Introduction
M.R. Raghavan
Was a practicing CA and into software consulting in the 80's. He had an extensive experience in the Pharma Industry and was also on the board of Cipla. He had always been involved in teaching programmes from his 11th standard and his love for teaching started from the time he started teaching at Dharavi Municipal School.
Maths being his favourite subject. The love for this space grew as the number of children he helped. An intuitive awareness of how numbers work together with an innate love for teaching had helped him work with students throughout the years.
He came from a modest middle class family wherein he was required to earn at early age. So medical college was out of bounds. At this point Swami Vivekanand’s writings left a deep impact on him which became the background for envisioning of this project, Shikshayatan.
Over the years Mr Raghavan has helped start 18+ schools, expanded Shikshayatan and taken the QuadSeek methodology to more than 20 schools across India.
Aruna Raghavan
She did her M.Phil In English Literature and was a sub-editor at the Times of India, before deciding to dedicate her life to education.
Her father passed away while she was still in school. So she began earning while she was still a freshman in college. What touched her so deeply was that her sister who had made up her mind on becoming a surgeon changed tracks to graduating in commerce. When her family circumstances did not permit further studies.
She had to struggle to get a degree but that did not make her feel deprived or sad. In fact this made her will to help children stronger. She had always wanted to work in literature and write so there was no heartache there.
She worked as a teacher with various schools, most notably Kodai International, teaching under several educational boards such as SSC, ICSE, CBSE, IG, and IB. She is also the author of the widely read and appreciated book ‘Your Child Can Be A Genius’, published by the Indian Express, which also honoured her with a Women’s Achievement Award in 2003.
Their story began in the mid-70s, when – at the young age of 22 – the two decided to dedicate their life to education. For 10 years they worked with various schools, from teaching the poor in the slums of Dharavi, all the way to teaching the privileged in Kodai International. They also studied many alternative education methods like Waldorf, Frobel, Montessori, Glen Doman; concepts like democratic education; and philosophies by the greats such as Mother of Aurobindo Ashram, Swami Vivekananda, Jiddu Krishnamurti etc. They particularly loved the ideas and philosophies on education by the Mother and Sri Aurobindo, and the research and teaching techniques developed by Glenn Doman. Accumulating, assimilating and innovating upon all of this experience and knowledge, the couple invented and developed a unique method of teaching called ‘QuadSeek’.
Their daughter, Nirupama, was only 2 when Mr and Mrs Raghavan started practising and developing the ‘QuadSeek’ teaching method, by experimenting on their own child. As a result, at the age of 4, Nirupama could read and speak 4 languages, was reading Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton, knew basic Geometry and could solve simple Algebraic equations”. Nirupama was thereby completely home-schooled, and directly appeared for A levels, Cambridge, where she performed exceedingly well. By the age of 8, she wrote a book that was published by the Indian Express, becoming one of the youngest authors of India. At the age of 15, Nirupama penned an abridged English translation of the Tamil novel called ‘Parthiban’s Dream’.
Chidambaram Subramaniam, the Bharat Ratna recipient, who most notably served as the Minister of India for Finance, Defence and Food and Agriculture (where he came to be known as the Father of the Green Revolution), on being introduced to the Raghavans, their “QuadSeek” method and Nirupama’s genius as a result, would write an article in the Hindu describing how the Raghavans’ method could transform the Indian education system.
Our Vision
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At 22 they decided to serve the nation and chose education and children as their mission
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They spent the next ten years (1982-1993) working at different levels – primary, middle school, college, adult classes and conducted workshops for parents on how to teach their child – garnering experience.
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They were 34 when they left Mumbai to an obscure village – Arasavanangkadu - in Thiruvarur district to start a nursery and primary school – Shikshayatan.
They have spent the last 35 years with children from the underprivileged class and can state the following :
Some of our achievements as seen through the achievements of our students inspite of their economic and social status:
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T. Govindarajan: did his NIOS with us, was selected by DJAcademy of Design and Arts, was given scholarship by the college, stood first in all the semesters. He is now working as a designer of games and toys and doing well for himself.
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K. Sabesan, A.Jagdish, both topped their class in the 12 th standard; one has joined engineering college with scholarship and the other is doing his C.A intermediary.
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Seetalakshmi is first in the University of Pondicherry, Department of fine arts.
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One works as the HR chief in a multinational company
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One was a chef with Barbeque Nations, Mumbai, now is freelancing
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One is helping run a school Inodai, in Mumbai
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15 children have done their engineering
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10 have done their Masters in computer application
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3 children have done their fine arts courses
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1 child cleared the CLAT exams and is now studying law at Madurai
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More than 75 have done their graduation and are now employed at various levels and also in the Middle East.