K.G.K Gurukulam, Vedaraniam, Tamil Nadu

Situated on the coast of Tamil Nadu, on the south east corner of India, is a unique school cum orphanage for girls called Kasthurba Gandhi Kanya Gurukulam (K.G.K.G. for short). K.G.K.G. was founded in 1946 by Sardar Vedaratnam, a well known nationalist and follower of Mahatma Gandhi during the struggle for freedom against British rule. Based on Gandhian ideals, especially rural upliftment and women's emancipation, it was Vedaratnam's dream to create a living and learning co-operative community where disadvantaged girls could be educated and trained in job-orientated skills, and therefore released from the shackles of slavery, illiteracy and repression.

This dream was gradually realized and now, 60 years later, there are 3000 girls studying at K.G.K.G, 750 of whom live there sharing a community life. Of these, approximately 50 are orphans who are entirely brought up and cared for by the institute. The orphans remain living at K.G.K.G until their marriages are arranged (by the institute), and they leave 'home' in the traditional way to live with their husbands and start a family.

As well as teaching a broad secondary school syllabus, K.G.K.G. also runs a printing press, an electronics production unit, an incense production unit, and is in the process of establishing a large-scale bakery. In each of these units, girls and local women are provided with training to help them find work and generate income outside the institute. There is also a dairy farm to provide milk, and a biogas unit that supplies the kitchen with a sustainable source of cooking fuel.

Based on Gandhian principles, emphasis is placed on the concept of ahimsa (non-violence) and co-operation. Students are not given punishments, and everyday they participate in various forms of yoga, prayer and meditation. The result is a caring, loving and surprisingly disciplined atmosphere that provides a sense of belonging to girls who would otherwise have no family or home of their own. The value of K.G.K.G. has been widely recognized during the last few decades and has received a number of prestigious national awards for its services to society.