For Dr Thyelnai Dawn Khaling, what started out as an attempt to educate his maid's children has today transformed into an eccentric classroom for more than 30 eager children whose parents have limited means. The need to be useful to society was a constant pull for the doctor.

When nine-year-old Sohail's mother got a job as a domestic help at the Air Force quarters in Vayu Vihar, he had to drop out of his school in Gulbarga. But today, he merrily sits in a bustling class of 30, at the house of his mother's employer - a doctor, a Wing Commander with the Air Force.

Now, he not only understands English and Hindi, but also enjoys learning so much that he eagerly waits for his evening classes to begin, because "with Sir, learning is fun and we get to know new things every day".

For Dr Thyelnai Dawn Khaling, what started out as an attempt to educate his maid's children has today transformed into an eccentric classroom for more than 30 eager children whose parents have limited means.

The defence doctor was always zealous about educating children. Three years ago, he started a not-for-profit organisation in his home state of Manipur, which provided pre-medical coaching — free of cost, including food and lodging — for poor students who showed promise.

Last year in December, he asked his domestic help to bring her kids over so he could teach them. The need to be useful to society was a constant pull for the doctor.

"After coming to Bengaluru, I felt that there was something missing in my life," he said. Upon some introspection, Dr Khaling decided that the void he felt could only be filled when he did his "duty towards society". "It was then that I decided to teach these poor kids."

"People should not miss out on education because they can't pay for it. Education empowers children to face the challenges of the future with dignity," he said.

Dr Khaling comes from a small village in Khangshim, Manipur, where his father was the first matriculate from its Uipo (Khoibu) Naga community. It is his father's enthusiasm for education that, Dr Khaling says, has rubbed off on him too. "My father understood the power of knowledge, and motivated others from our village to get educated. He taught me how even one person's efforts could bring about a change in society." "I am just trying to implement a little that I learnt from my father.

In my schooldays, I faced financial difficulties. So I can understand how a dearth of money can hamper education. And today, education is becoming costlier by the day. Every educated individual should take up the responsibility to teach someone who can't afford it," says the doctor.

But it's not just what he does that makes a difference, but how he does it too. The students in his humble classroom actually enjoy the process. Bhavna Nagesh, one of his students, says: "In school, it is difficult to talk to teachers and many times we are not able to understand them. So I would just memorise everything to pass the tests. But here, I get to learn better." Bhavna is a bright student, says Dr Khaling. He has even recommended her for admission to the Air Force School. "Starting the school was not an easy thing to do.

I was not prepared for 30 pupils, but when I saw their enthusiasm, it inspired me. I am also grateful to my Air Force colleagues who regularly contribute to this project," he said.

HE'S HANDS-ON TOO

Dr Khaling has done all this in the hours after his shift ends at 5 pm. He would come back home and build desks for the classroom. His carpentry skills came in handy. Now every day after work, he comes home and starts teaching 6.30 pm onwards. "Initially, I divided the students based on their class, but soon realised that while most of them knew Kannada well, none of them knew even the basics of English. I took it up as a challenge and started teaching all of them together.

Now, most of my students have learnt a good deal; you can see it from the way they speak English," says Dr Khaling. The doctor gives a lot of credit for what he has been able to achieve with the poor children to the support from his wife, Shangnairan A Khaling. She teaches the preprimary students and is often handy with snacks.

THE WORRY

"All these students are very bright and I look upon them as my own children. But in the course of my duty, I might get transferred and currently that is my only concern. I have started something and I am not going to abandon them, but I need to find a way to keep them in school," says Dr Khaling.

