Wings of Dignity, Dreams, and Transformations That Awaken.
In a world where children are born into cycles of poverty, neglect, and lost potential — PANKH offers a sacred alternative: education with soul, skills with dignity, and love without condition.
Founded in 2013 by Alankrita Banerjee, PANKH – The Creative School is not just an NGO — it is a living, breathing movement that uplifts the most invisible and forgotten children of society, giving them wings to fly.
PANKH was born on January 26, 2013, in a small 1-room shed in Rishikesh, with just ₹2,000, a whiteboard, and a vision to serve. What started with one teacher and six children, has now grown into:
- A fully equipped K-11 school
- Serving over 1,000+ students, mostly from below poverty line (BPL) families
- Providing free holistic education, meals, therapy, and skill-building
- Empowering rural women and differently-abled students
At its heart, PANKH is Alankrita Banerjee’s offering of love, spiritual service, and action to the Divine through the most underserved.
What We Do
1. Free Holistic Education
We offer formal education from Nursery to Grade 11, following a unique curriculum that blends:
- NCERT academic foundation
- General knowledge, English, Math & Science
- Yoga, meditation, and physical training
- Drawing, music, theatre, and expressive arts
- Sanskrit shlokas and cultural literacy
- Environmental awareness and outdoor classes
“We don’t teach just subjects — we awaken dignity and self-worth.”
2. Health, Nutrition & Hygiene Support
Every child at PANKH receives:
- Midday meals (nutritious & sattvic)
- Clean drinking water & sanitation access
- Menstrual hygiene kits & awareness workshops for girls
- Regular medical check-ups & basic health camps
- Clothing & winter gear drives
3. Inclusive Education for Differently-Abled
Our inclusive wing, known as the PANKH DIVYA SECTION, caters to:
- Special children with autism, Down syndrome, developmental delays
- Offers occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, speech support
- Supported by a trained team of special educators, volunteers, and therapists
Also includes adult learners with special needs for livelihood inclusion
4. Women Empowerment & Skill Building
“If you educate a man, you educate an individual. If you educate a woman, you educate a generation.”
PANKH runs vocational training programs for rural and urban poor women, including:
- Stitching, tailoring & garment production
- Handicrafts and eco-friendly packaging
- Spoken English and financial literacy
- Counseling and self-reliance coaching
- Creating employment opportunities within PANKH units
Currently empowering 500+ women in Rishikesh and Bodhgaya.
5. Community Support During Crisis
During the COVID-19 lockdown, PANKH mobilized massive relief work:
- 10,000+ food kits, masks, soaps, and sanitary pads distributed
- Served daily-wage workers, slum families, orphaned children, and elderly widows
- Initiated community kitchens and essential medicine access
- No publicity — just compassion in motion
“When everything stopped, our hands didn’t.”
Who We Serve
- Children of ragpickers, daily wage laborers, domestic workers
- Orphaned or abandoned children
- Families affected by disability, addiction, or caste-based marginalization
- Women survivors of domestic violence
Children with special needs
Locations
- PANKH – Rishikesh: Our main campus with 20+ classrooms, therapy rooms, and open-air learning zones
- PANKH – Bodhgaya (Bihar): Our second school with 350+ children, especially Dalit and Musahar communities
PANKH – Vocational Units: Operated across multiple satellite villages near Rishikesh and Dehradun
Unique Aspects of PANKH
- No Tuition Fee – 100% free schooling and care
- No Entry Discrimination – All castes, religions, and conditions welcome
- No Government Dependency – Entirely funded by donations, volunteers & heart-driven supporters
- No Hierarchy – Teachers, volunteers, and founders all serve as one family
No Academic Pressure – Focus on emotional, psychological, and spiritual development
Voices from PANKH
“I had never seen a classroom. Now I want to become a teacher.”
— Rani, Grade 6, daughter of a roadside tea vendor
“They didn’t just teach my son how to write — they helped him believe he mattered.”
— A mother from Shivnath Nagar slum
“At PANKH, I healed parts of me I didn’t even know were broken.”
— Volunteer, Netherlands
- Morning prayers with Vedic chants
- Group meditation & laughter yoga
- Outdoor science experiments under trees
- Theatre circles and storytelling
- Tree planting and Ganga clean-up drives
- Birthday celebrations with cake and claps
- Community potlucks with every parent
How You Can Help
🔹 Sponsor a Child
Just ₹1,000/month covers school, meals, and supplies for one child.
🔹 Volunteer or Intern
Work with special needs kids, teach English, organize creative sessions.
🔹 Donate for Classrooms & Therapy Equipment
We need whiteboards, art supplies, therapy mats, solar panels, and rainproof roofs.
🔹 Corporate CSR Partnerships
Support through financial grants, employee visits, or infrastructure development.
Email us at info@alankritabanerjee.com to receive our PANKH support brochure.
Final Words from Alankrita
“Education is not just a right. It is an awakening.
And every child — regardless of where they were born — deserves to awaken to their worth.”