Shad Bherani: Making the connection between classroom and career
In his final year of the Diploma Programme at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Shad Bherani is ambitious, curious, and driven to become an engineer – or, as he describes himself, “simply one of 7.6 billion people who is passionate to pursue his career.”
Sticking to his motto that “opportunity only comes once,” Shad opted to use his summer vacation last year to bridge the gap between his classwork in the sciences and his calling in mechanical engineering. “I just thought not to sit back at home – to do something for me, for my career,” he says. And so, at home in Karachi, he inquired at the Aga Khan University (AKU) if they might consider taking him, a keen and talented International Baccalaureate (IB) student, as a summer intern through the Academies internship programme.
They fortunately agreed – and the placement, Shad’s first professional role, turned out to be a thrilling and fulfilling hands-on learning experience. He spent several weeks working closely with engineers and technicians in the AKU Hospital’s Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing department. With their supervision and support, Shad learned how to operate the Building Management System, which runs the air conditioning across campus, including filtering air and controlling the temperature of every air conditioning unit. He also came to understand the ins and outs of the campus’s primary, secondary, and tertiary or emergency power sources, which are essential for critical wards in the hospital.
By helping to repair various machines and air conditioning units, assisting with reports and handling secondary power unit operations, Shad applied the theories he had learned in his math, physics and chemistry classes at the Academy to the complex machinery and inner workings of the hospital and university campus.
For Shad, that was the most memorable outcome of his internship: the reward of having his classwork and textbooks come to life in real-world applications. His strongest subject at school is physics, and he gained a new appreciation for the course, as it is arguably “the most important component in mechanical engineering.” Now, he enjoys discussing the class topics and their real-world relevance in more depth with his teacher.
It was also a joy for Shad to find that he could handle the chemical formulas used in filtering atmospheric air, and could understand the mechanics of supply and exhaust fans, chillers and boilers. Shad found that he could confidently approach new, unfamiliar tasks and challenges by combining his previously acquired knowledge with the skills he was developing in practice at the internship.
In addition to applying and developing his technical knowledge and skills, Shad also gained insight into the workforce: “I saw how the ‘official’ world works – the life of a student is different from that of a person who is working!” he reflects. He points out that in the working world, everything is on time, and one of the major transferable skills he has gained from the Academy is the ability to manage his time and meet deadlines while balancing a heavy workload.
And balance, for Shad, is key: “I also got the opportunity to see the other side of engineers working in control rooms – by getting involved in jokes during lunchtime”, he recalls, which he welcomed as a way to relieve the stress of the 10-hour work days. Shad also maintains balance in his school life: despite his continuous deadlines for assignments and university applications, Shad values spending time in activities and service. “The Aga Khan Academy is known for its holistic development…in our enrichment, we do service for other people; we go on adventures, we serve our community.”
In this spirit of collaboration and service, Shad aspires to use his education and career as an engineer to give back and to serve his country and its people, by assisting in Pakistan’s development through technology.
Shad’s inspiring internship renewed his motivation to keep working towards those goals. “Before, I didn’t actually know what will happen in my career,” he says. “But now, I know how I’ll be working, after my undergrad, if I pursue that career.” As he looks ahead and plans for that academic and professional journey, he is keeping his options open: “I’ve already applied to universities worldwide.”
The internship at AKU exceeded all Shad’s expectations and instilled a stronger sense of self-confidence. He especially appreciated being encouraged to undertake tasks normally handled by engineers, and to be an integral part of the team. “My supervisor was impressed with me,” he says proudly. “He told me that he can see an engineer in me.”
By Natasha Pirani
Ajey Balaji: His Unflinching Love For Teaching French
Should you find yourself in the dining hall during lunchbreak, you would find Ajey walking ahead followed by a trail of grade 7 students. The convoy travels from Senior School like an excited atom with Ajey as its nucleus and orbiting around him are a bunch of recent Junior School graduates, all immersed in deep conversation. At their lunch table, students will sit flanking Ajey on either side and sharing key insights of the day.
Post lunch, the crew may take a couple of minutes to test if the tree outside the Commons is still sturdy enough to hold a few 7th graders. On a hot summer day, Ajey will join them at basecamp under the benevolent shade of the tree, deeply invested in both, the safety of the children and to see just how far they can go.
Sudipta Roy: Incomparably simple and unpretentious
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!
Chandrasekhar Indla - Holding the baton of Telugu theatre
All the world's a stage, Shakespeare famously wrote, and all the men and women merely players. Chandrasekhar Indla, drama faculty at the Academy’s theatre arts department, would take a dim view of such a simplistic description of a stage play. As director, lighting designer, sound technician, mask-maker and writer, Chandra has been a part of hundreds of performances and, talking to him, you would believe that the stage is possibly more than the world, and players perhaps more than merely men and women. “Drama is an important instrument that can build a sense of consciousness in society,” he shares. “There is a need to save and reinvent drama.” For over five years now, he has dedicated his career to introducing children to the world of theatre arts.
A prolific academic, Chandra was among highest scorers in the National Eligibility Test, an exam held nationwide by the University Grants Commission (UGC) which qualifies people to teach performing arts at a collegiate level. His work since his first tenure as a master’s student at the University of Hyderabad has been about introducing drama to a young audience. He was among the first members of the university’s Theatre Outreach Unit, created to expose children all over the state to theatre arts. He joined the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad in 2015 to continue in this effort. “Our Academy is one of the best places where the teacher-student relationship is so strong in terms of respecting each other and sharing thoughts,” he says. Chandra, not a technical direcor for drama at the Academy, was very happy to teach at the Academy because the IB curriculum gives theatre arts the importance of a elective, rather than just tacking it on as a co-curricular activity as other school programmes do.
