From Mewat, Haryana

Name : Ms Reena
Father’s Name : Sh Karamchand
Village : Karheda
District : Mewat
State : Haryana

Reena, aged 16 years is resident of village Karheda in Mewat district of Haryana. Both her legs got affected by polio. She cannot walk properly - she walks on her hands. Her father, Shri Karamchand, is a shepherd, and they are living below the poverty line.


On 7 Jun 2007, with the help of the S.M.Sehgal Foundation, a TARA Akshar center commenced in Karheda village. Reena came to know from her fellow friend and Ms Kamlesh, the Instructor. Reena wanted to study. Ms Kamlesh, informed Ms Razia, Quality Controller and they met her and her family members.

On 25 July 07, the Second Teaching Cycle commenced in Village Karheda. Reena joined the centre, her day-to-day performance improved, and in no time she was way ahead of her fellow students. During the rainy season, Reena faced problems, as her clothes used to get ruined by the mud and slush on her way to class. Nevertheless, she continued attending at the TARA Akshar center.

Her exam was conducted on 19 Aug 2007 and she passed. Reena can now read and write Hindi. Her confidence level has increased tremendously and she is very happy with her new image as literate girl.

Reena along with 221 women in Mewat District of Haryana, India, has been made literate so far from the grant given by Pakhar Foundation. The target is to make 600 women of Mewat District literate through TARA Akshar by 30 Jun 2008.

The TARA Akshar staff and organization:

Quality Controller : Razia
Instructor : Ms. Kamlesh
Organization : S.M. Sehgal Foundation, Gurgaon, Haryana

Tara Akshar Graduate is elected Sarpanch (leader) of her village

Mrs Jaina Bai Uike, 35 years old, lives in the village of Gunwant Nagar, in Athner, Betul, Madhya Pradesh. She is married with two sons and three daughters. Her husband Mishri Lal works as a labourer. They are living below the poverty line.
Jaina was an illiterate, and in August 2007, she eagerly signed up for the Tara Akshar literacy course. Her husband was very supportive.
Jaina Bai passed her reading and writing exam on 24 September 2007. Her confidence level had increased tremendously. She was very happy that she was now literate, and she was fully resolved to make her children literate.
After graduation, Jaina got elected as the Sarpanch for her village. She is performing her duties as a Sarpanch very effectively and efficiently. She is very thankful to Tara Akshar for the difference it made in her life.


Below is a news story on her becoming the Sarpanch.




Here is a copy of the thank-you letter that SHE wrote to the Tara Akshar staff informing us that she had become the Sarpanch. (Remember, she had been completely illiterate a few weeks earlier.)

Graduation Ceremony organised by Nidan, Muzaffarpur, Bihar.

Tara Akshar in Madhya Pradesh

Tara Akshar featured in Rediff.com

Article: 'A school that opens minds'

Video: '30 days back she was illiterate and now she was reading a poem she had written' - Interview with Victor Lyons

Video: 'A peek into the class'

Letters of thanks from newly-literate graduates in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh

From Ms Afsana in Pakarya Village



From Ms Kiran Devi in Maleli Village



From in Ms Sunita in Pakaraya Village

Graduation Ceremony at Islampur, Nalanda, Bihar

Graduation ceremony in Muzaffarpur, Bihar

Ms Sagini Dulaiya arrives at class on piggy back

Ms Sagini Dulaiya has both her legs affected by polio and has not been able to walk since the age of 3. She and her labourer husband have 3 sons. All her family are illiterate and live below the poverty line.
Sagini wanted to attend the Tara Akshar literacy program in her village, but couldn't walk there. So they moved the centre near her home. This enabled her to come to the centre on piggyback on another student. She learnt to read and write and passed her exam in October 2007. This has made her husband very happy - he now wants to make sure that all their children are literate.

TARAakshar Staff and Organisation:
(a) Master Trainer : Sh Indal Prasad
(b) Quality Controller : Sh Brajesh Kumar Rajpoot
(c) Instructor : Ms Mumtaz
(d) CSO : Sh Basudev
(e) Organization : Bundelkhand Sewa Santhan Madawara, Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh

Graduation Ceremony organised by Pratapgarh Gramuthan Samiti, Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh

Smt Munni Devi of Mohan Nagar, Muzaffarpur, Bihar

Smt Munni Devi finds difficulty in walking and doing housework because of her polio. Because of this, people in her home used to taunt her that she was good-for-nothing. People used to say that she will not get a good match in marriage because she is an illiterate as well as a polio victim. But Munni Devi is a brave lady and listened to everyone's taunts with a smile.

One day she found out about Tara Akshar starting in her village. She was very keen to study. She came to the centre with her friend, Rupa Devi, and requested the Instructor that they both be taught. She was fast in learning and always arrived at the centre before everyone else. She passed her exam in June of this year. Now she is able to study on her own at home.

