Ashram Initiatives

A range of activities are being organised by us at present focusing mainly the educational upliftment of the area. Although most of these programmes are organised on self help but few of these are assisted by the local government. The programmes which are being implemented by our Institute are as under —

Ashram Vidyalaya for Elementary Education

The secondary level school runs in the main campus of the organisation was established to promote & spread the concept of Basic Education (Nai-Talim). Runs under 'Ashramshala' pattern, the school, apart from its academic activity, provides the opportunity to learn the essence of self reliance and self help through many work-base activities. This co-education school mainly residential in nature has become a second home to the children under the age group of 4-16 belonging from local backward & tribal community. The value based education here has been perfectly matched with the work based education. The school with about 300 pupils in the strength, is perhaps one of the rarest 'Nai-Talim' model schools still exist in the country. Many eminent educationist as well as scholars have in the recent years visited and stayed here to witness the ongoing experimentations that the school is doing on Basic Education. Most significant in the recent past was the remark passed by the Education Minister of this state in his visit to the school when he said, 'we have to learn from this school on how to organise this splendid and innovative work with the limited resource and capacity.

Primary Teachers Training Institute

This training Institute, which was established only four years back with an objective to train the teachers on primary school teaching. With a capacity of 150 seats, this training course is basically a job oriented programme, thus giving an additional opportunity to the local youths to serve the society as well as getting a job. This training institute, duly recognised by the West Bengal Government has to follow the curriculum of the West Bengal government and the rules framed by the National Council of Teacher Education (New Delhi). But most significant feature in the whole course of training was that we have been able to incorporate our ideology and principle of Basic education in day to day life of the trainees as well as in their curriculum. It has been observed that the trainees of this Institute who are joining in the Primary Schools after completion of training are performing much better than the teachers got trained from other institutes and their commitment and devotion towards the pupils have been well praised by the society.
             2003 - Primary Teachers' Training Institute Opening Ceremony

Integrated Educational Development Programme

   This is a programme targeted to the physically challenged children attending the Primary Schools under three development Blocks (Manbazar-l, Manbazar-ll & Bandwan). Implemented by our organisation from 2003 with the financial assistance from the S.S.M. Govt. of West Bengal. Under this programme our specially trained educators (on disability) visit to the primary schools under the above dev. blocks everyday and train the primary school teachers on dealing and educating the physically challenged children in the schools. Additionally, they identify the requirements of apparatus and kits for teaching learning of these children and in turn the S.S.M. office supply those materials to the primary schools. Apart from our organisation, their activities and performances are monitored by the govt. sub inspectors of the schools. This programme is a successful example of public-private partnership in West Bengal, which was a rare one up till 3-4 yrs. back. Under this programme each and every physically challenged children of the operation area has been taken care of individually for educational development.

           Learning Hall

Promotion of Health Service

M.N.B.E.I, has always given emphasis upon improving and providing the health service to the poor of the area. Although, as was already mentioned, the crisis of adequate funding is a constraint to continue the flow of creative work, MNBEI still did not give up the responsibility of serving the poor for medical help. With its own limited resource and with the help of other resourceful organisations from outside, we have a series of activities on medical checkup, preventive measures, medicinal helps, preliminary treatment units and nutritional programmes for the poor and downtrodden of the area. It has a tremendous effect on them and in real need, their straight forward approach for our intervention and help reveals the impact of our sincere (Although limited) effort in Medical Aid. Not withstanding the fact that without the help of Indian Medical Association, Health Service Doctors (HSD), District Health & Family Welfare Samity (DHFWS), 'Bipratip' Kolkata and Shushrut Eye Foundation (Kolkata), this endeavour would not have been possible. In addition to the above activities MNBEI runs an Ambulance service to carry patients from rural interiors to the hospitals at a meagre price. This programme is also a Public-Private Partnership effort under the financial help from KFW Bank, Germany.

Understanding the situation and need of this district, MNBEI is now in a mind set to plan and take up programme to setup a hospital with super specialty units for the poor and a Medical College to meet the growing demand of qualified Doctors. Although it is a Himalayan task but we are confident that with the help from every corner this dream will some day, come into a reality.

Agricultural Experimentation

For the past decades MNBEI has given priority upon initiating efforts to improve the agricultural production through various methodologies. It is a fact that Purulia is basically a drought prone area and the arid land does not produce adequate traditional crops. Hence our effort was to select the pattern of crop which may suit to the weather and soil condition of this region. Over the years MNBEI has experimented this in their demonstration farm spread over in almost 10 acres and experts from various agricultural Institute and Universities have helped in the technological transfer process thereby demonstrating the fact that this arid land can produce good quality of fruit orchard and timber wood. Our organisation have taken up programmes from the last five years to develop these in the area. It may also be mentioned that this Agriculture demonstration farm is also used as a learning centre for our students of the Ashram School.                              Local Staple Food - Delicious!

Assistance Centre for Educational & Anthropological Research & Study

Over the last few decades, MNBEI main centre at Majhihira has been developed into an ideal 'Ashramshala' in a beautiful picturesque background. Although located in a very remote inaccessible place (52 km from Purulia Town), the campus has been equipped with all types of facilities that are required for an educational and research Institute. This is perhaps the only rural based educational training centre in the district which can accommodate over 300 people at a time. Spread over 5 acres of land, the Institute has got about 15,000 square ft. of covered area with facilities of lodging, dining, conference hall, well-equipped library, computer cell, play ground, flower garden, consumer store, fruit orchard etc. This is why many reputed organisations (both Govt. & NGO) prefer to conduct their short term training courses in this campus. In a word it is a miniature of 'Shantiniketan' of Rabindranath Tagore as described by many noted visiting personalities. Visitors, noted educationist & dignitaries from all over the country regularly visit this place to learn the process of Basic Education which is still experimented here.


2007 - German Students Learning Charka from Adivasi (indigenous people) Ashramite Lady

From the last few years this has also become a centre for educational and anthropological research. Many students from different universities in U.S.A., Germany, Switzerland as well as from Indian Universities come and stay here for months for their research work. As the area is predominantly a tribal zone covered by dense forests and has a long history of struggle and revolution from pre-independence era, the students get ample scope and findings for their education and study. We have been trying to develop this campus as a centre for excellence. Very recently we have also purchased a plot of land measuring 5 acres at the outskirt of Purulia town where a permanent training centre and a eye hospital has been planned to be developed within the coming years.


Sri Dasgupta Keeps Spinning at the Age of 93