Mr Sudipta Kumar Roy is the Diploma Coordinator at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad and comes with over 20 years of extensive experience in pedagogy. He joined the Academy in the year 2013 and since then has become a favourite amongst the students, peers and parents. 

A Bengali born in Kanpur and brought up in Chennai, Mr Sudipta has an interesting background to his credit. His father Shri (late) Narendra Kumar Roy had worked in the Indian Ordnance Factories Service under the Mistry of Defence, and his mother Smt Namita Roy was a housewife. Mr Sudipta graduated in Physics from the Loyola College, Chennai and later pursued a Master in Science Education in Physics from Regional Institute of Education (RIE-NCERT), Mysore. His journey as a teacher formally began in June 1994. "I went to Bhutan after my father retired. I was there for 12 years and most of my early teaching-learning happened in Bhutan," he recalls. 

When asked what persuaded him to choose a career in teaching and education, Mr Sudipta swiftly pushed back his thick eyeglasses and responded with a smile, "It was my passion to interact with young learners and support them in becoming successful global citizens. I have always considered myself to be a constant learner- by learning along with my students! I had spent most of my early teaching career in remote places where students did not have adequate means and resources to afford a good education. AKAH, on the other hand, supports students, regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds." 

Like many others, Mr Sudipta too was swayed by the Academy's beautiful green campus built on a massive 100 acres land. But that was not the only reason why he decided to join the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad. "The most important factor that lead me towards the Academy was the school’s philosophy which involves an ethical approach to leadership. In today's time, it is important that we also teach our children some valuable lessons that would eventually help them grow as responsible individuals." 

Mr Sudipta believes that the Academy has helped him in acquiring knowledge and skill sets that are essential to succeed as a professional IB facilitator. He also gives credits to his students and quotes, "I thank all my students from whom I have developed many new skills especially in last 6 years. I think it has always been two-ways of learning that was happening. But I also understand that there is a lot more to learn in coming times and I will dedicate myself towards the vision of the Academy."  

He has acted as a mentor to so many of Academy's senior school students and always took pride in their accomplishments. One such memory that he holds onto dearly is of his ex-student. "The day I got to know that my student had designed software for cruise control electric cars, I felt so happy that I couldn't stop myself from smiling all day! My student has now completed projects with IBM and has proven to be a successful lifelong learner! She is also working towards building technology for better sustainable future. The same day called for double celebrations as I got promoted to the role of a Diploma Programme Coordinator. This meant that I had bigger challenges set in front of me and a lot of expectations to fulfil. I could also feel the amount of faith my colleagues had in me!" 

Physics being his favourite subject, Mr Sudipta enjoys designing study materials for students. He has a dedicated website and a Youtube channel where he publishes many useful resources that are easily accessible to anyone for free! Mr Sudipta is one of the many teachers in the Academy who works tirelessly for the betterment of students. His views on motivating students is thought-provoking! He says, "I believe that every child has a potential and all we need to do is to trigger that within the child. I have found that motivation plays a key role in the development of the child. When I was in Bhutan, I learnt that people measure their GDP with happiness!" 

Incredibly soft-spoken, humble, helpful and a camera-shy, Mr Sudipta gently radiates a powerful persona. His integrity has not only earned him a favourable spot in the hearts of many students and colleagues but also makes him stand-out from the rest!

Slotted above the library in the Academy Building is the Outreach department, a corner office with spartan furnishing. You wouldn’t know it to look at it, but this office is a crucial link between the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad and local government school teachers and students in the region. Rajan Thampi, who has been connected with the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) for over a decade, is the program manager for the Outreach department at the Academy in Hyderabad. The opportunity to serve, he says, drew him to the job.

Rajan has played this role of connecting students to resources for his entire career. His work with Aga Khan Education Services began in 2008 in Maheshwaram Mandal, present day Telangana, where he implemented outreach programs for government schools and anganwadis. Rajan was in charge of programs like introducing life skills to high schoolers, leading health programs for adolescent girls, organising inter school sports competitions, and also training teachers for pre-primary and primary schools. Rajan’s other responsibility at that time, something he is still involved in, is creating and maintaining relationships with government officials.

A significant part of outreach depends on securing permission and getting recognition from government education bodies. Rajan played a major role in getting junior and senior schools recognised by the authorities. Rajan thanks the people who support the outreach department in these endeavors - the Academies Unit and members of the local board, Suleiman Hirani and Jayanthi.

