At the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Ham Serunjogi – CEO and co-founder of African fintech giant Chipper Cash – realised the importance of staying connected to something larger than himself. The Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree is now serving as an advisor to the US President on African diaspora engagement.
Meet Md Musle Uddin Bhuiya, head of teachers professional development and outreach
Meet Zahura Begum, Junior School librarian
Application Forms
Applications should include the following:
- completed application form
- copies of the applicant’s last two grade reports
- a copy of the applicant’s birth certificate or passport
- evidence of vaccination (Junior School)
- two passport-sized photographs
No application fee is required. To access the online application service, please click on one of the options below.
KG3 students promote good deeds
Grade 9 students meet a fashion designer
Meet the Staff
Senior leadership team |
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| Head of Academy |
Suvina Shunglu |
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Principal Senior School |
Fahmida Chowdhury |
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Principal Junior School |
Shatila Reza |
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| Dean of Studies |
Joseph Sydney Hamkari |
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| Head of Finance |
Karim Nathu |
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| Dean of Admissions |
Paul Davis |
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Administration and support services |
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Personal Assistant to Head of Academy |
Fariza Sddika | ||||
| Finance Manager |
Abdullah Al Jaber |
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| Head of Administration |
Malik Mahemood |
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| Facilities and Maintenance Manager |
Kazi Atiqul Haque |
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| IT Manager |
Faruk Sikder |
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| Head of Human Resources |
Annie Sharmeen |
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| Human Resource Specialist |
Ayesha Sirajee Leena |
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| Security and Transport Manager |
Mahmudul Hasan |
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| Tansport Supervisor |
Mustafizur Rahman |
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| Procurement Supervisor |
Delwer Hossain |
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| Communications Manager |
Monjure Alahi Haider |
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| Admissions Manager |
Momtaz Mumu |
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| Food Services Manager |
Mohammad Mainuzzaman |
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Junior school faculty |
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| Principal |
Shatila Reza |
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| PYP Coordinator |
Tanjina Hossain |
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| Early Years Coordinator |
Shahnaz Khan |
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| Administration Assistant |
Zohra Virani |
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Homeroom Teachers |
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| KG1 | Karima Salim Jiwani | ||||
| KG2 | Jannatul Ferdous | ||||
| KG3 | Islama Khandoker | ||||
| Grade 1 |
Fahmida Sharmeen Rahman Kaniz Taskina Trisha |
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| Grade 2 |
Shama Ahmad Humayra Rayhana Khan |
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| Grade 3 |
Nadia Tazrin Chowdhury Hosna Ara |
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| Grade 4 |
Saadiah Shams Shakhawat Tasnim Janan Fatema Bushra |
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| Grade 5 |
Farjana Mobin Anjuman Ara Begum Sabina Yasmeen |
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Teaching Assistants |
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| Junior School |
Nadya Malik Mahemood Sadia Chowdhury Bushra Naziat Islam Shupti Zarmin Samdani Neshma Gilani Afrin Shahid Farhana Afroj Khan Rafa Mahmood Syeda Nafisa Fahrin Sonia Islam NafisaTasneem Mubina Rahman Uzma Perveen Lisa Aafra Fatema Karim Nafisa Nawar Tajim Chakma Md Shakhawat Hossain Noor Salam Kamrul Islam |
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Single Subject Teachers |
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| Art and Craft |
Saiful Hoq Shadal |
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| Physical Education |
Tasnuva Haque |
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| Music |
Sanchita Saha |
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| IT |
Ashraful Alam |
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Student Learning Support Unit |
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Student support coordinator & learning support Lead |
Maliha Afzal |
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Learning Support Teachers |
Benta Odipo Hilde Napeñas Neculai Pieptu |
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Professional Development Centre & Outreach |
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| Head of Professional Development Centre and Outreach |
Md. Musle Uddin Bhuiya |
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| Education Officer |
Tozammel Haque |
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Senior school faculty
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Principal Administrative Assistant |
Fahmida Chowdhury Farida Ali |
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Diploma Programme Coordinator Middle Years Programme Coordinator |
Usha Kasana Ira Srivastav |
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Theory of Knowledge Coordinator |
Jina Saha |
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Business Teacher & Supervisor of Sports' CAS and Activities |
Munira Karim |
