A few words to guide us

Mehta, V.S., Khetan, N. and Jayapadma, R.V. (Editors). 2022. Anchoring change: Seventyfive years of grassroots intervention that made a difference. Harper Collins.

Independent India fueled by a comprehensive and robust constitution, empowered its citizens, through the establishment of a vibrant and resilient democracy. Over the span of more than seventy-five years, Indian society has witnessed powerful social interventions at the grassroots level, spearheaded by civil society organizations, government bodies, exceptional individuals, and other entities.

Anchoring change is an anthology of experiences that documents some of these successful interventions from across the country’s post-independence history. The narratives in the book have been carefully curated by the editors from formally organized, geographically diverse, and temporally spread, lesser-known yet effective, initiatives that have left a significant mark on their respective domains and social contexts.

Anchoring change begins with a chapter curated by Vikram Singh Mehta, aptly titled “Synthesis.” Mehta’s essay summarizes the subsequent chapters guiding us through the intricate relationship between state, society and market in post-independence India.

Mehta emphasizes a common thread that ties these stories together: the absence of a one-size-fits-all solution to India’s challenges. Instead, each chapter tells a unique tale of how specific interventions emerged locally in response to pressing issues.

One key insight highlighted by Mehta is the pivotal role of civil society organizations that have been deeply embedded in the communities they serve. By virtue of their position within the communities, Mehta notes that such organizations have had the capacity to formulate effective strategies for sustained change. Additionally, Mehta underscores the importance of five components that have been essential to the success of such interventions.

Conviction and belief: The stories within this book emphasize that those directly affected should be the driving force behind change, with civil society organizations acting as facilitators. This demands superlative conviction and unwavering belief in the potential of human beings, however powerless they may seem to be.

Design: Sustainable change hinges on interventions designed around the beneficiaries, with their active participation.

Process: The process defines how inputs lead to outputs. Each chapter highlights the meticulous construction of this process, so that the link between input and output remains intact throughout.

Leadership: Most accounts underscore the significance of stable, persistent and continuous leadership for the success of interventions. Leadership from outside the organization, such as political figures and bureaucrats, also plays a significant role. Ecosystem: Excerpts from the book highlight the positive impact of strong partnerships between civil society organizations and the government. Numerous accounts demonstrate that working with the bureaucracy and political dignitaries enhances the effectiveness of grassroots interventions.

Most stories in this book are penned by the same hands who were intimately involved in these remarkable experiences. Aloysius Prakash Fernandez, a pioneer in microfinance and the Self-Help Group (SHG) movement in India, narrates the story of MYRADA, an organization strongly associated with the emergence of the SHG model. Fernandez emphasizes how MYRADA’s hyperlocal work gained institutional support, thanks to the policy frameworks of Reserve Bank of India and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

Similarly, Laila Tyabji discusses Dastkar, a unique initiative supporting artisans and craftspeople in receiving fair compensation for their skills and knowledge. Tyabji also shares her own inspirational journey of transformation and self-discovery through Dastkar, alongside the crafts and the people involved. Both these examples stand out as shining examples of the five values/ components discussed above.

The stories from Anchoring change impart lessons on courage, consistency and risktaking. They serve as a reminder that monumental change takes time. For instance, the ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) worker program, under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), drew inspiration from the Jamkhed health model described in one of the chapters. However, it took 30 years to formalize this crucial village health worker role.

Elsewhere, Srikanth Viswanathan of Janaagraha discusses the importance of “urgent patience.” He sees this as “a modern form of karma yoga, of doing what we have to, irrespective of the outcomes.”

The stories in Anchoring Change are meant to inspire hope and fortitude. These urge us to stay vigilant, progress, and draw inspiration from accounts that have truly made a difference.

Behar, Anurag. 2023. A matter of the heart: Education in India. Westland Books.

Working with the public education system is often seen as a frustrating and arduous endeavor, rarely appearing to produce long-term impact. In his insightful collection of stories drawn from his experiences with Azim Premji Foundation, Anurag Behar encourages us to look at the brighter side and explore avenues for enhancing the system. He takes us on a journey through the heart of India’s public education system, vividly portraying the most remote and underserved schools in India’s villages. Through the characters he has encountered, and the narratives they have shared, Behar meticulously weaves together tales of wisdom and offers recommendations for education policy.

A matter of the heart comprises a series of articles penned by Anurag Behar for the newspaper Mint. The book’s chapters shed light on the myriad challenges afflicting India’s public education system as seen from many perspectives – students, teachers, school leaders, education officers, and more. Behar follows these insights with well-crafted policy prescriptions and guidance for educational practitioners.

Throughout the book, Behar vehemently makes a case for the vital role that public schools should play in India’s education landscape. He asserts, with reference to research and international examples, that more private schools will do little to swing the needle. He firmly states, “private schools cannot deliver true public education.”

