Swatantra Talim

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Swatantra Talim Children: Explore, Engage & Empower themselves. Swatantra Talim strives for alternative ways of education through democracy for all children.

Swatantra Talim, a NGO working in the field of education - for the children, of the children and by the children aims at bridging the gap among children created by socio-economic factors in our country. If we teach democracy to our children in school curriculum then we must practice what we preach in managing our schools also. Our organisation provides an environment which gives children an opportunity to practice democracy. Thus we are a space of learning for the children, of the children and by the children. To achieve this objective, it strives to co-create an environment wherein children can explore, engage and empower themselves. It believes in democratic ways of education, where children learn through free exploration, every-day life experiences, interactions and engage with their surroundings and problems in a holistic manner so as to empower themselves to deal with the changes in society and environment.

Contentment looks and feels different for different people. But for our kids at the Ashiyana Learning Centre, Pranshu an...
08/10/2026

Contentment looks and feels different for different people. But for our kids at the Ashiyana Learning Centre, Pranshu and Kabir, today’s contentment came in the evening, after they shared their handmade newspaper carry bags with shopkeepers around their neighbourhood.

Their work began in the morning: ideating, collecting materials, making, testing their product, and finally delivering the bags at night. And perhaps, somewhere along the way, their Daan Utsav found its own little meaning, not just in what they made or gave, but in the curiosity that led them there, the love with which they did it, and their willingness to contribute in their own big and baggy ways.




06/10/2026

This Daan Utsav, the Malsarai team of wunderkinds came forward to celebrate the Utsav in their own playful ways.

And this time, they didn’t stop within the boundaries of their own villages. They carried the spirit of Daan Utsav beyond, reaching Baghain, Khataura and other places, where they met many more wonderkids along the way. They took sessions on making, played games, set up little libraries, and created fun mini-making projects, sharing what they know, learning from others, and simply having a wonderful time together.

The lead has been handed over to the new generation, but the feeling behind Daan Utsav remains just as strong for all of us.





It is such a proud and heartfelt moment for us as an organisation to see our fellows and team members continue to pursue...
30/09/2026

It is such a proud and heartfelt moment for us as an organisation to see our fellows and team members continue to pursue their dreams. Every day, they take a step forward, learning, growing and moving closer to where they want to be. While their everyday efforts may not always have a spotlight, there are moments that make their journey and motivation visible, and this is one of those moments!

Anjali, Juli, Anjali 2 and Durga, our four musketeers have joined courses of their choice this year, and we simply cannot keep quiet about it! Cheers to each of them, and we wish them all the luck in the universe as they continue on their journeys. We often talk about building capacity, but here’s the thing we aren’t just building theirs; they are building ours . :)


On 19th September, Swatantra Puppeteers engaged with more than 2,000 students at the Gomti Book Festival through our pup...
23/09/2026

On 19th September, Swatantra Puppeteers engaged with more than 2,000 students at the Gomti Book Festival through our puppet show, Friends Forever.

And the fun didn’t end when the show did! Our Bunraku puppet, Chiku, was felicitated after the performance and, in true Chiku fashion, it returned the thanks too! 🐾

From the youngest to the oldest, kids of all ages joined in the joy of meeting Chiku. Both our puppeteers, Ridhi and Kuldeep, had a wonderful time interacting with the children and watching their curiosity and excitement come alive.

We are grateful to the organisers, the National Book Trust (NBT), India, for giving us the opportunity to bring Friends Forever to the Gomti Book Festival and share the joy of puppetry with children.

On 19th September, Swatantra Puppeteers engaged with more than 2,000 students at the Gomti Book Festival through our pup...
23/09/2026

On 19th September, Swatantra Puppeteers engaged with more than 2,000 students at the Gomti Book Festival through our puppet show, Friends Forever.

And the fun didn’t end when the show did! Our Bunraku puppet, Chiku, was felicitated after the performance and, in true Chiku fashion, it returned the thanks too! 🐾
From the youngest to the oldest, kids of all ages joined in the joy of meeting Chiku. Both our puppeteers, Ridhi and Kuldeep, had a wonderful time interacting with the children and watching their curiosity and excitement come alive.




10 participants, including our young director, Kuldeep, stepped onto the stage with the rigour of action, the passion to...
19/09/2026

10 participants, including our young director, Kuldeep, stepped onto the stage with the rigour of action, the passion to enact their story 'Sadak Ke Uss Paar' and the confidence that grew through incessant rehearsals.

The 28th edition of Thespo (Delhi) became the occasion for this opportunity, a platform that brought these young performers together on stage, to create, perform, experiment and learn. We showed up with whatever we had, gave it our all, and came back carrying the feedback, the learnings, the mistakes and the joy of having performed.

We are grateful to the Thespo team for creating this space and making this experience possible. Cheers to Team Swatantra Talim for coming together, continuing to learn, make and perform, and finding yet another way to tell more stories.

An unusual bunch of teachers at Swatantra Talim, risen not from the ashes, but from the learning lamp!They create storie...
05/09/2026

An unusual bunch of teachers at Swatantra Talim, risen not from the ashes, but from the learning lamp!

They create stories like these every day, and, more importantly, get to listen to many more from the children. They keep their childhood alive to meet children with equal energy, if not more! And every now and then, these kids become the teachers, turning the classroom upside down in the most wonderful ways. This role reversal isn’t unusual here; it’s part of who we are.

Happy Teachers’ Day to one and all! May the magical teacher in each of us keep glowing, growing and lighting the way.

Among the many stops on our Kerala Kala Yatra, our first was Koonathara, Shoranur, reached via a wonderfully jumpy, bump...
01/09/2026

Among the many stops on our Kerala Kala Yatra, our first was Koonathara, Shoranur, reached via a wonderfully jumpy, bumpy bus ride!

Here, we met Sajeesh Pulavar and Sri. M. Lakshmana Pulavar, a Kerala State Folklore Academy Award winner and Sajeesh’s father, who is part of the team at Harisree Kannan Tholpavakoothu Kalakendram. We began by learning about Tholpavakoothu, a traditional shadow puppetry form from Kerala. Thol means leather, pava means puppet, and koothu means play. The puppets, traditionally made of leather, are manoeuvred with sticks, while their shadows come alive on a screen illuminated by a row of 21 oil lamps.

The stories draw from the Ramayana, with performances weaving together Tamil, Sanskrit and Malayalam. The narration is a beautiful blend of poetry and prose, known as Adalpattu.

As evening fell, we had the opportunity to witness a traditional Tholpavakoothu performance by the team. And then came the most exciting part, getting to try our own hands at manoeuvring these centuries-old characters and bringing their shadows to life!

A journey shared is a journey relived, and we would love to relive every moment of it.Swatantra Talim went down south, a...
26/08/2026

A journey shared is a journey relived, and we would love to relive every moment of it.

Swatantra Talim went down south, all the way to Kerala, for this year’s Kala Yatra.

Wanna know how it turned out? More glimpses on the way!


Here’s an amazing opportunity for the youth of Lucknow. Swatantra Talim offers weekend volunteering opportunities in gov...
24/08/2026

Here’s an amazing opportunity for the youth of Lucknow. Swatantra Talim offers weekend volunteering opportunities in govt schools and nearby communities. It will be mostly part-time requiring 3-4 hours on Sat and Sun. The google form link is in the bio. Once you apply we will do a telephonic interview just to understand your willingness to contribute. The volunteering seats are limited so hurry up!!!

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Aashiana Colony
Lucknow

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91-9198397111

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