"Lion of Ladakh India" Col Chewang Rinchen

"Lion of Ladakh India" Col  Chewang Rinchen 

"Lion of Ladakh" Col Chewang Rinchen

Image Courtesy: kunzum.com

He was a highly decorated officer of Indian Army from the Ladakh region of India.

Leh Valley Ladakh India
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

He was one of only six Indian service personnel to have twice won the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) - the second highest gallantry decoration.

Born in 1931 in Sumur Nubra Valley Ladakh India, he joined the Nubra Guards in 1948 at the age of 17 years only, served the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947.

He fought in Nubra Valley, promoted  through ranks and awarded Maha Vir Chakra for bravery, youngest recipient of the award.

He also served in the Indo-China 1962 War and awarded Sena Medal.

In the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, he now as Major in the Ladakh Scouts, led the capture of Chalunka complex of the Pakistan Army and the strategic outpost of Turtuk.

He retired as full Colonel in 1984.

He is called "Lion of Ladakh" for his exceptional courage, bravery and valour.

The 1400 ft long strategically located highest altitude all weather permanent bridge on Shyok river at 14,650 ft , inaugurated on 21st October 2019 is named after 'Lion of Ladakh'.

The name of "Lion of Ladakh" is Col Chewang Rinchen and the name of the bridge is "Col Chewang Rinchen Setu".

"Col Chewang Rinchen Setu" : A Symbol of Bridgopment in New Ladakh India

"Col Chewang Rinchen Setu" : A Symbol of  Bridgopment in New Ladakh India

(All the images are subject to IPR)

The 1400 ft long bridge on Shyok river is situated in Sub- Sector North at 14,650 ft. It was christened after 'Lion of Ladakh' Col Chewang Rinchen and dedicated to the nation in his memory on 21st October 2019 in a ceremony held near the bridge. The bridge was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the presence of Army Chief General Bipin Rawat. Daughter Dr Phunsog Angmo  and granddaughter of the late highly decorated army officer, who was awarded Maha Vir Chakra twice, also attended the ceremony.

River Indus in Amazing Ladakh
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

This is the India's highest altitude all weather permanent bridge, located in eastern Ladakh at nearly 45 km from the country's border with China, to bolster border infrastructure to effectively deal with any threat.

The bridge is strategically located on the 255 km Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) section of the road between Leh and Karakoram Pass. Border Roads Organization has built this bridge within record time of 15 months and  now reducing time of travel by nearly half. For the first time in India, 'Micropiling  Technique' has been used to build a bridge.

"Col Chewang Rinchen Setu"

Image Courtesy : swarajyamag.com

Col Chewang Rinchen was born on 11th November 1931 in Sumur village, Nubra valley in Ladakh region, and is known as 'Lion of Ladakh' for his extraordinary courage in defending Leh and Partapur sector.

"Col Chewang Rinchen Setu"  will not only strengthen  our strategic borders but help in development of the region - bridgopment  that is bridge + development.

Magnetic Hill in Amazing Leh Ladakh
Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

It is to be mentioned here that now structures such as bridges are not named after politicians of a single family but dedicated to unsung hero/heroes of the region who has made extraordinary contribution to the development of the region or country as a whole. These types of initiatives  must be encouraged and appreciated.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's Clarion Call from Ramana Maidan of Bettiah Champaran Bihar India

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's Clarion Call from Ramana Maidan  Bettiah Champaran Bihar India

Cleanliness in Bakhari Bazaar Tharu Schedule Tribe Village West Champaran Bihar

Cleanliness  in Tharu Schedule Tribe Village of Tharuhat of West Champaran Bihar

(All the images are subject to IPR)

Bakhari Bazaar : Tharu Schedule Tribe Village of Tharuhat of West Champaran Bihar
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Bakhari Bazaar : Tharu Schedule Tribe Village of Tharuhat of West Champaran Bihar
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Bakhari Bazaar : Tharu Schedule Tribe Village of Tharuhat of West Champaran Bihar
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Bakhari Bazaar : Tharu Schedule Tribe Village of Tharuhat of West Champaran Bihar
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Bakhari Bazaar : Tharu Schedule Tribe Village of Tharuhat of West Champaran Bihar

Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Bakhari Bazaar : Tharu Schedule Tribe Village of Tharuhat of West Champaran Bihar
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Bakhari Bazaar : Tharu Schedule Tribe Village of Tharuhat of West Champaran Bihar
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Bakhari Bazaar : Tharu Schedule Tribe Village of Tharuhat of West Champaran Bihar

Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

These are some of the images of Bakhari Bazaar - a Tharu Schedule tribe village of Tharuhat of West Champaran Bihar. Do we see any littering in the lanes of the village ? Do we see any spot or place made untidy with rubbish? Do we find any garbage, filth scattered-over ? Definitely not.

