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Siddharth Menon (right): self-understanding imperative KFI Palar Learning Centre students: Inset M.G. Gautama

Centre and Sahyadri School, Pune. Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous dents in classes, dining halls, cultural
The belief that Krishnamurti’s state (215 million). education and other forums; restricts
teachings about the purpose and Although JK’s liberal and non- the total number of campus residents
ambit of education ideated several competitive education philosophy to 150 (‘Dunbar’s Number’) to ensure
decades ago is even more relevant in based on freeing young minds for ex- individualised attention to students;
this fractious day and age is pervasive ploratory and discovery learning is the implements sustainability practices
within the extraordinarily qualified common factor that binds all KFI ed- (solar power, dry composting toilets,
principals and leaders of KFI schools ucation centres and six schools, JK’s multiple learning spaces) and runs
in India and abroad. recommended best practices have an elaborate year-round community
“JK’s message is relevant for all been implemented by development outreach programme (kitchen gar-
time because psychologically human of robust, enabling structural archi- dens, flood relief, education support
beings have evolved insufficiently, if tecture. According to M . G . G a u ta - and other activities in neighbouring
at all, and the roots of violence and m a , director of KFI’s Palar Learning government schools).
conflict are still spreading worldwide. Centre in Vallipuram, an hour’s drive “Krishnamurti emphasised the re-
Their effect is perhaps becoming from Chennai which also includes sponsibility of every individual is to
more pronounced in the new techno- an Outreach & Study Centre and the transform her consciousness, as it is
logically evolved global society with K-12 CISCE and IGCSE (Cambridge, the consciousness of humankind. This
no checks on rampant consumerism, UK)-affiliated Pathashaala School is the starting point from which real
and with the internet and social me- (estb.2010), Krishnamurti advised change can emanate,” says Gautama,
dia being used to perpetuate social that “each school must work out its an alumnus of IIT-Madras, former re-
divisions. The ‘unexamined life’ as own approach” within the broad phil- search scientist at the Bhabha Atomic
Socrates termed it, is capable of great osophical framework of his teachings. Research Centre, Mumbai (1972-77)
mischief. Therefore, self-understand- and project engineer with renowned
ing — as opposed to self-absorption — N COMPLIANCE WITH THIS engineering consultancy firm M.N.
is an urgent imperative, Krishnamurti I mandate, this relatively new Dastur & Co (1977-83), who was ap-
discerned, which is why he promoted 21st century school which has pointed principal of The School, KFI
our schools,” says S iddh a rth M e - had the advantage of “learn- in 1991. In 2012, Gautama was ap-
n on , a graduate of Delhi University ing from sister KFI schools and (con- pointed director of KFI’s 21st century
and IGNOU, former principal of the temporary) education thinking from Palar Centre for Learning (estb.2010).
top-ranked Rishi Valley School (2012- around the world,” has devised a This emphasis on introspection/
18) and currently a KFI trustee and unique institutional culture. For in- meditation and ‘knowing thyself’ as
director of the Rajghat Education stance, instead of traditional teachers the precondition of joyful learning is
Centre sprawled over 300 acres, host- and students/pupils, the “symmetrical a unique feature of KFI schools. “The
ing the Rajghat Besant Study Centre nomenclature” is learner-educators need to understand oneself and the
(estb.1932) which supervises the Ra- and educator-learners so that “educa- importance of relating with respect
jghat Besant School, a rural school, tors are learners as well”. Secondly, and affection towards human beings
study and research centre in Varanasi, the school encourages multi-age stu- and nature, are perhaps the most sig-

JUNE 2022 EDUCATIONWORLD 45