Aarek Hirani: A farewell to a home beyond brick and stone

In the lead-up to the Class of 2025’s graduation from the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, we are featuring our six graduates who have been at the Academy since Grade 1.

Below, we learn about Aarek Hirani and his journey at the Academy over the past 12 years.

In the final days leading up to graduation, Aarek Hirani walks the corridors of the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad with the quiet assurance of someone who has grown up within its walls. The buildings may have remained unchanged, but he isn’t the same boy who first ran across the Junior School playground, snatching lunchboxes and swinging on the monkey bars. What was once just a school is now a living, breathing part of his identity. A place that has cradled his growth from an enthusiastic first grader to a grounded young man, ready to explore the world beyond its gates.

“When I joined in Grade 1, I already had the sense that this place would become home,” Aarek said with a tone that carries both nostalgia and pride. Whether spending recess in the sun-soaked playground or finding joy in small acts of mischief, his early memories are laced with comfort and happiness. “The environment made learning fun, not just through academics, but through the countless extracurricular activities that brought us all together.”

Over 12 years, the boy who loved the monkey bars evolved — not by abandoning his past self, but by continuously reimagining himself. Being part of a diverse community, filled with people from different backgrounds and cultures, not only widened his worldview but also sharpened his intellect and compassion. “The Academy taught me to think outside the box, embrace differences, be internationally minded while remaining grounded,” Aarek said, crediting both the rigorous IB curriculum and exposure to experiential learning for shaping his values, beliefs and a sense of service.

Indeed, one of his proudest contributions at the Academy was in Diploma Programme 1 (DP 1) when he initiated the Interact Club, tied to Rotary International — a platform he created to give back to the community while inspiring his peers and juniors to do the same. Through projects ranging from providing supplies to government schools to promoting climate action alongside the UK High Commission, he didn’t just participate — he led. This sense of initiative, he explains, wasn’t inherited but cultivated over time by an environment that encouraged him to question, reflect and act.

Academically, his path was one of both passion and perseverance. From an entrepreneurial spark in Grade 3, where a homemade popcorn stall on Entrepreneurship Day gave him his first taste of business, to investing in the stock market at age 11, his interests found fertile ground at the Academy. “Economics and Global Politics have always intrigued me — that’s why I took them at Higher Level in the DP,” he said. His passion for global affairs extended into his participation in the Model United Nations (MUN) conferences, eventually leading to his appointment as Secretary-General of the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad MUN — a role in which his leadership shone brightly.

Music, too, found its way into his heart during a spontaneous visit to the music room in Junior School. Guided by the Academy’s music teacher, Mr Subhodip, he learned to play the keyboard — eventually performing the national anthem in a school concert. Later, he learned the Tabla, an Indian musical instrument resembling a pair of hand drums, and even appeared for the Trinity theory exam, showing that his talents were as diverse as his ambitions.

Despite all the achievements, challenges were never far behind. “Managing academics and submissions was tough, especially during Grade 10,” he admits. Balancing his e-portfolio deadlines with academic pressure taught him the value of time, structure and discipline. His turning point came when he realised that to excel in any subject, one must first find joy in it. That mindset, he believes, has made all the difference.

His contributions as Pandya House Captain, leading the House to consecutive victories, as well as his time in the Admissions and Communications Internship, stand as a testament to his versatile impact. His peers will remember him for more than just his titles — they’ll remember him as someone who stood with them, inspired them and celebrated the house spirit that pulsed through their shared experience.

What drives all this? For him, it’s simple: “Never compare your first chapter with someone else’s tenth. The journey is yours — you must own it.” It’s a sentiment that reflects his humility and belief in slow, meaningful progress. As he often reminds himself, “Small, insignificant steps, when done consistently, lead to stunning results.”

Now, with the Academy behind him and the world ahead, he sets his sights on Babson College in Boston, where he will study Entrepreneurship. “I’m most excited to start something of my own — fail, learn and grow,” he says, his voice tinged with both courage and curiosity. More than anything, he looks forward to meeting people around the globe, listening to their stories and broadening his lens even further — a lens sharpened by years of learning, reflection and service.

As he prepares to step beyond the boundaries of the only school he’s ever known, he leaves behind more than just memories — he leaves a legacy.

Interviewed by Muskaan Bardai, Diploma Programme 1