After Independence , the issue of cleanliness and sanitation has received little or scant attention of the government. Prime Minister's speech on Independence day in 2014 brought fresh hopes for the nation. Here is the excerpts, " How do we celebrate 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi ? ..... Mahatma Gandhi had cleanliness and sanitation closest to his heart. Whether we resolve not to leave a speck of dirt in our village, city, street, area, school, temple, hospital, and what have you, by 2019 when we celebrate 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi? This happens not just with the government but with public participation . That is we have to do it together."

This resolve was concretized on 2nd October 2014. On this date the Prime Minister launched a nationwide campaign "Swachh Bharat Abhiyan" that is 'Clean India Mission'. The objective of this mission is to provide sanitation facilities to every Indian by 2019.

Cleanliness  can be implemented on Mission mode in the country  as the Prime Minister has visualized. 

But cleanliness is part of culture, sanskar and upbringing also as we do find in the remote area/village of Meghalaya of North East India, and  also among the Tharus Schedule Tribe of Tharuhat of West Champaran Bihar located near Indo- Nepal border amidst most inhospitable environment & terrain.

Mawlynnong village of Meghalaya is famous for its cleanliness and sanitation. The waste is collected in dustbins made of bamboo and diverted towards a pit and then used as manure.

In 2003 , the travel magazine "Discover India" declared this village as the "cleanest" in Asia. The phrase has caught on since then and the village has become one of the most sought-after tourist destinations not only in Meghalaya but in India and abroad. 

Courtesy:http://ajaykuamrojha.blogspot.com/2016/06/magnificent-magical-most-clean.html

Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

                         Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

                            Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Mawlynnong  village is God's Own Garden.

Mawlynnong village is magnificent. 

Mawlynnong village is magical. 

Mawlynnong village is  most-clean ( in Asia).

Mawlynnong village is matrilineal.

Let us learn from this "small but beautiful" village and also Tharu Schedule Tribe of  West Champaran Bihar.

Let us get inspired  & take a pledge for keeping our surrounding clean & green.

Courtesy: http://ajaykuamrojha.blogspot.com/2016/06/magnificent-magical-most-clean.html

Once-in-12-year Flowering Spectacle Neela Kurinji: Not only in Kerala but in Uttarakhand also

Once-in-12-year Flowering Spectacle Neela Kurinji: In Kerala & in Uttarakhand too 

In his address to the Nation on the occasion of Independence day in 2018, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has referred to Neela Kurinji flower. This flower blossoms once in 12 years.

Neela Kurinji has blossomed in 2007 after 1995 in Uttarakhand. Now in 2019, it has again turned the whole forest in blue. Tourists  are thronging in to the forest of Uttarkashi to see this spectacle of nature. Neela Kurinji blossoms in abundance in Uttarakhand also. Its beauty and fragrance  is no less than that of Kerala. But Government and Forest department is not aware about it. No proper attention is paid to its protection, and also for its publicity to attract tourists in large number.

Munnar of Kerala is better known in the world for the Neela Kurinji flower. Hills of Munnar are transformed into blue due to blossoming of Neela Kurinji every 12 years. That is why hills of this region are also called Neelgiri. In Kerala Neela Kurinji blossomed in 2018, and now expected in 2030.

There are 46 species  of Neela Kurinji flowers in India. Most of them are found in Munnar of Kerala.

Let us now visit to the land of Neela Kurinji, Eravikulum Park, Munnar Kerala.

Photo (c) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Photo (c) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Besides the Tahr, perhaps the crowning glory of the park area is the once-in-twelve-year flowering spectacle resulting from mass flowering of the shrub Neelakurunji (Strobilanthus Kunthianum). This phenomenon was last recorded in 2006 and now in 2018.   When it comes to faunal wealth in the park area, giving company to the Nilgiri Tahr are the rare Nilgiri marten, ruddy mongoose, small clawed otter and dusky striped squirrel. Elephants make seasonal visits to the park area.

