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The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
One student and no fresh admissions: Govt. LP school at Mittahalli in Kolar staring at shutdown
Meghana B. of Government Lower Primary School (LPS) in Mittahalli village, Mulbagal taluk in Kolar district, has been promoted to class 5 this academic year. What makes her promotion unique is that she is the lone student in the entire school, which offers education from classes 1 to 5. If there are no fresh admissions at least by next year, the school in Kolar district will have no students. No student has been enrolled in class 1 to this school for the last four years and there is a fear that school may be closed if the trend continues. There are a total of 72 families in Mittahalli village, with a population of around 436. But the 10 school-going children of this village have been admitted to private English-medium schools in other towns, including Mulbagal, leaving the government school nearly empty. Facilities intact The school has all the facilities, including classrooms, a kitchen, toilets, water, teaching aids, and furniture. Mid-day meal is provided to the lone student, besides hot milk and eggs. 'No student has been admitted to our school for the last four years in class 1. Last year, two students were studying in class 5 and one in class 4. The students in class 5 have passed and gone to another school for class 6. One student in class 4 has continued in class 5 this year. The parents of this lone student are labourers and have continued here because of financial difficulties,' said Gangadhar, the teacher of the school. 'I have been working in this school for the last 10 years. Earlier, 30 to 40 children used to study in our school. But all of them have gone to other schools after getting a transfer certificate. They all go to private English-medium schools. I have visited every house in the village before and after the school starts and tried to persuade parents to admit their children to our school. But they are not convinced,' he lamented. However, Mr. Gangadhar plans to resume his campaign again from Monday. Krishnamurthy, Deputy Director Public Instruction (DDPI), Kolar, said that enrollment drive will be held till the end of this month. 'We will visit the houses again in the village and take appropriate action to improve the enrollment,' he said. Need for bilingualism A few locals The Hindu spoke to said they would fight to keep the school in the village. Harish Gowda, a native of Mittahalli, said, 'A government school was started in our village about 43 years ago, and the enrollment of students was good. However, in recent years, parents have become obsessed with English medium education. We will meet the MLA of our constituency and try to get bilingual classes for our school to improve the enrollment.'
Indian Express
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Their deaths weren't in vain': Families of jawans killed in J&K attacks on India's strikes, conflict and loss
When Gangadhar Doloi was selected as a sepoy in the Indian Army in 2014, his poverty-stricken family in Howrah was overjoyed. Two years later, Gangadhar was among the 18 soldiers killed in a fidayeen attack on an Army camp in Uri in September 2016. His younger brother Barun was the first in the family to receive the devastating news. Days after the India's action against terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Pakistan, The Indian Express spoke to families of security personnel killed in terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir through the last few years – including the ones in Uri and Pulwama. 'No one wants war, but sometimes it is necessary to teach a lesson to the enemy,' Barun Doloi told The Indian Express. 'The steps taken are absolutely right. We don't want war, but we are being forced into it by our neighbours. If the country just sat back, terrorists would continue killing the innocent.' Gangadhar's mother, Sita Doloi, recalled the moment the coffin arrived. Speaking in a choked voice, she said, 'I remember that day… The coffin arrived. Before the attack, he had said he would come home in six months to cook his favourite dishes. The government has now done what it should have done earlier. Maybe the Pahalgam attack wouldn't have happened if these steps were taken sooner. I'm happy now – stern steps have been taken, and more should follow to eradicate terrorism. So many mothers have lost sons, wives their husbands, and children their fathers.' Onkarnath Doloi, Gangadhar's father, said that since the Pahalgam attack, the family has been glued to the television. 'I lost my 27-year-old son (in the 2018 Uri attack), but I have no regrets — his blood was not shed in vain. He died for his country,' he said. He too believes India made the right call. 'The prime minister visiting the Air Force Station in Adampur has boosted the morale of the armed forces,' he said. Banamala Santra, whose 39-year-old son Bablua was one of the 40 CRPF jawans killed in the 2019 Pulwama attack, recalls his struggles. Bablua, who had only one year of service to go when he was killed, joined the CRPF as a havildar in 2000. For the family, nothing can bring back what they lost. 'I support the government, I thank them, but only a mother knows what she has lost. Nothing can replace that,' she said. It's a sentiment Bablua's wife Mita echoes. 'I lost my husband in Pulwama. If someone comes and kills my loved ones, I will fight back and that is what the government has done… For us, it (the incident) was deeply traumatic. We still don't talk about it. My daughter remembers vaguely, but we avoid the topic altogether,' she says. On May 10, after three days of escalating cross-border tensions that led to shelling and drone attacks between India and Pakistan, the two countries announced a ceasefire. That move too elicited a wide range of emotions. Rakesh Prasad, brother of BSF Assistant Commandant Vinay Prasad – killed by a sniper in Jammu and Kashmir 10 days before the Pulwama attack – has vehemently opposed the move, 'India shouldn't have agreed. We weren't in favour of war, but sometimes the enemy must be shown our strength. My brother was one of the many who died. What happened in Pahalgam was a direct challenge. It's time to take PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) back. Pakistan announced the ceasefire out of compulsion, not goodwill,' he said. Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Uri martyr's dad wants Pahalgam revenge
1 2 3 Howrah: A bereaved man, whose son was killed in the Uri attack in 2016, has demanded justice for the Pahalgam massacre . He expressed frustration over Pakistan-sponsored terrorists repeatedly conducting such attacks with impunity. Gangadhar Dolui from Nimbalia village in Jagatballavpur enlisted in the Indian Army in 2014 and was stationed in Uri, Kashmir, by 2016. On Sept 18, 2016, he was amongst 19 soldiers who lost their lives when four Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists conducted a surprise assault on their Army camp. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Gangadhar's father Onkarnath, who has been following the developments since Tuesday, said on Monday, "I want revenge against Pakistan. Why should our people keep losing their lives in repeated terrorist attacks? They took my son's life. All ties with Pakistan, including sports and films, should be severed. Since my son's death, I no longer watch matches against Pakistan."
