NEW DELHI -- Nestled in the remote village of Phangane in India's western state of Maharashtra, Aajibaichi Shala is a unique institution, perhaps the only one of its kind in the world. For this is a "school for grannies" where women aged 60 to 94 come to learn reading, writing, arithmetic and other skills.
Set up under a grove of trees inside a colorful hut festooned with streamers and flowers, the school opens for two hours a day, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. As soon as the clock strikes 1:30 p.m., 30 grannies (called aajis in the local Marathi language) start trooping into the school, neatly attired in uniforms of bright pink sarees, with satchels slung on their shoulders.
