Babar Ali Summary

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Samarpita Mukherjee Sharma is a full time freelance writer-cum-editor. She is a member of the dynamic action oriented online magazine network. She has won various awards including recognition from the United Nations Volunteer.

Synopsis

‘Babar Ali’ is a story about a real hero Babar Ali from Murshidabad, West Bengal, India. He becomes the youngest headmaster at the mere age of 16. Babar still as a student himself at the government-run school in Beldanga, West Bengal, started a school in the afternoons in his parents’ backyard in Murshidabad. He mainly wanted to help the underprivileged kids with education. Coming from a privileged family Babar realized he must do something for the other children in his village.

‘Anand Shiksha Niketan’ started as a game got institutionalized in 2002. Babar gradually got support from local Ramakrishna Mission, IAS officers and local cops. His venture was soon recognized by the West Bengal State Government.

He along with other volunteers teaches students under the open sky. Text books are free from class I to V. The narrow age gap between the students and teachers works to their advantage. The atmosphere there is very friendly. The deprived children have found love for learning.

Theme

Babar went to ‘Cossimbazar Raj Sundari Vidyapeeth’ where he was a class XII student. He was a model student and the first member to get a proper education. After his school hours, he would make his way to an afternoon school where he was the headmaster for 800 students just at the age of 16! The world’s youngest Headmaster!

His school was a dilapidated concrete structure covered in half torn posters. Inside, in a tiny dank room sat Babar. Behind the office was a gate that opened to Babar’s home. Here, rows of poor, underprivileged kids sat under the open, blue sky and learnt with joy.

Babar is fortunate and privileged in his village because he went to school and got formal education. His father Nasiruddin a school dropout, believes that education is man’s true religion and initially supported his son’s venture with his own income.

Babar thought Education is not affordable for most of the underprivileged families. Hence, instead of going to school, most of the boys help out their families by working as mechanics, day labourers, grass cutters, livestock herders etc., while girls work as maid servants. He wanted to change this. Thus began his dream of a school.

His school ‘Anand Shiksha Niketan’ began as a game when he was at the mere age of nine! The game got institutionalized with the strength of eight in 2002. Help began to come from his own teachers, monks at the local Ramakrishna Mission, IAS officers and even local cops. He even started a mid-day meal scheme. The school had 60 regular attendees and over 220 students on roll-call and 800 students in total (2011). 10 Volunteer teachers taught grades I through VIII. His venture was recognized by the West Bengal Government.

Babar Ali teaches the lessons the way he has heard from his teachers. He teaches students under the open sky. Some children sit in the mud, others on rickety benches under a rough, homemade shelter. Class I and II have 200 students. Class VIII has just 20 students. They study 10 subjects taught by Babar and Debarita Bhattacharya, a volunteer. Textbooks are free from class I to V. On any day there are close to 400 students present. Though it is hard to get children to listen, yet the narrow age gap works. They are more like friends. This helps them learn easily.

Conclusion

Babar Ali continues to teach and inspire hundreds of children and millions of youth. As a 9 year old can alone change the world is enough inspiration for the disgruntled youth of today. It is when we are concerned about our surroundings and instead of complaining, if we can bring about a change, it will be a great contribution to society from us.

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