Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly acquire part of the land belonging to Divya Deepa Charitable Trust in order to use it for "public use". However, the Trust argues that acquiring their land would be immoral as it is currently being used to run a free residential school called Kaliyuva Mane that provides education to rural and underprivileged children. The Trust provides a background on their work establishing the school since 2005 to educate children who otherwise would not have access to education. They believe forcibly acquiring their land would harm their important work.

1. Why certain MORAL THINGS are ILLEGAL in India?
Call for all the patriots to help us in saving our land.
Is it illegal? Is it legal?
to run a free residential
school for to forcibly acquire the
socially, economically and same land from the
educationally backward owner, convert it into
children in one’s own land sites and buildings & sell
without causing any harm them.
to the environment .
Divya Deepa Charitable Trust
Kenchalagudu village, Manandavadi Road
Jayapura hobli, Mysore – 570008, Karnataka
India -570008
91 821 3202249, 9341369901
Email : divyadeepa.trust@gmail.com
Web : www.divyadeepatrust.org
http://www.facebook.com/divyadeepa.trust
https://twitter.com/divyadeepa2

2. Why and how the land was purchased
I am a devotee of ‘Sri Aurobindo’ and the ‘The
Mother’ of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry. I am an
industrialist too.
Education is my favourite subject. I know Anant since
1984. I liked him and his work when he was working in
our industries. I have financially helped Anant to buy
the land at Kenchalagudu (2 acres and 33 guntas) for
running a school.
 Anant and his wife, have dedicated their lives to help
solve one of India’s basic problems: “Education of rural
opportunity deprived children through a free residential
and non-residential experimental school, ‘Kaliyuva
Mane’ (Home for Learning)”. I am very happy with the
progress of the institution.
L.M. Shah
Can Karnataka Housing Board
put the land to better public use
than Kaliyuva Mane?

3. National issue that we are addressing :
 In India, more than 13 crore children enrol in
primary schools. In the next stage, class VI to VIII, the
number drops dramatically to about 5.5 crore.
 According to ASER report, released by Dr. Kapil
Sibal on 16th January 2012, only 48.2% of 5th
standard rural children can read 2nd standard text
book of mother tongue.
 There are millions of children with turbulent
backgrounds for whom education is the last/lost
‘Kaliyuva Mane’ –
priority.
A ‘school for children’
 Often awareness to importance of education itself
rather than
is lacking in rural areas – 69.4% of Indian Population
‘Children for school’
live in villages. (Indian census, 2011)
Our solution :
 To do research in this field through a practical
school in a village and to share the results.
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
Please allow the school to function peacefully!

4. Was there any free
residential school where
we could have learnt?
Manu
Sachin
April 2007 June 2005
13 year old boy from a socially and 10 year old boy from a socially and
financially backward family  Illiterate financially backward family  Uneducated
parents  Dropped out after 1st standard parents  Was studying in a rural Kannada
from a rural Kannada medium school  medium school with a ‘slow-learner’ tag 
Only thing I knew was to write my name in Did not know even Kannada alphabets
Kannada properly
My transformation at Kaliyuva Mane My transformation at Kaliyuva Mane
 Regained the lost enthusiasm for studies.  Regained the lost enthusiasm for studies.
 2012 - Passed 10th standard in English  2010 - Passed 10th std. in English medium.
medium.  Undergoing computer training at a
 Presently doing a Para-medical diploma software company in Bangalore.
course.

5. June 2007
11 year old girl from a socially and financially
backward family  Uneducated parents  Have
three elder sisters  Had studied 6th standard in a
Kannada medium school, but didn’t know to spell
the word, ‘English’
Rajeshwari
Was there any free
residential school where
My transformation at Kaliyuva Mane I could have learnt?
 2012 - Passed 10th standard in English medium
securing FIRST CLASS .
 Studying PUC In NIE college.
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is immoral.
Please help us to learn peacefully!

6. January 2007
10 year old girl from a socially and financially
backward family  Illiterate parents  Broken
family  Have two sisters and two brothers  A
school dropout  Did not know even Kannada
alphabets properly
My transformation at Kaliyuva Mane
 Regained the lost enthusiasm for studies. Shwetha
 2012 - Passed 10th standard in English medium.
Was there any free
Presently doing ”Teachers’ Training Course” at
residential school where
Kaliyuva Mane.
I could have learnt?
 Learning dance and music.
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
Please help us to learn peacefully!

7. June 2006
11 year old boy from a socially and financially
backward family  Illiterate parents  Father could
not work hard due to head injury  Have 3 sisters
 Due to acute poverty, I was on the verge of
dropping out from the school
My transformation at Kaliyuva Mane
 Regained the lost enthusiasm for studies.
Mahesha
 Sat at the feet of my Hero, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
 Shook hands with N.R. Narayana Murthy. Was there any free
 2010 - Passed 10th standard in English residential school where
medium, securing FIRST CLASS. I could have learnt?
2012 – Passed PUC – Commerce in FIRST CLASS.
 Presently studying B.B.M. ( Bachelor of Business
Management)
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
Please help us to learn peacefully!

