Ashok Mahindru Showcases His fevourite documentaries by Vedic Kanya school students

Amongst many other philanthropic activities Ashok Mahindru is also involved with Vedic Kanya High School founded by his father, Late Mr. Y. P. Mahindru.

Indian American Foundation has helped the students of the school to come across documentary making. The management of the school under guidance of Ashok Mahindru encourages such students by allowing them to create their own stories and converting them into a documentary. From the beginning till the end, the concept is handled by the student themselves. Under the leadership of Mr. Ashok Mahindru the school is not behind in using new technologies in education. Dell has gifted the school Smart Class's software and provided teacher training for the same.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_0bx2z5lAw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-z6k3XX8to


Ashok Mahindru loves this documentary Who Cares which focuses on the Chalta Hai attitude of people in India. This attitude is the key for our lack of ability to bring change in society says Ashok Mahindru.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhrx6SzlmR0

Rising Prices is a documentary that raises awareness about the price raise for people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUAgZVWfT9c

Ashok Mahindru says this documentary Consumer Awareness is really great as the very young children of the school are involved with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwJHXf9Tbrc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSEuPv0sQJE  

Ashok Mahindru feels Disha is another notable documentary by the students of the school.

Ashok Mahindru notes that the biggest success has been "Homework" documentary film which took about three months to complete, follows a day in the life of their junior schoolmate Meena, 11 a maid's daughter, and her struggle to finish her homework while balancing her household responsibilities.

Photo Feature: Ashok Mahindru inspires Modern Technology meet Ancient Vedic Knowledge at Vedic Kanya

Ashok Mahindru through Mahindru Charitable Trust is taking forward various social intiatives started by his father Late Mr. Y. P. Mahindru, among them is  Vedic Kanya High School that is spreading light of education in girls from underpriviledged class through modern technologies and ancient vedic knowledge. Under the leadership and guidence of Mr. Ashok Mahindru, at Vedic Kanya High School students from underpriveledged families get education through a innovative amalgamation of Modern IT technology and our ancient Vedic knowledge. 

  

Girl Students studding with dell Smart Class software using laptops and teacher teaching using projectors

 Our focus is not only academic brilliance but also moral values and vedic teachings says Ashok Mahindru. “Vedic Kanya’s teachers visit the area to aware the localities about the school and education. This school is uplifting the community by educating the future generation and explaining the importance of it to their parents.” adds Mr. Ashok Mahindru. 

 Underlining the modern technologies used in the school Mr. Ashok Mahindru says, “Indian American Foundation has helped the students to come across documentary making. The management of the school encourages such students by allowing them to create their own stories and converting them into a documentary. From the beginning till the end, the concept is handled by the student themselves. The school is not behind in using new technologies in education. Dell has gifted the school Smart Class’s software and provided teacher training for the same.”

    

Mr. Ashok Mahindru lays importance of our age old cultural heritage to the students of vedic kanya school

Shalu Gupta, who got free education from the school with scholarship, is a Chartered accountant now. “I am greatly indebted to the school and wish them many more success stories in future."

Instilling our cultural value system and knowledge in our ancient vedas under the guidence of Mr. Ashok Mahindru 

“The need of the hour is to encourage such organizations and volunteer groups who are already working for woman empowerment and encourage more such organization to come up for the cause. My father YP Mahindru was founder member of Vedic Kanya and I along with my father are totally committed to the cause. We are keen to help such organizations with all kind of support” says Ashok Mahindru.

Respect for Women is our glorious tradition; any act against this is reprehensible: Ashok Mahindru

Mr. Ashok Mahindru, well known and respected philanthropist from the business fraternity in his recent article at a weekly magazine expressed his opinion that India has a glorious tradition of respecting women, and any act against this is condemnable and reprehensible. 

Mr. Ashok Mahindru, well known and respected philanthropist from the business fraternity in his recent article at a weekly magazine expressed his opinion that India has a glorious tradition of respecting women, and any act against this is condemnable and reprehensible. Mr. Ashok Mahindru gave examples of Goddess Durga to emphasize that in our country women have always been given respectable position and worshiped as Goddesses. Any crime or violence against women, Ashok Mahindru termed as an unpardonable crime against entire humanity. 

To change the present situation though, Mr. Ashok Mahindru feels that besides the government the society at large should also change its attitude towards women and give due respect to them. He also said that in our tradition women have always been given prominence over men, which can be seen in our religious texts where we take Sita’s name before Ram and Radha’s name before Krishna. 

Ashok Mahindru commended the fact that today women have proven their ability and prowess in handling any responsibility in the country, world, and society at large. Women have ably overseen high ranking positions like, Chief Justice, Prime Minister and even President of the country in India. Ashok Mahindru also cited examples of the three prominent states of the country Delhi, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal having women Chief Ministers presently. 

Mr. Ashok Mahindru believed it was a mistake for people to think of women as incompetent or weak. Belittling women shows narrow-mindedness and modern society should rise above such narrow-mindedness to give women the opportunity to grow in every field, Ashok Mahindru said. 

While condemning any act of violence against women Mr. Ashok Mahindru said that such reprehensible incidents can never lessen the respectable position women have, and will keep on having in this country. Ashok Mahindru underlined that empowerment of women is the way for the nation’s development. 

Mr. Ashok Mahindru has been carrying forward his father Y. P. Mahindru’s dream of actively participating in the process of Social Change. He is leading various not-for-profit organisations like Vedic Kanya High School for Girl Child Education, and Run For Vision Foundation (www.runforvision.org) and Y. P. Mahindru Niramaya Eye Bank in eye donation, under the Mahindru Charitable Trust.

Importance of Girl Child Education & Vedic Kanya High School

Ashok Mahindru firmly believes that it is the conservative cultural attitudes that prevent some girls from attending school. In addition, economically weaker sections find difficulty in imparting education to children. Women have a much lower literacy rate than men. Far fewer girls are enrolled in the schools, and many of them drop out. Government and Corporates should join hands to provide subsidized and free education to girls from weaker sections of the society. 

Vedic Kanya High School was started by my father, Late Mr. Y. P. Mahindru who migrated from Lahore (erstwhile Pakistan) in 1947 and finally settled in Gurgaon in 1950 where he restarted his business.

In 1955, serving and changing lives of less fortunate being close to heart, he chose girl child education and eye care as focus areas. He decided to work informally with likeminded individuals within his circle. He also motivated his family members to provide physical support.

He formed two different groups – one for girl child education and the other for eye care. He was Founder member of Vedic Kanya High School in Gurgaon, in 1959. Presently 825 students are enrolled with more than half of them availing free education, books & uniform.