We all talk about giving something back to the society. Well, here is a group of NRK's who has set an exemplary and path breaking example. More than a thousand nonresident Keralites have donated a part of their earnings to create one of the finest private Engineering colleges in Kerala. Well, what is new in it? Education is the biggest business in Kerala, isn't it? Well, the difference is that this engineering college is run by a charitable trust formed by the NRK's without taking any profit from it and the money collected is purely donations, non-refundable, no profit sharing, in effect, nothing in return but the satisfaction of being part of the Vidya family and for having the satisfaction of doing something good. Having done something good, yes, a good proportion of the students studying here are studying without paying any fees and under the scholarship of the Vidya Charitable Trust. In the past 5 years around 400 deserving students have been given scholarships from the trust.
Vidya also provides free entrance coaching to many deserving students in Thrissur and Alleppy currently and has plans to extend the scheme to all of Kerala.
Vidya is now planning a second professional college in the same style in Kollam and has also applied for the proposed NRI university.
All these has been made possible by the humble contributions of around 1,000 Non-resident Keralites and by the selfless service of the many executive committee members over the last 10 years.
I consider myself privileged to be a part of Vidya family though being away in various countries, I was never able to participate or contribute physically.
Now that I am in Abu Dhabi, I was able to participate in a few meetings, family get togethers and prayer meetings. I am slowly waking up to the collective good this group is doing and the change we are bringing about. I wish I had more time and opportunity to participate. I am not trying to eulogize Vidya because I am a part of it, but I am slowly realizing the profound moral and social positive energy it is spreading silently.
Let me dedicate the New Year 2011 to the >1,000 trustees of Vidya for this silent revolution being brought about in most important aspect of our society - education. You are truly following the in the footsteps of Sri Narayana Guru who said "വിദ്യ കൊണ്ട് സംപന്നരാകുവിന്" (Progress through education). To be honest, this is the only organization I have seen so far which is following the principles of Sree Narayana Guru inside or outside of Kerala and spreads the true meaning of his teachings. I must confess that I do not consider Guru as a god as many tend to do, but consider him as one of the best teachers and visionaries our country has ever produced. In fact, Vidya is spreading the message in a way that was not possible even for the cash rich organizations like SNDP / SNBP in Kerala. My friend from Italy, Daniele Marchionini once visited Guru temple in Koorkenchery, and after getting the translation of some of his teachings exclaimed, "Ajith, why this great man's teachings are not given enough publicity? This extra ordinary man with such great vision stated so many wonderful principles in such a simple language which took hundreds of pages for his peers to express"!!!
Here is to the grand Vidya family and wishing that the torch, spreading education and empowering the society by education continue its valiant march forward ever more strongly in 2011.
Wishing all members of Vidya family a Wonderful New Year ahead...
http://www.vidyaict.com/Finally a suggestion: Not an original idea. Once my friend Babubhai Thakker, a Gandhian and Philanthropist (during a conversation about Vidya) told me: You should never give away anything free. When you give a scholarship to a child (which Babubhai does regularly), take an oath from him that when he is successful in his life, he should sponsor at least two deserving children for the same course! I believe that is a commitment we should also take because the number of deserving children are so many and what we can do directly is so little!!!
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