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Lead Teacher Performance Art and Personal Project Coordinator |
Vishwajit Shinde |
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Library Syeda Mukta Begum (Head Librarian) |
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Zahura Begum (Junior School Librarian) |
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Mir Adiba Awlad (Teacher Librarian) |
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Science Ira Srivastav (Lead) |
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Anika Tasfia Rodoshi |
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| Abul Fazal M. Shahriar | |||||
| Shahriar Rashid Khan | |||||
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Rokaiya Ahmed |
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| Ramisa Bushra | |||||
| Salsabil Tabassum Synthia (Physics) | |||||
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English Raja Sen (Lead) |
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| Nusrat Amena Shampa | |||||
| Aziza Choudhury | |||||
| Sultana Nasrin Chowdhury | |||||
| Mohammad Tanvir Amin | |||||
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Bangla Rokhsana Afroz (Lead) |
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Mukta Jasmine |
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Mafruha Rahman |
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| Mousumi Islam | |||||
| Shamima Nasrin Shanta | |||||
| Rifat Ara Islam | |||||
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Mathematics Manasi Biswajeet Mallick (Lead) |
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Fatima Momin |
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Nazifa Rezwana Haque |
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Mohammad Zafar Mahmud |
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Shamanta Sharmin Shithi (Theory of Knowledge Coordinator) |
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Tabassum Binte Jamal |
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Expressive Arts (Design) Atia Maqshura (Lead) |
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Shammi Akhter Chowdhury (Computer Science and EE Coordinator) |
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Syeda Naushin Tabassum |
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Fahmida Khatun (Visual Art) |
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Md. Shakhawat Hossain Bhuyian (Visual Art) |
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Syeda Naushin Tabassum |
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Humanities Department Jina Saha (Lead) |
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| Kazi Jebun Nesa | |||||
| Momena Farzana Hossain | |||||
| Tasnia Tabassum | |||||
| Mahmuda Akter (Integrated Social Studies) | |||||
| Nabila Islam (Service Learning Coordinator) | |||||
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Physical Health Education (PHE) Amit Ahire (Lead PHE Teacher and Wellness Coordinator) |
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| Most. Ulfat Zahan | |||||
| Classroom Technology Integration | |||||
| Md. Ramim Ul Haq | |||||
| University Counsellor | |||||
| Nusrat Sharmin | |||||
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Infirmary Medical Officer: Dr Mahin Hossain |
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To contact any staff via email, put their first and last name together and separate it with a "." followed by @agakhanacademies.org (ex: john.doe@agakhanacademies.org).
Spotlights on Alumni
Below are spotlights on some of the Aga Khan Academies alumni:
13 November 2023
Although it has been a few years since he graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Alqaim Lalani, Class of 2019, says his years at the Academy had a major bearing on his academic career and strongly influenced his outlook on life. Now, as a graduate of Columbia University in New York, Alqaim is giving back to the Aga Khan Academies community that he says shaped his life and gave him so much.
05 October 2023
Jemin Patel’s journey to where he is now is the result of hard work and passion, values he picked up during his time at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad. Now, he's working at one of Canada's top accounting and consulting firms, still standing by the notion, "hard work always wins."
26 September 2023
Muskaan Bhaidani is an alumna of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa who was in the Class of 2020. Graduating with an impressive International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) score of 44 out of 45, Muskaan is now attending McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
18 October 2022
Anahita Aman, a graduate of the batch of 2020 was here at the academy for 8 years. Currently pursuing History at University College London, she hopes to build a career in International Development.
23 June 2022
Congratulations to the Class of 2022! We are so proud of you and cannot wait to see what you do next. As we welcome our new graduating class to our alumni community, we asked four distinct graduates from the Aga Khan Academies in Mombasa and Hyderabad about their journeys and aspirations.
09 December 2020
Qamili Dave, a 2017 alumna of AKA Mombasa, discovered her passion for the culinary arts during her AKDN DP1 Internship at Serena Beach Hotel. Since then, she has gone on to pursue her passion for cooking, including undertaking Harvard courses to perfect her skill. What Qamili loves most about being a chef is preparing a good satisfying meal that warms the hearts of people.
04 September 2020
Lilian Odera, a 2015 alumna of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa and recipient of the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow (ILOT) award, is the embodiment of a true leader and agent of change. True to form, she has a passion for actively being involved in community-based initiatives to influence change and creatively find solutions to issues in whatever way she can.
02 May 2020
Aleesha Suleman, a graduate student at UCL-Qatar, has never lost sight of what has always been important to her: giving back to her home country of Kenya.
