Sutradhar goes back to 1995, after Mandira Kumar returned home to Bangalore with a degree in educational media from Harvard for a bout of ‘applied’ pedagogy. As a coordinator for CRY, she found her intuitions on lacunae in the education sector reconfirmed. "I realised there weren’t any outlets for teaching aids. And, there was very little communication between NGOs in the field. I set up Sutradhar as a resource bank for education," she says.
Today, funded primarily by the Dorabji Tata Trust, Sutradhar houses learning resources from over 130 groups. It is not a commercial toy and games store. "There aren’t any Barbies, racing cars or video games. Instead, you’ll find teaching aids and children’s literature. I’ve also tried to make available traditional folk toys that aren’t seen any more. We make special efforts to include...
THIS ARTICLE IS PRICELESS...
To read this piece, and more such stories in India's most exciting and exacting magazine, plus get access to our 25-year archives goldmine, please subscribe.
