Former Seven Lakes student uses tutoring to benefit orphans and low literacy areas in her native India

By George Slaughter, News Editor
Posted 3/23/23

The pandemic caused plenty of anguish for teachers and students, but one former Seven Lakes High student used it to benefit orphanages and low literacy areas in her native India.

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Former Seven Lakes student uses tutoring to benefit orphans and low literacy areas in her native India

Posted

The pandemic caused plenty of anguish for teachers and students, but one former Seven Lakes High student used it to benefit orphanages and low literacy areas in her native India.

Alisha Madhuvarshi was born in New Delhi, India, and moved with her family to the United States before she was two years of age. While a student at Beckendorff Junior High, she learned of the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science in Denton. The academy is part of the University of North Texas. According to its website, the academy is the nation’s first early college entrance residential program for gifted high school-aged students.

Madhuvarshi enjoys competitive math—she said she’s been doing it since the third grade—and decided she wanted to attend school there.

After two years at Seven Lakes High, Madhuvarshi made the move to Denton, where she is in her first year. She said she enjoys the independent lifestyle the program provides. Her parents remain in the Katy area. When she graduates from the academy, she said she hopes to attend the University of Texas at Austin and work with artificial intelligence programs.

When the pandemic occurred in 2020, Madhuvarshi found herself learning both how to be an online student—and teacher.

“When the quarantine hit, I had a lot of free time and I wanted to use it to do something productive and preferably be helpful to other people,” Madhuvarshi said. She said she was always interested in teaching and that she came from a long line of teachers in her family.

She began tutoring local students in math, first online and then, eventually, in person. Her students’ parents were asked for donations, and they gave nearly $1,000.

Madhuvarshi spoke with her parents, as well as a family friend, Rakesh Nikhaj, about how to move forward. She said she visited India before the quarantine went into effect, and shortly after returning she learned of Nikhaj.

“We just got to talking, and he told me his work was to travel India and work on charity projects around the country,” Madhuvarshi said. “I found that really interesting.”

Madhuvarshi said she felt Nikhaj would put the money to good use, and it also provided her a way to stay connected with her culture.

Madhuvarshi began teaching paid math classes, the proceeds from which went to schools in India, where they opened libraries. Last year, she self-published a math textbook, available for purchase on Amazon at the abbreviated URL bit.ly/3lvqE7Q.

The success of these projects was the inspiration for what Madhuvarshi calls the Library Project. Its goal is to open 100 libraries in low literacy areas in India. She said each library costs $500 to open and stock.

But while Madhuvarshi raises the money through her teaching, her parents, along with Nikhaj, are part of the team. Her father, she said, helps communications, particularly when she speaks with Indian students in Hindi. She knows the language, she said, but he’s more fluent. Her mother, meanwhile, teaches at a Montessori school and works to secure donations. So far, the project has raised about $5,000.

Madhuvarshi said her mother also gives advice on the project website, ourtoolbox.org, where donations are accepted.

“She’s good at making sure things look marketable,” Madhuvarshi said.

Seven Lakes High, literacy, math competition