The Kalgidhar Society is a multifaceted, not for profit charitable organization working for the cause of promoting moral based quality education, women empowerment, primary health, social welfare & spiritual uplift to underprivileged/deprived rural masses in far-flung rural areas of North India. It has been instrumental in bringing about silent but sure reforms to uplift the socio-economic status of the rural poor in the areas covered. The rural areas of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, backward hilly areas of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab are being covered with 62 outstanding High Schools affiliated or proposed to be affiliated with Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Govt. of India, New Delhi. These Schools provide modern education blended with spirituality, where facility is developing for 83,000 students (55% being girls) mostly from deprived sections of the society.

In a society where people are indulging in female feticide, The Kalgidhar Society lays a great emphasis on educating a girl-child. In all its educational institutions, preference is given to the girls. At Akal Academy, underprivileged rural girls aged from 8 to 25, who were forced to stay at home and do household work, are being put to schools and taught modern scientific education and spiritual training. After obtaining under-graduate and graduate degrees, they are enrolled in 3-year course at Akal Elementary Teacher Training Academy. After graduating from this all exclusive women teacher training academy, these girls are placed as teachers in one of the 62 Akal Academies. They are paid salaries at par with the government schools. This in turn increases their marital value and is an endeavor to eradicate female feticide. During their stay in this academy, these girls utilize their time in selfless service, meditation and music. These students are provided FREE OF COST EDUCATION, BOARDING, LODGING, MEDICAL AND OTHER FACILITIES. The entire program is free of cost and The Kalgidhar Society spends about Rs. 60,000 on each girl per year. There are about 3200 girls (several orphans) studying FREE OF COST in these programs.

The mass urbanization is taking a toll on the rural masses and the scary results are already showing up in the widening gap amongst the rich & poor. Ignorance & illiteracy in the rural folks brings about helplessness in their lives. The Society having identified these root causes, is methodically planning to take up the challenge of providing their services to the rural poor. The strategy is simple yet effective- ‘Provide value based scientific education & spiritual uplift’ – ‘Reach out to the Underprivileged’ and create an industrial base for their economic development.

Having felt the need to expand the scope of this noble cause, the Society plans to expand & branch out into far flung rural areas by opening up 150 Schools within the next couple of years with assistance from worthy donors. Remarkably, last year saw the addition of 40 new schools.

It is expected that a silent socio-economic uplift reform will result out of this sure-footed grass-root effort. The footprints of ‘eradication of illiteracy &social evils’ would keep on growing and positively touch lives and fulfill needs of the rural poor & the deprived.

Each child in these schools touches/moves/inspires peers, neighbors, social circle,  relatives, elders etc. leading to a sharp decline in the female feticide, crime, addiction and marital discords in the catchments area.

It is expected that on the completion of 150 schools, 250,000 students would be impacting 10 million citizens creating opportunities of employment, entrepreneurship and professional services.

www.akalacademy.in