It could have been a lesson she had learned during her school days, an Aamir Khan-starrer blockbuster, or an eye-opening expedition that she made from her college.
Athira Krishnan I. finds it difficult to pinpoint the ‘spark’ that made her dream of establishing an informal school for girls deprived of education in north India. However, her resolve has gained momentum after she earned selection for a six-month-long mentoring programme by the University of Southampton following a thorough screening process. The 22-year-old postgraduate student has also dispelled certain wrong notions on the way.
Ms. Krishnan, a second-year MSc Home Science (Extension Education) student of the Government College for Women in Thiruvananthapuram, competed with social entrepreneurship applicants of leading institutions in the country to gain selection for the ‘Spark India’ fellowship programme offered through the university’s Social Impact Lab for Indian students.
“It has always been my dream to support girl children who have found it difficult to attend school. Such topics, be it in school lessons, movies such as 3 Idiots or Pasanga, or topics relating to extension education that I have been learning, have inspired me to dream big. A journey we made to Rajasthan and Haryana also taught me much. My proposal encapsulated my ambition and to my fortune, Spark India found it worthwhile,” she said.
Active social worker
The college student, who has been an active volunteer with Thiruvananthapuram-based NGO Kanal, hopes to evolve a feasible business model, identify beneficiaries, and have a clear understanding of the challenges that lie ahead of her during the course of the programme.
Sithara Balan V., Assistant Professor of Home Science in the Government College for Women, who guided Mr. Krishnan through the selection process, said her feat was uncommon among students of arts and science colleges. “While we hear much about start-ups floated by engineering students getting selected for incubation, the same is not the case in our disciplines. Besides, Athira’s ambition is testimony to the fact that the Home Science course is not merely about cooking and stitching, but serving the community through extension activities too,” she said.
