Teach For India is an inspiring organization that works to ensure that all children have access to an excellent education. Their latest project, The Conference of the Birds, is a musical adaptation of 12th century Sufi poet Attar’s work, teaching students the ideals of equality, fraternity, justice and liberty. Reimagining the original story of a flock of birds in search of the meaning of life, the musical follows a group of students on a quest of discovering “India”. The musical script was written by Teach For India’s founder and CEO, Shaheen Mistri, and the amazing cast is led by two former students of Teach For India, Khushi and Priyanka, who starred in their first musical, Maya, 10 years ago.
The musical features a variety of innovative elements, such as an original soundtrack composed by musicians Anuraj Bhagat from the True School of Music in collaboration with hip-hop artist Nimo Patel, and stunning sets designed by creative genius Fali Unwala and costumes by Simi Nallaseth, who was part of the original Ice Age film’s creative team. Furthermore, the students have been trained in music, dance, theatre, literacy and in Teach For India’s India & I Studies — a set of lesson plans from grade 2-8 that attempt to build 21st century skills to enable students to form their own ideas of the role they can play in building a better India.
The indelible impact that Teach For India is creating, specifically through its musicals like The Conference of the Birds, has been pivotal not only in improving the skills and knowledge of the participating students, but also in establishing that children are capable of being changemakers today. This project is a long-term commitment to the organization’s overall mission of providing quality education to all children, and Khushi and Priyanka’s stories demonstrate the ripple effect of a powerful education.
To support the mission of Teach For India and help make a difference, a donation to this initiative can be made on their website. Additionally, users can check out their Instagram and LinkedIn profiles for more updates about this brilliant special project.
