Vande Mataram Foundation’s slate ritual completes 18 inspiring years in Telangana

Since the 2007–08 academic year, the foundation has been organising ‘Akshara Abhyasam’ ceremonies in 500 government primary schools each year. A traditional ritual that marks the formal initiation of children into education, the ceremony is made special with the distribution of slates to thousands of first-time schoolgoers.

Sangareddy: For nearly two decades now, the Vande Mataram Foundation has quietly been nurturing the roots of education in Telangana’s rural government schools, one slate at a time.

Since the 2007–08 academic year, the foundation has been organising ‘Akshara Abhyasam’ ceremonies in 500 government primary schools each year. A traditional ritual that marks the formal initiation of children into education, the ceremony is made special with the distribution of slates to thousands of first-time schoolgoers.

The initiative was born out of a simple observation by Vande Mataram Foundation’s founder, Takkelapalli Ravindar, who realised that government schools lacked a structured system for conducting Akshara Abhyasam. Determined to fill that gap, he launched the initiative as part of his ambition to strengthen public education in rural areas. The foundation itself was established in 2005 with that goal.

This year, as with every year, the foundation will distribute 10,000 slates to children beginning their formal schooling. Over the last 18 years, the initiative has reached an impressive milestone with a staggering 1.90 lakh slats being distributed across Telangana.

Interestingly, this quiet educational movement has had a strong supporter from the local industrial community. Chandu Kumar Potti, an industrialist from Sangareddy and the founder of Versatile E Scooters located in the Pashamylaram industrial area, has been funding the initiative entirely since its inception. He has backed the distribution of every one of the 1.90 lakh slates handed out to students over the years.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Ravindar said the foundation would take around 500 slabs to the Saraswathi temple in Basar this year. There, temple priests will perform special pujas before the slates are packed along with prasadam and dispatched to schools across the State.

“Events like these help in reducing school dropout rates,” said Ravindar.

“When children and parents are involved in such a meaningful beginning, it motivates them to stay committed to education. The speeches by invited experts also inspire teachers and villagers to take greater interest in their local schools.”

This year, the Akshara Abhyasam programme will be held over one week, commencing on June 20.

Chandu Kumar said he was drawn to the cause because of the foundation’s commitment to reaching children studying in government schools.

“I was truly impressed by the idea, and I will continue to support the foundation in the future,” he said.

Both Ravindar and Chandu Kumar have appealed to teachers and school management committees to come forward and register their interest.

“We are ready to conduct the programme in any number of government primary schools this year,” they said.