The Bapagrama Educational Center, located in Bangalore, India, was established in 1949 by Saraswathi Natarajan, a highly respected advocate for the downtrodden and exploited. When Saraswathi and her husband, Dr. C. V. Natarajan, met with Gandhi, he suggested that she start a girls’ school, known originally as Harijan Kanya Vidyalaya, and work with Thakkar Bapa, a coworker of Gandhi. The school has a long tradition of social service and community organizing. Named after Thakkar Bapa, the school was established to serve the poor in the nearby villages. Thakkar Bapa was committed to freeing the Dalit, indeed all, communities from caste oppression.
Saraswathi's efforts are still alive today because of the efforts of Dr. Janaki Natarajan, Asiya Saraswathi, Bapagrama teachers, and community activists in the Bangalore area. The international group Educational Praxis, based in Vermont, as well as all those who have traveled to Bapagrama, are at the core of support for the Educational Center. The school is coeducational, anti-caste and secular. There are approximately 400 students; 70 percent are from "scheduled castes," as are 50 percent of the teachers. Scheduled castes are those defined in the Affirmative Action policy of the Indian Constitution.The school is free, and students walk to it from nearby villages.
For most of the students this is an opportunity to study beyond primary level, in a school with a unique curriculum. The school offers a curriculum integrating literacy, agriculture, science, appropriate technology, math, sustainable development, community organizing, arts and social sciences. The school is accredited by the state of Karnataka, and is partially aided by the state, with the rest of its support coming from donations.
A basic health care facility will provide students, their families, and the surrounding communities with appropriate primary level care and preventive treatment. Locating a health care center at the school will provide an opportunity to teach preventive health measures and family planning to students, parents and villagers.
Expansion of the current science curriculum and exhibition, will emphasize scientific thinking, environmental and ecological applications, and hands-on experimentation in order to address the growing demand for a broader understanding of the sciences. With the ever increasing complexities of agricultural, environmental, and scientific issues, students need access to more resources to meet the challenges they and their communities face.
Multifaceted education and training will provide students with a livelihood in the fields of health, computers, food production, and crafts innovations. An understanding of safety, environmentally sound practices and cooperative work organizing will be included.
A computer training program will be established to enhance students’ opportunities and the school’s educational resources. Instruction in computer applications and internet will be offered.
A Language Lab will be developed to enhance the students’ mastery of various Indian languages and English beyond their foundational language of Kannada.
Theater has been a traditional means of conveying history, culture and religious texts throughout India.�At Bapagrama, it will be used throughout the curriculum to provide alternative means for social investigation, critical reflection and to deepen learning.
This project will provide a home for women abandoned by their families. A dormitory style building with kitchen facilities will be constructed and staffed by a social worker. The women will receive health care and participate as students and teachers with diverse life experiences in Bapagrama.
