Today, celebrations across India will commemorate Independence Day, the national holiday honouring India’s liberation from British colonial rule. At iSaahasi Academy, we’re excited to celebrate the spirit of liberation with our students–and to unpack what “independence” means to them.

As women’s rights activist and Indian Independence fighter Vijaya Lakshmi Pandi asserted, “Education is not merely a means for earning a living or an instrument for the acquisition of wealth. It is an initiation into life of spirit, a training of the human soul in the pursuit of truth and the practice of virtue.” Through iSaahasi Academy, women whose educations have been interrupted renew their chance at schooling, reach for higher paid and fulfilling jobs, develop well-rounded perspectives, and grow into mature, resilient, and well-informed women.

Each morning, when our students file into our classroom, hand in their assignments, summon the strength to ask a question, and return again to the challenge of school, we bear witness to their individual fight for freedom, social mobility, and independence. We believe education at our Academy will provide a strong defense against poverty and propel our learners forward. So this Independence Day, we invite you to join us in celebrating our students and their willful work to return to education.