Dr. Nannapaneni Manga Devi, Affectionately Called Ms. Devi By The Young And Old, Carried Within Her Heart, The Vision Of The Child As A Beautiful Creation Of God. She Was Pained To See The Child, Delicate And Fragile Like A Flower Wilting In The Harsh Confines Of Conventional Schools. It Was Her Conviction That Children Should Retain Their Free And Creative Spirit. They Should Grow In The Lap Of Nature Retaining Their Innocence And Wide – Eyed Wonder.
Dr. Manga Devi’s mind was seething with those ideas during the time, when she was working in Women’s Welfare Department. She found a true companion in Ms. Prabhavathi. Her meeting with Ms. Prabhavathi and joining forces with her to build BalaKuteer, was like answering the call of Destiny. She resigned her Government job and started a school, in 1965 with a ‘Single Child’.
Bala Kuteer as it stands today speaks volumes of her perseverance and steady purpose. She transformed every obstacle into a stepping stone towards further achievement. She has been a Trend-setter in introducing innovative methods in teaching the Pre-school Child without Books and Reaching Him through nature and art. She has written 25 books for children which won her recognition as a well-known writer.
Manga Devi has won innumerable awards as an eminent educationist, a committed Social worker, an authority on Early Childhood Education and a popular writer. She is widely known as a great lover of plants and an expert in Bonsai Art and Flower Arrangement. One of the endearing qualities of Dr. Manga Devi is an ability to recognize the talents of the others and encourage them. Every year on December 10th, the commemoration day of Ms. Prabha the Best Writer in Children’s literature is given an award of Rs 25,000/- ; An award ‘Malathi Pramada Sahithi Puraskaram’ along with Rs 25,000/- to an eminent woman writer in fond memory of Smt. Malathi Chandur and also an award of Rs 10,000/- is given to the Best Budding Artist in Fine Arts – Prathibha Pallavam. Above all, through the structure of many endeavours, there rises up like a peak, her personality as a warm human being and a caring person.
After Manga Devi’s providential meet with Mother Teresa – Bala Kuteer extended its activities towards service. Chetana, A multipurpose Rural Project has taken shape in a sprawling campus of 28 acres as a seat of many welfare activities for the upliftment of the downtrodden and the less fortunate with the help of the Alumni, Well wishers and philanthropists without depending upon the Government.