Mili Garg is a lawyer by profession.
A lawyer by profession, Mili Garg soon started working in the field of education. She along with her friends is working to set up an academy which will come up in the vicinity of Chandigarh to provide free education and sports training to students from economically weaker sections. She spoke to Jagdeep Singh Deep about her plans.
Can you tell us a little about the academy you are planning to set up?
Our group is working towards providing free education to children from financially weaker sections. We have planned to set up an academy where we will provide free education and also train students in sports, without charging anything from them. Some senior sportspersons are also helping us in this initiative. At this time we can not disclose the location, but the academy will be operational within a year. We have completed all formalities and have also got some land.
What will be the priority areas in the academy?
Our main focus will be education. We will train the students for competitive exams in case it is needed, and also try to train them in sports.
Do you think that the academy will be able to create a difference for children who come from economically weaker sections?
Yes, it will help. Apart from education, there is lot of talent in sports. Many budding sportspersons are not able to come forward as they cannot not afford the training and other activities. We wanted to work on this. People have already come forward to help us and we will soon make it a reality.
Have you taken any other initiatives to help provide free education to the students?
Yes, I have been teaching students free of cost for almost the past 15 years. We are now focusing on the Tricity and setting up the academy is part of this. Our purpose is to reach to maximum students. We also give free books to students who could not afford them. Many people are working with us, who donate books. Some people also volunteered to teach students.
Apart from education, are there any projects that you are part of?
I have studied law and I use to counsel women who want any kind of help from me. We have a group. I specially deal with matrimonial cases and try to save marriages. We are successful but we have a long way to go. I will approach the district administration to take our free services.
Coming back to education, are you doing any project specifically on education at present?
There is no specific project yet, but we are adding members to our group and trying to cover the Tricity, where we will teach the students free of cost. Our basic motive is to work for students who cannot afford tuition and costly education.
Are you associated with any NGO or working on your own?
I am working on my own but there are some NGOs for which I work. We have a group of friends who are from different fields and do social work. I devoted my time to providing education, while others are working to provide free legal aid and counselling. I too do counselling sometimes.
Do you teach the students in schools or are there any other arrangements for them?
I volunteer at a school where I teach students from the EWS category. We also approach the students separately, and if they want to study then we make arrangements for them accordingly.