Why my why is MY WHY ?

#mywhy #impactosocial #techforgood #nextbillion #edtech #tribute

It was a calm midnight same day 3 years ago . I was visiting my parents . I didnt live with them , infact not even in the same country but a chance occurrence made me visit them that day . My father was sitting next to me and talking my mother seated in front . He had planned to travel next day . As he was talking , calmly kept his head on my shoulder . No pain , no agony , no suffering . In that moment I realised he was gone with a smile on his face and peace . He was gone but not his spirit and teachings .

My father was born in late 1930s as WW2 was raging the globe . He was born to farmers family living in a remote single hut village as eldest of 3 surviving children . 8 of his 10 siblings died without completing days or weeks. Infant mortality was high . The nearest small village would be 1 hour away . For 4 months a year it would have some sort of transportation and for next 8 months its cutoff from nearest small town due to overflowing river . Childhood was challenging . Growing up in remote forested area with wildlife around with no facilities and watching falling snakes from the hay roof of the hut . He would often narrate an incident how his father wrestled with a huge Python which visited the hut possibly thinking of making a meal of sleeping baby, with nothing more than bare hands and handy coconut frond .

He took efforts to study which was not easy .The closest village provided elementary education but he continued to study which took him far into the city and then another city. He became the first Post Graduate in the area . His calling was education . He started his career as a teacher in a small town and continued to teach till his retirement and beyond . Throughout his career he was regarded as a strict disciplinarian but most revered Professors of the times. He was known as great orator who could address a group of 50 to large gathering of 50,000 people , exemplary organiser having organised more than 1000 events , accomplished writer who penned more than 20 books on literature . His students are spread far and wide across the world . Before the advent of internet he realised importance of exposing the Students and civil society to various possibilities and he would invite accomplished people from various backgrounds across the country to deliver speeches to the to inspire them . After retirement he became even more active and started an organisation for promotion of literature which just completed its silver jubilee a month ago . Though he got many awards , more than 500+ he remained composed and humble and maintained that he is nothing but a Servant of Literature .

His sudden departure shook me to the core . An absolutely healthy , fit person leaving in a split second was difficult to digest . I wanted to keep him alive but not in mortal sense . I initiated a trust to recognise and promote the causes which my father deeply believed in . Education , Cleanliness and Environment. And then covid hit and Trust formation got derailed . I had to change the course before initial enthusiasm petered out and started collaborating with the cultural organisation he initiated. Annually an independent committee would form and choose the people who quietly create an impact in above areas. The choice was tough on the committee as the only condition laid by me was to choose the one who hasnt been recognised yet .The public function would see recognition of the the unrecognised people working in grassroot level. This was good to start but it was local and limited and not sustainable. Along comes an opportunity to mentor and advise an EdTech Start up formed during Covid working on Education . With deep research and interactions found Systemic gaps existing between Teaching and Learning in grassroot education consequently leading to dropouts . Technology held hope to reduce inequalities and bring opportunities . Idea of Affordable mass eduction with focus on native language got fine tuned . Delivery on mobile saw thousands of students from poorest of background to coming on board engaging and developing a love for learning .

Food , Health , Shelter and Education are basic needs and education can help in securing the first 3 . Idea to bring quality outcome based learning to 10 million children by 2025 in areas where inequalities exist is in this direction .

I miss my Appa as i would call him , yesterday , today and forever but sorrow can be turned into source of hope. My father will not come back nor I will live forever . If the EdTech initiative can develop hope , prevent early school dropouts to continue their education to build a future they deserve , that will be my Tribute .