In our very own country, a small private school in the Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh decided to challenge this very notion of a dominant hand by teaching all, that’s right, ALL of its students to write with both hands. Meet the nation’s only Ambidextrous school – the Veena Vadini Public School of the remote Budhela village of MP, that has stirred awe across the world.
A former soldier, VP Sharma, was inspired by the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, who was ambidextrous. In several interviews, he recounts that he was travelling in a bus as he read about the former President’s curious ability in a magazine, which inspired him to try it himself. When he succeeded, he decided he would impart the skill to all of the children that would attend the school he was aiming to establish in his native village of Budhela.
No ordinary institution, the Veena Vadini Public School, founded in 1999, follows a particular regimen till date. Starting from Class 1, students are taught to write with both their hands and by Class 3, they are able to do so almost effortlessly. When a new student is admitted, he or she writes using their hand of choice for a month, post-which they are taught to write with the other hand. After a few months, they are taught to use both hands together. In a 45-minute class, 15 minutes, are dedicated to writing practice in that subject, without fail.
Using this skill to develop an affinity for languages, students of the Veena Vadini Public School are taught to write in six different languages- Hindi, English, Urdu, Sanskrit, Arabic and Roman. And what’s more, many students can write in two different scripts simultaneously, at a high level of speed. In addition, yoga and physical training form an integral part of the school’s curriculum in order to sharpen the students’ memory skills and concentration.
This unique school has piqued interest not only across the country but from scientists worldwide. Researchers from countries like South Korea, Germany and the U.S. have made their way to Madhya Pradesh, to study the pupils and understand this acquired ambidexterity from a closer lens.
A former soldier, VP Sharma, was inspired by the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, who was ambidextrous. In several interviews, he recounts that he was travelling in a bus as he read about the former President’s curious ability in a magazine, which inspired him to try it himself. When he succeeded, he decided he would impart the skill to all of the children that would attend the school he was aiming to establish in his native village of Budhela.
No ordinary institution, the Veena Vadini Public School, founded in 1999, follows a particular regimen till date. Starting from Class 1, students are taught to write with both their hands and by Class 3, they are able to do so almost effortlessly. When a new student is admitted, he or she writes using their hand of choice for a month, post-which they are taught to write with the other hand. After a few months, they are taught to use both hands together. In a 45-minute class, 15 minutes, are dedicated to writing practice in that subject, without fail.
Using this skill to develop an affinity for languages, students of the Veena Vadini Public School are taught to write in six different languages- Hindi, English, Urdu, Sanskrit, Arabic and Roman. And what’s more, many students can write in two different scripts simultaneously, at a high level of speed. In addition, yoga and physical training form an integral part of the school’s curriculum in order to sharpen the students’ memory skills and concentration.
This unique school has piqued interest not only across the country but from scientists worldwide. Researchers from countries like South Korea, Germany and the U.S. have made their way to Madhya Pradesh, to study the pupils and understand this acquired ambidexterity from a closer lens.