From the Eyes of Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha :Sharad Purnima 2019 India - Special Moon with Qutab Minar

From the Eyes of Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Sharad Purnima 2019 India - Special Moon on Special Occasion with Qutab Minar 

(All the images are subject to IPR)

Sharad Purnima Special  Moon & Qutab Minar
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha 

Sharad Purnima Special  Moon & Qutab Minar 
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha 

Sharad Purnima Special  Moon & Qutab Minar 
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha 

Sharad Purnima Special  Moon & Qutab Minar 
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha 

Sharad Purnima Special  Moon & Qutab Minar 
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha 

Sharad Purnima Special  Moon , Qutab Minar & Incoming Plane  
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha 

Sharad Purnima Special  Moon , Qutab Minar & Incoming Plane
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha 

Sharad Purnima Special  Moon & Qutab Minar 
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha 

Sharad Purnima Special  Moon & Qutab Minar 
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha 

1st Time in 72 years : Worship in Sharada Peeth POJ&K

1st Time in 72 years : Worship in Sharada Peeth POJ&K 

(Images are subject to IPR)

Sharada Peeth is a famous ancient Hindu temple. It is ancient centre of learning dedicated to the Hindi Goddess of learning - Sharada, and now located  in Pakistan occupied Jammu & Kashmir.

Sharada Peeth was one of the foremost temple universities of the India Subcontinent, hosting scholars such as Kalhana, Adi Shankara, Vairotsana, Kumarajiva, and Thonmi Sambhota.

Sharada Peeth played an important role in development and popularization of the Sharada Script in North India. 

Kashmir was once called Sharada Desh because of its influence as Centre of Larning.

Sharada Peeth represents spiritual location of Goddess Sati's fallen right hand - on of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas. This Peeth is one of the holiest sites of pilgrimage for Kashmiri Hindus (Pandits), alongside Amarnath Temple and Martand Temple.

Ancient Temple of Martand, Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir India
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Such an important place is now in ruins, neglected, ignored, which cries for restoration and also calls for regaining its lost glory otherwise it will go into oblivion.

It is heartening to know that a Hindu couple from Hong Kong has been successful in reaching Sharada Peeth after braving all odds and facing many problems. The Hong Kong couple K. P. Venkatraman and Sujaata went to the banks of Kishanganga river and were able offer worship on 5th October 2019. The Sharada Temple, according to them, is in complete ruins.

This is really a very pleasant and positive news about the Sharada Peeth. For the first  time ever in 72 years, any one can do puja-archana (worship) in Sharada Peeth  and revive its glory & the importance once again,  not only on Indian subcontinent level  but also on international level.

Positioning Gandhi's Basic Education in Tharuhat of West Champaran

Positioning Gandhi's Basic Education in Tharuhat of West Champaran

Abstract

The Tharuhat of West Champaran Bihar  is an area inhabited by the Tharu Tribe. They have been declared Schedule Tribe in 2003 itself where as their brethren of Uttar Pradesh (Now Uttarakhand also) are enjoying the status of ST since long. This has led to the extreme exploitation of the simple and innocent tribe of West Champaran. The Tharuhat has remained neglected and ignored for decades in every respect particularly in the field of education. The government is celebrating Gandhi's Satyagraha Centenary Year. This gives an opportunity to analyze  the prevailing situation of education specially in the light of Basic Education (Buniyaadi Shiksha) founded by Mahatma Gandhi in Champaran.

At the outset, let me first congratulate   NUEPA  for organizing National Discussion Meet on "Gandhian Educational Ideas in Policy Perspective " to commemorate centenary year of 'Champaran Satyagraha' for developing a proper understanding of the relevance of Gandhian educational ideas specially in the light of current and emerging issues and challenges. And also let me extend my sincere thanks for inviting me as a participant in this historic meet on a historic topic.

I selected this topic because I was born in Bettiah, head quarter of West Champaran of Bihar, and as a part of my PhD from JNU, I chose to work on the Tharus of West Champaran - little known, perhaps unknown and un -highlighted or low lighted tribe of Bihar in the 20th century. Purpose was to document the rich and unique social organization and culture of the Tharus. "Documentation of various facets of tribal society is very much essential before they are totally eclipsed by the rapid process of globalization." The association with the Tharus and the land of Tharuhat which started in the eighties of the last century is still continuing even today.


The Nation,  and specially Bihar is celebrating the Centenary Year of Gandhi's Satyagraha in Champaran. The arrival of Mahatma Gandhi on the historic land of Champaran in 1917 was a historic  event . He came to Champaran to assess the real condition of Indigo-planters  and accordingly made an effort to assuage their pain and sufferings. Mahatma Gandhi fought for the cause of Indigo-planters who were tremendously tortured and hugely exploited by the Britishers.