Born in Kerala, the second of five siblings, Rajan grew up in Shakkarnagar, Telangana. Shakkarnagar is home to historical industrial era sites built under the Nizam. Most significant among these sites is the 1,600 square kilometer Nizam Sugar Factory that the town gets its name from. Designed as a model town, the place was built for factory employees and their families. “My father was an accountant in the factory,” remembers Rajan, “and we use to live in the accommodation provided by the factory in its colony.” Madhu Malancha high school, where Rajan went, was also created and funded by the factory. But India’s sugar trade has been in decline for decades, and in his lifetime Rajan has had to see the closure and privatisation of the massive factory. “Asia’s largest sugar factory is now shut,” he muses.

After completing senior school, Rajan gained a Bachelors in Commerce and started teaching at a private school. Finding his calling, Rajan then pursued a Bachelors in Education, focusing on social studies and education. Today he also has a Masters degree in social work under his belt. To Rajan, these degrees are tools to help others. Asked about the outreach department's future plans, his responses are ambitious and focused. “Reaching out to 31 districts of Telangana,” he says, “and to continue to share expertise through collaborative discussion forums for the government teachers are some of my plans.”

“Inner delight,” he says, “and the satisfaction obtained from working for a cause are the rewards I seek from my work." If the outreach program is a manifestation of the ethos behind service and stewardship, then Rajan exemplifies those ethos.

Hussein Jiva graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa in 2009 after what he feels was a transformative journey.  

If he is adamant about one thing, it is the notion that having an open mind allows for an individual’s personal and professional growth. The willingness to consider new ideas and listen to people whose thoughts may be different from one’s own allows one to embrace new possibilities to solve societal problems.

Originally a resident of Mombasa, Hussein says it was his time at the Academy that forced him to examine his old thinking and rewrite a new chapter in his life.  

“I remain a proud alumnus of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa,” he states unwaveringly. “Given that the institution has had a huge impact in shaping my formative years.” Convinced that the Academy’s International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum played a key role in his growth and personal development, he postulates it is the rigor of the curriculum that made him the person he is today. 

“The IB curriculum education provided me with a well-rounded experience, anchored by values such as diversity, ethics, pluralism, leadership and open mindedness. On a social and cultural front, the pluralistic approach to education embraced by the Academy provided a strong foundation for me to build upon. It helped me in my journey to greater cultural understanding and tolerance, as I grew to appreciate differences in people from various backgrounds.” 

Hussein has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Communication Studies, with a focus on Digital Media at the United States International University–Africa in Nairobi. 

Ruminating about his years at the Academy, Hussein recently spoke about how the Academy places enormous importance on its public service curriculum requisite. He feels this requirement gives students a higher purpose in life a belief that they can make a difference in the communities in which the live. Hussein’s cosmopolitan citizen-of-the-world way of thinking was borne out of this requisite. 

“I recall participating in creativity, activity, service projects, one of the prerequisites to graduate from the Academy. On the surface, the concept is but a mere requirement. However, the esoteric essence of the practice provides for the development of a well-rounded individual who would ultimately contribute to the betterment of society beyond the academic sphere.” 

As a journalist, Hussein has covered various local and international events including the Cannes International Film Festival from 2013 to 2016, the International Indian Film Academy Awards in 2017 and 2018 and the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015 and ICC World T20 2016. He has also reported on momentous occasions such as Pope Francis’s visit to Kenya in 2015 and the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit also to Kenya in 2016. 

In addition, for almost eight years, Hussein worked at The Asian Weekly, a publication based in Nairobi with an East African circulation. He contributed to the Weekly as a Writer, Photographer and Sub-Editor. He later led the Sports Desk, and covering sports remains his passion.

“Sports commentary has been my area of interest, with football dominating my preferences. As such, I have written on both local and international sports, for media outlets beyond Kenya. My work has been published on portals in Nigeria, the United States and the United Kingdom. I have also been on a local television football show as a guest commentator.” 

Asked what he would like to see happen in societies to make them more stable and better functioning, Hussien stated, 

“Let us become instruments of change and alter the realities we face; let not challenges be viewed as obstacles to success but stepping stones toward it. After all, when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will ultimately change.”