Ramdev feels no efforts are being made to make the education system of the country Indian. Ramdev feels no efforts are being made to make the education system of the country Indian.

After spreading his dispensaries in every nook and cranny of India, yoga guru Baba Ramdev is all set to operate his brand of school throughout the country.

So, after popularising yoga, promoting ayurveda and launching an anti-corruption movement, Ramdev is now focusing on changing the education system and giving it a swadeshi colour.

In the first phase, Ramdev intends to open 500 schools deeply rooted in the gurukul pattern of education. For this, Ramdev's flagship project Patanjali Yogpeeth - located in Haridwar, Uttarakhand and one of the largest yoga institutes in India - has invited proposals and sought participatory approach in setting up the educational institutions that will offer a fusion of modern and vedic education.

Ramdev has already established one such school - Aacharya Kulam - in Haridwar and intends to set up its chain across the country.

During the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule, Ramdev had applied for affiliation of the school with the Central Board of School Education (CBSE) but is yet to receive the approval. The baba is claiming that he will form an autonomous board far superior to the CBSE.

Ramdev said: "Aacharya Kulam will be a unique school that will train both the students and their parents. With modern education, we will link ancient science. The youths graduating from the school will behave like rishis (sages)."

Advert like edit Ramdev's close aide Acharya Balkrishna has written an editorial on the Aacharya Kulam scheme in "Yog Sandesh" magazine, published by Patanjali Yogpeeth. The editorial is more of an advertisement seeking land and donor details for starting a new fully residential and day-boarding school.

In the write-up, he talks of taking financial support for setting up the new schools from businessman Anil Agarwal who is founder and executive chairman of the UK-based Vedanta Resources.

Balkrishna even claims that prime minister, finance minister, HRD minister, other central ministers and VVIPs may attend the inaugural or foundation stonelaying ceremonies of some big Aacharya Kulam centres.

He said: "Unfortunately, no effort has been made to make the education system purely Indian, swadeshi, purifying it or making it fully scientific. We are making an autonomous board that will be better than CBSE in terms of curriculum. It will also marry modern and vedic education." Ramdev is establishing the Aacharya Kulam Society that will run the schools that will be of two types - fully residential and dayresidential from Classes I to XII.

The yoga guru wants a self-sustaining model with schools operating on no-profit basis.

Parents of the students will also be trained on a weekly basis.

Patanjali Yogpeeth's PRO Dr Vijay Kumar Mishra said: "We have started receiving proposals. Haridwar's Aacharya Kulam has over 400 students."

The main aim of Aacharya Kulam is to prepare proven scholars in grammar, philosophy, upanishad, veda, vedic literature, vedic mathematics, Indian proven history and raj dharma, etc.

It also aspires to prepare graduates with the power to give social, spiritual, economical, scientific and political leadership. In short, it intends to groom leaders for a modern India.

Patanjali Yogpeeth is promising that the names of donors will be displayed on the front gate of the school, letter pad, building and school vehicles.

The minimum land required for residential units has been fixed at 10 acres while two-five acres is needed for day-boarding. Moreover, each person interested in setting up such school has been asked to find another 50-100 donors.