Educate as many kids as possible, Rani Mukerji urges people

Mumbai: After doing various roles on big screen, Bollywood actress
Rani Mukerji is set for a new role in real life - she endorses Procter
& Gamble's Shiksha programme and urges everyone to contribute to help
educate as many people as possible.

Procter & Gamble (P&G) has tied up with the NGO Child Rights and You
(CRY) for Shiksha programme and under this some part of the proceeds
generated from the sale of a P&G product such as Tide, Ariel, Vicks,
etc. will go for children's education in the country.

"School is as important as drinking water and education is as
important as the air we breathe. So, I feel that initiatives like
Shiksha that support the cause of education are incredible, and I feel
we should all contribute even if it's a little bit because if we do
that India will have 100 per cent literacy rate one day," Rani told
reporters here.

"It's my dream too that every child in India is educated because the
way India is growing I don't think without education, we can see a
very bright future. So if we want a bright future for our country, I
think education is foremost," she added.

Rani, who described herself as "not such a studious student in
school", also recommended that education should be made more
interesting.

"It's very important to make education interesting and enjoyable so
that students don't drop out. Also, focus should not be only on
academics. Alternate interests like painting, music, etc., should also
be encouraged," she said.

Also present at the event was Sharat Verma, marketing manager, P&G India.

"Shiksha is not just an initiative, but a passion that we as an
organisation strongly believe in. After touching the lives of 150,000
children, we are now helping build the future of India's children by
building 20 schools this year and aim to build another 20 in the
coming year," he said.

P&G has tied up with other NGOs to spread this campaign.

Shiksha has been successful in impacting 150,000 children thus far, in
association with leading NGOs Round Table India (RTI), Child Rights
and You (CRY), Navy Wives Welfare Association (NWWA), Army Wives
Welfare Association (AWWA) among others. IANS