There are schools. And then, there are schools like Druk White Lotus School in Shay, about 15 kms from Leh in Ladakh. Although this school shot to fame in the movie “3 Idiots”, it has been doing things differently and more effectively all along. It has used a combination of local construction techniques and modern green technology to come up with a campus that not only won the Best Green Architecture Award, but is also better-equipped to cope with the extreme weather in the region. I regret not having visited this school during my trip to Ladakh last month.
The recent cloudburst and the devastation that it caused did not spare Druk White Lotus School. The school was badly affected. However, some repair work has been completed, and guess what? Now, the school has offered to take in orphans and children who have been rendered homeless in the calamity. These children will be taught and fed at the school.
Isn't this what a school is all about? First – teaching through example. Second, spreading compassion. Hats off to the school. Hoping that more educational institutes follow the example set by Druk White Lotus.
