News & Update

Davinder Singh a small farmer in Ratia, District Fatehabad used to always ponder at the fact the young boy born to him was always wide-eyed and gurgling with joy whenever he used to be in the open skies at night. Young Monty used to get hyper and excited when he saw the moon and the twinkling stars. Little did this rice farmer know that his Monty was destined for unraveling the mysteries of the other world?

A shy and quiet student, Montek performed brilliantly in his school exams and was always the pet of his teachers at Akal Academy, village Ajitsar Ratia. As he reached Class XII, he not only scored spectacularly in his boards but also cracked his way through SAT-I scoring an astonishing 2120/2400. Later in SAT-II he astounded a lot while smashing 750/800 in Maths, 730/800 in Chemistry, 5/5 in Physics & 5/5 in Calculus BC. Immediately, a hawk-eyed Professor noticed this hidden talent and invited Montek Singh to study at the University of Colorado Boulder’s CASA (Centre for Astrophysics & Space Astronomy) to pursue a specialised 5 year program on Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences.

Montek’s joy knew no bounds when he learnt that UoCB was offering him a scholarship of 60% of all his costs. This program is designed to meet student needs for training in space sciences, including astronomy, astrophysics, planetary sciences, and space physics. Students pursuing this major have the option of following one of two tracks: General Astronomy, housed in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (APS); or Astrophysics/ Physics, jointly supervised by APS and the Department of Physics.

To his father and Teachers, it seems that this will carve Montek’s path to enable him be a space scientist or an astronaut cruising space-ships, a career option that has a grown cult in India especially ever-since death of astronaut Kalpana Chawla, widely known as the first Indian American astronaut and the first Indian woman in space, who died in an accident while on a NASA space mission in 2003.

Montek’s success is being seen as contrastingly distinctive, especially for a rural student from village, belonging to an under-privileged family. It’s astonishing to notice that Montek Singh comes from a rural School where none of the students subscribe to tradition of attending tuitions beyond school hours! The Teachers themselves take up this responsibility of providing tuitions to their students within the school and school-hours.

Children at his village now know him as their super hero who is destined to fly into sky. As joy-filled tears well up, Davinder looks back to those days and realizes that there was a message for him, which he could not decipher.

You can also help a rural child achieve his dreams by sponsoring their schooling for as low as Rs 500 a month. Click Here

~ Ramandeep Singh, Student
~ New Delhi, 24th Aug 2013

News & updates on National Independence day celebrations have been pouring in all through this month, its over-whelming to witness spirit of young rural kids celebrating “Independent India’s” spirit with utter liveliness.

Keeping up with the spirit of patriotism, this week we are covering celebrations from Akal Academy, Ratia, Dist. Fatehabad, Haryana with some pics as we received.

Let us rewind & recall the days of our school-hood.

Independence day was celebrated with full zeal & fervor, the students reached school as usual & performed prayers.

Soon after began the celebrations with National Flag hosting ceremony by Mrs. Manjeet Kaur, the vice-principal followed by a ‘Band Parade’ presented by senior students of the school. Mrs. Balwinder Kaur, S.St. teacher did the honors with a speech describing the meaning, importance & history of freedom struggle to the young ebullient students.

Then began the cultural performances. Students along with 4 choreographers showcased popular patriotic songs in Hindi & Punjabi. Several junior students also presented creative patriotic poems & messages featuring diversity of Indian culture, sacrifice stories of freedom fighters etc & exhibited spirit to fight against social evils like Drugs, corruption, poverty, female foeticide, dowry & communal riots. Slogans like ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, ‘Jai Hind’, ‘Inqlab zindabad’ filled the air with the vibes of patriotism.

A feast was organized at the conclusion of the ceremony, wherein all the students alongside teaching & non-teaching staff of the school had a meal together & shared sweets.

Similar celebrations were held across more than hundred Akal Academies across Punjab, Haryana, UP, HP and Rajasthan.

~ Ramandeep Singh, Student
~ New Delhi, 22nd Aug 2013

Whilst the socio-virtual world is all engaged in their “e-ways” to do their bit in the global “ Go Green “ uprising ;  young aspiring rural students of class 7th of “ Akal Academy “ in the remote village Uddat Saidewala ( distt. Mansa ), Punjab,  showed their spirit by resorting to the basic fundamentals.

