First things first. The school has never received government aid and does not intend to seek government help. The school has been and will be run with the help of people,” said Purnachandra Rao, 54, founder of Needy Illiterate Children Education (NICE) School. A man who has seen poverty and come up the hard way, he established the school for orphans in 2002 with CBSE affiliation. Education and basic amenities are provided to the students free of cost and expenses are covered by donations from benevolent individuals.
Born in a poor family in a remote village in Andhra Pradesh, Purnachandra Rao lost his father when he was just four. His mother, a daily wage worker, strived hard to raise him. Soon after completing his degree, he worked for various companies, including a pharma company for 12 years and in an NGO for five years. In 2001, he sold his ancestral house and established NICE for needy children.
He is now focusing on providing free education to children from tribal communities, who are educationally and economically backwards. He says that even when the country is celebrating its 75th year of Independence, developments are yet to reach them. When asked how he manages funds, he said, “Good work is always appreciated.” He has connected with more than 125,000 individuals in the past 20 years for donations.
“I have travelled across the country and seen the poor economic conditions prevailing in many villages. My long-time goal is to help as many children as I can by establishing schools like this in various places. I am content with whatever I have and happy that I am making the future bright for numerous children.”
The NICE school admits 40 children every year. Currently, 200 students are studying in NICE and a majority of them are from rural districts of Andhra Pradesh and a few from Telangana. Most of the alumni of the NICE school are now in reputed positions working as software engineers’ working for top companies and in several sectors. Gopal Krishna a student of NICE is a chartered accountant.
The school also supports the higher education of their students with the ways and means for the same. Purnachandra Rao is commemorating the 20th year of his school and is planning to establish a care home for the old-age people along with the orphans so that both groups can enjoy each others’ companionship.
It is a school for orphans, and all are treated equally, irrespective of their caste, religion, race or economic background
