For 30 Years, This Nilgiris Forest School Has Used Local Culture to Educate Adivasi Children

At Vidyodaya School in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris, Adivasi children from PVTG communities learn through forests, culture, and mother tongue–based teaching instead of rote textbooks. Run with strong community involvement, the school blends ecology, local food knowledge, arts, and traditions into the curriculum while supporting first-generation learners with free education and holistic care.