In the process of his struggle against the Britishers for the genuine demands of Indigo-planters he started knowing and understanding the people of Champaran and experiencing the real problem of the region. As he started experiencing he came to realize that if one wanted to work sincerely in Champaran, education should spread in all the villages. 

Though it is true that Gandhi's experiments with education started from Africa with his association and engagement in various activities in Tolstoy form, and also his working together with his friend Mr Kallenbach but the seed of Basic Education was sown when he came to Champaran.

Mahatma Gandhi always dreamt that children should not be left at the mercy of simple teachers. May be little bit less educated but the teachers must possess strong character. Gandhiji was very clear as far as education is concerned. He wished all-round development of a person through education. It includes mental, physical, intellectual, and spiritual development apart from bookish knowledge.

Before opening such schools, Gandhiji decided the qualities of teachers. He looked for all such volunteers who can prove their utility in all the spheres of social life. They should be capable enough in working efficiently in the field such as health, sanitation, dignity, social harmony. 

"We want volunteers who are young, dependable & reliable, sincere and laborious, those who do not hesitate  even in lifting spade for making new roads in the village."

Gandhiji envisaged a different role for the new teacher. A teacher, according to him, should not simply be a professional constrained by curricula and abstract standards but rather be a person relating directly to the student in the form of a dialogue. " A teacher who establishes rapport with the taught, becomes one with them, learns more from them than he teaches them. He who learns nothing from his disciples in, in my opinion, worthless. Whenever I talk with someone I learn from him.I take from him more than I give him. In this way, a true teacher regards himself as a student of his students. If you will teach your pupils with this attitude, you will benefit much from them."

Vinoba Bhave, the disciple of Gandhi, developed the idea further as a means of transformation, " The crux  lay in overcoming distinctions between learning and teaching, and knowledge and work. " He discusses the need to redefine the relationship between teacher and student, " they must each regard the other as a  fellow worker...  Instead the 'teacher' is to be skilled in kala or hunar and to derive sustenance from this and not a teaching salary. The student should live, work and grow with the teacher and his or her family. In this process he or she would learn the kala or hunar - the skill as part of a way of life, code of ethics, web of relationship."

Gandhiji placed central emphasis in his pedagogy on the role of handicrafts such as spinning as they symbolized the values of self-sufficiency. His aim was to bring about a radical restructuring of the sociology of school knowledge in India in which 'literacies' such as spinning, leatherwork, pottery, weaving, metal-work, basket-making and book-binding would be made central. The other aim of this use of handicrafts was to make schools financially and socially independent of the state.

In one of his article on education in Harijan he opined" By education I mean an all-round drawing out of the best in child and man  - body, mind and spirit. Literacy is not the end of education nor even the beginning. It is only one of the means by which man and woman can be educated. Literacy in itself is no education. I would therefore begin the child's education by teaching it a useful handicraft and enabling it to produce from the moment it begins its training. Thus every school can be made self-supporting."

" The principal idea is to impart the whole education of the body, mind and soul through handicraft that is taught to children. An education which does not teach us to discriminate between good and bad, to assimilate the one and eschew the other, is a misnomer."

" The real difficulty is that people have no idea of what true education is. We assess the value of education in the same manner as we assess the value of land or of shares in the stock-exchange market. We want to provide only such education as would enable the student to earn more. We hardly give any thought to the improvement of the character of the educated. The girls, we say, do not have to earn, so why should they be educated? As long as such ideas persist there is no hope of our ever knowing the true value of education."

Basic education of Gandhi was an embodiment of his perception of an ideal society. The society which will consist of small, self-reliant communities with his ideal citizen being an industrious, self-respecting and generous individual living in a small cooperative community.




First such school, which was based on the idea of Basic Education of Gandhiji, was opened in Barharwa Lakhansen village situated around 32 Km east of Motihari on 14th November 1917.This school had the privilege of having teachers like Mumbai-based  Shri Baban Gokhale, an engineer trained in Europe and his wife Smt Avantikabai Gokhale.

Mahatma Gandhi was of the view that education should instill moral values in the children and make them cultured. Knowledge from books are only means for achieving this end.In addition, children should be given industrial training so that such training offer them opportunities for livelihood.

Another such school was opened in Bhitiharwa village, almost 55Km north of Bettiah on 20th November 1917 by Gandhiji. Kasturba Gandhi herself worked as teacher in this school for months together. On the centenary year of Gandhi's Satyagraha Government of Bihar has rebuilt the school and assured the supply of electricity. Kasturba Gandhi Aavasiya Vidyalaya is also being run in the campus.

