Gurugram, April 3 -- Sixty-six-year-old Rajiv Soni, a retired chartered accountant, has been spearheading an initiative over the past five years to educate children left out of the system and integrate them with schools by elevating their knowledge bases to the standards prescribed by various boards. The initiative, called My School, which started with 20 children in 2021 at Kanhai village, is now a full-fledged operation, with over 300 children passing through its doors-around 100 enrolled in government schools and 55 joined private schools. Recollecting his motivation for the initiative, Soni said it was due to an encounter with four children during a routine walk at the Aravalli Biodiversity Park in September 2020. "I asked them if they would be interested in studying if I came to teach them every day and they immediately said 'yes'." True to their word, all four children were waiting for him when he returned the next day. "On the first day, I told them I would teach them how to read and write. They were so happy. I have worked with big corporations, but on Day One, I was completely clueless about how to teach them. Still, it felt like the right thing to do," he said. For a year, Soni taught the four children from scratch, helping them learn to read and write. He also introduced them to the internet as a learning tool, using it to expand their exposure and understanding. In 2021, he enrolled them in a government school. Deciding to extend the initiative to more children, Soni chose an open ground in Kanhai village, Sector 45, where he put up a board that read "Pedh Ki Neeche Padhai" (classes under a tree). He said that within two days, 20 children approached him and he started teaching them after taking permission from the village sarpanch. Within four months, another volunteer joined him. The group then moved to a new location in Sector 45, marking the official beginning of the My School initiative. "For the students enrolled in private schools, their entire education is fully sponsored. I found 45 generous individuals willing to support them, and they pay the tuition fees directly to the schools," he said. At present, 55 children are enrolled in the initiative, where they are provided with boiled milk, snacks and a nutritious lunch. The school operates from 8am to noon in summer and 9am to 1pm in winter, for six days a week. Upon requests from older children, Soni also set up additional learning centres for AI, dance, art and music. "They receive education in performing arts and soft skills. All these centres were established in 2023-24," he said. "Those of us who are privileged may not fully feel its value, but if you have a conversation with someone who has never set foot in a school, you will truly understand its importance."...