PATNA: On the pulpit lies the body of the great Julius Caesar, with a stunned Marc Antony standing beside it. In an effort to cool the heated tempers of the Romans, excited by Brutus' speech, Antony, using his oratorical skills, exclaims, "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones. So, let it be with Caesar." This time, however, it is the children of Musahar community who will relive Act III, Scene II of Julius Caesar made famous by Shakespeare, by playing the characters of Caesar, Antony and Brutus, and that too in English.
The occasion would be the sixth foundation day celebration on Monday of
the Rukunpura-based school here, Shoshit Samadhan Kendra (SSK). Bailey Road, Sheikhpura .
Incidentally, Musahars have traditionally been so poor that they were
forced to eat rats to satiate their hunger.
"Dozens of students are giving final touches to the rehearsal of the play. We are all excited to do a play in English," said a student. The schoolchildren will also present a cultural programme, including one-act plays both in English and Hindi.
SSK is an English-medium residential school which provides free education to Musahar children. It has been set up by an organization, Shoshit Seva Sangh (SSS), which was floated by J K Sinha, a former IPS officer, who retired as special secretary in the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in 2005. The school not only provides free education, but also bears the expenses of boarding, lodging, clothes, books, medicare etc of its students.
"SSK has a highly qualified faculty, who more than fulfil the eligibility criteria laid down by the CBSE," said its founder J K Sinha, a former IPS official.
The school began with 50 children in 2007, and presently has 280 students. Its students belong mostly to ghettoes from remote villages of various districts of Bihar, including Madhubani, Sheohar, Chhapra, Nalanda, Gaya, Sheikhpura etc. All the children come from families living in abysmal poverty.
Former President A P J Abdul Kalam had visited the school in November last year and was impressed by the knowledge and confidence displayed by its students. "They display a sense of determination and confidence to succeed in life. They have set their sights on becoming engineers, doctors, lawyers and compete for class one services in government and public sector undertakings. Many aspire to become IAS and IPS officers, taking full advantage of reservation mandated by the government, Sinha told TOI.
"Dozens of students are giving final touches to the rehearsal of the play. We are all excited to do a play in English," said a student. The schoolchildren will also present a cultural programme, including one-act plays both in English and Hindi.
SSK is an English-medium residential school which provides free education to Musahar children. It has been set up by an organization, Shoshit Seva Sangh (SSS), which was floated by J K Sinha, a former IPS officer, who retired as special secretary in the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in 2005. The school not only provides free education, but also bears the expenses of boarding, lodging, clothes, books, medicare etc of its students.
"SSK has a highly qualified faculty, who more than fulfil the eligibility criteria laid down by the CBSE," said its founder J K Sinha, a former IPS official.
The school began with 50 children in 2007, and presently has 280 students. Its students belong mostly to ghettoes from remote villages of various districts of Bihar, including Madhubani, Sheohar, Chhapra, Nalanda, Gaya, Sheikhpura etc. All the children come from families living in abysmal poverty.
Former President A P J Abdul Kalam had visited the school in November last year and was impressed by the knowledge and confidence displayed by its students. "They display a sense of determination and confidence to succeed in life. They have set their sights on becoming engineers, doctors, lawyers and compete for class one services in government and public sector undertakings. Many aspire to become IAS and IPS officers, taking full advantage of reservation mandated by the government, Sinha told TOI.
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