Himachal Pradesh · Preschool & Primary · NEP 2020
Reimagining rural education through creativity, care and culture.
DurlabhCLAP Foundation (DCF) works with preschool and primary children in rural Himachal Pradesh to strengthen their early learning foundation through arts-based, joyful and culturally rooted education.
50+
Children reached
1.5 years
Centre duration
1 pilot centre
Learning spaces
WHY WE EXIST
Protect creators. Make learning joyful.
We start where learning begins — early years — and build confidence through arts, play and local culture.
One-line philosophy
Less fear. More curiosity. Learning that feels like belonging.
Problem
01Many schools unintentionally crush free thinking — kids learn to “perform”, not to create.
Vision
02Every child remains a creator — confident, expressive, and curious.
Model
03Arts-based, joyful learning rooted in local culture — aligned with the spirit of NEP 2020.
Starting strong, staying curious.
Our work focuses on children who are just beginning their academic journey. We want their first experience of “school” to be full of curiosity, safety and joy — not fear or pressure. At our Dhanotu centre in Shahpur (Kangra), we worked with children from different family backgrounds, dialects and mother tongues, and saw how arts and play helped them open up to learning.
What changes first
A child feels safe. Then the child becomes curious. Then learning starts to stick.
Joyful first classrooms
For many children, DCF was their first learning space. We focused on warmth, interaction and trust before textbooks.
Languages & dialects respected
Children came with different dialects and mother tongues. We treated this as a strength, not a barrier.
Aligned with NEP 2020
Our approach reflects the spirit of NEP 2020 – experiential, creative and rooted in the child’s context.
Why this works
Because the first goal is not syllabus — it’s confidence, expression and belonging.
What we focus on with children.
Early years · Ages 4–10
Early English Exposure
Introducing spoken English and basic literacy through stories, songs, role play and everyday conversation.
Foundational Mathematics
Building number sense, patterns and basic operations using play, objects, games and age-appropriate activities.
Art, Expression & Computers
Drawing, colouring, local art, basic computer exposure and expressive activities that keep children curious.
Butterfly Evolution
See how joy becomes a culture — step by step.
Sahil Dogra
Founder, DurlabhCLAP Foundation
Message from the Founder
“Education should not silence children. It should give them a voice.”
Sahil Dogra, Founder of DurlabhCLAP Foundation, grew up in Delhi and has spent a significant part of his journey working closely in rural villages across India. Through his on-ground experiences, he observed how creativity and emotional expression were slowly disappearing from children’s lives – especially in rural education systems dominated by rigid structures.
Instead of beginning from a big city, he chose to pilot DurlabhCLAP Foundation from his grassroots in Shahpur, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, where his family roots and social reality are deeply connected.
For Sahil, DCF is not just an organisation. It is a long-term mission to restore creativity, confidence and cultural pride in children by integrating arts, empathy and local context into how learning happens in villages.
— Sahil Dogra, Founder, DurlabhCLAP Foundation
Let’s build stronger beginnings together.
If you're a parent, educator, institution or someone who cares about early childhood education, we would love to connect. Together, we can make the first experiences of school joyful for many more children.
What we are looking for:
- Partners for early learning interventions
- Support for arts-based curriculum development
- Fellows and volunteers from local communities
Details
Email: contact@durlabhclapfoundation.org
Location: Shahpur, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India
Based in Himachal Pradesh, India