8. Our work : 1992-2005
Free supporting classes for rural school going
children  Excursions  Yoga classes  Library
facility  Vocational training: Screen
printing, Greeting cards making and Desk Top
publishing  Overwhelming response from the
children and parents  Conceptualization of
‘Kaliyuva Mane’
Institutional structure : March 1999
 Forming ‘Divya Deepa Charitable Trust’ with like
minded persons. it
 12A and 80G registrations with IT department.
Experimental school : June 2005
Starting of ‘Kaliyuva Mane’ a free quasi-
2005, class room
residential school in a hut with 4 resident scholars
and 10 day scholars with a bank balance of ₹5334/ -.
Mr. L.M. Shah visits the school in 2007 and
sponsors basic infrastructure.
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
Please allow us to do our work peacefully!

9. Yet to be recognized officially!!!
Children and public have recognized.
DDPI has visited and left this remark :
‘The school premises were very pleasant.’
BEO has visited and has left this remark :
“Good learning environment exists. The method
of teaching considering not only the age, but the
lacunae in learning, is really special here”
 State Child labour Resources Centre, Karnataka,
Govt. has published a detailed article in ‘Balavani’.
 We have applied for recognition.
 We have invited Union HRD minister to our
school and requested him to give space for
research in RTE Act.
 We have personally met State Education
minister and invited him to our school.
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
Please recognize our institution

10. Well wishers of Divyadeepa
 We met Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in Mysore
on 24th August 2008. He interacted with us for
half an hour, preached his favourite ‘Dream
Mantra’ and gave his message, “Greetings,
‘Knowledge makes you Great”
“Dream, Dream, Dream!
Dreams transform
into thoughts,
Thoughts transform
into Actions”
-Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
Knowledge makes everyone Great!

11. Great man visiting a remote school!
 Mr. N.R. Narayana Murthy, Infosys
founder visited Divyadeepa on 16th January
2011. After taking the tour of the campus
and interacting with the kids and
volunteers, he wrote in the guest register.
Kids receiving Dr. N.R. Narayana Murthy
“I am so happy to see the wonderful work being
done by Mr. Ananth and Team to empower the
forgotten India.” More power to you. Best wishes.
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
Please allow us to empower forgotten India

12. Spark The Rise [Idea for India’s development]
‘SPARK THE RISE’ was an initiative by
Mahindra group of companies. They invited
innovative ideas from all the Indians for the
development of the nation. The contest
spanned over eight months with grand finale
in April 2012.
 Our project, ‘Education of rural OUT OF
SYSTEM children’ emerged as 2nd runners up
based on the public support and the Jury’s
decision. This event brought in more national
recognition and financial support.
This was a significant
achievement, considering the location of our
school in a remote village and there were
whopping 6000 submissions.
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
Please allow us to rise!!!

13. Volunteers – backbone of Divyadeepa
 We are part of Divyadeepa family since
2006.
 It is not an exaggeration to say that
volunteering has acquired a new dimension at
Divyadeepa.
s.
 Our instant connectivity with the kids has
enhanced the emotional ambience of Kaliyuva
Mane.
 We also form the think tank of Kaliyuva
Mane.
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
Please allow us to volunteer happily!

14. Students from Engineering colleges,
Medical colleges & Business schools
volunteer for Divyadeepa during our free
time.
Senior volunteers with young hearts
s
are also actively involved.
We link donors and raise funds.
We teach kids and learn from them.
Without Kaliyuva Mane, we would not
have learnt about the other side of India.
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
Please allow us to volunteer happily!

15. Project – ‘Paper Empower’
Week after week, we visit homes, collect old
newspapers, sell them and give the proceeds
to Divyadeepa for empowering the kids. Such
is our emotional commitment to the kids of
this wonderful school. s
The amount collected from this unique
initiative till now is ₹ 5,00,000/
-.
We also set up stalls at colleges, corporate
houses, sell T shirts & Greeting cards.
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
Please allow us to volunteer happily!

