The village of Chitrigi in Kumta (coastal Karnataka) is our ancestral home. Ever since my grandfather moved to Mumbai, we all grew up in the city and did not have much connection to Kumta. About a decade earlier, Kumta locals convinced our family to support a High School building in Kumta. We did, but our family still remained uninvolved in the school management.
A few years ago, I visited Kumta and got a tour of the school. I was thrilled to see an institution bearing my grandfather’s name. My joy multiplied on seeing needy students grateful for the basic services offered there. That was a turning moment in my life – a call to action, to serve this area, the students and the school!
Now every time I visit India, I make a beeline to Kumta, stay at a cousin’s house and work with the school management on improving facilities and educational opportunities for locals. And there is so much need. Everything from scholarships for needy students, to tutoring, to books for the library and developing new courses. And even when I am in Boston, I am constantly working with the management and my extended family, trying to develop consensus on new projects. And what a satisfying mission it is.
The question I ask myself is:
With all my education, training and skills, how do I help improve educational opportunities in Kumta, and ultimately the standard of living of the locals?
In future posts I will share some of the work that we have done over the last few years. And when I recount the challenges, you will realize it is not as simple as donating a few old computers.
These are pictures I took at the school on my first visit there in 2004, with my older archaic Olympus point and shoot.
The ground floor was first completed and classes commenced in 2002. Very soon the classrooms were at full capacity and construction was started on the upper floor. Note the ongoing construction.
There was a school function going on in the far auditorium. Of course, students sit on the floor.
and many more were sitting at the edge of the quadrangle, oblivious to the goings on in the auditorium. And a well used school bell!
Shoes and sandals are left outside classrooms.
The spectacular view looking out from the top of the school! Yes, it is on top of a hill and in the distance I could catch a glimmer of the Arabian Sea.
And the view out front from street level!
Filed under: Family, Karnataka, Kumta, Shanbhag School
A fabulous post Arun! They all look so good in their uniform. Compared to our kids here who have everything , look at those kids making the beat of what they have!! Shoes outside the classroom!! WOW!!
Both Arvind and I went to Catholic schools, wore shoes all the time! Your family is doing a great job supporting this school, your Karma is all set for you!!:))
Happy Deepavali to you and your’s.
So you don’t speak Kannada, Tulu etc, just Hindi or Marathi?
THank you Asha;
yes, we too went to a catholic school in mumbai; and the settings were comparatively luxurious. I was truly touched by the kids who seemed so content. Thus my desire to do more!
Oh, we still speak fluent Konkani at home; additionally, I can read and write Hindi and Marathi; and due to our frequent visits to abbu’s place in Bhatkal, i can speak and understand kannada too! :-O And I was born in Bhatkal.
Asha – Wishing you and your family a wonderful Deepavali!
Arun…wonderful post…Impressed totally……And thatz such a noble cause ur family is standing up for….people like u are very rare to find these days……..Wishing u all the very best and happy Deepavali in advance
Thank you Sirisha; and it certainly a worthy (and satisfying) cause.
And during my travels I find so many more folks in the villages, who are working very hard to help the poor. That has motivated me to do my little part.
That’s a wonderful post Arun. I am touched. If its ok with you I would like to share some more thoughts on what can we do to help improve educational opportunities in Kumta. I have been doing it quite religiously in my village at Sasawne (Raigad Zhilla) during my vacational visits and I was so very enjoying it. I would be greatful to you if you allow me to share some thoughts and work with you on this.
Wish u and ur family a very Happy Deepavali in advance
Kshitij:
Absolutely, all suggestions are welcome and thank you.
You can always send me a direct e-mail at arunshanbhag at gmail
And kudos to the work you are doing in your home village.
If each one takes care of things in their village, I guess we can solve a lot of the problems of india.
thank you for your support.
Wishing you and your family, a happy Diwali too.
kudos to u and ur family arun. wonderful post. will look forward to ur next post and at a same time let us know if we can help in any way. (alilu seve:) )
hi Sia:
)
Thank you for your kind support. There is soo much that needs to be done – and I think I have found my mission.
I will be going to kumta next month to work out more programs there and will surely write to you and solicit your support.
and again – thank you for that award!
oh Arun, this is such a noble cause…may you be blessed….
thank you Rachna!
Hi Arun,
Great job! keep up the good work infact my mom is from Kumta (bada) , have you visited bada devastana? it is one of the wonderful temple i have visited i have my uncle in bada i make it a point to visit them every year.
God bless you
Regards,
Sangeetha
Hi Sangeetha – thank you for your words of support.
Nice to know of your connection to Kumta!
I have not visited the Bada Devastana – but i will be going to kumta in a few weeks and will make it a point to check it out.
Kumta and environs is a beautiful place and the the people are amazing too. We need to do more for them.
Thanks for visiting. btw, where are you based now?
Got here from Joylita’s blog – this is incredible stuff you have here.
I remember seeing the pictures of the school my dad went to in Sirsi – an old govt. school with dilapidated benches and those that we went to with 200 computers and 33 buses. Talk about economic mobility.
I am sure at least some of these kids who are getting their education here will have gotten their first step on the ladder and down the years when their kids will attend great schools, they will have your family to thank.
Great stuff !
Sharath – thank you for your kind support!
Yes, i hope these humble beginnings propel the students forward to more fulfilling lifes – and we hope their kids do even better.
So, that makes the work so much more important.
