Circumstances, coincidence or through a divine plan, it all started when our senior faculty of Art of Living Nagraj Gangolli who landed up in Chikmagalur to start up the Vedavati river rejuvenation projects, often working long hours for river rejuvenation project, organising and teaching courses in the villages late into the night and early morning, it was during this time Mr Satish and Mrs Mani of the previous school Kalikamba vidya samsthe came across Nagraji in a Happiness workshop and shared their goals and vision for the school and then he and DM Shankarji helped to transform into SSRVM — and stuck with it. They are mainly responsible for the foundation of this school.
Nagaraj Gangolli: A senior full time Art of living faculty, associated with organisation for more than 20 years conducting several Happiness workshops, prison smart programs and many rural development and river rejuvenation projects in several villages across Karnataka, Vedavati river rejuvenation in Chikmagalur is one such successful project vigorously working for several rural projects in reaching Gurudev’s knowledge by helping prisoners and villagers to undergo the transformation by conducting several workshops. It was through him who brought in this idea to run the school as SSRVM and it is with his determination this School is a success.
D.M. Shankar: DM Shankar is a well renowned coffee planter and a businessman in Chikmagalur. He is one of first devotees of Guruji since more than forty years with the organization, initiated Art of living activities such as Vedavati river rejuvenation project and SSRVM School in Chikmagalur. Member of District Development committee for Art of living Chikmagalur and SSRVM School trustee for Chikmagalur. He is one of the most important pillars of this School for his generous contribution in towards the school in every way with his support system and determination.
Before SSRVM started the school in Marle village, this school was earlier known as Kalikamba Vidya Samste which was started and being managed by the couples Mrs Mani Satish and Mr Satish in considering the above factors as their vision for the school they started in the year 2004-2005. For the progress of this trust until the year 2017 for the future progress of this school we were continuously putting our hard work and effort, as belonging to a basic family background while also with the aim of fulfilling the responsibilities rightly for this school at this point we were approaching a lot many people for help and assistance in such a circumstance we came across Nagraj Gangolli a senior faculty member of The Art Of Living in the Happiness workshop which was being conducted by him as a result of the workshop this brought in a new dimension for our life and confidence and will power to face challenges. It was during this time we shared our goals and vision for the school and also put forth our problems, challenges and the present situations of the school in which we were unable to take it forward and had come to a decision to close down, when approached to seek appropriate help and guidance through Nagaraji hence how to take it forward?. Nagraji got us acquainted to Mr D M Shankar, member of District Development committee for Art of living Chikmagalur and SSRVM trustee Chikmagalur it was through him when this proposal was taken forward to SSRVM trust and then thereafter named as Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir this was the begin of this school and the decision was taken to handle and manage by keeping the main purpose and vision to reach out to the children of all surrounding villages around Marle by rendering well versed education to these children as like any other urban schools for their bright future.
The Art of living members and volunteer, D M Shankar and Nagraji with their help and support on 2nd August 2017 the school was inaugurated by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankar. Before the visit of Guruji to the school, the school structure and buildings were worn out and were almost in the state to collapse, there were only two to three class rooms from pre primary to Standard seven and children were accommodated in one big room without any partition in the room simultaneously classes for different age groups were being conducted, and also there were no benches or chairs for children they were made to sit on the floor as this was the state of this school. Now every child is been accommodated with benches, and provided by basic facilities such as toilets, drinking water, transportation, electricity and the big hall/room has been now converted into small class rooms all these facilities and transformation are being made by SSRVM.
Even though they are from such a challenging background, Teachers of this school say that their ability to learn and grasp things are quick and are with par of other school children in the cities and these children are great and quick learners with lot of creative skills in them they just need the right direction with provided by good education system to kindle those creativeness within them. Volunteers say that they are amazing learners and great fun to be with. Given the opportunity, they too can experience value based education by providing basic necessities and facilities in making them independent can transform them from dependents to driving forces.
The children of SSRVM School come from all the nearby villages situated around Marle, We are grateful for this opportunity that with the blessings of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankar, SSRVM trust recognized and came into such a small village initiated to start the school by not only imparting education to our children also by inculcating and nurturing human values through various Art Of Living workshops to the children.
A small village by name Marle in the midst of Chikamagalur district 12kms away from Chikamagalur town, though this village belongs to Chikmagalur, place known for its greenery and the mountains in Chikmagalur which are a part of the Western Ghats are the source of rivers like Tunga and Bhadra. But such villages under Chikmagalur district are neither considered dry land nor into Malenadu region are humid and have an annual rainfall of 1,000–3,800 mm. The Marle village area is largely open plain, with few hillocks; also it has the history of Hoysalas, as well as this place is well known for its discovery of Halmidi inscription (is best known as the place where the oldest known inscription exclusively in Kannada language), though having such a great history associated with this area it has smaller amount of population with limited facilities such as inadequate public transportation, improper roads, no hospital facility, no proper drinking water, no schools.
People here are mainly agriculturists farming is their main occupation having small bits and pieces of land which is insufficient for their living, to a large extent their lively hood is mostly dependent on the rainfall. Unfortunately due to heavy rainfall and monsoon winds or due to less or no rainfall huge amount of crops are damaged affecting the living stocks of people, with such a circumstance their living has become hard. By providing help to people in such areas and by giving good quality education to their children with an affordable cost, after their education they should be able to live self-sufficient and value based life and also they too can experience an incredible India and by bringing up a value in them to participate in the exercise of nation building. These children are abiding in the roots of our country like treasures hence, we should keep their roots strong and make these treasures into shining ornaments is the main basis for us to setup this school.
Now the school starts with by practicing of yogasana, satsang and meditation for teachers and children.
All the teachers and non teaching staffs including drivers have undergone rural happiness program and practice Sudarshan Kriya everyday along with the weekly follow up.
Their inability to speak English would hold them back in their future, thus to make this as an English medium school and to start computer classes.
To provide mid day meals.
By building spacious and tidy class rooms.
Good library and laboratory facilities.
To extend classes from primary to high school.
Children after education they should be able to build their life independently by contributing back to their villages and family.
To conduct Art of living programs/workshops for the parents and the other surrounding villages which will help them to give up lifelong habits such as alcohol and tobacco and educate them with organic farming.