Magician casts spell in Sharda Mandir School

Mumbai, Jun 17: City-based magician Kruti Parekh has cast her spell on the students of Sharda Mandir High School at Gamdevi here so much so that the students have begun performing well in their examinations.

Parekh says that performance of the students from the Marathi-medium school improved drastically, since 1999, when she began providing financial assistance to it.

She said the pass percentage of the co-ed school rose from a mere 17 per cent before she began contributing for the development, to 69 per cent in the Class X exams this year.

Ms Parekh conducts magic shows all round the year and a part of the raised money is donated as charity. Sharda Mandir High School is one of the beneficiaries.

Although, she was not willing to disclose the amount donated, school principal Vasanti Gokhale revealed the donation amounts to about a lakh and more rupees anually.

She explained that the school was government aided and the fee was low which forced the authorities to seek donations.

Many a times people are asked to contribute in kind. ''Only recently, the school needed refrigerator and I told people not to pay but donate a refrigerator, which they did.'' Since Parekh began aiding the school, the drop-out rates of the students, mostly from the weaker sections of society, have also fallen. The magician said, ''Earlier, a florist would think twice before sending his daughter to school during the wedding season. But not anymore.'' The kids here are talented and just need a platform to exhibit their talents. One of them was chosen in a musical talent show by a TV channel.

Ms Parekh also conducts environmental activities like plantation drives in collaboration with Kenyan Neem Foundation and Reena Joseph, wife of former civic chief Johny Joseph.

Ms Gokhle said, ''Kruti Parekh is doing a noble job by helping youngsters in education.''

UNI