01 March 2020
Raghuveer Vyas, director of the United Nations Initiative at New York University, is on a mission to bring change to the world through policy development and fostering a continuous dialogue between international leaders and the youth.
30 October 2019
Hussein Jiva graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa after what he feels was a transformative journey.
02 July 2019
With a determination to change her country into a land of opportunity for all, Anzhela Mirzoeva, a recent graduate from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, will further her education at the Connecticut College in the United States by studying International Relations and Human Development.
28 June 2019
For Alqaim Lalani, his recent graduation from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa brings him one step closer to realising his dream of attaining a deeper understanding of how economics and politics affect the world around is. Alqaim will be enrolling at Columbia University in fall 2019, as a prestigious Kluge scholar.
14 June 2019
''I do not want a career in something predetermined for me from this age. When I am asked where I will be 15 years from now, I can promise you it will not be cooped up in an office doing routine work. I will probably be out there inventing something meaningful and purposeful, something which can be used to change the world.”
25 February 2019
The International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum is essential in enabling the Academies to develop well-rounded leaders of tomorrow. Hear from Zia Chapman, Class of 2018, and understand how this influenced her in choosing the Academy for her education. Zia is now a scholarship student at UBC in Canada.
21 February 2019
Through the inquiry-based International Baccalaureate curriculum, the Aga Khan Academies aim to develop young individuals who will have the capacity to lead and to build strong civil democratic societies in the future. Hear from one of our alumni, Moiz Rajwani, Class of 2018, and see how we have been turning this vision into reality at the Academies. Moiz was awarded a scholarship at Western University in Ontario, Canada and enrolled in September 2018.
18 February 2019
"I always wanted to work with people who spend every single day without any resources at their disposal, to work on the pressing issues that exist in India, issues that most of us never see through our rose tinted glasses."
11 February 2019
“The IB curriculum followed at the Academy has played a pivotal role in building many essential skills for university life. Its skill-based learning approach, and connecting classroom learning to the real world, also prepared me well for higher education."
08 February 2019
“The Academy helped me become comfortable with making mistakes and encouraged me to focus on identifying solutions instead – igniting an entrepreneurial spirit within me. It is this spirit which led me to take a year off, work on self-driving cars, build my own news-reading bot, experiment with developing a cloud-storage service and have the confidence to take the road less taken."
05 November 2018
This 2014 AKA Hyderabad graduate is in some ways a time capsule from the Academy’s early years, and like a time capsule, she reminds us of things that have changed, and also about the things that have remained the same. “The Academy has made me the person I am today,” she says. “I wanted to give back to school what it has given me.”
03 July 2018
Josephine Awino, alumna of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, will be attending Wellesley College for her undergraduate studies in environmental science. She shares a reflection on her personal journey at the Academy in which she developed a sense of self and fostered her passions.
11 June 2018
Muriuku Njonjo graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa with the receipt of a full scholarship to the University of Waterloo in Canada. He shares a personal reflection about his time studying at the Academy: "The Academy changed my way of thinking, my way of doing things and informed my purpose in life."
28 May 2018
Kamila Janmohamed graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa this year. Upon anticipating her upcoming start at Yale University, Kamila reflects on the intellectual growth and strong sense of self she has developed over the past four years at the Academy.
25 May 2018
I love that my classes are filled with students from all parts of the country, irrespective of their financial standing or cultural background. I strongly believe it helps build our vision of pluralism.
15 May 2018
Ariq Kapadia, alumnus of the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, shares a reflection on his personal journey during his time at the Academies: "The experience that I had in those five years at the Academy continues to develop me further and make me more capable of success."
08 May 2018
Inaara Sarfani shares a reflection on her personal journey at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad. She explains that her time as a student there entirely shaped the person she is today and allowed her to develop a far-reaching skillset.
30 April 2018
Joshua Abuto tells an inspiring and promising tale of what drives him to sustain his vision of making a difference in the lives of his fellow citizens in Kenya. A 2016 graduate of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Joshua is currently in his second year at the University of Texas at Arlington on a scholarship where he is studying computer science and engineering.
26 March 2018
Khushboo Shah shares a reflection on her personal journey at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad: "I believe that the Academy’s dynamic vision has allowed me to believe in my imagination, passion and curiosity while pursuing ambitious projects."
