Ankur Vidyalay

Being located inside Handranagar Society means our school feels more like a neighbor than a big institution. We are right there among the houses, so the residents see the kids coming and going every day. It’s a small setup, really. We don’t have a massive campus with gates and security guards; it’s more personal than that. The building is just a few floors, and the stairs are a bit steep. We have to be careful about the noise so we don't bother the people living right next door. Our teachers often live nearby too, so they walk to work. The classrooms are a bit tight, especially for the older students, but we make it work. We have a few cupboards full of old books and some maps on the walls that have started to yellow. It’s a very local feel here. If a kid is late, we usually know why because we saw them at the bakery or something. We don’t have a canteen, so everyone brings their own lunch and shares it under the small porch. It’s not a fancy place with high-tech equipment, but it’s a safe spot for the neighborhood children to spend their day. Sometimes we have to deal with things like a leaky roof during the rains or the power cutting out in the middle of a lesson. We just deal with it and keep the classes going. It’s a simple, honest school for the local community.