The Shanti Ananda School

The predecessor of the "Shanti Ananda Nature Concept School" was founded in 2001 by Swami Nagananda. At that time there was no compulsory schooling in India and most poor people were excluded from schooling. The "Nagananda School" was very simple. There was not even a school stamp(!), and all teaching materials had to be provided by the teachers themselves!
 
From the beginning, the teacher, social therapist and artist Helga "Shanti" Fründt from Germany was involved and organized innovative creative workshops for the teachers. An absolute novelty in an area where monotonous memorization and corporal punishment were (are) commonplace in a country where compulsory education was introduced in 2010.

After Swami's death in 2006, Helga became project leader and initiated a reorientation of the school, "Nagananda" became "Shanti Ananda" (Peace and Bliss). In 2008, at the request of the teachers, the school became a nature school, which was practically implemented just two years later on an area of a good four hectares!

Today 180 children attend the school, where the enthusiastic teachers offer them practice-oriented and project-based lessons, which are intended to make the children fit for life and to teach them to act independently. In addition to the compulsory subjects, great importance is attached to preparing the students for real life and a healthy lifestyle.