The plight of young girls caught in war zones and in the Devadasi tradition has prompted the launch of a college in Bengaluru.
Visthar College of Arts for Women has come up on a six-acre campus near Kothanur in north Bengaluru. Residential facilities are available.
David Selvaraj, founder and executive trustee of Visthar, has worked on the rehabilitation of women in the war-hit and conflict-prone regions of North Karnataka.
He says their stories of courage in the face of adversity strengthened his belief that good education is the only way out of their misery.
The academic session begins this month with a BA (honours) in journalism and mass communication and English. The college and course follow the guidelines of the National Educational Policy.
The college is accredited affiliated to the Karnataka State Akkamahadevi Women’s University (KSAWU), Vijayapura. All colleges affiliated to KSAWU have extended application for first year BA only till the end of October.
“These young women defy unspeakable odds and are keen to bring about change in their lives and in the life of their community,” Selvaraj told Metrolife.
Once the girls graduate, they can address problems of underrepresentation and gender stereotyping in the media, he believes.
Download the application form from visthar.org.