IMPRESSIONS

K.S.Nagar

Prapti Elizabeth

We used to meet the Kaul couple regularly at our Annual MGMI meets of Delhi Chapter. They had settled down in Sarita Vihar area after superannuation from ISM, Dhanbad. Some 3 years ago, Prof Kaul passed away and after that, Mrs Kaul stopped attending the MGMI meets.

We vaguely knew about the school that Kauls were running for the under privileged kids for over a decade but got the full details first hand, only during my chance visit to their place, just a few weeks ago. I was awestruck by Vimlaji's account of the efforts that she has been putting in to keep the project going.

‘Guldasta’, so aptly named, was started in ’95 with just 5 kids but soon increased to 20 which then rose to three digits in no time.

Appreciation, coupled with curiosity, made me attend their Teacher’s Day celebration. Children of all ages and sizes, dressed in their best were there, giggling and talking all the time. With great enthusiasm, they show-cased their talent in singing and dancing to be eligible for final selection for the forth coming Annual day celebration. The way they conducted themselves clearly showed that they were more than a match to any formal regular school children. The seven member team of teaching staff, consisting mostly of the past students who have done well in their studies, with a couple of them even having enrolled for their grad courses in Delhi University, were all very dedicated. They are not paid much but are not complaining.

With the formation of ‘Vasundhari’ ,Vimlaji is hopeful that things will take a turn for the better, soon. The Society is relatively a new comer on the NGO scene but their project ‘Guldasta’ was there for over a decade and recently Madan Mohan Malaviya Mission in Delhi has started lending them a helping hand to keep it floating.

Vimlaji, nearing 80, is no mood to stop. She works relentlessly towards her final Objective of starting a regular school in Madanpur Khadar area. To only say that I was impressed, would be an understatement. I volunteered to help this noble cause in my own humble way by creating a simple informative website to give it a wider publicity, it so richly deserves.

https://sites.google.com/site/vimlavasundhari/

I will feel rewarded if it reaches enough number of people and enthuses them into action – getting involved in Vasundhari is now just one click away.

Durga Shankar Nagda

We have all had one amazing English teacher , who went beyond the subject and taught us life and that was Mrs Kaul.

Not that others have not given us worthwhile lessons but its the legion of a special knid that gave us what we needed in ways we never imagined. They taught us things way beyond what books have , they invoked sensitivity, they challenged us to think, they made us believe that the world out there had too much in store more than we could have ever imagined and she made us want to look for them.

She's the one who made us believe in stories again. From articulation to vocabulary she wanted it all . She was the first ever person to have glorified and taught dissent. She taught that the world still needed people who care. She made us believe that we had a voice which mattered.

There are very few people who leave a mark that won't be wiped away by time, there are even fewer who teach us things that echo for a long long time to come. This is a note of thanks for making me who I am today, for showing me that the world is too vast to be contained within books . Thank you, I'll keep looking.

Madhavi Gupta

I have known Mrs. Kaul for a number of years, but, my first visit to 'GULDASTA: introduced me to the real Mrs. Kaul. I remember that, far back in 2007, the school was held in an open park near a cowshed surrounded by Jhuggies. Despite the hardships faced by them, I found the children smiling and lively. There was a queer eagerness to learn. It made me realise the amount of hard work that must have been put in the project by Mrs. Kaul and her late husband for integrating the underprivileged children in the main stream society-love and education know no boundaries.

I came to know about "Vasundhari" through a friend of mine. I went over your very good website so nicely made. I commend your initiative and courage to run "Guldasta". What you are doing is great work, highly admirable - the recognition & awards received are testimony to the same.

I am sure you are imparting moral, ethical, and spiritual education to these young tender minds. I am also working in the same field http://www.ashramom.org/ashram/sspss.htm- may be we can share some thoughts and mutually help if possible.

Their determination and effort is commendable and inspirational. Over the last fifteen years since they began the school, I have heard people praise and families be thankful to the support they provide to their children. Popularity, Praise, newspaper reports, magazine articles awards etc. have only reaffirmed their faith in their work.

I am thankful to Mrs. Kaul for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the 'GULDASTA' family and letting me interact with the children. It was their genuine and honest concern for these children that drew me also to them. I have seen the children blossom and gain confidence, along with learning good manners, hygiene and above all being good human beings, qualities essential for making a well groomed personality.

My only wish is that, our community produce more humane people like Mr. and Mrs. Kaul then the contribution to our society could be manifold.

My best wishes to the 'GULDASTA' family.

Prabha Kapoor

PUJA AGRAWAL

When, in June '11, I visited India I was told that, a lady has set up a school for the underprivileged. I was thrilled, as, I am also interested in such work. I contacted a friend in Sarita Vihar and was told about the venture, and became very eager to meet Mrs. Kaul, and find out more about the school, and what all she does. I was extremely inspired to hear how Mrs. Kaul had first started teaching children in an open park surrounded by a cluster of jhuggies. She told me that, she would have the children sitting on the ground and how she used the park wall as her blackboard. It was amazing to hear how, despite the hot climate and lack of resources, Mrs. Kaul had the determination to teach the children no matter what the conditions. I was very fortunate to see the park and the very spot where Mr. and Mrs. Kaul began their work.

Mrs. Kaul told me that, recently she had received help to rent rooms to run her classes. Again I was fortunate to see the building and was highly impressed by the availability of space and the overall cleanliness of the rooms. Mrs. Kaul was very accommodating as she specifically requested the children to attend school on Saturday, which is routinely their off day, just so that I could meet them.

I had the opportunity to interact with the children and they all expessed their happiness and a sense of satisfaction in attending classes conducted by Mrs. Kaul. One student told me that, ever since he joined Guldasta ,he had improved a lot in English and Maths. The child also expressed his gratitude for Mrs. Kaul in her motivation to him to work hard rd become an achiever. What I could see very vividly was that, Mrs. Kaul is loved by all her students as, she is dedicated and sincere to the cause.

She has literally put her heart and soul in helping these less fortunate children of God.

Another quality of Mrs. Kaul that impressed me was that, she had managed it all single handed, this again is because she is a very positive person. Despite her age she walks to the school and ensures that she teaches the children every day.

I & many of my friends have known Mrs.Kaul for very long. I quite understand how difficult it is for her to run this show and plan and work with an undying spirit and that also with a smile always. She is very dedicated to any work she takes up.

It's my wish that we could find more people like Vimlaji from among us. I am writing a few lines in appreciation.

If you are a Hindu, Bhagvan will live in a temple

If you are a Muslim, Allah will live in a mosque

If you are a Sikh, Guru will live in Gurdwara

If you are a christian ,Christ will live in a church

BUT if you are a good person, God will live in your heart like that of Veenaji's.

Subhra Mukherjee

It was a great pleasure for me to meet Mrs. Kaul, and I wish her and her project the very best.

Veena Gairola

Mrs Kaul is known to me for a very short time for just a period of one year. However this much time has been enough for me to understand her thoughts and deeds. She is so devoted to service that she never misses any opportunity of serving any one at any time. She is honest and forthright to her duties and responsibilities she takes up .

I am willing to join hands with her and help her in her mission of service to society as far as I can. It is simply admirable how she spends time with her teachers, students and workers.

My only wish is that God give her strength to continue the noble task she has undertaken.

It has been a pleasure and an experience for me to have been somewhat involved with 'GULDASTA'

all through the fifteen years of its existence.

Its work has been worth the acclaim it has got off and on, and, my appreciation of the grit and hard

work put into it is ceaseless and endless.

Prof. and Mrs. Kaul have put in great efforts in seeing 'Guldasta' grow through all the vagaries of

space, finances et al.