Ramachandra Reddy, S R Citizen Higher Primary School, Sidlaghatta, Bengaluru
Background and Inspiration
In a classroom in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru, a group of eager young learners gathers around a desk, listening intently to teachers committed to imparting practical and forward-thinking education. Leading the charge is the visionary school leader, Ramachandra Reddy, a native of the remote area of Sidlaghatta, where education was often neglected. Speaking about his 21st-century institution, S R Citizen Higher Primary School, Ramachandra passionately says, “There wasn’t enough quality education here, and I wanted to make it better with new ideas, upskilling, innovative methods, and all-around development.”
Now at 70 years old, Ramachandra has amassed four decades of experience in education since founding his first school in 1984. Armed with a background as a BSc and Law graduate, holding a post-graduation degree and professional certifications like GDC and SAS, he’s proud to say, “Having served the Government of Karnataka, I retired as the District Deputy Director. This long journey inspired me to create a school that focuses on making students grow in many ways through holistic development and innovative learning methods.”
How the School Started
Ramachandra thinks back on his education journey and says, “S R Citizen Higher Primary School started in May 2014 after I retired from the state government. This is my second venture after establishing another one in 1984. Both are currently under my management—one operates for charity, while the other serves as a commercial venture. Located in Sidlaghatta, Chikkaballapur District, they are approximately 60 km from Bengaluru.”
“Maintaining this dual commitment to public service and education has been a lifelong endeavor, and witnessing the flourishing of both schools is truly rewarding.”
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Initial Struggles in Running the School
In the beginning, the school faced a lot of challenges. Ramachandra remembers, “Our area was financially backward, and our mission was to help the less fortunate, especially girls from scheduled castes and tribes. For the first three years, I personally funded the school. It wasn’t until the fourth year that the government grant alleviated the financial strain, transforming the charity school into a government-supported one.”
Recalling those formative years, the school leader says, “The school started in a rented house and stayed there for the first five years until 1990. After that, I used my own money to buy 10 acres of land for the school and built 12 rooms.”
When asked about the number of students, Ramachandra says, “The previous school now has 250 students, and the newer school has 550. At the beginning, the supported school had 15 students, and the newer one had 43.” He adds, “I worked diligently in securing grants, recognition, prior permissions, and training culmination.” Both schools adhere to the state government syllabus, with Kannada being the medium of instruction in the aided school and English in the unaided one.
School during COVID-19
Ramachandra thinks about the challenges caused by the pandemic, seeing it as the biggest setback both academically and financially. “It felt like a curse—an irreparable blow, made worse by the government not managing things well. It was a real threat to our school, and private schools, like ours, suffered greatly. Thankfully, the worst seems to be behind us,” he says with a sigh of relief.
When asked how they managed during the pandemic, Ramachandra explains, “We followed government rules and had online classes. But since we’re in a semi-urban area, a majority of parents didn’t have smartphones. Even though the government said we could charge 85% of the school fees, we reduced it to 50%. Unfortunately, many parents couldn’t pay even that, and only recently have we started to see some relief. But there’s still a long way to go to fix everything that COVID-19 disrupted.”
Clarifying how they taught during this time, he explains, “We organized camps and got 10-15 students together in common places for teacher interactions. We also arranged online classes using the available infrastructure.“
Thinking about the impact on students when they returned to regular classes, Ramachandra says, “All students, from LKG to 10th standard, fell behind in their studies during the pandemic break.” It took a lot of work to bring them up to speed and cover the missed syllabus. Extra classes, intensive persuasion, teachers sacrificing, being committed, and involving parents were really important during this time. He continues, “Things are somewhat normal now, but in our village, getting students back on track academically is really hard.”
Discussing problems with collecting fees, Ramachandra says, “Parents say they lost everything because of COVID, and we tell them that we also faced big losses.” So how did they fix the learning gap? To this, Ramachandra replies, “We implemented a comprehensive approach that included extra classes, special sessions, student orientation for critical thinking, and activity-based learning, among other measures.”
School’s Achievements
Recalling the past, Ramachandra shares, “While my friends enjoy a comfortable retirement with accumulated wealth, my path involves personal financial sacrifices for school operations. Yet, in return, I’ve gained peace of mind, recognition, and deep satisfaction.” This school leader’s way of life is different, and it shows in the success of his students, who became doctors, engineers, teachers, and even politicians. He says, “For example, one of my students is a Joint Secretary in Bangalore’s Urban Planning Department, and another runs five colleges in Channarayapatna. Hearing about their success makes me very happy and adds to my overall well-being.”
Highlighting a heartwarming incident, he adds, “Once, during a bus trip from Sindhanur, a student recognized me and warmly greeted me. Moments like these, even in faraway places, bring a lot of joy.”
Teachers’ Role in the School Growth
The former District Deputy Director takes a principled approach to teacher selection. He claims, “I’m very careful when selecting teachers, making sure they are dedicated and good at their job. Our teachers are chosen based on merit, and they are committed to the school’s goals. Some have even taken great opportunities outside, with one recently getting a job from the Central Government.”
Admitting to challenges, he adds, “However, retaining talented teachers is a struggle because we can’t always meet their financial expectations.”
Relationship with Varthana
“In a time of financial need,” Ramachandra shares, “Varthana provided the support we needed. The entire process unfolded seamlessly. We are planning to construct a new building as an annex to the existing structure, keeping in view the NEP 2020 and 11th & 12th standard requirements. We should be starting construction in a few weeks.”
Looking ahead, he emphasizes, “Our main objective going forward is to give elite class education to our students.”
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Vision
Confidently discussing his vision, Ramachandra shares, “We don’t use any special tricks. We talk to parents, explain our merits, and don’t force anyone. Our history shows—we are now in the 5th group of SSLC students, and all the earlier groups had a 100% pass rate, with 80% of students getting top marks. We focus on making a student’s school life better, ensuring they have the skills they need after SSLC. We prioritize learning abilities, exposure to international standards, and aim to give knowledge that helps them in the future.”
Looking at the success of the first SSLC group, he mentions, “Our first group, now in engineering courses, is doing well. We talk to their colleges, and the feedback is good. We keep talking to them, and our follow-up is always happening.”
Discussing the idea of extending the school to higher classes like PUC and other courses, Ramachandra reflects, “I thought about it, but running higher classes alongside regular school has its challenges. The ideas and ways of thinking of high school and higher class students are different. Even though I visited many colleges, I postponed the decision for the last 10 years.”
Reflecting on local competition, the visionary confidently asserts, “We embrace challenges, and competition doesn’t faze us. We have never had a shortage of students at our school, which shows how strong we are.”
He shares an empowering anecdote, stating, “A lawyer once told me that our school was like a guiding light that helped them become a lawyer. If it wasn’t for our school, they might have ended up being a shepherd instead. Stories like these show how much we’ve helped shape people’s futures.” Ramachandra ends with a happy thought, “Knowing about these changes makes me feel that all the work we’ve done has really made my life meaningful.”
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