What is Bal Vihar

  • Balvihar Hindi Pathshala is an educational program of the Chicago Chapter of World Hindu Council of America (VHPA A non-profit, Tax-exempt organization Tax ID #51-0156325) and is committed to educating, cherishing and celebrating Hindi language and Hindu cultural heritage. Balvihar operates on an educational, social, cultural and spiritual basis and is open to all. Balvihar is balanced in its approach: physical, intellectual and spiritual.
  • BalVihar is a nationwide initiative of Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America which has been running Sunday Hindi Language School in various states across United States since 1975 (around 40 Years). There are total 11 branches of Balvihar all over America (Atlanta, Boston, New Jersey, Washington DC, Cincinnati OH, PA, VA, RI , NH, Irvine CA, Chicago) where Atlanta Chapter is the oldest one and having almost 200 students. In Chicago, it was started in 2014 and successfully running for 6 years in Naperville/Aurora Area. This year around 70 students have been enrolled. There are 6 level of curriculum taught at Elementary levels (101,102,103, 201, 202 & 203). Since 2016 our program is recognized and approved by Illinois state board of Education for the Ethnic School Foreign Language Program.
  • Balvihar members work on a purely voluntary basis. We are driven by the simple desire to serve and educate our youngsters about our great Hindu heritage. All volunteer teachers go through several levels of consistent professional training to enable students to learn in fun filled environment.
  • Balvihar syllabus & curriculum is based on foreign language standard currently applied in schools and purposeful real life task-based, age appropriate communicative activities. Our curriculum also helps students to take AAPPL test (ACTFL Assessment of Performance towards Proficiency in Foreign Language) to achieve  Foreign language credits which is offered by IPSD 204/203 district schools in illinois as Seal of Bi-literacy at high school level. Hindi is one of the language offered by AAPPL.
  • Balvihar program is equally divided in academic & cultural parts. Lesson plans are developed keeping the main focus on Hindi language and culture. It is mandatory for students to participate in the whole program.