HSTP or Hoshangabad Science Teaching Program. This education program was professed to contest many of the traditional ways of teaching sciences in schools. [http://www.hinduonnet.com/mag/2002/08/11/stories/2002081100140500.htm] Here they gave emphasis on experiments. They believed and successfully promoted the educational practice of learning by doing.

Areas of work

Broadly their areas of work are: with schools and community. They are involved in educational programs through publication and research [http://www.eklavya.in/go/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=10&Itemid=53] . Their educational publications include textbooks for children up to class 5 on all subjects, and from class 6 to 8 on subjects as sciences and social sciences. They regularly conduct training for teachers to use their material in the school practices. Their periodical publications include a magazine called Chakmak for children of the age group up to 14 in Hindi. (Chakmak is a stone that was used by light fire by tribals in central India [http://www.publish.csiro.au/?act=view_file&file_id=EC134p18.pdf page 134] ). A bimonthly called Shaikshik Sandharb (available for free download at [http://www.eklavya.in/go/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=13&id=51&Itemid=72] for teachers and adult readers. And a weekly science feature service called srote. Apart from this there are many publications for children and teachers. [http://www.eklavya.in/go/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=10&id=40&Itemid=63] .

Apart from this they are involved in community activities as clubs for students; health programs for adolescent girls etc.

External links

* [http://www.eklavya.in Eklavya] Official site
* [http://www.cisl.columbia.edu/grads/presi/EKLAVYA/ A resource website from Columbia university]
* [http://www.eklavya.in/go/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=84&Itemid=69 Annual reports available for download]

Articles on eklavya

* film [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1597385200433842882&hl=en] available for download
*the experience of a government school teacher using Eklavya textbooks published in
* [http://www.ioe.ac.uk/schools/efps/GenderEducDev/IOE%20EQUALS%20NO.9.pdf EQUALS page 8] and [http://www.ungei.org/beyondaccess/files/beyondaccess_equals_no15.pdf EQUALS page 7]
* Understanding Educational Innovation in India: The Case of Eklavya "this is an article based on discussion with all different actors who are involved in eklavya" [203.199.32.111/icicisig/upload/4.%20Balagopalan.pdf] "this article is slow to download in pdf format so please see in HTML" [http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:0O7-sNTwy2EJ:203.199.32.111/icicisig/upload/4.%2520Balagopalan.pdf+eklavya+-ahmedabad+filetype:pdf&hl=en&gl=in&ct=clnk&cd=6&client=firefox-a Understanding Educational Innovation in India: The Case of Eklavya Interviews with Staff and Teachers]
* [http://www.hinduonnet.com/mag/2002/06/30/stories/2002063000070400.htm A story retold] The Hindu
* [http://www.india-seminar.com/2003/522/522%20c.n.%20subramaniam%20&%20rashmi%20paliwal.htm Exploring alternatives CN Subramanyam and Reshmi Paliwal] SEMINAR
* [http://www.india-seminar.com/2006/563/563-vinod-raina.htm Where Goes children after VIII Vinod Raina] Seminar
* [http://www.ashanet.org/library/articles/seekhna_sikhana.1997.html The 'Seekhna-Sikhana' Approach in Madhya Pradesh by Vinod Raina] At Asha for Education
* [http://www.indiatogether.org/education/articles/hoshi.htm Ignorance is bliss] At India Together
* [http://www.epw.org.in/showArticles.php?root=2005&leaf=04&filename=8457&filetype=html Education: Beyond the Curricula] In EPW
* [http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/08/05/stories/2002080500251000.htm Eklavya looses its Thumb by Harbans Mukhia] The Hindu
* [http://www.hinduonnet.com/mag/2002/08/11/stories/2002081100140500.htm Of laziness and tenancy by Meena Menon] The Hindu
* [http://www.epw.org.in/showArticles.php?root=2002&leaf=08&filename=4743&filetype=html] a letter from eklavya members to EPW
* [http://www.beatofindia.com/mainpages/articles.htm Experiences of an activist who was associated with eklavya programmes]
* [http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007081655330900.htm&date=2007/08/16/&prd=th& Science Education in India]

Further reading

* Agnihotri, R.K. PRASHIKA : Eklavya's Innovative Experiment in Primary Education Ratna Sagar New Delhi
* [http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:-2inl-2h2qYJ:www.hbcse.tifr.res.in/episteme1/allabs/sadhnaabs.pdf+eklavya+-ahmedabad+filetype:pdf&hl=en&gl=in&ct=clnk&cd=22&client=firefox-a Teacher as Constructor of Knowledge: An Analysis of Teachers Contribution to the Hoshangabad Science Teaching Programme]
* [http://www.manushi-india.org/issues/issue_cover137.htm The Science and Art of Learning Critique of the MP Government’s Response] Ramakanth Agnihotri "Stifling Innovation" C.N Subramanyam "Back to Basics" Amita Sharma
* [http://www.vidyaonline.org/arvindgupta/hstppix.pdf Hoshangabad Vigyan a Unique Adventure in Rural science education]

"articles available to subscribers"
* [http://www.springerlink.com/content/p5272n2u425q0222/]
* [http://combatlaw.org/information.php?article_id=716&issue_id=27]

References