Liberation Development Agency (LIDA)

Surendra Singh, the founder of Utkarsh, has initiated an informal learning centre in the Bhil community, of Bhil Paltan situated in the outskirts of Indore city. Bhil, native inhabitant of central India, is purely a hunter tribe and has a great living culture. Traditionally they were recognized as good archers. Bhils also have rich customs, arts and dances, and cultural heritage which still reflect, up to some extent, in their joyful life in dense forests.

Indore, one of the biggest commercial city and educational centre in central India, is also known as a cultural capital of Madhya Pradesh. The city is the centre of attraction for employment seekers, traders, students, and professionals. For last ten-fifteen years the growth in population, the expansion of the city, and lack of urban planning has resulted in growing slums, improper housing, unhygienic living, water scarcity, and poor public school facility. Its population is 15, 97,441 (2001 census[update]) and the density of population is 7,464 / km2 (19,332 /mi2)

JEEVAN UTKARSH KENDRA (the Learning Center)

The prelude 

We believe that three major factors that influence educational progress of a child in Indian context. First, the family and the community plays significant role where the child spends most of her / his time. S/he learns about traditional arts, explores ethnic values, develops the sense of community and togetherness, and discovers the cultural wisdom. This is in true sense an education for her / him. The inspiration that s/he gains from all of this strengthens to live a better life. 

Second, skilled and wise adults / role-models / mentors play vital role in formation of child’s intellectual understating of world. We all rely on our role-models / mentors sometimes when we are confused, need guidance, have quest for our curiosity, or we need a shoulder to lean on in our though time.

Lastly, the impact of national or globalized life-style and economy controls our conduct at local level.    The children are facing the effects and challenges of globalization in their daily life. Policies and practices of world economy, politics, education institutions, and ecological consequences of present day life influence our means of livelihood, utilization of natural resources, and conduct of social relationships. The creativity, awareness, and diversity required to face the challenges of 21st century needs to be strengthened at the local level.

Concept of JUK

These factors lay the foundation for the innovative learning centers we intend to create in various communities. We believe that the education is not an isolated process. It grows hand in hand with other dimensions of life.  We are looking forward for an innovative process of education which not only give literary information / knowledge but also facilitates material, moral and spiritual quality of individual’s life. We feel that the harmony of Head, Heart, & Hand in the education process prepares the members of a community to face the challenges of modern world. Mahatma Gandhi, in his philosophy of education reinforced the importance of Head, Heart, & Hand. We see these three aspects as entangled threads of holistic process of education. We believe that one or two ‘H’ in isolation will spoil whole purpose of the positive educational intervention. Recognizing the importance of these three ‘H’, we will focus on incorporating these aspects in Jeevan Utkarsh Kendra – The Learning Center.

• Head - Reading, writing, and knowledge of basic mathematics is the primary intellectual need of an individual. However, we differ from regular classroom practices. In common classroom practices students sit in rows through-out the day in front of the instructor listening and obeying, cramming information, and following instructions. They do not get opportunities to question on what the book says and the teacher teach, or share different perspectives; the culture of school does not allow peer learning is happening in classroom; there is no chance to do experiments on their ideas, there is no intellectual challenge for them, and they do not find spaces to involve themselves in creative processes,. In contrast, we see workshop / internship method (co-creating) is far better and fruitful process. Jeevan Utkarsh Kendra will facilitate learning experiences to the children of the community through library; innovative explorations and experiments in all disciplines of academics i.e. Logic-world (for mathematics & rationale thinking), creative zone (physics, chemistry, biology, geography) room to read & write (first & second language), our society (history, sociology, politics, geography, economics), and so on. Practically this will help children to grow their intellectual strength.
• Heart - We believe that a sensitive human being with rationale outlook towards society and nature is essential for co-existence on this planate. Thus Jeevan Utkarsh Kendra will try to create such an atmosphere in and around the learning centre through which children will be inspired to sustain and develop their innate sensitivity, curiosity, and virtues. We will accomplish multiple activities to attain this objective, i.e. creation of music, drawing / painting of inner feelings and expressions, shaping up of their ideas through clay / paper-mash, uttering their experiences through songs & poetry, reuniting and cultural identity with their history / customs / traditions through story writing / story telling. In short, these efforts are meant to focus personality development of the children, to facilitate them to be sensitive, honest, responsible and caring citizens.
• Hand - One also needs to be equipped with some vocational skills to earn sustainable livelihood. In this regard Jeevan Utkarsh Kendra will facilitate vocational training i.e. clay & paper-mash work, hand-made greeting cards, basics of computer hardware & software, DTP, assembling & troubleshooting of home & electronic devices, readymade garments, etc. We are looking forward to equip the children with vocational skills, to develop entrepreneurship among them, and to be self reliant.

Utkarsh Institute/organization was established in the year 1998-99 with a motive to eradicate social evils that are deep routed in our society since long and also to fight against various cultural and environmental problems that are growing rapidly in our society.

Due to unfavorable conditions that are prevailing in our rural and urban cultural environment, today’s youth and affluent class is getting socially insensible and self centered, so with a view to change this narrow thinking, doing something constructive for society and to bring social reforms,  a group of middle class young men established Utkarsh.

Utkarsh set up its first office at Tejaji Nagar (12km from Indore).  Tejaji nagar is a prominent place among almost 20 villages in the nearby area. The place has been named after Malwa’s Great and brave people’s hero Tejaji Maharaj.  Every year, on the occasion of ‘Tejadashmi’ a culture meet of the villages around Tejaji nagar is held in the form of fest which keeps the youth connected to their cultural and traditional folk arts and culture.

In the midst of these cultural activities, some local youth felt that they should do something for religious, social and rural development. In 1980’s ‘Jaihind Yuva Sangthan’ was established by a group of old people. After that ‘Adarsh Yuva Kalyan Samiti’ was established by new generation of social activists.

A local group of young people organized different creative and reformative activities along with  Kasturba Gandhi Rashtriya Smarak Trust situated near Tejaji Nagar. The successful organization and management of National Youth Camp by ‘Rashtriya Seva Yojna’  gave these youth great motivation. The youth took the task of rural cleanliness and Rural Development as their responsibility and they undertook the task with greatest priority.

As time went by, Utkarsh Institute took forward the tradition of social responsibility as community based  organization  .