Our Story
Kalkeri Sangeet Vidyalaya is a remarkable residential educational institution nestled just outside the scenic village of Kalkeri. Its humble beginnings trace back to October 2001, when a group of passionate individuals embarked on a mission to harness the transformative power of Hindustani Classical music and the performing arts for positive social change. This group, comprising Mathieu Fortier, a Canadian citizen immersed in the study of Hindustani classical music, his artistic French wife Agathe Fortier, a graduate in Fine Arts, Ustad Hameed Khan, a virtuoso sitarist and then the principal of the Music Department at the Karnataka College in Dharwad, and Mathieu’s brother, Blaise Fortier, laid the foundation of the institution.
Initially conceived as an informal music school, KSV set out to provide musical education to forty children hailing from underprivileged backgrounds. The school’s vision resonated deeply with the community, and its remarkable success soon paved the way for its transformation into a comprehensive residential institution. This expansion granted students the invaluable opportunity to immerse themselves fully in their academic and musical pursuits, fostering an environment that nurtured their growth and development.
As the years rolled by, KSV expanded its offerings beyond the realm of music, embracing dance and drama to provide its students with a broader platform for self-expression and exploration of their talents. Today, KSV stands as a beacon of hope, supporting a thriving community of 220 students comprising children, teenagers and young adults. This flourishing institution is now entrusted to the care of a dedicated team of over 75 staff members, including passionate teachers, diligent administrators, nurturing wardens, skilled cooks, and diligent maintenance workers. Together, they form a vibrant ecosystem that fosters holistic growth and empowers students to shape their own destinies.
The impact of KSV extends far beyond the confines of its campus. Many of its alumni have achieved remarkable success, not only in the realm of music but also in diverse fields. The education and opportunities provided by the institution have opened doors to meaningful employment and enriched lives, embodying the school’s fundamental vision of breaking barriers and providing underprivileged students with avenues for personal and professional growth. KSV’s transformative power, fuelled by the harmonious marriage of music and the performing arts, continues to inspire hope and drive positive change in the lives of its students and the wider community it serves.
Mission
KSV empowers, supports, and encourages children from socially marginalised and economically disadvantaged backgrounds to realise their full potential and attain a better life. This is done through an intensive and comprehensive educational program and through the performing arts which are undertaken in a peaceful rural residential setting. In such an atmosphere, the children learn many social skills and receive a nutritious diet and adequate healthcare services. Care, love, and compassion are fundamental elements of the whole process. In this peaceful setting, the children enjoy the tranquillity necessary for their academic studies, music practice, and many other cultural activities.
Vision
Our vision is to develop and promote a culture of an Arts-based curriculum. We are not limiting our imagination to teach only concepts, but taking it a step further. Imagine there are a couple of hungry plants who are searching for food. We provide them with water and sunlight, and they start burping. Sounds cool, right? But, we don’t want to stop at just teaching photosynthesis. We want them to act and show society what happens to those hungry plants when someone feeds plastic or harmful chemicals to them. We want to create a Greta Thunberg in every school in this country!
An Arts-based curriculum will be instrumental in spreading awareness about government policies/schemes. We will save hundreds of billions of dollars spent on advertising campaigns. Education that enables future generations to become active agents in community development, will truly awake India to life and freedom.
About KSV
Kalkeri Sangeet Vidyalaya is located in a very remote village in Dharwad district, Karnataka. With the help of a successful Child sponsorship program, the school provides free academic, music, food and residential facilities to more than 200 kids who come from the underprivileged background. Around 90% of them are first generation learners. The average monthly income of some of the families is less than Rs 5000
As a concerned citizen of this incredible country, it really disturbs me that even after being an independent nation for more than 73 years, we still haven't managed to awaken India to life and freedom.
The root cause is a miserably failed education system. A system that could not develop confidence in these voiceless communities, so they could fight together against the injustice. A system that could not teach empathy to the people in power, consequently, and unfortunately, making most of them deaf to the hue and cry of these helpless citizens.
The gravity of this situation magnifies exponentially in the rural education setup. The main reason is the lack of involvement of the families in the overall growth of the child. There are a couple of reasons – lack of ability, lack of intent, and sometimes, the lack of belief in the fact that education is indeed a very powerful tool.
Project Vikas is designed to address all such issues which the students in rural India face. The goal would be to give a transformative learning experience to more than 200 first generation learners in this school in rural Karnataka. The project will focus on making the teachers and parents more empathetic towards the emotional and learning challenges. An Arts-based curriculum will provide the opportunity to develop community change-agents.
It is the fundamental right of all children to have access to education, adequate food, healthcare services and to participate in their community’s cultural life. Empowering disadvantaged children gives them the opportunity to obtain academic qualifications as well as develop their musical talents. Through their achievements at Kalkeri Sangeet Vidyalaya (Kalkeri Music School) KSV, the students will be in a position to attain more meaningful livelihoods, thus breaking the cycle of persistent poverty and creating a better future for themselves, their families, and their communities. Through their music, the students proudly contribute towards the conservation and diffusion of India’s vast musical heritage.