My first visit to government schools was some time in 1998-99, even before the Azim Premji Foundation became operational. The schools, in one of the northern states, were in a highly deplorable condition. Broken walls, missing windows, leaky roofs, absence of a proper playground and free movement of pigs within the premises of the school was the order of the day in most of the schools I visited. But what I liked was the way the school staff, including the principal or head teacher, welcomed us in each school. Mostly because the NGO whose members accompanied me was well. . .