The Times of India recently published an article which featured Pardada Pardadi. In the article, entitled "Barefoot Teachers," Sakshi Kattar profiles ten Indian change-makers in the field of education. The original article can be found by navigating to p. 66 of 2 June 2008 issue of Education Times in TOI's epaper, here.

An excerpt of the article is reproduced below:

BAREFOOT TEACHERS

FROM EMPOWERING THE GIRL CHILD TO RECYCLING ITEMS DISCARDED BY URBAN SCHOOLS — THESE ENTERPRISING INDIVIDUALS ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO THE LIVES OF MANY.

Educate the girl child and you would educate the whole family. Virender Singh strongly believes that empowering the girl child positively affects the quality of life of the community and ultimately the entire nation. So, in order to improve the future of the rural community, he established the Pardada Pardadi Educational Society (PPES) with the aim to educate the girl child. The Pardada Pardadi Girls Vocational School (PPGVS) situated at Anupshahr in Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh, is registered under the UP Board and has classes from III to X.

Besides regular studies, girls get training in leadership skills, general knowledge/current affairs, dance, theatre, music, sports, health/hygiene and family life issues as well. The school provides free education, uniforms, books, shoes, three meals-a-day and bicycles.

Singh has also provided for a bank account to be set-up for each student. For every day a student attends school, Rs 10 is deposited into her bank account. Products produced by students, ideally, bring back Rs 35 per-day. From that, Rs 10 goes in their account and the remainder goes towards sustaining the school.

Further, the only way a girl can access her bank account after completing her studies at PPGVS (class X) is on the day of her marriage or her 21st birthday (whichever comes first). And by that time her account should ideally hold Rs 30,000.