The children, aged six to 11, were used to drinking thanks to the free availability of liquor in a pre-dominantly tribal village where consumption of alcohol - mostly prepared from the fruit of the local mahua flower - is routine, even for children.
But then a new headmaster, Sunil Tarkaswar, came to the school in the village of Zitapatti in the state of Madhya Pradesh.
He was alarmed by the poor results and lack of attention from many students and even less impressed by those who were asleep during classes.
The students, including many girls, admitted that they came to school drunk.
The headmaster began his campaign to dry out his school by meeting parents, especially mothers and grandmothers. He says he "used every trick from threats to long chats" to wean away his pupils from alcohol.
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