Tilotma Vaishnav, Amardeep Higher Secondary School, Lailunga, Chhattisgarh
Background
Michelle Obama’s wise words, “A society thrives when women embrace their roles as leaders, nurturers, and change-makers,” resonates deeply with Tilotma Vaishnav, who followed a similar path in her life. Growing up in a family of educators and holding an MSc in Mathematics degree from a renowned university, Tilotma wholeheartedly dedicated herself to women’s empowerment initiatives, a cause close to her family’s heart. As the president of Gramin Mahila Sarv Sewa Sansthan for nearly two decades, Tilotma’s commitment to making a positive impact remained steadfast.
During a social awareness program in the Lailunga Block of Chattisgarh back in 1992, Tilotma realized that the community’s children lacked adequate educational support. Driven by her passion for education and determined to address this learning gap, she founded Little Flower English Medium School in 1996, catering to preschool children. The school’s success and positive feedback from the local community led to its rapid expansion. Notable influential personalities such as the late Ramadhar Kashyap (Member of Parliament), Ingrid Mcleod (Former Member of Lok Sabha), Amar Agrawal (Former MLA), and Vishnudev Sai (Former Member of Lok Sabha) fully supported her dream of establishing the institution as Amardeep Higher Secondary School in 1998 in Lailunga.
“Amardeep Higher Secondary School was founded with a clear vision – to provide quality education to the children of Lailunga while maintaining a steady focus on providing modern learning experiences,” Tilotma shares.
Infrastructure and Facilities
Tilotma proudly shares that the school boasts a sprawling campus equipped with state-of-the-art technology and modern amenities. “We offer our students more than just textbooks. Our library, a treasure trove of knowledge, hosts a diverse collection of novels, magazines, reference books, and so much more! We believe in nourishing their minds and bodies, and hence, we have a playground for various sports and outdoor adventures. Prioritizing their well-being, we provide a well-equipped medical facility with a dedicated nurse on campus to address any medical needs. In addition, our cafeteria serves nutritious and wholesome meals, ensuring our students are well-fed and content during their time with us,” she assures.
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Curriculum
Tilotma takes immense pride in her school, which offers classes from kindergarten to class XII. She’s passionately committed to fostering the holistic growth of her students, placing value on academic, physical, and cultural development.
Determined to provide a comprehensive education, Tilotma assures, “Our school offers numerous extracurricular opportunities beyond academics. Our students engage in spirited debates, eloquent elocutions, challenging quizzes, and captivating cultural programs, kindling their passions beyond classroom boundaries. We also encourage students to participate in sports and games, prioritizing physical well-being and nurturing important qualities of sportsmanship. These extracurricular activities enrich their educational journey, gently foster their all-around growth, and empower them to excel beyond the school walls.”
School during Covid
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the school faced significant challenges, especially in fee collection as some students migrated to government schools due to financial constraints. This situation resulted in delayed dues settlement from the transferred students.
“The hardest challenge was ensuring uninterrupted education for the children during the lockdown. To maintain the momentum of board exam preparation, we immediately arranged online classes for 10th and 12th-grade students. Moreover, to address the issue of learning loss upon the schools’ reopening, we implemented a series of measures. These included organizing extra classes, counseling sessions, specialized student monitoring, and assessments to bridge the gap created by the absence of in-person learning,” Tilotma explains.
Relationship with Varthana
Amidst the uncertainties brought on by the pandemic, Tilotma claims she appreciated the support Varthana provided to the school. In 2019, she decided to take out a loan to improve the school infrastructure. “Varthana made the whole loan process easy and the fund was sanctioned seamlessly,” she says.
This financial help proved to be a crucial catalyst in helping the school navigate through the challenging times of non-recovery of fees and sustain its operations. Tilotma quickly followed up by saying, “We took a top-up to cope with the uncertainties of the lockdown. The loans from Varthana really helped the school keep going. They were kind enough to provide a moratorium to us during the time of crisis, which eased the financial burden of the school.”
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Achievements
Amardeep School has a proud tradition of academic excellence, with many of its students scoring high marks in the board examinations. Its constant emphasis on holistic development, coupled with exceptional infrastructure and facilities, creates an optimal learning environment for students to flourish. “I am really proud to see our alumni succeed in various professions like medicine, engineering, law, management, and more. It is a testament to our commitment to providing quality education,” Tilotma proudly shares, her smile brimming with accomplishment.
“Our school has won many accolades and awards in various extracurricular activities, such as debates, quizzes, and cultural programs. Our students have also won many awards in sports, including cricket, football, and athletics,” she adds, underscoring the school’s diverse offerings.
As the school celebrates its 25th birthday this year, it has a lot to be proud of. Tilotma’s success comes not just from the great grades of her students but also from the wide range of activities she offers. These activities help students find their passions and hidden talents.
Continually inspiring, Tilotma serves as a role model to her students, encouraging them to dream big and start their own exciting journeys of learning, growing, and finding out who they are.
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