Routes 2 Roots is organizing Virsa, an online workshop for the students. Virsa is a pioneer program for integrating art and culture with information technology and telecommunications. The project aims to help students to de-stress and help them focus on their education, especially in these years of the unprecedented Pandemic with the help of art and culture.
Experts conduct the workshops in different fields. Virsa provides classes in various disciplines: Hindustani classical vocal, Canatic vocal, Harmonium, Tabla, Flute, Sitar, Bharatnatyam, Keyboard, Kathak, Guitar, etc. Theatre, Brain Development & Mindfulness, Yoga, Fun with Maths and Punjabi literature & Culture.
“As a pride citizen of India, we are happy to announce that Routes 2 Roots is organizing Virsa. The workshops will play an instrumental role in shaping the next generation as it will guide and prepare them to face all the challenges of life. The classes help school-going children reduce their stress levels and improve their focus on their studies. The positive outcome of Virsa’s digital learning of culture is that the tolerances amongst children have substantially increased, and a sense of inclusive growth has developed in the country’s future leaders. The success of Virsa cultural workshops has motivated us to move forward and hold such workshops in larger numbers. “Routes 2 Roots will ensure that these classes are available to many more students throughout the country.” Said Rakesh Gupta, Founder, Routes 2 Roots.
The project Virsa is operational in all the districts of 29 States and 7 Union Territories of India, including the remotest areas like the northeastern states, Jammu & Kashmir/ Ladakh region and Lakshadweep, impacting over two crore school-going children daily. The Virsa program is also operational in Russia, Bhutan, Nepal and Iran.Â
“I am thankful to the Virsa’s organizers who are regularly organizing it. I have acquired much knowledge from these workshops. Whatever I have learnt in these workshops are going to help me in a long way.” Vaibhav is a student of class IX from a school in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
During the Pandemic, Virsa allowed the students who were under the grip of lockdown an opportunity to learn various cultural disciplines from the comfort of their homes as these were available on Virsa’s platform digitally. The unique classes of (NLP) Brain Development & Mindfulness have taught the children to deal with their academic and mental stress during the lockdown and how to channelize their energies through different activities from the four walls of their homes.Â
Virsa was launched with 50 schools in 2016, but the quality and impact of the program led to its exponential growth. The organization could enrol more than 20,000 schools in just six years, with over two crore children being impacted daily.
