Awards

Ekal has been selected to receive the National Award 2011 for its contribution in spreading literacy among tribals inhabiting interior areas of India by Lala Dewan Chand Trust, Delhi. This award is scheduled to be presented on the 9th June 2012.  

Currently, there are more than 10,35,444 (1 million +) students taking advantage of the support education programmes in 36,783 Ekal Vidyalayas working to educate and empower children in rural and tribal India. These schools are spread across remote tribal areas. Ekal Vidyalaya's education programme is customized to meet the needs of rural and tribal children. The classes are scheduled to meet the needs of the village children and are often adapted depending on the season and harvest schedule. The school curriculum is tailored to teach the children basic literacy and life skills to help them develop self-confidence and succeed in rural occupations or pursue higher education, if they choose.

The schools are run for three hours every day and the timings are as per the local needs. There are no school buildings – the schools are run under a tree or a small hut offered by the local people. Apart from basic education, Ekal also extends support for health care education, development education and empowerment education to thes marginalized section of society residing in remote villages in India.

In the past, the work of Ekal and its support organizations has been recognized at various forums. Some of the important ones are: 'Uttakrishta Samman' by Bharat Vikas Parishad, 'Outstanding Contribution to Social Work' trophy by the PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry, 'Meri Dilli Award' by the NNS Media Group, 'Thakkar Bapa Rashtriya Samman' by the Madhya Pradesh Government, 'Excellent in Social Service' award by the Punjab Kesari Group and now the National Award from Lala Dewan Chand Trust. These awards are recognition for Ekal's work in the area of education and rural development. The current, National Award carries an amount of five lac rupees besides the citation.

For more information, please refer to www.ekal.org.