Overview

In a remote Himalayan community in India, admission to a school set up by a Canadian Jesuit priest meant more than a meal ticket for the children on the lowest rung of the traditional social hierarchy; each student was also given a violin. PBS NewsHour special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro returns for an update on the school, and one student who has gone on to a life that might have seemed unfathomable.

Videos

Discussion Questions

What problems can you identify in this story? Are solutions presented?
In what way might this story be relevant in your community?
The music school offers education to the lowest rung of the social hierarchy. What long term impact can that have on society?
Kushmita is clearly very talented and not many graduates of the Gandhi Ashram school will likely become professional musicians. In what ways do you think Kushmita’s example can help the next generation of students at Gandhi Ashram?

Writing Prompts (250 Words)

Is access to music education an important issue of equity? How is music used to improve the chances for success for the children at Gandhi Ashram?