As an individual brought up in the Indian school system, I have experienced first-hand the traditional teacher-centric model of education that viewed students as passive recipients of knowledge, demanded blind obedience, promoted rote learning, exerted inordinate pressure on children to perform, and disregarded diversity in students’ needs. These imperatives unduly imposed on children have restricted their career prospects, stifled their overall development and compromised their well-being for decades. I am acutely aware of the pressing need for a significant revision of our educational philosophy.

Since the inception of my tenure at BVA, my team and I have been working relentlessly to reimagine the ethos of teaching and learning in our school so as to make education egalitarian and a means of growth and development rather than an impersonal activity with the solitary goal of scoring points.

I envision BASANCHHORA VIVEKANANDA ACADEMY as a place of learning where all individuals—children and adults alike—can partake in the joy of learning, discover their passions, and grow into self-actualized, informed and productive members of the society who are able to leverage their knowledge and skills to contribute to common good. We are, accordingly, developing courses and programmes for students, parents and teachers that aim to educate them on various technical and practical aspects of life such as money management, emotional and physical health, nutrition, early childhood development, robotics, coding, advanced science and mathematics. Some of these programmes will be offered as soon as we are able to resume face-to-face sessions at school.