Indian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya introduced “SPARSH” (Students led Program for Advancing Rural Students’ Holistic Education) initiative in collaboration with Glad Bharat Foundation. This initiative focuses on the educational empowerment of primary school children in Mahudar Village, one of the 5 villages adopted by IIM Bodh Gaya. The other villages adopted include Turi buzurg, Turi khurd, Bapunagar and Rampur. IIM Bodh Gaya actively engages in various community development activities in these villages, such as the health survey conducted by Tzu Chi in Turi Khurd and blanket distribution in Mahudar.

On 31st August 2024, a team of 12 students from Pragati, the CSR committee of IIM Bodh Gaya, along with 3 faculty members of the institute Dr. Suresh KG (Chairperson, CSR), Dr. Johnson Abhishek Minz (Co-Chairperson, CSR), and Dr. Gargi Roy joined Mr. Ahmad from Glad Bharat Foundation and Mrs. Ruby Kumari, the principal of the primary school, Mahudaar to launch this project aimed at enhancing learning experiences for the students.

The activities included an interactive educational session by Dr. Gargi Roy and the students of IIM Bodh Gaya, leaving a lasting impact on the young students of the school by making learning fun and informative.

Dr. Suresh KG remarked that this  collaboration between IIM Bodh Gaya and Glad Bharat Foundation, is designed with the aim of providing students with valuable learning experiences. He expressed hope that the additional classes would offer long-term benefits to students.

The event saw participation from over 100  primary school students along with their faculty members and the principal, 3 faculty members from IIM Bodh Gaya, 12 students of IIM Bodh Gaya, the Glad Bharat Foundation, along with 2 members, and 1 teaching associate dedicated to the program. This strong attendance highlighted the community’s enthusiasm and support for the initiative. 

A student who participated in the program mentioned their favorite teachers and expressed joy in discovering new things through the sessions. 

The “SPARSH” will work towads strengthening the educational foundation of primary-level students by enhancing their knowledge, and improving learning outcomes through interactive learning sessions, differentiated instruction, and regular assessments conducted on a weekly and monthly basis. The program will also provide special sessions for the holistic development of rural students including storytelling and interactive English practice sessions. Students will also engage in reading aloud English and Hindi content from their textbooks to build language skills and confidence.The initiative will contribute to Bihar's educational development at a micro level, ultimately leading to long-term socio-economic progress.