Seminar on 'Shiksha Ke Prati Udaseenta'/ 'Indifference towards Education' Organized by Valmiki Ambedkar Foundation under AADHAS Bharat, India, at Lucknow University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (29 September, 2013)

Students and their family members from the Safai Kamgaar Samaj, of Uttar Pradesh have send a strong message that despite challenging social and economic conditions, they are determined towards their right and interest towards education. A large number of students from the Safai Kamgaar Samaj stunned the resource persons and other participants with their commitment, reflection and their family’s struggle towards their education. They lauded the efforts and encouragement of Shri Darshan Ratna Raavanji, Chief AADHAS Bharat who they find is continuously encouraging them and the society towards education by organizing Education seminars which are providing a huge platform of creative learning and a better understanding. In the seminar, two students (brother and sister of a retired person) from the Safai Kamgar Samaj, narrated a disappointing and sad experience. Despite hard work and success in the school examination, the students of the Samaj from Lucknow even after scoring 90%-92% in the senior secondary examination are running from post to pillar to secure financial assistance for their higher studies. While sharing their achievements they could not help crying bitterly, sharing their father’s inability to pay huge fees for higher education of their choice. On the occasion Darshan Ratna Raavanji provided a sum of rupees twenty five thousand as help for their education. He was still doubtful whether the two children would find the required help from any other quarter. Students and faculty of Dev Samaj College for Women, Ferozepur, large number of students from Safai Kamgar Samaj, Uttar Pradesh, along with their families participated in the Seminar on "Shiksha Ke Prati Udaseenta/ Indifference towards Education", organized by the Valmeki Ambedkar Foundation under Aadi Dharam Samaj, AADHAS Bharat, India, at the Lucknow University, Uttar Pradesh on 29th September, 2013. Under the initiatives and guidance of Shri Darshan Ratna Raavanji, Chief, AADHAS Bharat, the seminar provided an opportunity to all the participants to critically reflect on the idea and significance of education and the challenges being faced by the children of the Samaj. The seminar provided the college students a new relationship with AADHAS family. They were highly inspired by the kind of dialogue they were part of and were surprised and disappointed that such kind of a critical dialogue and reflections towards women and their education is missing in other societies. ADDHAS model of seminar is really effective and significant to promote education, equality and harmony in society. A number of students from the college as well as other participants shared their views and experiences. In the Seminar Shri Darshan Ratna Raavanji, Chief AADHAS Bharat, Prof. N.K. Pande, Department of Physics, Lucknow University, Lucknow, Prof. Lallan Singh Baghel, Department of Philosophy, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Mrs. Divya Godara, Mr. Rajeev Godara, Advocates Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh, Ambuj Sharma, Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, Dev Samaj College for Women, Ferozepur, Punjab, Dr. Surekha Purusharthi, Scholar, Delhi University as resource persons shared their experiences and thoughts with the participants.