Third school was opened in Madhuban on 17th January 1918. This school was  run by Shri Narhari Dwarika Das Parikh and Shri Mahadev Haribhai Desai at that time. Professor Kriplani and Shri Vishnu Sitaram Randive (Appaji) also worked here for some time.

Based on these experiences related to education in Champaran, Gandhiji laid the foundation of Basic Education ( Buniyaadi Shiksha). He mapped out the basic pedagogy, " I hold that the highest development of the mind and the soul is possible under such system of education. Only every handicraft has to be taught not merely mechanically as is done today, but scientifically i.e. the child should know the why and wherefore of every process......  I have myself taught sandal-making and even spinning on these lines with good results. This method does not exclude a knowledge of history and geography.But I find that this is best taught by transmitting such general information by word of mouth.One imparts ten times as much in this manner as by reading and writing.The signs of the alphabet may be taught later....  Of course, the pupil learns mathematics through his handicraft." (Harijan, 31st July 1937)

  Gandhiji presented outlines of this scheme on education in Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shiksha Sammelan organized in Vardha in October 1937. Consequently "Vardha Shiksha Yojana Samiti" was formed under the Chairmanship of Dr Zakir Hussain. This policy of Education System of Gandhiji is popularly known as Basic Education, Buniyaadi Shiksha or Nai Taalim. 

Basic Education is basically democratic and socialistic in nature as in it class and caste distinctions get dissolved. It trains the child in democratic way of living and develops the path for equalization of educational opportunity. Basic Education bulldozes the barriers between educated and the non-educated, between manual work and intellectual work, between the village and town, between the poor and the rich.

Basic Education is activity-oriented education. Here the child is not a passive recipient of knowledge but active participant in the leaning process. It encourages learning by doing. The child is the centre of activity in this scheme of education. 

Basic Education is based on the cultural heritage and social values of the country. All educational activities and lessons are correlated to a basic craft. Correlation takes place among social environment, physical environment and craftwork. 

Basic Education also aims at rural reconstruction, and latent industrial and agricultural revolution and thus proposes to solve the problem of unemployment. It recognizes the dignity of labour and helps to develop total personality of the child.

There are twenty nine Basic Schools (Buniyaadi Vidyalayas) in Champaran out of three hundred twenty one in whole of Bihar. But these schools founded on the principles of Basic Education founded by Mahatma Gandhi is in bad shape. Failure of Basic Schools to preach students Gandhian principles is a sad commentary on the state of affairs. The Basic Schools have been opened with the primary objective of creating awareness among the villagers, for instilling courage and confidence among the people and also for generating employment. But the successive governments  have payed little attention to Basic Education. There is acute shortage of able and qualified teachers due to defective education system. Instances of encroachment by few powerful people in the campus of such schools have become  order of the day. The temples of education have fallen prey to anti-social elements due to the absence of proper boundary. Set up by Gandhiji to provide education along with training in spinning, carpentry, farming and weaving , the Basic Schools have failed miserably.

Scenario in the Tharuhat of West Champaran is even more pathetic. Tharuhat is  land  from East to West all along the Indo-Nepal border inhabited  by Tharu tribe. The land alongwith the tribe has been totally neglected but mostly exploited. Bhitiharwa, a place in Gaunaha Block near Indo-Nepal border, where Gandhi and Kasturba set up an ashram in 1917 situation is far from satisfactory.

 The Tharus have been looked down upon, grossly misunderstood and crowned with title such as 'Bagad", 'Junglee' i.e fool and uncivilized. They have been living in utmost inhospitable condition in the densely forested region where ray of development is also scared to dawn.

It can be convincingly and forcefully said that the Thraus are not 'Bagad' or fool devoid of any culture of their own. They are till today very simple, innocent and hospitable community. Even after lack of proper education facilities they are not uncultured or uncivilized but they have their own unique and matchless culture with peculiar kind of tenacity and vitality not to be found among other tribes. They are the original inhabitants of the Tarai and living their since time immemorial.