06 February 2018
Imtiyaz Hariyani credits the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad with giving him more than just the academic skills he needs to succeed at the undergraduate level. “The spirit that the Academy embedded in me has allowed me to emerge as a global scholar with the support of my family and lifelong friends that I made in Hyderabad and elsewhere,” he explains.
20 December 2017
An alumus of AKA Mombasa and University of California Berkeley, Rahim reflects: "The Academy helped me to grow to be the man I am today by instilling values of social conscience and intellectual curiosity that I continue to hold precious today."
21 November 2017
Mary considers her time at the Academy in Mombasa to be a gift. With compassion and leadership, she is determined to help students with similar backgrounds succeed and receive the same opportunities she was granted.
12 November 2017
Danish is global citizen with a creative approach to life. One of his many achievements is the award-winning app, Orai, which aims to make anyone become a better public speaker using artificial intelligence.
17 October 2017
“The Academy helped instil within me a need to contribute to community where possible and a sense of self confidence and teamwork.”
26 September 2017
“I believe that with education, people have the power to tackle and solve problems that affect their communities,” reflects Kelvin Njue, a graduate from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa who has benefitted from the Ontario Tuition Waiver Programme.
12 September 2017
Ruhi Kamal Manek, an alumna of the Aga Khan Academies Mombasa, took away one enduring lesson from the Academy: the importance of engaging in thoughtful and careful consideration of diverse opinions.
30 August 2017
Tanaz Hudda currently acts as the new poster girl for the University of Victoria. She graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad in 2016 and has just completed her first year of university in Canada.
22 August 2017
Aleem Mawji shares his journey of self-discovery, which began at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa and continued towards creating tangible change.
11 July 2017
Khushboo Khoja has a strong passion for helping others which she developed during her time at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad. “I feel like my experience at the Academy was very significant as it made me realise that I am interested in working with social issues and trying to help communities,” she reflects.
23 June 2017
Aman Punjani graduated from the Academy in 2016 and took a gap year to pursue his career as a competitive cyclist. Today, he is the U-23 Telangana state champion.
10 March 2017
“Being part of an open-minded community that encouraged challenging what we were taught, the willingness to accept one another and inspire each other to grow constantly, was very refreshing. I credit these experiences for much of who I am today.” – Dania Quadri, Class of 2014
27 February 2017
Aga Khan Academy graduate Joshua Tibatemwa swam for Uganda in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. He credits the Academy with growing him not just academically but "as a person.” He plans to return to Uganda, saying, “If I want things back home to change, I have to work to be the change.”
27 June 2016
“I think that at the end of the day what everything comes down to is how we can be citizens of the world and how we can change the world that we live in to make it a better place for ourselves and children that follow us. And part of that also means giving back to your own community,” says Karishma Bhagani.
17 June 2016
"The Academy is an environment that challenges and nurtures leaders who are fearless, courageous and stewards. I have always envisioned growing up to be one myself."
17 May 2016
Kashyap Gohel, who graduated from the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, tells us about his experiences and how the Academies contributed his many accomplishments.
25 January 2016
Ham Serunjogi, an alumnus of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, is a natural leader, bold thinker and team player. A recent graduate of Grinnell College in Iowa, Ham traveled widely before landing a job at Facebook. He has a passion for making connections that give back.
13 March 2015
"There are a lot of values that the Academy instilled in me that I carry to this day. It has taught me the importance of being aware of the community around us as well as giving back to the community whenever possible," says Class of 2012 alumnus Fatema Sheikh.
23 January 2015
“I believe [Aga Khan Academy Mombasa] is where I shaped my values that I still hold to this day. It is also where I saw and felt the importance of building a community, no matter how large or small.” Indeed, the importance of these values to Mirabelle Arodi is obvious in her actions after graduation from the Academy.
AKAHMUN 2014 – The Future is Now
“I declare AKAHMUN 2014 open.” The crowd roared with applause. A smile broke out on our faces, for we knew the story of the three months that had gone into making this day a reality.
It all began on 22 August, 2014, when the Secretariat for the Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad Model United Nations 2014 was finally announced. There was excitement in the air, as well as anxiety. We weren’t sure how we would raise the bar set last year. I was unsure of how the team would work together, how passionate they were and whether offsite management would work. I had organized the Model UN last year too, but this time, it was different. I wasn’t on campus and I didn’t know the new lot of students I was dealing with.
