Meerut :
A 14 year boy Abhishek was conferred upon MeenaRatan Award by the UP Government on Wednesday for being able to convince parents of students who had stopped sending their children to a village school at Meerut as the communal tempers ran high owing to Muzaffarnagar riots, last year.
The boy formed a group of six students and knocked the doors of his fellow students’ homes. The award was jointly presented by Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Unicef.
Says principal of Upper Primary School, Kamalpur village, Abdul Samad, “Those days were quite scary. Atmosphere was strife with rumours and parents were apprehensive of sending their children to school. The attendance had dropped to 40 percent. It was then that this boy came with a novel idea.”
Abhishek formed a ‘toli’ or a group of fellow students comprising six students, Hindu and Muslim in equal number to initiate door to door campaign to urge parents not to discontinue the studies of their children.
“My parents are illiterate but I have been fortunate to get the opportunity of receiving education. In no way I could forego that opportunity and I felt the same for my fellow students as well. My school had reached a stage of closing down and we decided to approach our friends who starting skipping school because of the fear of riots.”
Though, a few students still chose to stay away, majority of them turned up. The school has a strength of 225 out of which 117 are Muslims. Abhishek was also instrumental in helping his father quit smoking. He gives all the credit to his teacher Ruchi Shrotriya who has motivated him to create impact in other’s lives.
Abhishek was among 24 children who received the awards for their invaluable contribution on spreading awareness on social issues. Kannauj MP, Dimple Yadav gave away the awards in Lucknow. Abhishek was given tumultuous welcome when he returned to the school after receiving the award.
source:http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Meerut / by Sandeep Rai, TNN / September 26th, 2014