In an event exquisite for any rural village, several kids, under cooperation of their teachers & the principal, planted about a 100 trees to celebrate the break of the monsoons. Variety of trees planted included poplars like Neem, Imali, Daikes, Safeda, Kaner & many others. Monsoons hold relevance no short of a religious festival, in the village carrying trend of constantly fighting against water scarcity/contamination & the several connected issues that arise from it i.e. diseases like cancer, stomach infections, epidemics etc.

Environmentalists explain the relevance of planting trees relating to several commonly observed needs such as, a source of fuel (wood), for fencing, paper,  etc ;  alongside scientific & the natural benefits, like, as an aid in adjusting the velocity of winds preventing soil  erosion. Amongst all, the perspective of the young children, who were the lifeline of the event;  was the wisest.  For them, the idea of planting trees is an opportunity, to serve people, to prepare a gift for several; who will be served by the trees, by its shadow, fruits & flowers;  & like a bouquet , the fragrance of love.

~ Ramandeep Singh, Student
~ 8th Aug 2013, Rohini, New Delhi

AS WINNERS WAKE UP AND HIT THE MARK….!

Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they have been given, than to explore the power that can help them change it. Impossible is not a fact. It is an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare! If opportunity doesn’t knock, then build a new door and embracing this strategy ‘Gursharan Singh’ and ‘Sahil Jindal’ have affirmed the saying that- ‘kites rise highest against the wind, not with it.’

Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try; failure will never overtake you if your determination to succeed is strong enough. ‘Gursharan Singh’, one of the most alight students of the Akal Academy, Ratia achieved his goal of achieving 127th All India Rank in the IIT examination and 25th rank in the OBC category. ‘Where there is a will, there is a way’ and Gursharan’s hard core effort and zeal led him to the platform of success and achievement. He not only exhibited great results in his IIT examination but also showed spectacular performance in his board examinations. He matriculated with 10 CGPA and scored 87.6% in his 12th grade.

On the other hand ‘Sahil Jindal’, another sparkling lad of Akal Academy, Ratia upholds the dictum that there is no chance, no destiny and no fate that can hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul. He secured the 67th rank in the IIT examination after his colossal endeavor helped him to attain 10 CGPA in class 10th and 92.5% in his 12th grade.

They both matriculated from the ‘Ratia branch’ of Akal Academy in Haryana. It gives pleasure, pride and happiness to see such students as a part of our country’s foundation. The valiant efforts of these students belonging to a small village Ratia in Haryana gave a new platform to them, to touch the apex of success and ecstasy.

There is no problem in this world which can defeat you. To succeed in your mission, it is must to have a single minded devotion towards your goal. Though this school was located in the remote northern frontier state of India but through their hard work and dedication they proved that nothing is impossible if pursued with commitment and self confidence. They both have not only won over their teachers with their inquisitiveness for studies and perseverance but have also filled the hearts of their parents with contentment and bliss. They have raised their heads with glory and conviction.

Both these bucolic aspirants will serve as an inspiration for the students of entire Haryana to achieve a higher ladder in life with full self esteem and adherence. Akal Academy, along with their benign support in giving them good academic knowledge, also endowed their souls with spiritual and eternal values. It taught them ‘not to be a man of success but a man of value.’

What matters is not to see through one another, but to see one another through. The best preparation for tomorrow is to do the commenced work augustly well. Hence, like Gursharan and Sahil, start finding your opportunities within your dreams and aspirations. Dwell as near as possible to the channel in which your life flows. Be optimistic and courageous as ‘courage’ is the anchor that holds one steady, and enables one to climb on and on. Therefore, ‘Aim to carve your name on hearts and not on marbles!’

~Gurleen Kaur Vedi, B.A. (HONS) English, Mata Sundri College For Women
~New Delhi, 3rd July 2013

Water rises above to form clouds,

A girl is brought up to continue the generation clock,

Rain showers relief and glee,

A girl follows every ritual to spree,

Moving with elegance to conquer the top

A girl can show it to the world what all it costs,

Selflessly she works for her family to smile,

Some sorrow and joy she carries to fill the jug in a while.