We began our journey with our first ever Model UN meeting. I expected the meeting to start late, for punctuality was rare to see. However, I got my first surprise, when every single member turned up not only on time, but half an hour early! That day I knew that no one would follow the timeline. Not because they’d miss the deadlines, but because their absolute dedication to AKAHMUN drove them to accomplish much more than what was required of them.
We planned out an extensive timeline of every aspect of the conference, a string of meetings and the nature of committees. Although everything looked perfect, I knew from experience that I must expect speed breakers, for if there are no problems, I know that I am surely doing something wrong.
The first hurdle we encountered was in dealing with the day scholars. As part of the pre-Model UN preparation, we decided to organize trainings for the delegates. However, because this time around we had day scholars taking part too, we needed to ensure that we included them in every aspect of the conference. Arranging bus timings, coordinating with parents and taking permissions from teachers was a massive task. There were times when we wouldn’t be able to include the day scholars, when the timings wouldn’t match or when the day scholars had other programmes on schedule. However, we tried to reach out to as many as possible because it was a start, indeed. If it weren’t for my anchor, the Secretariat back on campus, it would have been impossible to organize such trainings.
The second hurdle we encountered was when we needed to finalise the committees. All the members of the Executive Board were excited about the idea of a Joint Crisis Committee (the Allied and Axis Cabinet), where the workings of one committee affect the workings of another. We had just one question in mind: would the first-time delegates be able to pull it off? The decision to go ahead with this committee was a risk, for crisis committees require a certain level of debate and experience. However, I also knew that with the Directors I had, I could trust that they would leave no stone unturned.
Logistics are by default the biggest area of concern in any conference, for it is by far the hardest job to pull off. The job entailed printing folders, placards, arranging the venue, the speakers, lights, cold drinks and much more. Last year, we didn’t have as many delegates to cater to, but this time around the number was massive. There was surely an inverse relationship between the number of days left for the conference and the number of challenges we faced. There were times when we were disheartened at a permission not going through or a delay in procurement of materials. Yet, it was the DP1 lot of the logistics team that stood strong. They travelled off campus, to far away locations, to get materials, send documents for printing and purchase eatables. I was truly surprised at the amount of effort they put in both during and after the conference. They worked during Diwali breaks and on weekends, like professionals, and never complained at having to do the most trivial tasks.
Fast forward three months. It is 14 November 2014. After hours of tireless work, pushing ourselves to meet deadlines, and sleepless nights, it was D-Day. The air was filled with excitement and nervousness, as first-timers walked into committees, unaware of what to expect. And it wasn’t just the delegates, the Directors too were nervous, for most of them were taking the other side of the dais for the first time. Seeing the delegates buzzing through the committee rooms, we knew that the roller coaster ride had just begun. All we heard over the next three days were: Do we have projectors in all committees? Is the AC working? Are there enough chocolates in each committee? Where are the pens? Whether it be lunch, breakfast or dinner, we all forgot what it was to have a proper meal because our main focus was to get the delegates in committee.
All the efforts paid off when I received two unusual requests, over the three days of the conference. A member of the IT team, who had enrolled his name on the team to avoid participating in debate, came up to me and asked if he could participate in a committee. Initially, I was upset at this last minute request and so I asked him why he had made such a sudden request. What he replied then stayed with me throughout the conference. He told me that on seeing the enthusiasm amongst the delegates, he wanted to experience what it was like to be one. And so without any prior research, he sat through committee sessions and eventually won an award. This incident made me realize the potential at the Academy. It is only a matter of pushing them to apply themselves.
Another time, a 7th grader, who had entered the conference as a logistic member, came up to me and expressed his grief. On further probing, he told me that he really wanted to be a delegate, but couldn’t because he was a 7th grader. He had been so mesmerized by the whole event that he wished to take part. I smiled, with a sense of pride, at the impact of the conference. Over the next three days, the 7th grader debated issues in ECOSOC, argued with his seniors, and remained unintimidated by their age or knowledge.
AKAHMUN 2014 had the power to bring about change. The JCC, which we were most skeptical about, brought out the best in delegates. The morning crisis, which initially made the students cranky, became the highlight of the three days. Students who initially didn’t openly accept the idea of a Model UN, jumped to take part. More importantly, though, I learnt, in the months leading up to the conference, the value of a great team. This team had dedication, passion and the will power, to make the impossible, possible. They were patient in low times, calm when faced with criticism and passionate about their goal. They worked day and night, at times when IB work was at its peak and applications lingering on their heads. They were truly the support system of this conference.
