Lighting Playtime in the Heart of the Forest – Newage Evolution Foundation

Lighting Playtime in the Heart of the Forest: A Khel Jyoti Story from Lai Ka Guda

Far inside a tribal region surrounded by dense forests, where wild animals still move freely at night and villages are spread across the hills, stands a residential school quietly shaping the future of its students.

This is the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Government Upper Primary Residential School, located in Lai Ka Guda near Badin village in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

Yes, this is the same Udaipur that many people know for its lakes and palaces. But beyond that familiar image lies another reality—one where education becomes a bridge between isolation and opportunity.

The school has more than 100 students, most of whom stay in the hostel and study in Classes 6 to 8. Within the campus, there is a playground where students regularly play football, volleyball, and other outdoor games. For them, this space is not just for play—it is where they build confidence, learn teamwork, and form friendships.

Their day begins early.

Students wake up in the morning, get ready, and gather for breakfast before heading to class. The day stays full with lessons and activities until the afternoon. During school hours, they get only 30 to 45 minutes for sports before returning to academics.

After classes, they go back to the hostel, rest for a while, complete their homework, and prepare for the next day. By the time they are finally free again, it is usually around 5:30 in the evening.

But this is where the challenge began.

Before that time, the sun is still strong, making it difficult to play comfortably. And soon after 6:30 PM, darkness starts to cover the campus.

Without proper lighting on the playground, the students had very little time left to play. This limited their chances to practice, improve their skills, and simply enjoy the game after a long day of study.

In a place already surrounded by forests and quiet after sunset, the playground would empty out too soon.

That is when Project Khel Jyoti stepped in.

With the aim of ensuring that no child’s playtime ends with sunset, lighting poles were installed on the school playground. The initiative was supported by Signify, executed by Shrusti Seva Samiti, and implemented by Newage Evolution Foundation.

The change was simple, but meaningful.

Now, the playground stays active even after dusk. Students can play safely in the evening, sometimes even after dinner. They have more time to practice, improve, and enjoy sports together.

The extra playtime has brought a new rhythm to their daily routine. It has created more space for physical activity, confidence building, and a sense of freedom that was missing earlier.

In a remote tribal area where darkness once ended the day early, the playground now stays alive a little longer.

And in that light, every child gets a little more time—to play, to grow and to move closer to their dreams.