Spreading the Light of Education to Underprivileged Children

I had a school classmate who was also my closest friend. After completing our schooling, I joined the private sector while he chose to serve the nation by joining the Army. We stayed in touch through letters, but one day his replies stopped. After weeks of silence, I wrote again — only to receive a letter from his father. It carried the heartbreaking news that Lt. Rajesh Khurana had been martyred while bravely fighting a terrorist attack in Kashmir.

The shock stayed with me for years, and I could not bring myself to connect with his family. Nearly two decades later, I finally reconnected with his sister. Together, we resolved to honor his memory by starting an NGO for community welfare, in remembrance of Amar Shaheed Lt. Rajesh Khurana. We named it Sneh Anchal (स्नेह आंचल) — “Sneh” being my late mother’s name, symbolizing love and shelter.

On 26th January 2024, Sneh Anchal took a significant step by pledging to adopt a slum community in Gurugram, located on Golf Course Extension Road. Our mission was to provide basic education to underprivileged children living there. In this community, where parents work as laborers and domestic helpers, more than 40 children under the age of 13 had no access to schooling or regular meals. With parents leaving for work early each day, these children were left behind, unable to reach the nearest government school on their own.

To address this, we decided to bring education directly into the slum. I began teaching under a tree on weekends, arranging stationery, books, mats, and a writing board. The children came with varying levels of ability — some could not write in Hindi or English at all, some could write only the English alphabet, and others could read and write but struggled to form complete sentences. We tailored study materials to each group, gradually building their reading and writing skills.

Through these efforts, six children have already been admitted to government schools, securing a better future for them. Support has also grown — volunteers now conduct art and storytelling sessions, while donors contribute games, clothes, food, and other essentials.

Two quotes have stayed with me throughout this journey:

• “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” — Nelson Mandela
• “The destiny of India is being shaped in her classrooms.” — Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan