Babar Ali is a teacher from the Murshidabad district in West Bengal. His interest in teaching made him an educator at the young age of nine years. Ali started giving lessons as a hobby but later decided to follow his passion for teaching on a large scale. He is considered the youngest headmaster in the world and was awarded this title at the age of sixteen years by BBC.
Babar Ali wants to make education affordable for everyone. That is the reason his school is tuition-free for economically disadvantaged students. His contribution to the education sector has helped increase the literacy rate in the Murshidabad district. When Babar Ali started his school, there were no private or public schools in his area. His students used to walk up to four kilometers to attend his lectures.
The West Bengal government gave four kilograms of rice to every student for attending school regularly. When Ali learned about this scheme, he got his school recognized by local authorities so that his pupils get an advantage. Babar Ali considers Swami Vivekanand his source of motivation and wants to continue the good work to improve the quality of education in his district.
Establishment of His School
Babar Ali started the journey of providing education to underprivileged children in the courtyard of his home. The school operated from a hut in the open air. One day, when Babar was coming back from his school, he noticed some of the children of his age were unable to attend school. This thought provoked him to start school at the age of nine years.
As a fifth-grader, Babar Ali could not think of any way other than establishing a small school in the backyard of his home. Since then, he has not stopped and is imparting education to hundreds of poverty-stricken children. Later, he registered his school by the name of Anand Shiksha Niketan and continues to provide education there.
Education
Babar Ali completed his schooling at Beldanga C.R.G.S. High School in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Later, he joined Krishnath College to pursue an undergraduate degree in arts. He took English as a major in his undergraduate course. Then he decided to do a master's with English and History as his major subjects. He joined the University of Kalyani to pursue a Master of Arts.
Awards and Recognition
Babar Ali’s work was recognized by various national and international agencies. Some of the prominent awards he received are:
- Awarded with Real Heros award by CNN IBN for his selfless work towards the education of poverty-stricken children
- Indian of the Year award by NDTV
- Literacy Hero Award by Rotary India Literacy Mission
- Featured in Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 list for his efforts in the education industry
The story of Babar Ali is also a part of the coursebook of different state and central education boards. His story is a part of the English syllabus for the CBSE class 10th students. Moreover, the Government of Karnataka has also included a chapter on him in their PUC English textbook. Babar Ali was also featured in various live shows and TV programs. He is also invited to various conferences and forums to speak about his journey.
About Babar Ali’s School
Anand Shiksha Niketan is a school for joyful learning. The school started in the backyard of Babar Ali. But, it shifted to a new building in 2015. Also, the school was recognized by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. The school management provides free learning kits, dress, tiffin, and other basic amenities to its students. Anand Shiksha Niketan’s building was constructed by donations from various national and international agencies.
Babar Ali is a source of inspiration for everyone. His story states that if you are dedicated to a specific goal, you will surely receive great outcomes.
Teachmint helps schools envision a future where their students are equipped with 21st-century skills. With our advanced learning management system, you can improve the teaching-learning experience. Our offerings like education erp, admission management system, fee management system, and others conveniently digitize educational organizations.
Suggested Read: Anand Kumar-Pioneer in Mathematics