Kriti Sharma comes from a middle class family, which resides in a small place called Ratia in Fatehabad, Haryana, which is a small town with picturesque beauty of farm fields and a bright blue sky. Here people have a small world of their own, a very different one from that of city residents. Here education has altogether a different definition. People did send their children to school but not with the idea of providing them a career but to overcome the difficulties that they face on their part because of lack of the opportunity to go to school.

In an environment like this Kriti is a twinkling star who aims to be a doctor, so that she can contribute to the mankind. Her father, a bank employee has always supported her and has faith in her dreams. He always kept his relationship with his daughter intact with love and affection. He is a supporter of pressure free environment and always cherished her. Her mother is a school principal who has not only been idol to her but for hundred other students. She has proved herself time and again in her both professional and personal lives. Kriti has seen a lady’s power in her mother’s image. Immensely inspired by her Kriti has kept her first footsteps on the ladder of life.

Kriti Sharma has always been an overwhelming joy for her parents. She is an ingenious kid who has well exemplified that the downpour of education to girls has the power to reach the apex. She is a student of Akal Academy, Ratia. She has scored 95.5% in her 12th and a 10 CGPA in 10TH board examinations. Further, she scored a 99.78 percentile in the NEET-UG examination conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education in 2013 .The National Eligibility Entrance Test in the first year of its implementation saw 6, 58,040 taking the exam for admissions to MBBS and BDS courses, coming from all over India. Out of these 3,66,317 students qualified the exam. Kriti scored a 938 All India Rank in general category. She also got a 78 and 121 rank in Punjab and Haryana respectively.

Kriti is not only a brilliant student, but also a National level table tennis player. Her interests also include reading novels and dancing. A fun loving girl, industrious and extrovert, Kriti has very high aspirations. She expects herself to perform bigger and better.

Modern day India talks about a double digit growth but still sees a highly abrupt sex ratio. The state of Haryana has 753 girls to 1000 boys as per data released by 2011 Census. In such a scenario girl like Kriti is a benign bliss of god. Her dexterous doings are adding dimensions to the world outside.

As Brigham Young rightly said,”If you educate a man, you educate a man, If you educate a woman you educate a generation.”

~Harshana Kathpalia, B.Com (Hons.),
~Hindu College, New Delhi, 22nd June 2013

No one can forget the great movie ‘RANG DE BASANTI’ that spoke of our Punjab revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh and their contemporaries, which the soil of Punjab is proud of. They at that time were trying to awaken the corrupt and poverty laden country, same way the students of Akal Academy are trying to carry in the spirit by carrying on the flame of empowering the mind, body and soul. They are passionately carrying on the mission of ‘EK NOOR’ and unlike the world, which is busy lapping up all the materialistic pleasures of life in a self-centric approach. The students right from the time that they step into school maintain a simple attire of Kurta Pyjamas, which enhances the principle of gender equality and lesser distractions for impressionable minds. Their characters are chiseled through a carefully laid out regimen, which includes daily prayers (nitnem), which help nourish the young tender brains. They are taught, “ Every human being is the Light of the Divine contained in a human form propelling that we need to respect all humans”. Seva and Simran become the foundation stone of pedagogy followed by Akal Academies.

Fatehgarh Channa is a sleepy village of around 3000 persons, in Tehsil Samana of District Patiala. In 1997, Kalgidhar Trust, Baru Sahib established an Akal Academy with only 22 students. Today, this branch has again proved themselves in ‘RANG DE’ spirits by scoring well in the 12th and 10th CBSE examinations, Sohan Singh scored 89.4%, Yadwinder 82.2%, Harpreet Singh 77% and Mohanjeet 75% in their 12th exams. In the class 10th Ankita Kansal, Arashpreet Kaur, Harbir Kaur, Jashan Sharma, Ravneet Kaur all notched to 10 CGPA. The School is not only famous for the academic output, but also very progressive in sports and co-curricular activities; ensuring the holistic development of the learners.

The underlying key factor to it that even now in their own way, Akal Academy chain of schools have managed to enthuse the spirit of being vivacious, dedicated and passionate to build India’s first chain for rural transformation by sowing the seeds of Value based education at its best.

As a wise man said “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever”. This has been one of the guiding forces of the Kalgidhar Trust under the umbrella of Baba Iqbal Singh Ji.

~ Ramneet Singh, B.Com.,
~ Rohini, New Delhi, 22nd June 2013