As part of a research project awarded through the Shivlal Sawhney Scholarship by the Department of Sociology, University of Delhi, I had the opportunity to visit Rishi Valley School (RVS) in Andhra Pradesh.[1] The project involved studying at one of the Krishnamurti Foundation schools, which are deeply rooted in the ideology and philosophy of the renowned educationist and philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895-1986). After a 27-hour train journey, followed by a 4-hour bus ride from Bangalore to Madanapalle, we took a 15 km auto ride to finally reach Rishi Valley School. Rishi Valley School is nestled in a serene valley beneath Rishikonda Hill—where, according to folklore, sages (or ‘rishis’ in Sanskrit) once meditated—offering a tranquil and picturesque setting in rural Andhra Pradesh. My fieldwork at RVS lasted a month, from June 19 to July 19, 2024.
On the evening of June 19, 2024, when I arrived at the office, a girl approached us and said, “Meenakshi Akka has sent us. Do you want to go to the guest house?” She then led the way. The term ‘Akka’ (meaning older sister in Tamil) is commonly used at RVS to address female teachers, fostering a sense of closeness and familiarity. Students sometimes even use first names or nicknames for their teachers, as seen in the art and craft class where Prabhakar was affectionately called ‘Prabhu,’[2] and Jennie Sir was simply called Jennie; this informal manner of address reflected the friendly relationships between students and teachers. Although male teachers were generally called ‘Sir’.
This dynamic is deeply rooted in Krishnamurti’s philosophy, which promotes joyful, collaborative learning free from rigid authority structures (Krishnamurti, 1986). Krishnamurti believed that education should cultivate both the external skills necessary for functioning in the world and the inner understanding that fosters sensitivity, freedom, and intelligence. He emphasized that we must be clear about what we want education to achieve: the development of the “total human being,” not just a technological one (ibid). Krishnamurti also advocated for an education free from fear, beliefs, hierarchy, and competition. He argued that fear—whether from societal pressures, religious beliefs, or competition—limits creativity and genuine learning. Education should provide an environment where students can explore freely without the fear of failure or conformity (ibid).
There is a close bond between teachers and students at Rishi Valley School (RVS) which can be attributed to the philosophy of Krishnamurti practised by the school and somewhat to its residential nature, where teachers also serve as house parents. This dual role creates natural, informal interactions in spaces beyond the classroom, such as the dining hall, and playground, and during activities like the weekly movie screenings on Saturdays, where teachers sit among students.
On one such occasion, a T-20 cricket match coincided with the movie screening[3]. Since students at RVS don’t have internet access, they informally asked me for score updates. Although I hesitated because of my limitations, I noticed a teacher casually sharing the scores with them. Similarly, in an art and craft class, I observed a student expressing boredom with needlework, while another student in the painting class wished to switch to needlework. Both students openly communicated their preferences to the teacher who was teaching needlework. In RVS, the junior school (grades 4 to 8), art and craft classes cover a range of activities, including needlework, batik, pottery, painting, and woodcraft. Each student spends two months on one activity before rotating to the next. Students are free to create as many pieces as they wish, and their work is showcased during the annual exhibition held in February. In grade 9, students gain more freedom to focus on the activity of their choice. While the students in this case were not allowed to switch activities, they still had the space to express their disinterest, which is valued at RVS.[4]
Rajagopal, the junior school headmaster, shared that a significant part of learning at RVS happens outside the classroom: “Children learn a lot from the way we conduct ourselves, whether it’s in the dining hall or how we interact with the support staff—children watch and learn from us.”[5] This reflects the school’s belief that the less hierarchical the relationship, the more genuine and effective the learning becomes (Sonkar, 2013).
However, being a house parent isn’t without challenges. One former house parent humorously noted, “I can’t ask students to brush their teeth if I haven’t brushed mine.”[6] Another teacher likened the role to “going to work again” after classes, acknowledging that it can sometimes intrude on privacy. Despite these challenges, this teacher, being a single-house parent, felt the impact on privacy was minimal.
Within the classroom, these close relationships are moderated by certain unwritten rules. While RVS promotes informality, it remains affiliated with the ICSE (Indian Certificate of School Education). Although students do not take exams until class 8, and report cards are narrative-based rather than graded, teachers must carefully craft detailed reports that avoid terms like ‘good,’ ‘excellent,’ or ‘hopeless.’[7] However, in senior school (classes 9 to 12), where regular exams are conducted, the pressure to complete the syllabus on time can sometimes reduce informality in the classroom. Even in the junior classes, some teachers maintain strictness to ensure classroom discipline. For instance, one house parent was reportedly unpopular with students due to her strict demeanour.
Although RVS strives to uphold Krishnamurti’s philosophical ideals of minimizing authority, the school, like any institution, faces practical challenges. These challenges include the personal ideologies of teachers, the perspectives of students, parental expectations regarding academic results, and the school’s performance requirements. These factors can influence the teacher-student dynamic at Rishi Valley, as well as in other educational settings.
References
Krishnamurti, J. (1986). On Education. Krishnamurti Foundation India.
Sonkar, M. (2014-2015). ‘Right Relationship’ between Teachers and Students: Ethnographic Unraveling of Krishnamurti’s Ideas in Practice in Rishi Valley School. Working Paper I, D.S. Kothari Centre for Science, Ethics and Education, University of Delhi.
[1] This study comes under Sociology of Education.
[2] I attended 5 art and craft classes of class 4th, 7th and 10th
[3] Attended the movie screening on June 29, 2024
[4] The information obtained from Information Brochure of the RVS, also from the teachers and students
[5] Interview of Rajagopal, Junior school headmaster on July 11, 2024
[6] In an informal interaction with the teacher on
[7] Information obtained from a teacher in an interview taken on July 17, 2024
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Anjali Sidhwani is pursuing an MA in Sociology from the Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics (DSE), University of Delhi.