Our
Story
In 1955 a group of Tharu farm labourers settled in Kisun Nagar Village to cultivate land near Dudwa National Forest at the India-Nepal border. They established a community of families who have been farming there ever since. Today ~150 children live in the community, each with unique talents and dreams ready to emerge and develop.
Vidya Vriksh Gurukul (the Learning Tree Centre) was founded in 2023 by members of the Bhalla, Khurana and Anand families who have decades-long ties to the Kisun Nagar community.
When the community expressed a need for better education for their children, the educators in the family collaborated with community members to create a learning centre.
Our Challenge
Literacy rates and learning outcomes in this part of rural Uttar Pradesh are some of the poorest in India. By Class 5, when basic literacy skills should be well-established, most children in our district still cannot read and do math at grade level. And one third of our youth have dropped out of school by Grade 9.
This lack of access to high quality education significantly reduces the ability of youth to develop and channel their skills and interests into well-matched jobs and higher incomes.
7 out of 10 children in Kisun Nagar are unable to read and do math at grade level even though a majority attend local schools.*
3 out of 10 youth in Kisun Nagar have dropped out of school by Grade 9 in order to work or help at home, or because they don't like school.*
With limited literacy skills, most adults in Kisun Nagar are employed in daily wage labour or domestic jobs.*
*Data from 2024 survey of youth in Kisun Nagar Village, Uttar Pradesh where Vidya Vriksh Gurukul is located.
Our Approach
We believe we can improve access to high quality education by training local teachers with a Class 12 education to help the children of their own communities learn to read, write, do math, ask good questions and think creatively.
Engaging parents is another key strategy in improving learning outcomes. By partnering with parents, we can share ideas, approaches and questions to help guide each child's development more effectively.
All our programs aim to further develop the skills required to thrive in today’s economy including collaboration, communication, confidence, content, critical thinking and creative innovation.
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Skills We Develop
Collaboration
सहयोग
Communication
संचार
Confidence
विश्वास
Content
जानकारी
Critical Thinking
सोचना और हल करना
Creative Innovation
नए विचार
Our Team
Local Staff
Learning Centre Leader
Chanakya Lahiri
Chanakya Lahiri is a biotechnologist and researcher-turned educator from Delhi. He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) and an M.Sc. degree in Biotechnology from Amity University, Noida. Driven by a growing passion for education and social impact, he joined the Teach For India Fellowship, where he taught Grades 4 and 5 in a Delhi government school. Chanakya joined Vidya Vriksh Gurukul to to help build strong foundations for children in Kishan Nagar village. He believes that every child deserves an equal opportunity to become the best version of themselves.
Student Intern
Pooran Kumar
Pooran is an all-rounder who enjoys studying math, science, English, art and playing Kabaddi! He also enjoys building and has learned many wood-working skills from his family. He grew up in Kishan Nagar and is currently in Class 11 at Sri Gandhi Intercollege Belrayan. Pooran says he enjoys helping the students who attend VVG's after school programs and learning along with them!
Preschool Teacher
Radha Gupta
Radha was born in Pratappur and now lives in Kadiya, a neighbouring village to Kishan Nagar. She completed Class 12 at Nehru Kanya Inter College, Belraya, and is pursuing her BA at SGS Gayatri Mahavidyalay (Lucknow University). She enjoys drawing, crafting, and listening to music.
Marketing Coordinator
Rekha
Rekha is from Kishan Nagar village. She completed her Class 12 studies (science track) at Saraswati Vidya Mandir. She enjoys traveling, teaching children and learning new skills like English, photography, video editing and Google Slides. She hopes that at VVG the children of Kishan Nagar will receive a quality education and develop the life skills needed to succeed.
Preschool Teacher
Seema
Seema is from Farenda village near Kishan Nagar. After completing Class 12 and pursued her Bachelor of Arts degree, and then her Bachelor of Education. Seema enjoys preparing and eating simple food like dal and rice!
Learning Centre Manager
Kishan Kumar
Kishan was born and raised in Kishan Nagar, attended local schools and then completed his BA in Sociology and Political Science—with a minor in Hindi —from Lucknow University. Before becoming Centre Manager at VVG, he worked with the Kishan Nagar Village Board and did community work. Kishan believes that education is crucial for expanding opportunities for children. Through his work at VVG, he is eager to help his community and learn from the VVG team. One day he hopes to become a teacher!
Primary Lead Teacher
Priti Nagra
Priti was born in Belaparsua, a village close to VVG, and went to school there and in Pahalmanpur, Nepal. She completed her BA in Education, Sociology and Economics from Lakhimpur University and then taught Kindergarten and Class 1 at Little Flowers School in the nearby town of Belrayen. Priti has two children who attend local schools. At VVG, she hopes to improve her skills as an educator and help VVG students become confident and learn how to get the most out of their school experience.
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Middle School Teacher
Ram Lal
Ram Lal was born and raised in Kishan Nagar. He finished Class 10 and then became a farmer. After educating himself further, especially in math and science, he now teaches the Middle School afterschool program at VVG.
Preschool Lead Teacher
Renu
Renu was born and raised in Kishan Nagar and joined VVG after her Class 12 Board exams. She wants to work within her village and help the children of her community. “I like teaching and expanding my knowledge, and I can help the children learn too. The kids often teach me too!," she says. Renu’s hobbies include listening to music and sewing.
