UTTAR PRADESH : On the ancient banks of the Ganges in Kanpur, where the sacred and the mundane intertwine, a different kind of ritual unfolds each evening – one of education, and hope. Here, under the open sky, 31-year-old law graduate Nitin Kumar conducts his “Ghaat Wala School,” with children of slum dwellers, ragpickers, and boatmen as students; lessons range from math to music, Sanskrit to French.
Nitin’s story is one of resilience and a deep sense of purpose, born out of his own experiences of deprivation. Raised in narrow Kanpur lanes, Nitin grew up in abject poverty. His mother, a domestic help, toiled day and night to earn a meager Rs 25 a day, barely enough to feed her four children, let alone school expenses. His father, often without a job, couldn’t provide the stability the family desperately needed.
Nitin recalls his childhood with a mixture of sadness and resolve. “There were days when we survived on stale leftovers my mother brought home from houses where she worked,” he says, his voice tinged with echoes of hard times. “My mother would often go without food, mixing sugar with water to stave off hunger pangs.”
Despite crushing poverty, Nitin’s mother instilled in him the importance of education. “She would say education was our only way out of this life,” he recalls. But attending school was a struggle. Nitin often lacked basic necessities like notebooks, pencils, or even a proper uniform. Yet, he persisted; education, for him, was not just a path to personal advancement, but also a way to uplift his entire family.
After completing high school, Nitin began giving free tuitions to children in slum areas. “These kids had no one to guide them. Their parents, often illiterate, didn’t understand the value of education,” Nitin says. What started as a small effort to help few children soon grew into something much larger. By the time he reached intermediate, the number of students seeking his help had grown significantly. But space was an issue.
In 2009, Nitin found a solution. He started holding his classes at Kamleshwar Ghat along the Ganges. The ghat provided an open, accessible space where children could learn without the constraints of walls. The setting also seemed to put students at ease. “They were more comfortable studying in an open space,” Nitin notes. The serene surroundings, with the river flowing silently, became the backdrop for a unique educational initiative that soon gained recognition as the “Ghaat Wala School.”
Over the past nine years, the “Ghaat Wala School” has grown from a small group of slum children into a more organised effort. Today, over 200 students from nursery to Class 12 gather at the ghat for lessons. Nitin, along with a dedicated team of volunteers, teaches a wide range of subjects, including Sanskrit, French, and even music. Many of these students have gone on to graduate and are now pursuing higher education – a testament to the impact of Nitin’s commitment.His story is a reminder of the power of education and the importance of giving back to community.