Concert aids India education

For the second time in this area, Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation will hold a charity concert to promote education in India. The concert will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday at the First Presbyterian Church in 

Ekal is a nonprofit organization that was established in 1999.

“A main goal is to eradicate illiteracy in rural and tribal areas of India,” said Raj Gajula, Ekal’s area chapter president. “We also focus on health care training and economic development.”

Ekal runs one-teacher school rooms where the full curriculum takes place over three years. The organization currently consists of more than 34,000 teachers, 6,000 volunteers, and 22 field organizations scattered throughout Indian states.

In late April, Ekal met its goal of raising funds to sponsor 1,000 more free schools in India.

Overall, the organization seeks to empower village communities through self-involvement by providing not only education opportunities, but health care, livelihoods and empowerment education for village residents.

Economic development focuses on several areas, such as social forestry, food processing, vegetable cultivation, and organic compost.

All proceeds from the concert will be spread throughout different areas of Ekal’s organization.
The entertainment is authentic.

“The musicians are actually coming from India and they are very popular Bollywood singers,” Gajula said.

Bollywood is an informal term used to describe the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai, India. NirupamaDey and Manoj Mishra will be the performers for the event.