A class in progress in the H Block park of Beta-II sector, Greater Noida
"Teaching is the noblest profession," goes the precept. And if you have read Helen Keller’s The Story Of My Life, you need no convincing. Every once in a while, there are a special few for whom teaching is not a means of livelihood but an end in itself. We came across one such group of retired people in Greater Noida who are spending their free time educating young minds. This is their story.
In Greater Noida’s H Block park of Beta-II sector, every day from 3 pm to 5 pm, a bunch of children can be seen either going through their text books or listening attentively to their teachers. An uncommon sight in a park! These kids aren’t even remotely affluent. They are the have-nots of society, left to carve out a place for themselves among the privileged.
But it is here that the foundation of their lives is being laid, the course of their future being set. The teachers not only give them elementary lessons but also provide them with books and stationery. Promising students are admitted to schools and their fees taken care of.
JP Sharma, a retired police inspector who came up with the idea, says, “Soon after retirement, I thought of spending my free time educating kids whose parents could not send them to school. Gradually, more like-minded people joined me.”
As one candle lights another, this group of special teachers has grown over the past 10 years. MN Mevarna, another resident of the sector, says, “I retired from a government bank as manager and used to come to the park for a walk. When I saw JP Sharma teaching these kids, I was inspired to join him.”
Sushir Kumar Saxena, who retired as a sub-registrar some time back, says, “I was so impressed with the work of JP Sharma and his team that I volunteered to help.”
Rajesh Kumar, who sometimes works as a labourer in the area, says, "My income does not allow me to send my 7-year-old daughter, Munni, to school. However, she started being taught by this group of retired people. After some time, they got Munni admitted to a nearby school. They also take care of her fees. My daughter attends school in the mornings but makes it a point not to miss the class in the park. I can't thank them enough."
