PROPOSAL for the ANAD After-School Study Programme

INTRODUCTION

The ANAD Foundation, a charitable organization constituted for the purpose of service, promotion, and preservation of the traditional human values related to notions of cultural heritage, is in the process of setting up ANAD Khand, also known as ANAD Conservatory: An Institute of Arts, Aesthetics, Cultural Traditions and Developmental Studies in Sultanpur Lodhi, Punjab. Located north of the confluence of the Beas and the Sutlej rivers, this ancient town was first cited in the ancient collection of Vedic Hymns known as the Rig-Veda and later in the epic Mahabharata. Originally called Sarwamanpur then Peeraanpuri, it was renamed Sultanpur Lodhi in the 12^th century AD. Having been a centre of Buddhist learning since the 5^th century BC it possesses an extensive history of cultural and religious tradition; a palimpsest of Hindu, Vedic-Upanishadic influence layered with Buddhism, Jainism, Islam and, most recently, Sikhism. This concentration of enlightened thought and discourse through the ages distinguishes the location’s historical significance making it thus, uniquely relevant to the ANAD Foundation’s objectives.

In keeping with the ANAD Foundation’s ethos to vitalize the preservation and perpetuation of important tangible and intangible heritage, a deep respect for this region’s historical trajectory inspires the ANAD Foundation to launch the ANAD Khand at Qila Sultanpur Lodhi, the town’s ancient fortified Qila Sarai. As a means to instigate the project from a grass routes level, the ANAD Khand intends to initiate the AAS Study Programme there, as part of its Developmental Studies agenda. This after-school programme aims to provide high quality supplementary education focusing on the arts and overall developmental mentorship to students aged 4-21 years. Its primary purpose is to accommodate students from under-privileged backgrounds, although not exclusively. Students in need are invited to attend free of charge and a selection of students from privileged circumstances may also be admitted conditionally. The basic structure of the programme is designed to first assist students with their homework from the standard school curriculum, after which the students will spend up to two hours studying the arts. Within this context, ANAD also plans to introduce Religious Studies based on indigenous pedagogic, or traditional teaching, modes.

By way of this programme, the ANAD Khand aims to provide:

1. Enhanced tutoring to supplement the standard national curriculum
2. An opportunity for enrolled students to explore and develop their talents in various fields of art and culture through both local talent and imported instruction- this will include workshops in vocal and instrumental music, theatre, dance, story writing, painting, sculpture, traditional crafts, etc.
3. Free tuition to needy students from Sultanpur Lodhi and nearby villages