Though the main occupation of the Tharus has been agriculture as they own vast stretches of land, mostly afforested near Someswar hills. There was no dearth of labour as it was easily available in the joint family. But now the situation has changed . Self-sufficient Tharu family has been disintegrated due to various reasons and their dependence on agriculture has been eroded. Members of the most of the Tharu families are turning into landless labourers. This is really a disturbing trend as their economy is in shambles.They have been alienated from their land and there is no alternative source of employment. Bajis or non-Tharus , in the form of big farms, have devoured much of their land. Forest based industries would have been very advantageous for them but due to apathy from the government and policy makers no initiative appears to have been taken so far. Tharus still shirk from establishing any business because of technical and procedural complexities associated with it. There are a few educated youths but there are no employment opportunities available in the Tharuhat. In this kind of a situation presence of Basic Schools with all the basic qualities as propounded by Mahatma Gandhi would have made these simple tribes self-reliant.

Non-inclusion of the Tharus of West Champaran in the Schedule of Constitution for over more than five decades has substantially contributed their backwardness. Due to the cheap politics  lives of lakhs of Tharus have become hell. Most of them have become homeless, shelter-less and landless on their own land Tharuhat. But their fight and struggle for being given Schedule Tribe status continued in a peaceful manner perhaps taking example of Mahatma Gandhi who fought for the just causes of Indigo Planters on the same land against the unjust and barbaric rule of the British with his weapon of Satyagraha and non-violence. Unjust and barbaric rules still continues but this time rulers are not the foreigners but the people from their own country, own state, own district, nay own locality. The Land of Tharus has remained neglected and ignored for decades.

The Tharuhat - land of the great Tharus has not seen the ray of development in the 20th century even after almost five decades of India's Independence - what to speak of education specially Basic Education of Mahatma Gandhi. In some of the Basic Schools children even do not know Mahatma Gandhi.

The State of Bihar was again divided and a new state Jharkhand was born on 15th November 2000. Thus major tribes of erstwhile Bihar have now become Jharkhandi. In the meantime one another important event took place. After continuous and peaceful struggle the Tharus of West Champaran, who were earlier OBC, became Schedule Tribe in January 2003 and consequently major Schedule Tribe of Bihar.

These two significant developments in the beginning of 21st century have led to the large scale changes in the Tharuhat. Apart from developing other infrastructural facilities, a number of schools started coming-up in the land of the Tharu tribe. The Tharuhat witnesses opening of residential schools also specially for girls as we do find in Bakhari Baazar village in the Ramnagar block.


But even today, hardly do we find any Basic School in West Champaran carrying the objectives of Basic Education as propounded by Mahatma Gandhi. The relevance of Basic Education has not outlived its utility. In fact its mission and objective appear to be all the more important in the present situation where youths are becoming disoriented and disorganized, becoming job seekers rather than job givers, busy collecting certificates rather than developing their skills, becoming immoral and arrogant rather than disciplined and cultured, drifting away from virtues towards vices, getting alienated from oneself and swayed away by suicidogenic impulses. It is just because the primary education is defective, just because it emphasizes literacy, just because it focuses on abstract and text-based knowledge.

In the centenary year of Gandhi's Satyagraha, the administration and  government of Bihar are having a re-look at the Basic Schools ( Buniyaadi Vidyalayas). They are for the revival of Basic Education. Let us hope something concrete and positive will be done in this direction on the lines of pedagogy of Gandhi,  specially in the land of the Tharus -Tharuhat  which is not only fertile in terms of land but also in terms of human resources and culture including handicrafts such as basket-making, pottery, metal-work, weaving. 


References :

1. CW : 'Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi' (1958-94),              Vols 1-100 , Publication Division, New Delhi

2. Harijan: Mohandas Gandhi's Publication:1933-48

3. Kumar, Ajay. 2002. " A Tribe Unscheduled".ANALYSIS:                                    Monthly News Magazine, New Delhi:                                      November, 18-19
4. Kumar, Ajay. 2006. " Tharus of West Champaran": A                                         Tribe  Unhighlighted". YOJANA: A                                       Development Monthly. August, 88-90

5. Kumar, Ajay. 2010 : "Pattern of Social  Change among                                        the Tharus of West Champaran in                                         Bihar "  PhD Thesis (2010) , JNU ,                                         New Delhi                                               Available on net shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in › handle

6. Pfeffer, G & D.K.Behra. 2002. Contemporary Society                                      Tribal Studies.Concept Publishing                                         Company: New Delhi



Paper Presented at National Discussion Meet on "Gandhian Educational Ideas in Policy Perspective : Relevance, Challenges and Prospects" Organized  by Department of Education Policy of National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) , New Delhi during October 3-5, 2017 in NUEPA , New Delhi     

                                            

Thank You Very Much.
Jai Hind, Jai Bharat