I must not overlook paying tribute to the artist behind the book’s cover, credited as Bhavya on the back cover. As Behar reveals in an interview, the book cover visually represents one of the chapters, “Under the banyan tree,” which happens to be one of my favorites. This chapter echoes a theme that Behar consistently emphasizes throughout the book: “the purpose of education is to create a just, equitable, and human society, and a vibrant democracy.”

Another recurring theme in the book is that “the foundation of good education is a good teacher.” A quick glance at the book’s table of contents makes it clear that this topic is indeed a matter close to the author’s heart. In almost every chapter, Behar advocates for enhancing teacher education, teacher training, and their working conditions within schools. He shares inspirational stories of teachers who have achieved remarkable feats, from diverting floods to planting trees.

Throughout the book, Behar immerses the reader in the location with painstaking detail. For instance, in the chapter “Education in the land of extremes,” Behar compares the intricate artwork on the ceiling of a room at a Block Resource Centre in Lohaghat to the grandeur of the Sistine Chapel. The illustrations depicted Einstein’s space-time continuum, highlighting the distortions caused by gravity. Behar observes, “What a wonder it was, Einstein’s time-space continuum on a ceiling in Lohaghat, coexisting with the unsurprising stink from toilets!” Behar’s ability to find beauty amidst the chaos is truly admirable. Each chapter serves as a tribute to discovering the extraordinary buried within the sands of mediocrity, perhaps the book’s core message.

Dealing with the public education system is undoubtedly a challenge, and it is easy to lose one’s focus amidst the negativity. However, Behar’s message is one of persistence, being ziddi (stubborn), and the importance of focusing on the positives and on what can be accomplished in the present.

Kumar, M. and Sarangapani, P.M. (Editors). 2005. Improving government schools: What has been tried and what works. Books for Change.

Improving government schools is a thoughtfully curated collection of essays that delve into various initiatives within government schools across the country. As I read through its pages, I found it reminiscent of the two books I have just discussed: Anchoring change and A matter of the heart. Much like Anchoring Change, Improving government schools also explores geographically and temporally diverse interventions within India’s government school system.

In alignment with Anurag Behar’s book, Improving government schools draws upon anecdotes and narratives from the field to vividly immerse the readers in the schools and soak in the intricate details of these interventions. Through their essays, the editors and the authors reaffirm the preeminence of government schools and offer valuable insights and recommendations for enhancing the public education system.

In the introductory piece, Kumar and Sarangapani point out that the relationship between non-governmental organizations (NGO) and the government has often been precarious. Historically, NGOs have faced difficulties while working with the governmental education system. The various interventions presented in this book showcase innovative approaches to overcome the barriers set by the system.

For instance, in the chapter titled “Social entrepreneurship the corporate way,” Archana Mehendale discusses how memoranda of understanding (MOU) have been employed to formalize NGO-government projects. While MOUs between civil society organizations and government agencies have become more common, the level of seriousness and respect accorded to them varies.

The accounts in the book also highlight how organizations have leveraged government policies and programs as gateways to engage with the public education system. As Archana Mehendale notes in the chapter titled “Towards inclusive education,” Bengalurubased-NGO, Seva-in-Action (SIA) partnered with the District Primary Education Program (DPEP) to provide training for teachers in government schools.

Eventually, their efforts gained recognition from Janshala, a joint initiative of the United Nations and Government of India, which led to the expansion of SIA’s work across various blocks in the state of Karnataka.

Several accounts underscore the close collaboration between NGOs and the local governments, a partnership that was substantially strengthened by the decentralization policy of 1993-94, which granted them constitutional status through the 73rd and 74th Amendments.

Furthermore, localized innovations have often evolved into government initiatives at a larger scale. In the chapter “Multigrade schools of Rishi Valley,” Anjali Noronha describes how the Nali-Kali program originated following an education officer’s visit to a Rishi Valley Rural Education Centre, established by the Krishnamurti Foundation of India (KFI). However, not every story has a fairytale ending. Ira Saraswat in “Windows between schools and society” explains how Eklavya’s program, despite its remarkable success, was abruptly terminated by the government.

Vinalini Mathrani narrates in “I can read and write,” how pushback from a teachers’ union marked the end of Pratham’s Balsakhi program, which placed assistant teachers in schools. This reflects the reality in which many such interventions exist, thrive, and continue to hope for the best.

I cannot conclude this review better than quoting from the foreword of the book penned by Krishna Kumar, who eloquently articulates why these accounts hold immeasurable value for anyone seeking to reform our public education system: “All the stories we read here are like still photography, of moments when cyclonic weather hit a region, or an institution steeped in routine. Cyclonic weather is normally pleasant, but it does not last. Even innovations stagnate when they drag on. That is why we need to recall them, to deepen our understanding, and to strengthen our resolve.”