16.  Participation of international volunteers has
broadened the outlook ofsour children.
 It has changed volunteers’ perception of India!
 I'm missing the chaos of Kaliyuva Mane, the
creativity, the innocence of the kids and to mess
around with them.
I'd love to be there and swing the small ones
around, I'd love to be there and have some fun.
s
I'm missing the superb breakfast from Kaliyuva
Mane, the idlis and rotis and chapatis.
Briefly, it's really hard to come out of thinking about
the kids and the school…
- German volunteer
 We hope this is the first album of many to come
as your school continues to grow. You have
something very special here that is not always easy
to find, and we were fortunate enough to come
across and be a part of it. sWe want to thank you for
being who you are and giving us a chance to get to
know you. We wish you every success and know you
will achieve it! - US volunteers

17. 1991, March - Beginning
I’m Ananth Kumar – 1st volunteer of
Divyadeepa.
 I was unhappy, unable to discover my source
of happiness. Joined Vivekananda
Kendra, Kanyakumari as a whole time volunteer.
 After Rajiv Gandhi’s
assassination, management started sending two
volunteers during nights to Rock memorial.
Those night stays on Rock memorial amidst
turbulent sea helped me to crystallize my
thoughts and to identify my source of happiness.
 In 1992, August, I came and settled in a tiny
village on the outskirts of Mysore with a dream in
my head and heart to work for opportunity
deprived children. In 1996, Padma, joined as wife
and collaborator. Since then we have come a
The village where I started working
long way.
Now Karnataka Housing Board
wants to cut off our journey. But WHY?
This is IMMORAL.
Please allow us to complete our journey.

18. Present land utilization.
Accommodation, food and medical help in an
atmosphere of Love, Care & Empathy for 32
children, volunteers and staff members free of cost.
Kaliyuva Mane is a recognized child care centre.
 School for 80 rural children. (free of cost)
 Employment for rural women & physically
challenged.
 Research in education. Teachers’ training and
emergence of a new system of education for OUT
OF SYSTEM children.
 More than 300 trees, a dairy, fodder for cows.
 A host of environment related activities : Organic
farming, Gobar gas plant, Eco-toilet, Bio mass
boiler, Astra stove, Rain water harvesting, Bore well
recharge, Solar lights, Extensive use of eco chip
boards.…Perhaps ours is the most eco-conscious
school in India.
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
Let’s save our Mother Earth.

19. 2011 – Land acquisition process
KHB Junior Engineer with some officials On 22nd July 2012, a team
informed me about the land acquisition. I told comprising of EE - Executive Engineer
him about Sri Aurobindo, Vivekananda, India, of KHB-Mysore, SLAO-Mysore and
opportunity deprived children, new education SLAO -Bangalore visited our land.
system etc. He was not interested to listen. They orally agreed to drop our land
SLAO-Special Land acquisition Officer, from acquisition process.
Mysore issued me notice as per 4(1) on 21st SLAO asked me to come to
June 2011. Bangalore and give a request in
On 3rd July 2011, I sent a reply stating my writing. I collected EE’s letter to drop
objections. KHB did not bother to reply. the acquisition of our land, went to
I also sent a copy of the letter to the Chief Bangalore and met SLAO.
Minister. I met SLAO and the Commissioner
I approached Deputy Commissioner, Mysore. and handed over my request.
He forwarded it to SLAO, Mysore with some  But on 21st November 2012, JE
instructions. SLAO orally agreed to drop our handed over acquisition notice under
land from acquisition. 6(1) regarding our land’s acquisition.
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
Please allow us to do our work peacefully!

20. Some questions to KHB
What are the compelling reasons for forcibly
acquiring our land?
Don’t you feel 1 acre 6 guntas is negligible when
compared to 156 acres you are planning to acquire
and can easily be dropped?
When Executive Engineer, KHB has himself
written that dropping the acquisition in no way
affects the KHB plan, why don’t you drop the
acquisition process?
Feel from the bottom of your
What is the meaning of ‘Public use”? Is our work
heart. Take up a problem.
not in the interest of the public?
Find out a solution. Put your
 Don’t you feel our activities supplement the
hands to the wheels of work.
Programme of the Government for the upliftment of
Don’t think about money or
socially and economically backward people?
men. Money WILL come, Men
 How many times our political leaders from tall
WILL come, God’s Grace WILL
platforms give rousing calls to follow Vivekananda’s
come.
teachings? Are these words hollow?
Karnataka Housing Board wants to forcibly
acquire a part of our land for ‘public use’.
This is IMMORAL.
We need Government’s Grace!

21. An appeal
To :
The Commissioner-KHB, Housing Minister, Rural development minister,
Revenue minister, Education minister, Law minister and Chief minister of Karnataka.
 Human Resource Development Minister, Law minister, Prime Minister.
 Advocates, The Chief justice of High court and Supreme Court & all patriotic Indians.
Dear Sirs,
We understand that the Government can acquire any land in the interest of the
public and it is legal.
If to run a free school for rural opportunity-deprived children in one’s own land
without causing any harm to the environment is illegal and to forcibly acquire
the same land from the owner, convert it into sites and buildings and sell them
is legal, it is high time we redefined the term ‘legal’.
We, the kids, the staff members, volunteers and the trustees, request you to
save our land from acquisition and to allow and indeed, encourage us to
continue our distinctly public service peacefully.
For Divyadeepa family
Ananth Kumar M.R.