MUMBAI: In a world obsessed with grades and gadgets, can we reclaim the joy of childhood? EkStep Foundation, with a little help from NDTV and more than 100 collaborators, is saying a resounding yes!

And where better to launch this idea than the vibrant International Kite Festival in Ahmedabad, where imagination soared—quite literally.

Through its Bachpan Manao mission, the initiative aims to make learning joyful and play the backbone of early childhood education. Because let’s face it, doesn’t every child deserve more than just rote learning and worksheets?

Set against a sky painted with kites, children aged four to eight years got their creative juices flowing in a sustainable kite-making activity. The event wasn’t just about flying kites but also about helping minds take flight. And isn’t that what play is all about—learning without even realising it?

This isn’t just about kites and crafts. Experts like Gayatri Menon from NID and Amita Tandon from Unicef Gujarat made a strong case:

.  Play isn’t just fun; it’s essential for holistic growth.

.  The National Education Policy 2020 highlights play-based learning for children under 8 years.

.  The absence of play, they warned, could leave children without crucial skills that textbooks just don’t teach.

When was the last time we, as adults, took play seriously?

EkStep Foundation co-founder, Shankar Maruwada believes in a bold vision, “The intent was to create a joyful narrative for the foundational years of childhood. ⁠ We committed to a collaborative, co-creative approach, and we are grateful to more than 100 organisations that are partnering with us in this journey.”

EkStep chief of policy & partnerships, Deepika Mogilishetty explained, "Every year 25 million children are born in India and each one deserves a steady foundation. Joyful learning is a breakthrough opportunity to ensure that every child can thrive to their fullest. We are at a pivotal time in India where we can create optimal experiences for every child. This requires a whole of society approach. Bachpan Manao is an invitation to every caring adult to celebrate the first 400 weeks of every child as a period of abundant and holistic growth. To simply celebrate the unique opportunity of childhood to learn, grow through play”
From its initial three collaborators, Bachpan Manao has now roped in over 100 organisations. And this event wasn’t limited to Ahmedabad—it extended to Mumbai and Bengaluru, engaging hundreds of families, teachers, and Anganwadi workers.

And with NDTV on board, the mission is getting national airtime, taking the message of joyful childhoods to millions.

Primalise co-founder Reva Jhingan Malik said it best, “We attempted to make a deeper and wider sense of the child's complex universe; challenging societal mental models about early childhood. Our collaborative journey led us to craft a narrative deeply anchored in human and cultural insights.”

And the creative agency behind the campaign, Siriti co-founder Vainateya Gavai added, “Working closely with Ekstep and Primalise, we arrived at the rallying cry of ‘Bachpan Manao’ to bring early childhood into focus. The juxtaposition of these two words itself became a springboard for our mission. And NDTV coming onboard elevates this celebration to the next level.”

NDTV Network’s director & editor-in-chief, Sanjay Pugalia passionately called on everyone—parents, policymakers, even grandparents, “NDTV is excited to collaborate with EkStep in honouring the vital and transformative years of a child's life. These formative years call for a celebration of joy and opportunity. Our initiative seeks to ignite a movement dedicated to ensuring that every child in India experiences a joyful childhood. We invite policymakers, corporate leaders, educators, parents, and grandparents to join us in this important endeavor—Bachpan Manao. Together, let's create a brighter future for our children.”

With so much riding on the future, shouldn’t we all take a step back and ask: Are we letting kids just be kids? Bachpan Manao reminds us that joy, creativity, and play are not optional extras—they are essentials.