EDUCATION

EDUCATION

Location: Home

Time: Evening

Characters: Nithil Dennis(myself), a young boy

I enter my house after a long days work and was greeted by a young boy barely 6 years old. He has a shy smile and a pleasant ‘Namaste’. He is my maid’s son.

CUT TO

Location: University

Time: Morning

Characters: Nithil Dennis (Assistant Professor), Students

I enter the department and I notice some students walking past. ‘No’ greetings. I say GoodMorning and I get a sheepish ‘Hello Sir’
CUT TO
Location: Seminar Hall (University)
Time: Morning
Characters: Parents of prospective new joiners
I am sitting on the podium being questioned by the parents
Parent 1: How much (salary) will my ward get after finishing this course?
Parent 2: What kind of placements do you offer in your university, is it 100%?
Parent 3: Will my son/daughter earn more than 5 lakhs per annum after finishing this course?
Parent 4: How many companies come for placements in your university?
With every other parent wanting know about the salary packages and the placements, I was surprised nobody was concerned with the quality of education that the University can deliver.

Now the big question arises. What is ‘quality education?’
1. Is it equipping an individual to earn more money?
2. Is it about scoring high marks and percentages?
3. Is it making you ready to get into the best companies?
4. Or Is it value and manners and respect and overall development?
A student who has educated parents and is convent educated does not know how to wish his faculty. A maid’s son who is only educated in a government school in Hindi Medium greets me when he sees me.
Isn’t it a shame on the so called educated society?
Youngsters nowadays only speak the language of money. Their attitudes, lives, and enjoyment revolve around money. Sad, gone are the days were university portals were revered by the students themselves, were every student who steps out in his final year is proud to have been a part of that institution.
I seriously don’t understand the parent’s mentality. Do they think that their son/daughter is entitled to earn a certain package the moment they finish graduation. Then what happens to skill sets, performance indicators and commitments?
Firstly, one should understand that earning a degree is not all about education. It is only the first step in a long process. Graduation is not a license to earn. Parents should realize that their wards have to perform, and be good at what they do.
Secondly, are these parents ever concerned about their wards interest? NO, because they choose a course/career which only gives him monetary advantage. Is there any job satisfaction? Is the son/daughter doing something that he/she likes to do?
Most of the time we see frustration all around us. People are never satisfied with what they have. In organizations and work places we see people cribbing about everything. Isn’t it related to the kind of education we get? It is
From the first day in school, parents want their children to become what they want rather than thinking about what the child would want himself to be. This pressure is built on the child all through his formative years which finally ends up when he gets a job and settles. But the problem actually starts there. The child (still child for the parents) is not happy. So he builds develops frustration in his job and makes lives hell for everybody around him/her. Why do you think we have nasty bosses (by product of our education system?)
Through generations we have built many a citizen who is not satisfied. If everybody starts loving his job and does it to the best of his knowledge, half the problems in India will be solved.

On the contrary I see a kind of satisfaction in my maid’s son. He is a content person. I should give full credit to the maid (Kiran) - a very dignified young lady. She is well composed and wants the best for his son. But the best that she wants in this context is what is called EDUCATION. She has trained her son to respect elders. To be well behaved and has inculcated in him a sense of learning from life and people around him. He knows the difficulties his mom faces. Harsh realities are right in front of him. He knows it’s very difficult to get the best, and his mom is doing her best to get him that. This realization early in life will make him understand the harsh realities and will develop him into a human being with respect, love and care. This is what every University, every college and every institute should impart and that is what quality EDUCATION is.

EROICA

Symphony number 3 in E flat Major

- Ludwig Van Beethoven

“You people who think or say I am hostile, stubborn or misanthropic, how greatly you wrong me. You have no idea of the secret reason, which makes me seem that way to you. I would have ended my life; it was only my ART that held me back. I couldn’t possibly leave the world until I had bought forth everything that is within me. Any Idea I had by coming here I would be cured; I must not give that up.

