This has always been like this......

"This has always been like this and will remain like this. 40 years back we also used to talk like the way you do. Then everyone went their way to do the most important thing, earn money. You know my friends who are professors. They were also like you are but now see them. Are they any different from the money making machines?"

This is an excerpt of one of the many breakfast/dinner talks I have with my father. Interesting thing is that I know he is right, I know he wants me to be doing something safer, something which makes money for us. I have not even once rebelled against him now. Seems like I am getting mature. :)

My father subtly is telling me again and again that what you are doing is bound to fail. Possibly! He may be right. But I just have to do what I believe is right, right now and give this project a try. I cannot live in the past and fear for the future. I believe that I am at a juncture in my life where I not only have time on my side, but I also have the right skill set to give this project the best possible shot.

Success and failure is in mathematical terms is a game of probability and from my point of view the probability of our success is a wee bit higher than the failure. Though for my father the probability of failure is "1", i just love him for the way he is still supporting me on every step and I respect his criticism even more than that as it makes me more and more careful.

Activity Day

With response of students being encouraging, have started taking some bold steps. We Conducted a small activity day today(19th Oct 2014). I would count it as bold because, "tution" center conducting these activities is unheard of. This is the relam of schools and we have started breaching it.

The decision was spontaneous without much thought on the execution details. But with 12 hours at hand we prepared well; though a lot of improvisations were made during execution.

I had never thought that a competition can really be fun without anyone really winning it. No prizes no give aways but the fun was double and the real reason was that kids were enjoying and having fun without the anxiousness of winning. 

What this day has done is opened up a completely new avenue for us for Personality development of the child. More thought still needs to be given but just Can't believe it still and can't wait for another activity day.

And yes.....by the way....word has started traveling. :)

Manish Saini

Plans Change and they change fast.....

With the initial response being weak, it has started picking up. From 5 students before the 2nd term test, I have now 10 of them upto class 8th. So word of mouth is spreading and its spreading fast. My theory has started working on ground.

One challenge which we did not envisage was a very strange perception of people -
People (even those who know us well) are not willing to believe that someone as well educated as us can leave there job to set up a camp in a village; and that too to do what? - Teach kids? Things don't work this way. People do everything for money. These people can't be true. There is a hidden agenda. Let us wait and see. It would come out with time.

But what is working in favor is that people have started believing that we really teach well and let they want to use us while we are there.

What this perception has done is made me abandon plans to expand fast in multiple places at once. For if we divert attention and leave major responsibility on someone else, the reputation deterioration would be quick and extremely damaging for the project.

While, I am rendered slow, it will help me focus well and create a really strong working model. A few more ideas have started taking some shape out of this one center -
1. A kids Library.
2. An indoor playing club and training center.
Am still thinking of more............
Manish Saini