Thank you for your kindness!
hi arun,
had visited yr blog earlier and was so glad to read abt kumta…a place i’ve visited so often when i was a kid .. my ‘mavshi’ lives there( her hubby’s name is damodar pai…do u know him??)…also i happen to know yr cousin
smita muzumdar…we live in the same condo in s’pore( in fact i put 2 n 2( the kumta /colaba connection) together n asked her one day if she knows u !!)
really appreciate the noble cause that u r doing for the needy students…wud like to contribute in some way …pl let me know how?
also i’ve my brother living in andover ( dr atul bhat)…think he’s heard of u…will be visiting him soon
best wishes n keep writing…
anita
Dear Mr.Shanbag,
I have just returned yesterday from a trip to Kumta/Gokarna. I had gone there in connection with a women’s self empowerment programme initiated by a very dear friend Akshay Heblikar and his organisation, Eco-Watch. Eco-watch was set up by his father, Mr.Suresh Heblikar, a well known evironmentalist and film personality.
Akshay’s family is from KumtaHe is very passionate about the area, and intends to move there soon and work for development there.
I live in Bangalore and have a shop which sells handmade, natural products – apparel, accessories and more, made by craft and self-empowerment groups.
I am replying to you because I spent 3 days there, yet came to love the area deeply as though I have lived there all my life.I cannot understand it but it touched me deeply. Having come back, I miss it deeply and wish to return as soon as I can. We are now working in the area, and have a lot of environmental, cultural, rural tourism and sustainable livlihood programmes in the pipeline, without damaging its sensitive and fragile traditions and culture which we passionately wish to conserve. I can read, write and understand Kannada but have some difficulty speaking more than basic sentences currently. But that does not deter me.I will speak it soon, I know.
There is a lot to be done in all of India, leave alone Karnataka and Kumta. Overpopulation and increasing consumerism in the metros is not the only indication of India’s economic boom.It MUST percolate, but it hasn’t, yet. So how is it a boom really ?
There is so much potential in a small town to do SO much.It is an easily controlled environment, a limited population, all known people, and all it takes therefore is initiative. Not only from us, but from people who live there. We must instill a sense of pride and ownership to make it a model town, which it very well could be if we all worked together.
Hopefully, I will soon leave Bangalore, where I live right now, and if God is kind, live in Kumta someday. Till then, me, and all of us partnering with Eco-watch and the work they do in the area, will do our best. Please do let me know if there is anyway we could all meet sometime when you are next in Kumta ? It would be wonderful to meet and share ideas.
With warm regards
Aliyeh Rizvi
Dear Mr.Shanbag,
I have just returned yesterday from a trip to Kumta/Gokarna. I had gone there in connection with a women’s self empowerment programme initiated by a very dear friend Akshay Heblikar and his organisation, Eco-Watch. Eco-watch was set up by his father, Mr.Suresh Heblikar, a well known evironmentalist and film personality.
Akshay’s family is from KumtaHe is very passionate about the area, and intends to move there soon and work for development there.
I live in Bangalore and have a shop which sells handmade, natural products – apparel, accessories and more, made by craft and self-empowerment groups.
I am replying to you because I spent 3 days there, yet came to love the area deeply as though I have lived there all my life.I cannot understand it but it touched me deeply. Having come back, I miss it deeply and wish to return as soon as I can. We are now working in the area, and have a lot of environmental, cultural, rural tourism and sustainable livlihood programmes in the pipeline, without damaging its sensitive and fragile traditions and culture which we passionately wish to conserve. I can read, write and understand Kannada but have some difficulty speaking more than basic sentences currently. But that does not deter me.I will speak it soon, I know.
There is a lot to be done in all of India, leave alone Karnataka and Kumta. Overpopulation and increasing consumerism in the metros is not the only indication of India’s economic boom.It MUST percolate, but it hasn’t, yet. So how is it a boom really ?
There is so much potential in a small town to do SO much.It is an easily controlled environment, a limited population, all known people, and all it takes therefore is initiative. Not only from us, but from people who live there. We must instill a sense of pride and ownership to make it a model town, which it very well could be if we all worked together.
Till then, me, and all of us partnering with Eco-watch and the work they do in the area, will do our best. Please do let me know if there is anyway we could all meet sometime when you are next in Kumta ? It would be wonderful to meet and share ideas.
With warm regards
Aliyeh Rizvi
[...] 16, 2008 by Arun Shanbhag When I asked folks at the Shanbhag School the best way to travel to Kodkani (about 15 kms from Kumta) to see Shilpa’s parents, they [...]
Hi arun,
Saw you mail while browing on the net. Since you mentioned you were born in Bhatkal, I was also born in Bhatkal and I belong to the Nayak family. To which family you belong to?
Regards,
Uday Nayak
Hi Uday, nice hearing from you.
I am a Shanbhag; My grandfather owned a pharmacy in town. His brother’s kids and grandkids still have different stores/agencies in town. I was just in Bhatkal in Dec for a short visit.
Where are you now? and what do you do?
[...] 26, 2008 by Arun Shanbhag When I first posted on the Shanbhag School, the upper floor (1st floor) was still under construction. During my visit in Nov, it was a thrill [...]
Both my amamma and pachi (mhantu’s wife) are from Kumta. I’d stopped by for 1kg of pohe malasa last time, and met family I’d only heard about from amma. Amamma’s nee Mankikar, and pachi’s father was a famous doctor (they’re three sisters.. will chk on their surname).
Heh! Yes, pohe masala is a specialty of Kumta (along with Kashaay piTTo). I don’t know many of the families there, but am slowly getting plugged into the local scene. Too many shanbhag, and …kars
and i get to speak konkani in the market, to the auto drivers and everywhere else heeeee heeeeee!
let me know more about the family.