{"id":26652,"date":"2024-12-07T10:05:13","date_gmt":"2024-12-07T10:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/varthana.com\/school\/?p=26652"},"modified":"2026-01-14T11:54:37","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T11:54:37","slug":"how-a-team-of-11-members-built-a-school-in-kalburgi-for-holistic-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/varthana.com\/school\/how-a-team-of-11-members-built-a-school-in-kalburgi-for-holistic-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"How A Team Of 11 Members Built a School in Kalburgi for Holistic Learning"},"content":{"rendered":"

Siddamallappa Mugali, Dongaradevi Kannada Higher Primary School, Karnataka<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Shift from Finance to Education<\/h2>\n

In the village of Dongarao, located in Kamlapur Taluk, Kalburgi District, a journey of change began. In 1990, 11 individuals came together to start a finance company. While the business grew, they soon realized something was missing. By 1996, they recognized the need to contribute more to their community.<\/p>\n

Siddamallappa Mugali, one of the founding members and now a school leader, reflects, \u201cThe turning point came during a 6\u20138 day Pravachana spiritual discourse when we heard a powerful message: \u2018We are born to contribute to society.\u2019 Those words stayed with us and made us think about how we could truly give back.\u201d<\/p>\n

They quickly understood that the village\u2019s greatest need was education. \u201cWe saw many children without opportunities, and we realized that starting a school could make a real difference. Our dream was simple: to ensure every child in Dongarao had access to education and a brighter future,\u201d Siddamallappa explains.<\/p>\n

What began as a finance company soon became a mission to improve their village. Their goal was clear: provide quality education to Dongarao and create lasting change through learning.<\/p>\n

How the School Started?<\/h2>\n

Dongaradevi Kannada Higher Primary School started in 1996 with just 28 students, 2 staff members, and an affordable annual fee of \u20b9256 per student. Today, it has grown to 266 students, with better infrastructure and an annual fee of \u20b98,500. \u201cThis growth shows the impact we\u2019ve made, and it\u2019s fulfilling to see many of our alumni now working in respected positions,\u201d says Siddamallappa.<\/p>\n

Siddamallappa, who holds a diploma in telecommunication from Gulbarga, manages his role as a faculty member at a private engineering college in Balki while remaining committed to the school. \u201cI travel to my hometown every other day and spend my weekends monitoring the school\u2019s activities. Although the headmaster handles daily tasks, I stay closely involved in key decisions,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

The school\u2019s progress is a result of the combined efforts of the 11-member team, including 5 women directors. \u201cOur team\u2019s dedication ensures the school runs smoothly and continues to grow,\u201d Siddamallappa adds.<\/p>\n

Overcoming Challenges<\/h2>\n

Challenges were bound to come up on this journey, as the 11 founding members, each with their own ideas, faced many obstacles. “We faced difficulties, but through teamwork, compromises, and strong determination, we stayed focused on making the school a success,” shares Siddamallappa.<\/p>\n

The first big challenge was finding a place to start the school. “We searched everywhere, and it seemed impossible at first,” he recalls. Finally, a solution came when the school leader offered his father\u2019s house, a simple space with eight rooms, to begin the school.<\/p>\n

Over time, the team worked hard to improve the school\u2019s infrastructure. “With everyone\u2019s contributions and support from RTE funds, we managed to buy a larger site, measuring 100×80 feet,” he adds. The dedication of the founding members helped them overcome every hurdle, keeping their mission on track.<\/p>\n

Promoting Language and Confidence<\/h2>\n

The school follows a Kannada medium curriculum to ensure students understand concepts clearly. However, spoken English classes are also held every day to help students meet modern expectations. \u201cWe wanted our students to feel confident in any situation, so we added daily English lessons,\u201d shares Siddamallappa.<\/p>\n

A dedicated English teacher leads these sessions, helping students grow in confidence. \u201cWe believe that learning English opens more opportunities, and these classes help students step into the future with courage,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

This balanced approach ensures that while students stay connected to their roots, they also gain the skills they need for tomorrow\u2019s world. \u201cOur goal is simple\u2014to prepare students for what\u2019s ahead, both academically and in life,\u201d says Siddamallappa.<\/p>\n

Achievements of Inspiration<\/h2>\n

In 2019, a memorable moment for the school came when a young girl achieved the top rank among all high schools in North Kalburgi. “This achievement shows the strength of the foundation we\u2019ve built here, even with our limited resources,” says Siddamallappa. This success reflects the dedication to providing quality education and creating better opportunities for students.<\/p>\n

“Many high school students from other schools come here for extra coaching and guidance from our teachers. It shows the trust the community places in us,” he adds.<\/p>\n

\"CTA\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Engaging Activities for Holistic Growth<\/h2>\n

The school focuses on the overall development of its students by offering various activities. \u201cWe conduct interschool competitions with themes like the Ramayana, where students can participate in singing, drama, debates, and other creative events,\u201d says Siddamallappa. These activities give students a chance to express themselves and learn beyond textbooks.<\/p>\n

To expand their knowledge, guest lectures by local experts are held regularly. \u201cThese sessions expose students to essential life topics and provide valuable guidance for their future,\u201d he adds. Such interactions help students connect classroom lessons to real-world situations.<\/p>\n

Every year, the school also organizes summer camps with minimal fees, welcoming all village students. \u201cThese camps give children opportunities to engage in academics, sports, and other extracurricular activities. Our aim is to ensure no child is left behind,\u201d he shares. This approach promotes inclusivity and helps students grow in a balanced, holistic way.<\/p>\n

Varthana\u2019s Support<\/h2>\n

Varthana provided significant financial support, including loans of \u20b95 lakhs and then \u20b910 lakhs, allowing the school to construct its own dedicated building. \u201cVarthana\u2019s support has made a huge difference. With their assistance, we were able to expand the school and increase enrollment by 30 to 40 students,\u201d shares Siddamallappa. He also stresses, \u201cTo fulfill our long-term goals, continued support is essential. It will help us create even more opportunities for our students.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEach new student signifies growth and hope for the future. We are committed to guiding them toward success,\u201d he says, highlighting the positive impact the school continues to have on its community.<\/p>\n

Vision for the Future<\/h2>\n

The school hopes for a future where every child in the village can get an education, going beyond just the students who are currently enrolled. “We are planning to add more floors to the school and build a hall for both academics and other activities,” the school leader says. “We also aim to get permission to start high school and higher secondary classes so that we can provide a complete education and help our students have better futures.”<\/p>\n

The main goal is to see every student from the school and village succeed in life. With hard work and determination, the team is committed to making this vision come true, believing that education is the most powerful way to change lives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Siddamallappa Mugali, Dongaradevi Kannada Higher Primary School, Karnataka A Shift from Finance to Education In the village of Dongarao, located in Kamlapur Taluk, Kalburgi District, a journey of change began. In 1990, 11 individuals came together to start a finance company. While the business grew, they soon realized something was missing. By 1996, they recognized […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":26654,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-customer-stories"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/varthana.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26652","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/varthana.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/varthana.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/varthana.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/varthana.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26652"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/varthana.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26652\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35120,"href":"https:\/\/varthana.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26652\/revisions\/35120"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/varthana.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/varthana.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26652"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/varthana.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26652"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/varthana.com\/school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}