When Maggie OHara, a successful Hollywood actress arrived in India three decades ago, little did she think she would stay on forever.
By Ashish Goel
Rishikesh (Uttrakhand), Aug 16 : When Maggie O'Hara, a successful Hollywood actress arrived in India three decades ago, little did she think she would stay on forever.
But Maggie, who came to seek spiritual enlightenment, decided to stay back on the advice of her last spiritual teacher, Ramana Maharishi, and started a project to take care of poverty-ridden children in Uttarakhand.
"I had come 30 years ago and I came initially seeking a spiritual teacher. After finding a number of teachers, it was on their advice, the last teacher direct descendent of Ramana Maharishi. He told me it was my sadhna or meditation to open schools, provide education, medical care to poor village children," Maggie said.
Maggie said her decision to come and settle in India did not go down well with her friends and well-wishers.
Maggie's project known as Ramana Sewa Samiti or Ramana Service Society has four schools in Uttarakhand, which takes care of the education and other basic needs of about 350 poor children, including 64 destitutes.
Maggie says her efforts are aimed at breaking the circle of poverty among people, as she hopes better education to children of poor families would uplift them.
"It's my belief that these children are extremely bright. There's a huge segment of Indian society that is locked into below poverty line. It is very difficult for them to come out of it. It's very difficult for the children to get a good education, to get job skills. It is our intention to change that," she said.
Maggie said the school, which was registered with the National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT), also provides vocational training to the children.
ANI