02-11-2009, 01:46 AM
You won't see this in secular channels.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Tirupati Vedic schools open doors to Dalits
Author: Sreenivas Janyala
Publications: IE
Date: February 5, 2009
<b>THE Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has opened the doors of its
prestigious Vedic schools to Scheduled Caste and non-Brahmin students.</b>
Considered sacred, admission to Vedic schools was restricted only to
Brahmins and the TTD's decision goes a long way in its attempt to shed
its image of a caste-rigid organisation.
TTD Board chairman D K Aadikesavulu Naidu said the Scheduled Caste
students could now take admission in the Sri Venkateshwara Vedic
Pathasalas and they would be imparted Vedic education without any
prejudice. The TTD has also decided to support the SC students after
they learn the Vedas by giving them a stipend of Rs 1 lakh which will
help them till they find employment.
TTD public relations officer Ram Pulla Reddy said the TTD believes in
equality and oneness of all and has decided to open the doors of the
Vedic schools to everyone. "Already several students have taken
admission. The first student, Pavan Kumar, applied from Tirupati
itself," he said.
The TTD runs a Vedic University besides one school at Vedagiri at
Tirupati and one at Hyderabad. The Vedagiri school at Tirupati was
established more than a century ago.
<b>Last July, in a rare gesture, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam had
decided to take idols of the world's richest God to several Dalit
villages in the district not only to provide them a glimpse but also to
enable them to worship Him right in front of their homes. Named 'Dalit
Govindam', the initiative that has become immensely popular now involves
Dalits in prayer rituals and ceremonies without any prejudice or cutting
costs.</b>
Aadikesavulu Naidu says these initiatives are aimed at drawing the SCs
into the mainstream. He said the Board was also considering constructing
Lord Venkateshwara temples in Dalit villages if land is allotted by the
village. A special fund of Rs 5 lakh for construction of each temple is
being set aside for this purpose.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Tirupati Vedic schools open doors to Dalits
Author: Sreenivas Janyala
Publications: IE
Date: February 5, 2009
<b>THE Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has opened the doors of its
prestigious Vedic schools to Scheduled Caste and non-Brahmin students.</b>
Considered sacred, admission to Vedic schools was restricted only to
Brahmins and the TTD's decision goes a long way in its attempt to shed
its image of a caste-rigid organisation.
TTD Board chairman D K Aadikesavulu Naidu said the Scheduled Caste
students could now take admission in the Sri Venkateshwara Vedic
Pathasalas and they would be imparted Vedic education without any
prejudice. The TTD has also decided to support the SC students after
they learn the Vedas by giving them a stipend of Rs 1 lakh which will
help them till they find employment.
TTD public relations officer Ram Pulla Reddy said the TTD believes in
equality and oneness of all and has decided to open the doors of the
Vedic schools to everyone. "Already several students have taken
admission. The first student, Pavan Kumar, applied from Tirupati
itself," he said.
The TTD runs a Vedic University besides one school at Vedagiri at
Tirupati and one at Hyderabad. The Vedagiri school at Tirupati was
established more than a century ago.
<b>Last July, in a rare gesture, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam had
decided to take idols of the world's richest God to several Dalit
villages in the district not only to provide them a glimpse but also to
enable them to worship Him right in front of their homes. Named 'Dalit
Govindam', the initiative that has become immensely popular now involves
Dalits in prayer rituals and ceremonies without any prejudice or cutting
costs.</b>
Aadikesavulu Naidu says these initiatives are aimed at drawing the SCs
into the mainstream. He said the Board was also considering constructing
Lord Venkateshwara temples in Dalit villages if land is allotted by the
village. A special fund of Rs 5 lakh for construction of each temple is
being set aside for this purpose.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->