School principal given award for social welfare

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 17

 “Knowledge is power, information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family”, believes, Anita Nanda (55), who has been running Lala Jagat Narain DAV Model School, Kabir Nagar, for the past 27 years.

 Launched with the prime motive of providing education to children from underprivileged sections of society, the school, in the past two decades, has produced several meritorious students. Kusum Kumari, a 16-year-old brave heart who had made headlines last year by fighting against two snatchers who tried to steal her phone, is a student of the same school. While Nanda preaches gender equality when it comes to education and learning, she also makes sure that the girls in her school are capable enough to protect themselves. The exemplary courage showed by Kusum, who belongs to a humble background was because of the self-defence training provided to her in her school.

 Nanda says she tries to enroll maximum number of girls in self-defence training, as no extra fees is charged for it, students also enjoy learning the training.

 “Initially, it was very tough to open a school, specially in a backward area, which is a den of criminals. But, I was determined to open a for poor kids, especially girls, who do not have access to education. For the initial few years, we provided free education to students. Convincing parents to send their girls to the school was a huge challenge. However, with the support of likeminded people, we overcame every thing and gradually increased the strength of the school. Owing to the efforts of the teachers and the performance of the students, we got affiliated to the CBSE and kept a nominal fee for the students, so that they could take part in co-curricular activities and sports. This also increased the importance of education among parents and more number of students were enrolled in the school”, said Nanda, a resident of Defence Colony.

 Apart from that, she also provides free-of-cost skill development training to widows or single mothers. Fee concession is also provided to children of such women, who are trained to open their own work.

 Acknowledging her efforts in social welfare, her work also recognised by the district administration and on the occasion of 75th Independence day, she was also given an award of honour by the district administration.