HYDERABAD: Like many others, Saritha Kaveti, a 37-year-old Hyderabad-based Telugu teacher, found herself without a job during the Covid-19-induced lockdown in 2020. A friend of hers who had returned from Jordan asked her to teach her children Telugu. While many had given up hope, the Telugu language buff saw an opportunity for something bigger and established the Palaka Balapam Online Telugu School on April 20, 2020.
Speaking to TNIE, Saritha says, “The school was aptly named ‘Palaka Balapam’ (palaka is slate, balapam is chalk), drawing from the traditional starting point of education in India. I realised that while there were numerous Telugu teachers in India, there was a gap for NRI students longing to connect with their mother tongue. With a newfound sense of duty, I decided to extend the reach of Telugu education beyond borders.”
With schools across the world holding online classes, she began taking classes through Google Meet, Zoom and many other platforms within a few months. Within eight months, she had amassed a clientele of 50 students. However, owing to word-of-mouth publicity and her ingenious methods to make Telugu accessible for someone sitting tens of thousands of miles away, Saritha has taught the language to over 2,500 students from 16 countries.
After lockdown
However, with the lockdown ending and schools starting physical classes, the number of students started dwindling. However, the 37-year-old knew that this was not the time to back down. “Palaka Balapam faced its share of challenges in the early years. The lack of technical knowledge and digital promotions resulted in a temporary decline in student enrolment post-lockdown. Undeterred, I assembled a dedicated team — a technical crew and a teaching staff. Together, we created engaging animation stories, crafted unique lessons and developed a customised syllabus. With this, our initiative garnered widespread acclaim, reigniting the interest of students in learning the Telugu language,” Saritha says.
Now, the school operates round the clock, with teachers working in three shifts to accommodate students across different time zones. Classes begin at dawn (4 am IST) and continue until late at night (11 pm IST).
Talking about the curriculum, Saritha explains, “The curriculum is different for different age groups and depends on the grasp of language as well. We teach students as young as five and as old as 18. I recognised the challenges faced by parents and students in finding time for classes and responded by ensuring flexibility in scheduling.”
With a flexible fee structure, depending on the financial status, Saritha hopes that she is able to teach the language to every Telugu child and extend the reach of the school. She takes pride in the fact that she has employed four more women to assist her and support four households in the process.
The legacy of Palaka Balapam is not just about language education but about bridging cultural gaps and fostering connections that transcend borders, Saritha says.