Shortly after this, she got married to an educated handicapped person, and she is now enjoying a happy married life.


Master Trainer : Sh Santosh Sharma.
Quality Controller : Sh Sanjay Kumar Singh
Instructor : Ms Alka Pandey
CSO : Sh Satinder Prasad
Organization : Nav Jagriti, Bihar

Smt Meera Devi of Kasba, Maker, Saran, Bihar

Meera Devi was affected by polio when she was a child and cannot walk properly. She has 2 daughters and 1 son. Her husband Munnu Chaudhary works as a laborer. They live below the poverty line. Meera sends her children to a local institute where free education is provided for the children.

One day she heard about Tara Akshar which had started in her village, and that it teaches reading and writing in just 30 days. She was keen to attend, but she was scared to show how keen, fearing that people would laugh at her because she was an illiterate adult trying to read. So instead she went to her friend's house, where she made an effort to study on her own.

One day, the Tara Akshar Instructor happened to pass by the house and saw Meera Devi engrossed in study, and trying to learn from her friend who herself was not very expert. He told Meera Devi that as she was so keen on studying, he was inviting her to join the Tara Akshar centre. Initially she refused, but later agreed - subject to the permission from her husband. She came to the centre the next day and started to study. She learnt well and passed the exam in June this year. Now she studies at her own home with her children.



Master Trainer : Sh Santosh Sharma.
Quality Controller : Sh Sanjay Kumar Singh
Instructor : Ms Alka Pandey
CSO : Sh Satinder Prasad
Organization : Nav Jagriti, Bihar

Press concerning the Narmada Narmada in Hariharganj, Palamu, Jharkhand

Press for Graduation Ceremony organised by SRUB in Ghoradongri, Betul, Madhya Pradesh

Press for Graduation Ceremony at Jalandhar Center, Madawara, Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh

Press for Graduation Ceremony organised by BDVS in Saharsa District of Bihar

Proud Tara Akshar Graduates with their Graduation Certificates at Ranighar Center, Dhumka, Jharkhand

Graduation Ceremony at Islampur, Nalanda District, Bihar

Graduation Ceremony at Darulata Centre, Lalitpur District, Uttar Pradesh

Community Mobilization in Hariharganj, Palamu, Jharkhand

To make Tara Akshar a success, we have found it very important to mobilize the whole community, including the student's family, so everyone can support and encourage our students. This way we ensure daily attendance. Here is a photo of community mobilization in progress at Hariharganj, in Palamu, Jharkhand.

Ms Komal Kumari

This is an article about Ms Komal Kumari. She is a disabled student who studied the Tara Akshar course and became literate. She comes from Katoria Block, Banka District, in the Indian state of Bihar. Her success has fired up the rest of her community, and now most of the women in her Block also want to do the course so they too can become literate.

Success story of Mrs Kanta Bai in Dori, Madhya Pradesh

Village: Dori
District: Betul
State: Madhya Pradesh
Master Trainer: Sh Sunil Masatkar
Quality Controller: Sh Sanjay Mallaiya
Instructor: Sh Sunil Patil
Civil Society Officer: Sh Sahab A Syed
Local NGO: S.R.U.B., Ghoradongri, Betul, MP

Mrs Kanta Bai is 42 years old. Her right leg got affected by polio when she was 2 years old. She has never walked properly. Her husband, Bhaddu Lal, is also affected by polio. They have a small shop. They have one son and five daughters. Their eldest daughter is also a Tara Akshar student. The family lives below the poverty line.

Kanta Bai signed up for the Tara Akshar literacy course as soon as it started in her village last August. After 30 days on course, she passed her exam and graduated. Her whole family are very happy for her and are very thankful to Tara Akshar. Kanta Bai’s self-confidence has increased tremendously. She is very happy to be known as a literate woman, especially in an area where they are few and far between.

A letter of thanks from our students

This is 32 year old Maina Devi, of Uttar Pradesh. She learned to read and write last month with our program. She learned so well that she and her classmates sent us a very nicely written thank-you note. A month prior to this letter, she could neither read NOR write.

Colonel BabuJi is Colonel Ahluwalia, our Chief Project Manager who runs all our centres.

Translation of letter:
Thanks to Colonel BabuJi

I am Maina Devi. I had never thought that I will study. When Tara Akshar came to our village, I started reading and writing. Now I have learnt how to read and write. Today no one can say that I am illiterate. I want to thank Tara Akshar. On behalf of all ladies thanks to Colonel BabuJi.

Guddi, Kamleshia, Girja, Suman, Mohari, Sunita, Sahidiya, Maina Devi, Prema Devi, Kamla, Anita

Maina Devi's class mates



Graduation of Maina Devi's class

Graduation: Fatehpur Tara Akshar Centre, Uttar Pradesh, India