The Visionaries

Sumedha and Kailash with kids © Sophia McCarron

It is the day Kailash and Sumedha arrive at Bal Ashram. As Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, yesterday Kailash met with world leaders at six different locations and today has flown from Bangladesh to Delhi, driven four hours from Delhi to Viratnagar and Bal Ashram and is now engulfed in boys as the car arrives. No rest for the weary – though “weary” is never a description for Kailash or his wife, Sumedha.

Upon opening his door, Kailash spots Sumit, an adorable, dramatically well-spoken 12-year-old who is “Minister of Health” on Bal Ashram’s student self-government.

Sumit’s job, which is taken very seriously by all, is to report on his fellows’ cuts, bruises and disturbances of both body and heart. Kailash wastes not a moment, knowing the names and faces of all 57 boys.

Tumbling for Kailash and Sumedha © Sophia McCarron

Opening the doors to their garden, both Sumedha and Kailash invite the horde in for cheers and chants and then into the inner lawn where the crowd roars and erupts into back flips and yogic leaps and bounds. Joy bursts into physics – and uncontrolled mutual applause – the effect of Mama-ji and Papa-ji coming home.