Inspiration
"And is it not possible for all of us, while we are young, to be in an environment where there is no fear but rather an atmosphere of freedom; freedom not just to do what we like but to understand the whole process of living? Life is really very beautiful, it is not this ugly thing that we have made of it, and you can appreciate its richness, its depth, its extraordinary loveliness only when you revolt against everything – against organized religion, against tradition, against the present rotten society – so that you as a human being find out for yourself what is true. Not to imitate but to discover. That is education.”
— J Krishnamurti, Think on These Things (1964)
We asked ourselves...."Can we really make such a place for our children who are fresh, clean, empty slates,
divine souls who have arrived into this world through us!"
This was one of the initial thoughts that cropped up when we became new parents ourselves.
This inspirational quote of
J. Krishnamurti encouraged us to think of creating a place devoid of authority, fear, comparison, instructions, preconditions... but a place of freedom, excellence, responsibility and a serious learning space for children and adults.
Both of us have rich experience in spirituality, music, working with NGOs in setting up skill based schools in more than 150 villages in remote parts of Karnataka, providing skill training to school and college dropouts in various fields, highest achievement awards in Scouts & Guides, working in a reputed J.Krishnamurti foundation school and many more activities in fields related to education.
Spending most of the growing up years in nature camps, enduring physical challenges during treks, working with pets and stray animals, working in teams for many social causes like waste segregation, planting saplings across Bengaluru city, sharing space and executing projects with physically challenged people, having entrepreneurial experience in IT hardware and networking, Graphics and animation, travelling, meeting people from various backgrounds in order to pursue phenomenal groundbreaking work in educational field, etc have given us the courage to consider examining the prevalent education system from a courageous perspective, to see and explore the right education.
Akshara Manèy is surely such a place which is now flowering just as we had envisioned. We, over these years have seen children growing, learning, bloom into confident, strong & fearless young minds.
We certainly did not want to call our learning space a school as we felt that the very word in itself was limiting in its scope! For over a year we hadn't even named our experiment. Kind hearted people of Akshara Mane Library in the outskirts of South Bengaluru were generous enough to give us a space to start off with basic infrastructure for children and adults to engage in exploring education. Thus the name stuck to us eventually!
Ranjani & Murali
Founders
Akshara Manèy Learning Center
Founders
Murali is a social entrepreneur who is deeply interested in J. Krishnamurti’s teachings and has been associated with the teachings for more than a decade.
Murali worked as a consultant in the development sector collaborating with many NGOs. He was instrumental in setting up more than 150 pre-schools, post-school programs and a finishing school for thousands of underprivileged children across Karnataka.
Murali ran a successful IT business in Bangalore for more than a decade before getting into the development sector.
Murali is a recipient of the highest award in Cubbing & Scouting. He was awarded twice by the ‘President of India’ for his achievements.
A naturalist, avid bird watcher, interested in gardening and researching for medicinal plants, naturally talented in music.
Ranjani has always been creatively inclined and thus the interest in anything thats innovative and intriguing. She has over a decade's experience in the filed of graphics and web-designing and partnered successfully in running an IT business in Bangalore.
Ranjani has the unique skill of seamlessly integrating academics with nature. Children eagerly look forward for their session with Ranjani, who chooses treetops, boulders, nature walks, kitchen, garden and other spaces as her teaching-learning environments. She teaches Junior and Middle School.
Founder - Akshara Manèy
Trustee - The Foundation for Right Education @ Bengaluru & Pathless Land @ Madikeri
Ranjani
Murali
Founder
Akshara Manèy
Founders
Murali
Founder of Akshara Manèy
Murali is a social entrepreneur who is deeply interested in
J. Krishnamurti’s teachings and has been associated with the teachings for more than a decade.
Murali worked as a consultant in the development sector collaborating with many NGOs. He was instrumental in setting up more than 150 pre-schools, post-school programs and the finishing school for thousands of underprivileged children across Karnataka.
Murali ran a successful IT business in Bangalore for more than a decade before getting into the development sector.
Murali is a recipient of the highest award in Cubbing & Scouting. He was awarded twice by the ‘President of India’ for his achievements.
Ranjani
Founder of Akshara Manèy & Teacher
A naturalist, avid bird watcher, interested in gardening and researching for medicinal plants, naturally talented in music.
She has over a decade's experience in the filed of graphics and web-designing and partnered successfully in running an IT business in Bangalore.
Ranjani has the unique skill of seamlessly integrating academics with nature.
Children eagerly look forward for their session with Ranjani, who chooses treetops, boulders, nature walks, kitchen, garden and other spaces as her teaching-learning environments. She teaches Junior and Middle School
Previously faculty member at The Valley School, KFI.
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