Date:17/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/17/stories/2008021757340300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Igniting young minds

— Photo: S. Venkata Ramana

Setting an example: Telugu teacher D Rammurthy with his students in Kompally in Nalgonda district.

KOMPALLY (NALGONDA DT.): Parents and teachers are the first to observe the creativity and talent of children.

This is about a teacher, who tapped the hidden talent of lesser privileged school children and made their illiterate parents proud of them. Meet Doddi Rammurthy, a Telugu teacher in the Zilla Parishad High School in this tiny village of Munugode mandal.

Being a poet and singer, Mr. Rammurthy sensed the creativity among the children and encouraged them to read and write poems, songs and short stories. The children, who never knew anything about literature, came out with two books in Telugu -- ‘Pittagoollu’, a compilation of poems and ‘Chelima’, a set of songs. Those who had scoffed at the efforts put up by the teacher and students are now speechless.

While Mr. Rammurthy’s beloved student Pagilla Ravi in ninth class penned 21 songs to publish ‘Chelima’, 28 poems by students of seventh to tenth classes are accommodated in ‘Pittagoollu’. With the financial assistance from Vedire Megha Reddy, the school management released the books at a colourful ceremony in the village recently.

Some of his students like Vijayanirmala and Pravallika also produced short stories exhibiting their hidden creativity. A seventh class student J. Srikanth could pen more than 20 poems. “I am very happy to bring out two books, which can be termed as literary works of rural students,” he told The Hindu on Friday.

Asked what prompted him to encourage children to write poems, songs and stories, the teacher said: “About one-and-half years ago, I saw Srikanth soaked in rain and asked him what his feelings were at that very moment. He told me that he wished to play with clouds, if they come down. Slowly I started telling stories in the class to create interest among them and I’ve given them books to read.”

The teacher, who is on seventh heaven for having explored the literary skills of his students, maintained that literature would help children understand the society and increase their grip over the language. “There is a lot of talent among the schoolchildren in rural areas. We are unwittingly killing their creativity by burdening them with heavy syllabus and homework. Given a chance they would create wonders,” Mr. Rammurthy observed. Are there any takers?