Flight Safety is his Dream! – The Rainbow is in his reach

Today we are bringing to you the success story of an Aircraft Engineer belonging to village Cheema, Punjab, a man who now makes sure that a lot of us people fly safe out there.

So far he has served as an Aircraft Engineer  with two companies namely Pawan Helicoptor (Mumbai) & is currently working with Global Vectra HeliCorp Ltd. since last 6 months. He passed from Akal Academy in 2007 with flying colors and there is no looking back for him. Students like him are an inspiration!

Flight Safety is his Dream! Born in a typical farmer family, Sandeep Singh grew up in conditions no a typical from others at his village. In an exclusive interview with us we learnt about his journey from drug-ridden village atmosphere to his present day city life.  How he managed to reach the milestone where he is standing right now feeling all proud and content. He is working for a reputed helicopter making company as an Air-craft engineer, keeping a check on the maintenance of Air-Choppers ensuring flight safety.

Sandeep recalls about his childhood with his fascination about air-planes & helicopters he used to curiously watch like most of the kids, but revealed that it’s the gift of education that his grieved farmer father could barely afford amid financial crunch & family dispute over lands that still prevails.

“Everything connects like dots that somehow shaped up my affinity to aerial crafts into reality as a career at this point, from getting inclined towards schooling at Akal Academy luckily, staying clean off from the drug menace that kept most of the youth drained & wasted, to being able to explore my brain at school, getting enough marks,helped me in pursuing Aircraft maintenance at university in Patiala and help me shape my wings to fly ahead.” says, Sandeep,  developed a strong belief in his religion as he grew up with  Akal Academy, Cheema.

Some of the interesting things we came to know about Sandeep while talking to him.

Q) Tell us about your family & support?
A) If there is one person who motivated me all through and helped me with the missing motivation in me, is my father. Facing the similar situations like any other farmer about which you read in newspapers, my father never ever made me feel what he was going through. I know how he managed to afford my studies amidst the turmoil all around him. He is the same till now, doing good for others and keeping me away from the family disputes.

Q) How true are the reports about drug abuse they talk about in villages of Punjab?
A) It is a sad reality and can be seen very much prevalent even today. I find situation no better if not worse than before sinceI spend my  vacations with the family here in the village.Akal Academy till now is the only school I see in the village. Other than this there is no safe haven at the village levels even after all these years. Akal Academy is a blessing for all in my village for more reasons than one.

Q) Who have been your mentors/teachers or people who guided you to the right path?
A)  Like I said, my father has my life support and my school  principal Renu Goyal, who I think played a wonderful role in motivating students explicating importance & need of education & values had a deep impact on me.

Q) How different do you feel about yourself now, compared to life you saw & lived then?
A) I feel lucky to have been able to level up myself with education “Je pardey na te pind vich odan hi reh jaandey, baar di duniya na dekh sakni si, na pata lagna si kade kuch, mainu sab ton vaddi khusi ehi lagdi hai”

Q) What change do you wish to see or bring in the society, especially at village?
A) Awareness & understanding is lacking, one reason for which I feel we find lot of kids not taking up schools. Having spent time at village now,I realize that they know about education & its importance up to some extent,  thanks to media but the subtle problem I see is lack of guidance & awareness of opportunities after schooling. A lot of youth find no meaning in life after schooling, & eventually, in no time they fall back into the web of village life perplexities. So I try my best at  the individual level to counsel them as much & as many young people I come in contact with.

Q) Any message for other students & youth at village?
A) Put yourself into studies while you have time since farming is losing its ground, concentrate more on getting good marks, once you have it with you, you will find a gateway to a world of interesting & never-before seen opportunities welcoming you at your doorstep. Sports also are a good option, even commercially, if you get yourself really good at any. Akal Academy is workingon the talents that we have at schools. The school is well equipped with the facilities to bring out talent and nurture students. Wait and watch!

Q) Any message for Parents at villages?
A) Pay attention towards educating your children, opportunities don’t differentiate between a girl ora boy, so educate them both equally. Most importantly, it’s the call of the hour to understand the importance of spirituality & religion, they shape up your life in the best way,ensure ” ki tusi ya tuhade bache kisi vi dhongi saadhaan de chakar vich na paon te dhyan sirf hor sirf Guru Granth Sahib de dikhaye rastey te rakho is naal positive thinking te success milegi”.

Keep reading and stay updated with such talents, from Akal Academy right here!

Wish to support children living in adversities and still dreaming about a bright future?

Sponsor a child for education – www.DeedaDay.in

To supoort for Social Development – www.BaruSahib.org

Card Making Workshop: Brushing craftsmanship of budding Rural artists

Pictures from a recent Card Making workshop organized at Akal Academy in village Uddat Saidewala
where children from class 5th & 6th got their chance to showcase their creative side.
Akal Academy, Uddat Saidewala
Did You Know ?
During the early stages of secondary level schooling a child’s brain has highest prospects of acquiring & developing artistic skills under its natural process of building up areas of interest for itself.
Creative Card making is one of the key extra-curricular activities that are undertaken at post-primary class levels to inspire, encourage & identify budding artisans amongst kids.

