INDIAN GRANDMOTHERS GOES TO SCHOOL - "IT FEELS GOOD" - THEY SAY

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Mr Bangar raised money from a charity for the women's saris and teaching materials, and found a classroom.

"If a woman is educated, the entire house becomes educated as she brings knowledge and light to the house," says Mr Bangar.

Ramabhai Ganpat's grandchildren take her hands in theirs and walk her to school.

"Feels good," she says. "We love going to school. We take our bags and all of us grandmothers go together. We feel proud that we are able to learn so well."

She laughs: "We have books now but we can't really read because we can't even see properly because of our age.

"When we die and go to God and he asks us 'What have you done in your life?' we will tell him that we didn't do much but we went to school and at least learnt to sign our own name.
 

"I enjoy coming to school. It makes the day worthwhile."
Image copyright Satyaki Ghosh

At the start of the school day, the women pray together, repeating: "I will never stop worshipping the goddess Saraswati" - the Hindu goddess of knowledge and wisdom.

Every day, they water the trees they have planted in the school grounds. The school's 30-year-old teacher Sheetal More, works for free. Her mother-in-law is one of her students.

Over the past year, one member of the group has passed away and three new women in the 60-90 year-old age group have moved to the village, so the class has grown from 28 to 30.
 
They are not yet fully literate and some complain that it is hard to remember what they have been taught. But they can sign their names instead of using a thumbprint - a big step.

On International Women's Day 2017, the women will mark their one-year anniversary with celebrations.

Mrs More, the teacher, says: "It feels good to see that even women from the older generation who did not receive education in the past are educated now.
 
"And in all of India whoever is uneducated should be educated. There should be schools for all women in all the villages."

Interviews by Aditi Mallya, BBC Delhi, and Satyaki Ghosh. Interpreting by Vipul Chavan.

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