Educating Radhika

(dedicated to The Cynic)

Remember that 80s film with Michael Caine called Educating Rita? Well, this article is about our own Rads' education.

Many of us on the forum hope that she will get some gyan from Guruji and make better decisions and show better judgement. Questions have been asked if she is literate. Yes, she is- remember that note she dropped in Dev's car? She certainly can read and write Devnagri (Hindi/ Sanskrit script- aptly named don't u think? 😉 ).

That said, moving to the next part in education- critical thinking and the ability to problem solve. In this department, our Rads is totally lacking. She is very good at solving others' problems. When it comes to her own, she likes to just ignore it or lie saying it doesn't exist. If this isn't the ostrich's attitude of burying its head in the sand, nothing else is.

All this moh maya mumbo jumbo needs to be clarified by our in resident Prof aka Guruji soon. I hope he is upto the task of Educating Radhika within the next quarter. I don't think we viewers are patient to wait an entire semester to see her pass her class!

Thank you, blokes <deep bow>, I am honoured.

Actually, I was just asking about Radhika's formal education. I never doubted that she was literate, and I firmly believe that knowing English is not equal to education. Actually, the question arose in my mind because I thought in one of the ashram scenes Radhika was shown working with the students.

I hold that 90% of our knowledge is gained through experience, not through formal education.

(I confess that I never did well in formal education :) )

The ashram Principal lost my respect when he said he will shut the door on Radhika if she went to see her father in hospital.

I agree with U..Radhika need extra classes..i hope Guruji already gave one about Vairagya..you can't run away form problem..Maybe Guriji see everyday Dev-Radhika together...we don't have to tell...give her classes...

first she need to learn respect herself...

Ha.ha..loved your take, blokes!

I think Radhika is good in critical thinking and problem solving skill. She had come up with an initial hypothesis for the problem several months back(whether good or bad that is debatable)! But with the changing environmental variables, she should re-assess the situation and suitably modify the hypothesis. Here she has failed big time! Hypothesis has become a theorem for her!! 😃

Like a parrot, she says the same thing again and again! 😕

Originally posted by: TheCynic

Thank you, blokes <deep bow>, I am honoured.<br><br>Actually, I was just asking about Radhika's formal education. I never doubted that she was literate, and I firmly believe that knowing English is not equal to education. Actually, the question arose in my mind because I thought in one of the ashram scenes Radhika was shown working with the students.<br><br>I hold that 90% of our knowledge is gained through experience, not through formal education.<br><br>(I confess that I never did well in formal education :) )<br><br>The ashram Principal lost my respect when he said he will shut the door on Radhika if she went to see her father in hospital. <br>

Cynic- being a teacher myself, I always wished governments and parents understood the difference between literacy and education. It is tragic how the two words are easily interchanged. When I conducted workshops for teachers in India, it took me upto 30 minutes to an hour, sometimes, to make teachers feel comfortable talking in their respective regional language rather than suffer with English. They thought they had to speak English, however they massacred it! It is sad indeed, this situation, about English education. Even after 62 years of independence, we have this "moh" for English.

Like u so rightly said, Radhika is "educated"- all that talk of sanskar etc. is a reflection of that. Unfortunately, her obstinacy with regards to keeping her wedding secret from Dev shows poor critical thinking skills or even application of the "knowledge" she has imbibed via her father, amma's reading of the Gita. Hence, she does not reflect the quality of her "non-formal" education in her actions. That is one of my exasperation with her characterization. She speaks quite wisely when she advices Vish and even tells dev about his duty towards his gaddhi- RP etc. but when it comes to herself, she cringes from Amma and her hatred. A truly educated person does not fear anything, least of all the ignorant opinions of prejudice.

I have met some extremely "educated" people in tribal communities and rural areas who know how to treat a guest, how to handle first aid, live in harmony with their immediate environment with a minimum carbon footprint. However, not many of them were literate. Modern day environmental engineers and scientists can learn much from them. What they lack in research skills they make up in life skills.

The creatives could have handled Rads character so much better than making her this soppy mess. I will never forgive them for this basic flaw.

Excellent piece, blokes, excellent! I have actually copied this and saved it, anticipating your kind permission. I am so happy to know there is somebody else who thinks like this about our education system.

Your characterisation of Radhika is perfect.