Hyderabad: The 30th Yudhvir Foundation Memorial Award is being presented to Vandita Rao and E. Rammohan Rao of the Rural Development Foundation (RDF) – for their unwavering dedication to holistic and high-quality education in the rural communities of Telangana and inspiring new generations of empathetic leaders.
The award ceremony, where Finance Minister T. Harish Rao will present the award, will be held at 6:00 pm on Sunday, April 30th, at the KLN Prasad Auditorium, FTCCI, Red Hills, Lakdi-Ka-Pul, Hyderabad. The honorees will receive a cash prize of Rs.100,000 (one lakh) and a citation in recognition of their contributions.
The RDF was born from a chance suggestion to turn their ancestral home into a school, becoming the instrument through which Vandita and Rammohan would create a more just and empathetic world. The foundation is built on a foundation of high-quality, holistic education, rooted in the founders’ personal leanings towards education and equality, with a resolve to educate the girl child.
Vandita, a natural educator, designed RDF’s earliest “learn by play” curriculum, collaborating with the Andhra Mahila Sabha to upskill rural teachers. She built a team of committed educators, enabling first-generation teachers to stand tall despite trying circumstances. Vandita champions a holistic approach to teaching, with a strong focus on primary education and encourages a syllabus that is immersed in nature, creating classrooms of nurturers and protectors of the land.
Under Rammohan’s guidance, RDF integrated sports and social awareness into the curriculum, providing a level playing field for all students. RDF students have excelled in every sports event from track events to yoga, even competing on the Olympic stage. His conviction that no family should pay beyond their means led RDF to ensure that parents pay subsidised fees, without compromising on the facilities it offers the students.
Vandita and Rammohan’s leadership and vision have opened doors to the wider world for their students, breaking down barriers based on caste and class. RDF’s alumni of over 2,000 have made the journey out of poverty and are financially supporting their families today. They are India’s future leaders, who respect our rich cultural heritage and are ready to steer the country into the future as civic-minded responsible citizens.
From its first school in Kalleda, RDF has expanded to include schools in Matendla, Redlawada, Rollakal, and a junior college in Kalleda, serving some of the most impoverished parts of Telangana. Despite facing resistance and upper caste bias, RDF remains a visionary foundation that lives by its motto to “Educate, Engage and Empower”.
The Trustees of the Yudhvir Foundation expressed their pride in honouring Vandita and Rammohan with this award, and hope that their legacy will continue for generations to come. The honorees serve as an inspiration to all of us, reminding us of the transformative power of education and social activism. (INN)