~ Deeksha Singh

~ New Delhi, 8th Sep ’13

Akal Academy Nursery Girl shines at Fatehgarh Sahib Jodh Mela

At the yearly fair of Fatehgarh Sahib, popularly known as “Jodh Mela” of “Chote Sahibzade” amongst locals, Gurmannat Kaur, a nursery student from Majri Akal Academy stole the show; the carnival hosted a creative stage performance competition for young children where participants from across 129 Akal Academies competed amongst several children to showcase their creativity & talent.

Akal Academy, MajriThere were speeches, debates & several other stage performances signifying the spirit & caliber of young kids. The profound speech delivered by young Gurmannat Kaur professing the importance of hair was observed as the most exquisite. Along with highlighting references from ‘Gurbani,’ she surprised everyone with her strong & mature words of satire over the trending self-obsessive lifestyle that is keeping the youth at bay from the path of spirituality.

Although Akal Academy at Ambala (Majiri) is just a year old, the first prize in the competition be speaks well for the aptitude & competency, the school is fostering its children with.

Want to contribute for a cause? Share a smile with the rural kids here – www.DeedaDay.in

~ Ramandeep Singh
~ New Delhi, 7th Sep ’13

A year old and 400+ Students – Akal Academy Majri sets the pace

Just 12 kms through rural winding roads from the GT Road near Ambala, stands a modest yet proud institution at village Majri; that has turned many a heads. The Kalgidhar Trust’s Akal Academy Majri, Ambala has set a new benchmark by reaching strength of 400+ students within first year of its inception. Akal Academy, MajriThe Majri rural school is also one of the youngest & first amongst all 129 academies to have reached this record figure; having brought so many rural & under-privileged rural children to school in its debut year. The school runs on value-based education system which is unique & first of its kind in the rural education sector in India. The Trust has embarked upon an aggressive target of setting up 500 such schools, covering almost every remote village in North India by 2020.

The Akal Academygroup of Schools since its inception in 1986 until now, has grown from a single class room School to 129 rural Schools spread over five North Indian states andhas been a fore-runner to impart quality education that focuses on transforming a child’s personality, not only academically but also, spiritually.

The beaming Principal – Ms. Satinder Kaur, added “Such love shown by the parents and the trust imposed on us motivates us to step ahead and do the unsaid to bring a positive change in the lives of the rural kids.”

Want to do your bit? Pick a child and sponsor his/her study here – (www.DeedaDay.in)

~ Ramandeep Singh
~ New Delhi, 6th Sep ’13

Village Dhanal Kalan ‘Paints It Green’ with Akal Academy Students

Akal Academy, Dhanal Kalan

As a part of their learning, students of Akal Academy, Dhanal Kalan woke up to nature’s beckoningand celebrated Van-Mahostav in high spirits. To spread awareness and to do their bit in bring a positive change, students, teachers and the staff members of the rural school together planted more than a hundred saplings.

Van-Mahotsav, observed through the months of July-August across the Nation, helps spread awareness amongst people about the harm caused by the cutting down of trees whilst explicating the importance of trees through exhibiting demonstrations & planting of saplings.

The event was organized in association with volunteers from Rotary Club Jalandhar Central.

As a matter of fact; 79 students from Jalandhar city travel each day to study at AA DhanalKalan, situated in a village.

Reverse Brain Drain, eh!

~ Deeksha Singh,
~ New Delhi, 6th Sep ’13

Wave of ‘Divine Purification’ strikes village Bhariyal Lehri, Gurdaspur: 161 kids initiated to Khalsa Brotherhood

For a second time in the month of August, the Divine wave of ‘Amrit Sanchar’ continues its spiritual transformation spree, serving even more beings than the previous serve of 81 kids & parents at Akal Academy, Tibber last week.

Amrit SancharIn the mass initiation ceremony held at Akal Academy, village Bhariyal Lehri, Gurdaspur, a blessed group of 161 young Sikh kids received the shower of Almighty’s “Khande Da Pahul” following the traditional rites through ‘Panj Pyaras” as professed by the ‘The Kalgidhar’,  Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji himself. Literally, Amrit is combination of two words i.e. ‘Am-Mrit’. ‘Marit’ means death-mortality and Am-Mrit means immortal, which never dies.

The event was organized in the light of  a value-based education system followed by Akal Academies where the focus upon instilling human values amongst children alongwith modern education is considered as an integral part of schooling and where students belonging to Sikh faith are dutifully prepared over time to take on ‘Amrit’ & lead a life of a true learner while others learn to relate to Sikhism as an epitome of all religions.

