NEELBAGH RURAL SCHOOL

David Horsburgh (1923-1984) was a British-born educationist who worked in India. He first came to India in 1943 while serving with the Royal Air Force. He felt very much at home in the region and was moved by the poverty and poor educational opportunities for rural children he encountered while living in a small village in the North East. After the war, on his return to the UK he vowed to return to India and become involved in education. He studied in England at the University of London - SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) and returned to India to work as a teacher of English, first in Mysore and then at Rishi Valley School. He also worked with the British Council in India and the National Council of Educational Research and Training. He later founded a school, Neelbagh in Kolar district - about 100 km outside Bangalore. He is known for his contributions to the area of educational reform, especially the introduction of Activity-based learning.