When I hear today how after the MUN, 7th grade students returned to their rooms, formed their own committees, elected their own Secretary General, came up with their own crisis and still use parliamentary language in daily conversation, I know that the Model UN tradition started in 2013, will continue for years to come. When I hear students asking about the next conference they can attend, I know that a spark has been ignited. When I hear that people are vying for the posts on the Secretariat next year, I know a culture has been sowed.
As we pass the baton on, we have realized the power of Model UN conference.
By Alisha Sonawalla
Dhan Prasad - the Academy's own renaissance man
In 1996, then a commis chef at the Oberoi Krishna hotel in Hyderabad, Dhan Prasad was faced with a choice. He could finish up his Bachelors in Fine Arts, a dream that well-wishers had made possible for him, or join the Indian Army, accepting a prestigious charge that had come his way. He chose the latter. In 2015, Subedar Major Dhan Prasad retired from the Indian Army having been in charge of kitchens across India and abroad for nearly 20 years. Later that year, he came to be catering manager at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad.
Dhan Prasad was born in Hyderabad after his parents relocated here from Nepal, and grew up in Red Hills. He joined the Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, completing their Food Production & Patisserie course in the year 1993. In the following years, Dhan Prasad trained and worked at two of the premiere hotels in India, the ITC Grand Chola in Chennai and Oberoi Krishna in Hyderabad (renamed Taj Krishna). It was during this stint in Hyderabad that Dhan Prasad decided to pursue his passion for the arts. “You can call it my first love,” he says.
As a school boy, Dhan Prasad often visited the Jawahar Bal Bhavan in Nampally. The Bal Bhavan, with its high ceilings, yellow walls and large play area was created to be a place where children could hone their talents in the arts, learning music, dance, and, of course, drawing and painting. Here, he trained under artist and National Film Award winner, Thota Vaikuntam, whom he describes as his role model, guru and inspiration. “He used to encourage me by giving me big drawing charts and colours.” Dhan Prasad re-entered university in 1995, this time as a fine arts student at the Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University. His art, mainly sketches and acrylic, portray scenes of men and women, often at work, and always in conversation. The paintings are on large canvases, and though they have some of the stylistic attributes of Madhubani art, they are strikingly unique. The Bal Bhavan he went to is still active today and caters to around 3000 children in spite of being under-funded, and sharing its space with a local fire department.
“It was very tough to manage my work and my painting,” he says. Dhan Prasad was juggling university work and his job at the Krishna simultaneously at this time. As the pressure mounted, he was informed that he had been chosen to be Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of catering in the Indian Army, a proposition that comes from the desk of the President of India. Dhan Prasad describes joining the army as a bold decision. He remembers thinking, “I cannot ignore this opportunity to serve my country.” So he, in his words, left his white chef’s robes and donned the olive green of the Indian army.
Glad to have the opportunity to serve his country with his culinary abilities, he worked in the army for 19 years, serving in its storeyed institutions across the country and even abroad. Dhan Prasad was among the forces sent from India to be a part of the UN’s mission to maintain ceasefire between Syria and Israel. “My most memorable days were as kitchen manager of an international kitchen at UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force), Israel,” he shares. “My most challenging work was at IMA (Indian Military Academy), Dehradun and OTA (Officers Training Academy), Chennai.” In these kitchens, Dhan Prasad organised meals and hospitality services for 2000-2500 people every day. Standing in charge of these large operations gave Dhan Prasad an understanding of the workplace, responsibilities and leadership, which make him revered by those who work under and alongside him.
“Being an army man he brings discipline to our catering,” says Head of Operations at AKA Hyderabad, David Roy. “He’s always on the dot.” Dhan Prasad and David work very closely, and often under high pressure. “In three years, we have never missed catering at a single event, and this is because of our excellent kitchen, its staff, and of course, Dhan Prasad.” It is a great compliment to him that in spite of the demanding nature of their job, Dhan Prasad has created an atmosphere of conviviality in the kitchens and among his support staff. “He understands his job, his responsibilities,” says David. “But the problem with him is that he doesn’t say no to anyone!”
The demands of the Academy’s kitchen are different from those of a military kitchen, and Dhan Prasad relishes the challenges that come with this job. “The diversity [in the students, faculty] gives me an opportunity to challenge myself and be innovative and creative in our day to day catering services,” he says. Dhan Prasad also looks forward to the holy month of Ramzan and being able provide for fasting students at the early hours of dawn. “The Global Encounters holiday camps offer other opportunities to test our calibre,” he adds.
