Village to School

by Shubham 

"Jin labon par paabandiyaan lagi hain

Unki dabi khaamoshiyan niklengi

Azaadiyaan jinke khwaabon mein

Un aankhon ki betaabiyaan niklengi

In lafzon se jab jalengi mashaalen

Raaton ki chupi sachchayiaan niklengi"

Those lips which have restrictions on them,

I met young Shubham, then only 8 years old, at the John Martyn Memorial School, where I volunteered thrice a week for 4/5 years. We, the Trustees, had initiated our children graduating from JMMS to mainstream Schools. Shubham stood out as the perfect candidate for The Doon School - he was bright, disciplined, articulate, an artist, expressive and showed promise. Shubham remained under our eagle eye for 2 years as we prepared him for his entrance exam which he cleared and realised our dream of stepping into the portals of the great school.

Our elation was soon followed by anxious moments as Shubham was reprimanded again and again...

 

As Shubham says "First few years in the Doon School were full of trying moments through which I shedded some old parts of my personality and found some new ones as I moved ahead. But it all came at a price. I was suspended  for some errors that I made during those struggling times. I found myself alone on many occasions and went through times when I had lost all hope of getting back up to the position which everyone expected me to be at. It took some time but I finally found my way out of it. From being on the verge of getting expelled from the school I came back to being the person who led the school as it's boxing captain in my finaI year! I also became the Hindi editor of the school's weekly newspaper and on my final assembly I was awarded the highest honor in school, the School Colours for  leadership qualities. On the same day I also launched a collection of my own hindi poems which was loved by both masters and  students.

Currently I am studying at the Ashoka University in Sonipat, Delhi-NCR on full financial aid where I plan to pursue a degree in literature and media studies. I have written 300 poems over the past ten months and plan to publish a collection soon. Along with my studies I am also doing voluntary work with various Social Development groups and organisations and was also recognised by the globally recognised Ashoka Foundation as a young change maker working for the betterment and sustainability of our society.

I attribute my success to the firm foundation laid in childhood at the John Martyn School by my teachers and mentors Mr.Arijit Banerji & Ms.Neelu Khanna; the lessons I learnt about perseverance, integrity, compassion, working as a team have taken me so far." 

Thank you donors for believing in our cause! Thank you  for so generously supporting our primary school which has a vision of considerate, compassionate,  fearless, well informed citizens who can make the right choice. Shubham is back on track and with your support we can make the school and it's children stand out as shining stars!