As the autumn leaves fall and wither so does my hope. Oh God grant me at least but one day of pure joy. It’s been so long since I knew real joy I could in my heart”

                                                                                                                                                -Ludwig Van Beethoven

Story of his own heroic struggle

“I was bound to be misunderstood, but I have to live alone, like someone who had been banished, but all this I have resolved and overcome”

A wonderful story of how ART has healing powers. Ludwig Van Beethoven went on to create many a symphony after he became completely deaf. 

A dedication to the greatest Musician, Artist of all time

http://s1.radio.ge/Music/Ludwig%20van%20Beethoven/2005_The_Best_of_Beethoven/03%20Eroica-atm.mp3

A Genius in his own way!!!

GLIMPSES

The memories of the workshop linger on....as i struggle to understand the inequalities in this world

THE WORKSHOP

15 year old Hajra wants to tell her stories through the medium of film. Can she do it and How ?

Hajra is one of the many kids who have found shelter in a Juvenile home in Delhi – Prayas. She is amongst the many girls in the age group of 8-14 who are victims of domestic violence, flesh trade and human trafficking. A few months ago most of these girls did not know their destinies. Today they find shelter in Prayas which helps them in rebuilding their confidence and has helped them in equipping them with skills that give them the courage to stand on their own feet.  

Their liking for films was quite evident in the first session of the workshop conducted by a group of Amity School of Journalism students, me and my colleague.  They spoke about their favorite films and their Directors too.  As the day advanced we realized that these kids are no ordinary ones. They were full of energy and enthusiasm. They wanted to make their own films. Sessions on acting and mime proved very successful were they got to learn the art of storytelling without words. This prompted each one of them to come up with their own stories - Stories that were to stay in our hearts forever.  Tales of cruelty and abuse started surfacing. Listening to every word that was spoken, the Team realized certain hard truths of life.

The pace set. The stage ready! We all were charged to hone their skills on using the camera the next day.

A long session on the different shots and their meanings followed by practical hands on training with cameras were conducted. The girls were curious, intuitive, and ever willing to learn what goes behind cranking the camera. This gave them an opportunity to device their stories in the form of shots and sequences. After a brief session on script and how sequences are broken down into shots, we were all ready for the first COMMAND to be given ‘ACTION’.

Hajra volunteered to Direct and Pooja said she will handle the camera. With little bit of instructions on the protocols and commands used in conventional shooting they were all set to start. Hajra set the ball rolling with her gentle but firm command ‘Roll camera’ followed by pooja’s ‘Rollling’ and Hajra counted 1,2,3..5 and recorded ‘scene 1, shot 1, take 1, Pooja Interview ACTION with a clap in front of the camera lens. Four hours of shooting and none of the girls seem to be tired. They wanted more and more. Finally the time came when Hajra had to give her final command ‘PACK UP’

The story did not end there, in the feedback session there were many girls who said that the two days they spent in learning film making was the best times of their lives. Many felt that they were confident now that their VOICES will be heard. All of them were very positive, but one question by Hajra kept me thinking and still haunts me. The question was “If I have a nice story and script, who should I approach to make it into a film”.

Do I really have the answer? To be frank ‘NO’. There is no let out for the common man/woman to speak or tell his/her stories. Do we harness the potential of these young girls and similar people in appreciating their talents and their natural story telling capabilities? After days of introspection I decided to take ACTION. I started my own blog ABHA meaning shine. It’s an inner voice that tells me to go beyond this workshop to seek action. It’s a journey I have started. It’s going to be a long journey. I have not set the path but I know my destination.  ADHARA – A movement that should rise above caste, creed, and religion …and forever work for the upliftment of the lesser privileged.

THE BEGININGS

What started off as an experiment has now shaped into a movement – ADHARA, meaning Support in Sanskrit

Every Human being is talented and is gifted. No one is lesser to anybody in anyway. To prove this a group of students from The Amity School of Communication along with me and my colleague undertook a film workshop with a group of juvenile girls in the age group of 8-14 years. What transpired out of this workshop has prompted me to start this blog. It’s an inner voice that tells me to go beyond this workshop to seek action. It’s a journey I have started. It’s going to be a long journey. I have not set the path but I know my destination.  ADHARA – A movement that should rise above caste, creed, and religion and  celebrate art in bringing about a change in society.