Student across Akal Academies, irrespective of their faith, culture or religion are inculcated with spiritual & humanistic values by relating to universal teachings from respective religions and they are taught to diligently follow their own religions with complete respect and tolerance for other religions. They go hand in hand with Sri Guru Granth Sahib, with a vision to promote peace & oneness.

~ Ramandeep Singh
~ New Delhi, 3rd Sep 2013

 

Weekend of Devotion: Kirtans & Paths by students across Akal Academies on Guru Granth Sahib Prakash Utsav

Akal Academy, Muktsar on Prakash UtsavBlissful Students & Teachers at all Akal Academies celebrated the divine ‘Pehla Prakash Utsav of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji’ over the last weekend. The pious day was observed with devotional programs including Shabad Kirtan, Path Recitation & Akhand Paths at several academies.

At Akal Academy Muktsar, the celebrations were carried with religious fervor & excitementwhere two Akhand Path Sahibs were performed and organized by students on 31st Aug that concluded today. The students & teachers together recited the sacred Salok Mehla 9 followed by Shabad Kirtan performance & Ardas by students at the Darbar Sahib located at the Academy.

Akal Academy, Muktsar on Prakash Utsav

Amid devotional programs the Principal, Ms. Symbolpreet Kaur addressed the students with key facts regarding history & importance of Guru Sahib Ji upon which a quiz was also organized later wherein students of 10+2 participated with immense interest.

The Principal congratulated the students by sharing her mind “It is heart-warming to see my students performing Akhand Path Sahibs with full discipline and zeal. This truly is our offering on this pious day”.

~ Ramandeep Singh, Student
~ New Delhi, 2nd Sep 2013

 

Young Aces of Akal Academy Majri Win Hearts!

The Akal Academy at Majri, Ambala has set another example of dynamic nurturing of its students at a recent event held at Gurdwara Machonda, Ambala where all Akal Academy participants received mementoes as accolades from the members of the Gurdwara.

Students of primary level presented ‘Dhadi Vaar’ and sang ‘Shabads’ over harmonium & table. Amid this great exhibition of talent, the performance of a class-I boy from this rural school, played ‘Tabla’ and was well appreciated by the audience. A Nursery student Manjot Singh remained the star of the show for his fluent narration of ‘Kavita’ i.e. a poem, & ‘Mool Mantra’ recitation. A multitude of pupils participated from their respective schools to evince their expertise and flair for Gurbani.

 ~Deeksha Singh
~New Delhi, 31st Aug 2013

Vivid Sikhni warrior through the eyes of a nine year old

Little Bhavish Kaur, 9yrs, of Akal Academy Majri, Ambala was announced winner in a drawing competition organized at Gurdwara Manji Sahib last month. Children from many other schools participated and portrayed different shades of Punjab & its culture but Bhavish Kaur’s vivid drawing got everyone’s attention.

She sketched an exotic character , a female “Kaur Warrior” which was a manifest of her vivid imagination inspired from the life story of real life Sikh hero Banda Singh Bahadur, also known as Lachhman Das, who was a Military commander in the Sikh history.

Upon winning she revealed to the audience that she was much engrained by the persona of the great warrior that she could sense the zeal & courage that must have existed amongst both men & women at the time that the legend lived & brought victories; she started fancying the heroism of the character & wanted to represent a women version of it.

~ Deeksha Singh
~ New Delhi, 31st Aug 2013

Wings of Desire – Breaking the Norms and Shinning Outright

When the time is right,

The efforts shine bright and

Bigger the aspirations,

Better is the way forward.

Amandeep KaurWhen I was born to the family of mine, I had no idea what was in store for me in this amazing world called ‘life’. Being a girl child from a not – well to do family, I could imagine myself behind the social norms that would confine me to my home doing household work with my aspirations and aim in life stay buried deep inside me.

But destiny had different plans for me. I was the chosen one, I was the one who was given a chance to live my dream and taste what success is like. The Kalgidhar Trust through AIRWE Baru Sahib picked me up, helped me grow each day spiritually and mentally. It was not easy for me to adapt to the good things that were happening to me, I fought a fight within me, a fight with my conscience that said I will not excel, the fight with myself to prove who I am, the fight to reach out to my ultimate goal.

The further I was going, the brighter I could see myself living my dream. The desire in me to excel, to not be just another name, pushed me to join Baru Sahib. From that very day, I experienced what a blessed child would have. I feel blessed and possess the power to have a say in whatever I do, I am the decision maker. I too was bound with the social evils, but I let them go and took a hand in hand with Akal Academy. Now, I have learnt how to fight for what is right for me. I don’t look back to where I was; I take inspiration from where I am and plan for where I will be. I am being groomed to be a teacher and this is where I am looking forward across the fence where I am working for the rural education and bringing in a positive change. I am here to excel and I dream for a better and brighter world ahead.

~ Deeksha Singh,
~ New Delhi, 30th Aug 2013