With two master’s degrees and a PhD on the way, Chandra surprisingly admits he wasn’t very good at school. In fact, he even struggled through his first degree, a bachelor’s in computer science. “I don’t remember any programming today,” he confides. Once Chandra relieved himself of his pursuits in technology and began honing in on theatre, his academic performance drastically improved. He finished his master’s in performing arts with a gold medal from the University of Hyderabad, and went on to earn two prestigious research fellowships from the UGC to write about theatre arts. These fellowships sustained him for nearly six years. “My family was happy to find out I was going to pursue theatre arts, because my paternal uncle is an author, and they thought he could help me.”
Chandra was born in Kanduluru in Andhra’s Prakasam district where his parents worked for daily wages, often at construction sites or in the tobacco fields of of the coastal district. “He was into old, traditional theatre arts,” Chandra says of his uncle. “Today I’m in national theatre festivals. I have more contacts than him,” he adds, laughing. Indeed, Chandrasekhar Indla has become a recognisable name in Telugu literary circles. This began when his final master’s project, a play adaptation of the book Gopathrudu by K.N.Y Pathanjali, became a sensation in theatres across Andhra Pradesh (before the creation of Telangana State). He followed this with another adapted play called Miss Meena, based on the tragicomedy The Visit by Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Ms. Meena was performed over a 100 times statewide, earning Chandra a reputation as tested thespian. Apart from this, Chandra has also spoken and presented about Telugu theatre at international conferences.
“As a professional admirer of drama I would like to hand over the future of drama to the students to take it further,” he says. Since his joining the Academy, our students have held performances across the city, attended several festivals and plays, and most notably, entered the Amaravathi National Theatre Festival in 2017. “I had the freedom to run and develop the department,” he says of being the first drama teacher at the school. “I have used this freedom to develop the students’ abilities in acting, communication, confidence, creativity and thinking skills.” With the addition of George Macpherson to the drama department as of August 2018, the programme has only gained in strength. “We’ve built a whole new teaching strategy together,” Chandra says of his friend and colleague George. “As a practioner, I'm more comfortable teaching the the practical aspects of theatre, whereas George is very good at teaching theory."
Inevitably, Chandra went from adapting literature to the stage to creating literature himself. As of date, he has been published in Telugu literary magazines 12 times, and has a collection of short stories on the way. One of the major motifs in Chandra’s writing is social equality and social reform. At the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, where pluralism is one of the tenets of the school’s ethos, Chandra is a person students can look up to who shows these values in his work and personal life. Chandra met his wife Ezhilmathi in 2009 when they were doing their master’s of philosophy in performing arts at Pondicherry University. His area of focus was drama while hers was music. “She taught me Tamil,” he says, “I think that’s where it began.” The two had to convince their parents before they could get married. “My marriage is inter-state, inter-faith, inter-caste,” he laughs. In August 2012, Chandrasekhar and Ezhilmathi were married in a wedding with both Hindu and Christian rituals.
“Drama can build self-confidence in a person. However, most people do not have proper understanding or admiration of drama,” Chandra says. Looking out of his office window at an overcast December morning, Chandra’s thoughts about his art turn bleak. “No one reads scripts,” he says of the culture of literature in the subcontinent. “People will just read Shakespeare as a play, but that is not the case for Telugu literature.” The shields and trophies on his desk gleam in the wintry light. “Maybe this culture of drama will die out one day."
Though the thought is dark, Chandra doesn’t let it get in the way of his work, and rather uses it to fuel his work as a teacher. He knows that many of his students will go on to pursue, say, computer science, but that doesn’t deter him. “I want my students to be good humans who are not only responsible but also sensitive to others’ emotions and culture. Drama needs to be handled more as a legacy and its nuances need to be inherited and passed on generation after generation. This is possible only when I take up the role of a teacher.”
Written by Ajay Sundaram
The Siasat Daily - Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad Ranked Sixth Best Day-Cum-Boarding School in India
The Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad has been ranked as the sixth best day-cum-boarding international school in India by the leading education publication Education World (EW) and best school in Hyderabad in the same category.
Aga Khan Academy named ICT Leader
The Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa has been named one of four Microsoft showcase schools in Africa, for its use of technology in education.
This status was given to only 150 schools across 75 countries worldwide. The academy is the only school in eastern Africa and one of three schools in sub-Saharan Africa to be selected.
Holistic and pluricultural educational approach
The Aga Khan Academy Maputo has been featured in Mozambique's Xonguila magazine. The 11 page spread discussed everything from the Academy's educational approach, the role of media in instruction and importance of community service within the curriculum.
Golden Girl Emily Muteti Glows
The Daily Nation reports on the Coast Amateur Swimming Association (CASA) Championship which took place on 11th-12th February at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa.
Governor Impressed With Karam Amarshi
Karam Amarshi (Year 5) wins first place in 'Top Essay and Art Competition' with his art piece exploring an alternative to the Likoni Ferry based on the Tower Bridge in London.
15-year-old Boy Who Invented Bump Detector Has Bigger Dreams
Boniface Kanyamwaya talks to Telvin Kameta (Year 10) and his supervisor, Mr. Wilfred Masese about his breakthrough Personal Project addressing road accidents in Kenya.
