'School is where children are' is her motto

LESSONS IN EDUCATION: Inderjit Khurana's mission covers 400 children on 12 railway stations.

Inderjit Khurana, who took school to street children with her unique platform schools, has won the World Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child 2007, instituted by Swedish Organisation Children's World.

Khurana's platform school began 15 years ago with two children, when confronted with the ironic query of a street child on who would teach him even if he wanted to learn. The next day, she took a bag of books and charts and started her teaching classes on a railway platform in Bhubaneswar.

Sitting on the Bhubaneswar railway platform, 70-year-old Khurana says: "We teach 400 destitute children in the age group of 16-18, on 12 railway stations in Orissa, including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Mirgandi, Nirakarpur, Puri, Jajpur, Berhampore, Jagatpur, Kendrapara, Kotia, Khurdah, Bhushandapur and Chandanpur." She has also set up a pre-school and high school called Ruchika in Bhubaneswar.

Khurana, who chooses to be discreet about the $140,000 award, says she was informed about her nomination on January 15 and will receive the award in April.

Talking of the influences in her life, she says: "I worked with Mother Teresa at Nirmal Hriday in Bhubaneswar in 1980. It left a mark. In 1974, I came across Annu Tai Wag, who had been working with tribals in Maharashtra. I had also taken up training while working for street children in Chandigarh."

Khurana starts her day at 7 am when chatu, the supplementary meal, draws students to the school, and teaches till 11. Students are taught till Class III, after which they attend government schools.

However, only two students till now have reached high school from her platform school, Khurana says. US-based organisation Global Giving Funds is currently funding her venture. Khurana has also set up Asra, a staying place for destitute boys, and Shraddha Bhavan, a home for destitute girls.

For her other formal schools, the Naveen Patnaik government had given her land at Ganganagar. "I have received help from all quarters. I am happy and God is with me," she says.

For more, visit
www.ruchika.org