Preschool Lead Teacher
Suman
Suman Kumari became interested in teaching so she can help the children of her village learn. She enjoys sharing her knowledge, and says she has learned a lot since she began teaching preschool and primary classes at Vidya Vriksh Gurukul. She grew up in Kishan Nagar and has completed her Class 12 Board exams. Her favorite subjects in school were Hindi and Civics, and she also enjoys singing and listening to music.
Founding Team
Cofounder and Executive Director
Tarini Khurana
Tarini Khurana is a Delhi-based teacher and education specialist who believes that education has the potential to transform an entire community for the better. She earned a B.Sc in Economics and Finance from Ashoka University, a Masters in Development Studies and trained in Compassionate Integrity, a secular ethics approach to learning and growth. Tarini served as a Teach for India Fellow teaching Grades 2 & 3 in a Delhi government school. In 2020, she co-founded Kaksha Learning, an educational initiative which teaches children a wide range of skills through reading. She has been actively involved with the Kisun Nagar community for many years and hopes Vidya Vriksh Gurukul will ensure access to excellent education and create more opportunities for children and their families.
Cofounder and Director of Planning
Ambika Anand Prokop
Ambika Anand Prokop is a seasoned educator, writer and curriculum developer with 15 years experience teaching and creating educational materials for children. She earned a BA in English and Biology from University of California, Berkeley and an MA in Environmental Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her global project experience includes working with schools, nonprofits, city governments in India, Singapore, Dubai and the United States. Ambika has been visiting Kisun Nagar Farm for over 30 years and is eager to establish programs there to help the children develop to their full potential.
Cofounder and Trustee
Vikramendra Prasad Bhalla
Vikramendra Prasad Bhalla is an agriculturalist at Kisun Nagar Farm. He is a seasoned entrepreneur and previously served as a member of the National and Bombay Stock Exchanges. He earned his B.Com & LLB degree from the University of Lucknow. At Kisun Nagar Farm, Vikram has implemented modern farming techniques using the latest technology to improve crop production. He regularly provides guidance on farming techniques to fellow farmers and partners with various research centres. In 2018, he was recognized as a prominent seed grower and horticulturist with the Udyan Ratna Award. Vikram hopes Vidya Vriksh Gurukul will help the children of Kisun Nagar Farm pursue their dreams and achieve success.
Trustee and Community Relations Officer
Neera Bhalla
Neera Bhalla completed her schooling in London and graduated from St. Bede’s College in Simla. She is now based at Kisun Nagar Farm in UP where she has been teaching English conversation and grammar to community children for the past 10 years. Previously she taught nursery school at Mothercare in Lucknow. Neera hopes that Vidya Vriksh will give students a solid foundation in their education and character-forming values to help them become responsible, confident, good human beings and contributors in society.
Advisors and Thought Partners
Music Education Specialist
Bhavana Sabherwal
Bhavana is a Hindustani classical vocalist and teacher from a family deeply connected to traditional music. She started learning music at age 6 from her mother, and continued to develop her passion at the University of Allahabad studying with her guru the Late Pt Ramashray Jhaji, among others. She began teaching vocal music classes in Delhi to foster a wider understanding and appreciation of music. And she is actively involved in many ventures to promote the arts including Art Ichol, a multi-disciplinary arts centre and residency in Ichol village in Madhya Pradesh. Bhavana is also a Trustee of Arts Ananda Trust established to develop and promote creative arts and culture.
Social Media and Marketing Advisor
Diya Chopra
Diya is a Strategy & Planning Director at Ogilvy Mumbai, with five years of experience in strategic communications and international development. She has worked across a range of issues affecting children and young people, including inclusive education among Indigenous communities in Ecuador, the prevention of child sexual abuse in India, youth agency among unaccompanied refugee minors in Greece, and managing UNICEF South Africa and UNICEF Eastern & Southern Africa's social media channels. Diya is passionate about using the power of communications to amplify children's voices and ensure they are heard in the conversations and decisions that shape their lives.
Early Childhood Education Specialist
Lisa Agogliatti
Lisa is a Directing Teacher and Pedagogista at the National Child Research Center (NCRC) in Washington, DC. During her 16 years at NCRC, she has developed teacher training resources on drama and literacy in early childhood, emergent curriculum, and documentation. Recently, she co-authored the educational publication, Actions of Play, which documents her action research project at NCRC on the role of play schemas in early childhood curriculum.
Early Childhood Education Specialist
Clara Fliker Mooso
Born and raised in Montevideo, Uruguay, Clara has dedicated her working life to early childhood education. She began pursuing this passion at Oranim College, Haifa University in Israel, known for its progressive approach to education. After moving to California in 1981, Clara ran her own preschool for 35 years. Her extensive experience in early childhood education has shaped her understanding of diverse learning environments and the importance of inclusive, nurturing spaces for young children. Now retired, Clara continues to share her expertise and offers guidance and support to educators and institutions dedicated to fostering the growth and development of young learners.
Counselor & SEL Teacher Trainer
Judith Wides
Judith Wides is the Director of Counseling and Family Support at the National Child Research Center Preschool in Washington DC. She is passionate about inclusive early childhood programs that support the development of all children. Judith believes that all young children learn best through play.
Program Management Advisor
Madhu Anand
Madhu Anand has extensive experience in Business Operations, Project and Financial Management and spent 25 years spearheading growth and operational improvements for multinational companies and non-profits. She successfully directed and transformed high-profile enterprise-wide programs and projects throughout the world, including the US, UK, Belgium, India and Kyrgyzstan. She earned an MBA from San Jose State University, in the US and a BA in Economics from Loretto College in Lucknow. Madhu now focuses on applying her skills and experience to help organisations that inspire kids to be lifelong learners and problem solvers
