“What do you want to be when you grow up,” asked writer, actor and model Padma Lakshmi, and the walls of Shanti Bhavan reverberated with the voices of young aspiring doctors and writers.
Shanti Bhavan, a care home and education institute at Malur in Kolar district, provides quality education and a safe haven for children from underprivileged backgrounds.
“Shanti Bhavan provides spiritual education. The kids here aren’t just given a shot at a bright future but they’re also taught to be compassionate. It’s education with a conscience,” said Ms. Lakshmi.
Ms. Lakshmi has worked with the institute for over five years.
Shilpa Raj, a former pupil of Shanti Bhavan, has written a book, The Elephant Chaser’s Daughter , and is pursuing a degree in psychology. “Shanti Bhavan changed the course of my life forever,” she said.
The teachers here are volunteers from all around the world. Brooke from Florida , U.S., who teaches English literature at the school said, “It’s a beautiful community where the kids are determined to change their fate and help change the world.”
Abraham George an Indian-American businessman and philanthropist started Shanti Bhavan in 1997. It is a beacon of hope for Mr. George who believes education can eradicate poverty. “You get one of them out of the trudges, hand them the powerful tool of education and then they wield it to change the fate of rest of their family. Quality education can slay poverty,” said Mr. George.
