School for Success

From failure to flying colours, with the help of a school in Ralegan Siddhi

WHEN the Shri Sanstha Nilobray Vidyalaya in Ralegan Siddhi village in Ahmadnagar district turned 25 last year, the authorities8217; wish-list was short. They just wanted the walls of the school to be plastered.

For funds, the school decided to approach its former students. The alumni took less than a week to pool together the necessary Rs 2.5 lakh. It was payback time and not one former student wanted to miss the opportunity. Because, were it not for Nilobray Vidyalaya, each of them would have had to bear the stigma of 8216;failure8217; all their lives.

LOCATED in the back of beyond in Maharashtra, Nilobray has a focus few other schools can aspire to match. It specialises in taking failures and repeaters from all over the state and ensuring that they clear their board examinations with flying colours. Not only does the school have a near-80 per cent passing average, but it has also produced national level sportspersons over the years.

8220;This year again, we are planning a celebration of sorts to commemorate our silver jubilee. Again we will ask our former students to be on the committee and take charge,8217;8217; says Annasaheb Kale, the school8217;s principal, confident of his former students8217; response.

The confidence is not unfounded. Ask Sandeep Tarde and Vaibhav Wagh, who joined Nilobray after failing repeatedly in their earlier schools. Today both boys, who passed out of the school four years ago, compete in rifle shooting and football at the national level.

Then there8217;s Nilesh Khambe, a Std X student who was asked to leave by his Pune school after he failed in Std VII. The boy scored 68 per cent in his last exam and is also a national-level kabaddi player.

8220;Every school in the state wants only brilliant students on their rolls. Where will the low-scoring students go? Most would end up as criminals. It is to prevent this from happening that we decided to dedicate this school to failures,8217;8217; explains crusader Anna Hazare, the man behind the institution.

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LITTLE wonder then that when Amol Shivaji Ravre applied for admission at the three years ago, his application received top priority at the school office. The boy had failed twice in the previous class and had never performed well in studies.

Today Ravre8217;s ninth standard report card shows a proud 60 per cent and as the 15-year old talks of his dreams of joining the army after passing out of school, there is a newfound conviction in his voice.

At any given time there are at least 800 such students at the Vidyalaya. 8220;Most of these so-called failures are actually just misguided youngsters. Students who fail elsewhere do well here because we give them focused attention in an encouraging atmosphere,8217;8217; says Hazare, who now wants to introduce vocational training.

To minimise distractions, students lead a structured life. The day begins early, at 5.30 am, and ends at 11 pm after being divided up among academics, sports, studies, yoga, general knowledge and practical training in crafts.

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8220;We can watch television once a week, but because we are so busy all the time, we don8217;t really miss seeing it,8217;8217; says Khambe who wants to pursue kabaddi even after passing out. Excellent food, a deep student-teacher bond and a conducive learning atmosphere are the other factors contributing to the success of the experiment, feels Kale.

Subhash Pathare, the school8217;s geography teacher cites examples of freshers addicted to tobacco and liquor who turned over a new leaf within three months of being in the school. 8220;Thanks to Anna none of this is available in our village, which is half the battle won,8217;8217; says Pathare.

Then there are those newcomers who, despite being in the sixth standard, do not even know how to write their names. 8220;For such students we have a special class every morning, where we start with the barakhadi alphabet and go on till they can catch up with the rest of the class in terms of reading and writing,8217;8217; adds Pathare.

BECAUSE of its success, the school now gets students from all over the state for its 800 seats. Occupied strictly on a first-come-first-served basis, the coeducational school has a hostel only for 250 boys. Day scholars don8217;t pay any fees, while the hostellers pay Rs 40 per day.

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The teachers8217; salaries are paid by the government, which also gives the school an annual grant.

With 60 of its 85 candidates for the tenth standard board examination passing with flying colours, the school has reason to be proud. 8220;But what pleases me the most today is not just the fact that we made them into individuals who can contribute to society, but also that they are good human beings,8217;8217; signs off Hazare.

Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More