Maruti Shiksha Avam Samaj Kalyan Samiti

This Foundation Project implemented by IFA will engage fourth to eighth grade students of the Patel Motilal Thakur Memorial School (PMTM), run by Maruti Shiksha Avam Samaj Kalyan Samiti, in Hatpipliya, Ratlam district. This 15-month project titled Malv Mati Gahan Gambhir Dag-Dag Roti Pag-Pag Nir reflects the deep cultural heritage and self-sustaining nature of the Malwa region, where tradition, knowledge, and resources are deeply ingrained in everyday life. The project aims to draw from this rich cultural foundation to innovate in classroom teaching by integrating the Malvi language, traditional art, and community knowledge. For this project Rajeev Lochan Thakur, the President and Ankita Vyas, Secretory Maruti Shiksha Avam Samaj Kalyan Samiti, are the signatories, and Ankita Vyas, Punit Pathak, and Maya Ji Badekha, will be the Project Facilitators.

Patel Motilal Thakur Memorial School (PMTM) is a rural school run by Maruti Shiksha Evam Samaj Kalyan Samiti, which aims to provide quality education to children from rural and marginalised communities, with a special focus on the education of girls. The school aims to provide all students with an empowering and inclusive education that is connected to their cultural and linguistic roots. The socio-cultural background of students at PMTM School in Ratlam reflects the diverse and vibrant community of the Malwa region. The primary language of students is Malvi, and they come from rural or semi-urban areas, with families deeply rooted in local customs, agricultural livelihoods, and traditional knowledge. Given their experience, the school is best placed to be the Project Coordinator of this Foundation Project of IFA.

Integrating the Malvi language, traditional arts like Batik and Bheru Gad prints, and community knowledge into the curriculum, this project creates a unique and enriching educational experience. This approach fosters creativity, inclusivity, and a broader understanding of the world, as students learn to value the richness of their own heritage alongside global perspectives. Also, the idea of bilingual instruction in language classes, using both Malvi and Hindi, offers an enriching pathway for students to engage with their linguistic heritage. This approach not only strengthens linguistic abilities but also deepens cultural appreciation, fostering a sense of identity and pride while promoting multilingual proficiency. 

Additionally, documenting traditional Malvi stories, songs, and proverbs can offer a treasure trove of cultural knowledge for integration into classroom activities. These oral traditions will be brought to life through reading sessions, writing assignments, and dramatic performances, creating engaging ways for students to connect with their heritage. This dual initiative fosters language preservation, intergenerational collaboration, and cultural pride, making education a vibrant and inclusive experience.

Capacity-building training during the project period for teachers will be an interesting approach to ensure effective bilingual instruction and cultural integration in classrooms. These training sessions will engage community members and focus on equipping educators with the skills to teach language arts through storytelling, folk songs, and Malvi proverbs, as a teaching aid. These workshops will provide practical strategies for incorporating local knowledge and traditional arts into lesson plans, fostering both linguistic proficiency and cultural awareness. By empowering teachers with these tools, the initiative ensures a sustainable approach towards promoting the Malvi language and heritage through education.

By intertwining culture and education, the project empowers the next generation to cherish and carry forward their traditions in meaningful ways. In many ways, this project serves as a cornerstone in promoting language preservation, cultural documentation, and artistic expression. Through activities like storytelling in Malvi, hands-on workshops with traditional artisans, and collaborations with community elders, students can connect deeply with their cultural roots while enhancing their academic skills.

The outcome of the project will be a series of performances, exhibitions and a multilingual dictionary (Malvi-Hindi-English). The Project Coordinator’s deliverables to IFA with the final report will be a copy of the publication, photographs, and video documentation of the entire project.

This project suitably addresses the framework of IFA’s Arts Education programme in the manner in which it attempts to connect students and schools to the cultural knowledge of the places they inhabit. 

IFA will ensure that the implementation of this project happens in a timely manner and funds expended are accounted for. IFA will also review the progress of the project at midterm and document it through an Implementation Memorandum. After the project is finished and all deliverables are submitted, IFA will put together a Final Evaluation to share with Trustees.