Madhava R Mishra, Kirana Kendra Vidyalaya, Shimoga, Karnataka
School leader Madhava Mishra believes in creating a strong personal bond with students and their parents. “We know every parent and their child by name. That’s the depth of the connection we nurture here,” he confidently states. Madhava, alongside his stalwart wife, approaches education in a unique manner. “We take pride in the individual attention we offer each child,” he emphasizes.
From corporate to classroom
After completing his MSW(HR) graduation in 2005, Madhava took on roles at corporate giants like Infosys, Axis, and Toyota. However, a deeper calling to serve society and uplift its economically weaker sections nudged him towards a different path.
By 2010, Madhava and his wife returned to their hometown of Shimoga, leaving his corporate life behind. There, they started their dream project: a special school for the less privileged.
Challenges he faced
Starting a school was anything but easy. They accommodated students in a small room on a 6-acre land they owned. The couple faced countless challenges, mainly financial. With just 22 students initially, every fee collected was reinvested in the school’s growth. “Family and friends wear the title of ‘trustee,’ but the school’s sustenance and development rest squarely on our shoulders,” Madhava recounts.
Success came with effort
Madhava is proud of how well his students do in competitions, especially in clinching top awards in state-level Abacus and Vedic math contests.
But what makes him most proud, he shares, the emotion palpable, “The increasing enrollments, year after year, and the gratitude in parents’ eyes. It’s the greatest reward for our hard work.”
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Navigating the pandemic
COVID-19 posed significant challenges for many schools in the region. However, for Madhava, giving up wasn’t an option. “At a time when many schools resorted to layoffs or salary cuts to weather the economic impact, our school stood firm in its commitment to its staff,” Madhava assures.
They used the funds they had saved for expanding the school to pay their staff. This strategic move shows the importance Madhava placed on retaining a dedicated teaching team during these trying times.
Understanding that many students didn’t have the right infrastructure for online classes, Madhava’s innovative ideas came to the fore. He teamed up with a mobile phone dealer to provide smartphones to each student’s home, facilitated through loans and installments. This initiative not only ensured students’ continued education but also brought immense relief to many poor parents.
Adapting to the changes
“Students at Kirana Kendra Vidyalaya easily moved to online lessons thanks to the smartphones they had. In the early days of the pandemic, we adopted a unique approach: we put recorded lessons on pen drives every ten days. Students would then collect these and watch the lessons at home, either on their TVs or laptops. During these pick-ups, assignments and worksheets were exchanged, ensuring continuous feedback and learning. Teachers even visited students in their villages to address any questions, making sure no student fell behind academically. This way, all students kept learning despite the pandemic’s disruptions,” shares the school leader.
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Philosophy and vision
For Madhava, education goes beyond textbooks. It’s about embracing daily learnings and giving them one’s all. While missteps are part of the journey, they offer invaluable lessons.
“Enjoy learning and learn to enjoy,” is Madhava’s mantra for his institution.
“Here, teachers are always learning. They learn first, then teach, and finally, they learn from their students too.”
What makes the school different
Madhava has innovative strategies under his sleeves, deeply embedded in the school’s culture, thanks to their remarkable success. In the months leading up to board exams, 10th-grade students stay in the school for four months, a move designed to boost their academic performance. Madhava, deeply committed, himself stays nearby, ensuring safety and dedication. This approach, while boosting academic outcomes, has also significantly enhanced the school’s reputation, earning immense support from parents.
The school organizes specialized programs such as ‘Spandhana’, where experts offer parents guidance on their children’s performance. They also celebrate parents with a program called ‘Guruvandhana’ because they believe parents are a child’s first teachers.
Support from Varthana
Madhava is deeply thankful for Varthana’s never-ending support, especially during challenging times like the pandemic. “Their financial assistance played a crucial role in our infrastructural growth and in maintaining staff salaries,” he notes, also valuing Varthana’s guidance on navigating online transactions.
Looking Ahead
As for the future, aligning with the NEP guidelines is top of the agenda. Madhava is also eager to introduce classes 11 and 12. Overall, there’s a sense of contentment about the school’s current position. Yet, the visionary couple remains steadfast in their commitment to continuous growth and excellence.
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