Top Dalit rights NGO shuns foreign funds, invites donations to help NO PLASTIC, NO CASTE motto

Martin Macwan

By A Representative
In an important move, the Navsarjan Trust, top Gujarat-based NGO, has decided not to go in for any foreign funding for one its major projects -- the three schools run by it in Ahmedabad, Surendranagar and Patan districts. Announcing this, Martin Macwan, founder of Navsarjan Trust who currently directly looks after the schools, has said he plans to collect funds from "concerned citizens" who believe in the concept behind the three "model" schools -- to usher in the spirit of equality among children.
The decision comes amidst continuing controversy around foreign funded NGOs India, triggered by the Narendra Modi government's effort to put under scanner human rights organizations across India. Navsarjan Trust is one of the premier Dalit rights NGOs of India, with presence a large number of Gujarat's districts, is known to have campaigned fought against manual scavenging in the state and India.
Calling upon people to "liberally contribute" in order to continue maintaining school's model character, Macwan, in a recent writeup has said, recently Gujarat's public schools decided not to use plastics in its premises. "We do not dispute this. But our schools will set up a model by holding high the slogan of "no plastics, no caste".

Pointing out how in Gujarat's public schools children and teachers "are discriminated against on the basis of their caste identity", which is a national shame, Macwan said, "Our national vision for education is to train not a caste-ridden generation. We have made a breakthrough by running primary boarding schools (grades 5-8) to break bonds of caste and sub-caste, and create environment where children across castes live and learn together".
Seeking to carry forward Dr BR Ambedkar's idea of "annihilating caste", Macwan has decided to come up with a programme on April 12, where "concerned citizens" will see for themselves how children in one such school to live live without discrimination, learning to study, play, cook and cleaning "as equals, in a non-discriminatory environment."
Calling for contributions, he said, "In Navsarjan boarding schools, each student contributes Rs 750 as her or his monthly contribution, which covers their food cost. Navsarjan schools are required to raise donations to support teachers’ salaries, even as maintaining the schools’ expenses." While till now they were "dependent on foreign donations", the new "challenge" is run them "with Indian and community donations".

Macwan later told Counterview, "Our campaign to shun caste in 2013 showed that it is possible to run our programmes without foreign funding. We ran the programme in the whole of Gujarat, taking out rallies and mobilising public opinion against caste with the help of Rs 17 lakh of coummunity funding."
"Concerned" citizens have been asked to see on April 12 how one of the three schools, in Limbdi taluka of Surendranagar district, is implemening the idea of "NO PLASTIC; NO CASTE" into a reality, and help turn the slogan into a "movement."
The function is proposed to take place at Navsarjan Vidayalya, near village Katariya on Ahmedabad-Bagodara-Limdi highway. Macwan says, one "may donate money either by cheque, demand draft or via direct bank NO CASTE; NO PLASTIC transfer."
"The donations are exempted under Section 80 (G) of the Income Tax Act. The details of donations will be posted with your consent on our website, navsarjanvidyalaya.wordpress.com", Macwan says, adding, "Our Bank details are: A/C Name: Navsarjan Trust-Primary Education Fund, A/C No: 912010037161980, Bank Name: Axis Bank Ltd, Sanand; Sarkhej-Ahmadabad Road, IFSC code: UTIB0001426".
For further information, Macwan has said, citizens could to contact him on 09727750448, or on email id martin.macwan@gmail.com.

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

The cost of being Indian: How inequality and market logic redefine rights

By Vikas Gupta We, the people of India, are engaged in a daily tryst—read: struggle—for basic human rights. For the seemingly well-to-do, the wish list includes constant water supply, clean air, safe roads, punctual public transportation, and crime-free neighbourhoods. For those further down the ladder, the struggle is starker: food that fills the stomach, water that doesn’t sicken, medicines that don’t kill, houses that don’t flood, habitats at safe distances from polluted streams or garbage piles, and exploitation-free environments in the public institutions they are compelled to navigate.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

Proposals for Babri Masjid, Ram Temple spark fears of polarisation before West Bengal polls

By A Representative A political debate has emerged in West Bengal following recent announcements about plans for new religious structures in Murshidabad district, including a proposed mosque to be named Babri Masjid and a separate announcement by a BJP leader regarding the construction of a Ram temple in another location within Behrampur.

Search This Blog