GWALIOR - A woman in Gwalior has set a unique example of communal harmony by running a madrasa, an Islamic school, to educate Muslim children belonging to downtrodden or poor families.

Today, this madrasa being run by Kamlesh Pathak is an edifice of communal harmony and inspires people.

Pathak started this madrasa in 2006 to provide quality education to Muslim children hailing from theeconomically weaker sections.

Imparting lessons in English, Arabic and Urdu, the Pathak-run madrasa imparts lessons till the fifth grade. It aims to educate students with basic skills to move ahead in life.

“I had thought for a long time of starting something for the children coming from economically weaker sections. We chose English, Arabic and Urdu for teaching in the madrasa for extending benefits of education to the economically weaker children so that they can move ahead in life and do something for their family, for themselves and the nation,” said Kamlesh Pathak.

There are 65 students enrolled at Kamlesh Pathak’s madarsa. She wishes to expand the madrasa and extend its benefits to other children as well.

For students, the madrasa has proved to be of a great help to learn and realise their educational dreams. They say Pathak has done exemplary work by opening such a place to educate children irrespective of religious considerations of pupils.

“These days people differentiate between Hindus and Muslims but aunty (Kamlesh Pathak) is not like them. She has opened this, which is a good effort. If Hindus and Muslims start living together like this, there will no longer be any differences,” said Sanno Khan, a student.

At present a total of 418 madrasa are being run in Gwalior by Muslim organisations, including this one being run by a Hindu woman.