Working at a school, Dhan Prasad believes learning about the mammoth effort that goes into their meals could be beneficial to students’ education. “Students need to have responsibility toward their food." He wants students to be informed about the processes of the food & beverage industry and also about etiquette. “Our students are future ladies and gentlemen who will go out internationally and later become responsible citizens of the nation. Table manners count for a lot when it comes to the personality of an individual.”
At 17, Dhan Prasad knew he wanted to be in hospitality. Today, he is a chef, an artist, and a retired Subedar Major. The praise heaped on him is the kind that Swiss watchmakers pine for. He is efficient, dependable and yet creative. “Art is long and life is short,” he muses. “Cooking is an art and science, it never ends and we can’t master it. The only thing we can do is try, practice and keep doing good work.”
Written by Ajay Sundaram
Mirabelle Arodi (Class of 2012): Working Towards a Healthier Future
“I believe [Aga Khan Academy Mombasa] is where I shaped my values that I still hold to this day. It is also where I saw and felt the importance of building a community, no matter how large or small.”
Indeed, the importance of these values to Mirabelle Arodi is obvious in her actions after graduation from the Academy.
Moving from Nairobi to join the residential programme at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Mirabelle Arodi has come leaps and bounds. She was one of many students at the Academy on financial aid and reiterates her gratefulness for the access it gave her to an excellent education. She joined the AKA Mombasa community in September 2010, and graduated in the Class of 2012. She was also awarded a full scholarship at The University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada and is studying for a Bachelor of Science in Medical Biochemistry. She has had a very eventful university career so far, and hopes to graduate with her degree in the summer of 2016.
While at university, she has worked as a residence advisor for two years now, building a community and running different events and programmes to help enrich student’s experiences while living in residence. Her own experience as a residential student at the Academy has allowed her to fulfill her responsibilities even more effectively.
“The weekly activities such as family dinners, baraza nights and Saturday night activities also stimulated me intellectually and allowed me to interact with students of all ages and backgrounds, which made the experience of living in residence all the more enriching. This is something that I strive to create as a residence advisor here in university” she recounts.
She has also worked as a research assistant with two different professors: one, as a lab assistant in a Biological Solutions in Engineering research project, and in another economics-based solutions to water systems in British Columbia. This past year, she was also part of the planning committee for the 7th UBC Okanagan Student Leadership Conference, which was attended by over 200 university and high school students. In addition, last year she was able to attend the Berkeley Model United Nations Conference as a delegate representing UBC Okanagan. This year, she is part of the executive committee for the UBC Okanagan Model United Nations Club (UBCO MUN), in which she helped train delegates for an external international conference, organised a football tournament for over 100 people, and is currently helping to organise the UBCO MUN Conference in late January. In the future, Mirabelle hopes to go to medical school and eventually return to Kenya where she intends to work in public health and raise the standards of healthcare.
Mirabelle also valued the advice she got in terms of preparing her for life in university and beyond.
“I definitely had excellent university counseling at the Academy and was able to get my first choice of university,” she says. “The process was made very easy and smooth by the structure of weekly university counseling sessions in which I was able to perfect my personal essays. In addition, the availability of the counselors, even outside of school hours, was a huge help and I was able to get constant support and feedback. The willingness of other teachers as well, not just counselors, to help in the university applications was much appreciated.”
But Mirabelle valued her experience at the Academy for more than just getting her to university.
“The Academy definitely enhanced my intercultural fluency, which has been very valuable in interacting with the diverse student and staff population at university. Its emphasis on being well-rounded also helped me to pursue different interests other than just academics. In addition, the discipline that the academy instilled in me has enabled me to keep on track at university, and not be overwhelmed by the freedom that university offers. This gave me an advantage over other schools that my peers attended; they had more of a hard time adjusting and finding their footing.”
She also reflects on the way her time at the Academy has affected the way she lives her life outside the academic sphere.
“I think one of the most important values that the Academy instilled in me is critical thinking. My peers often ask me why I ask so many questions about everything and I believe this is a testament to the Academy encouraging critical thinking not only in academics through Theory of Knowledge (a mandatory multidisciplinary course taken by all students in the Diploma Programme), for instance, but also through involvement in other extra-curricular activities. I believe that always reflecting and analysing has helped me narrow down interests that I pursue in university, because I am able to discern why I am doing what I am doing, and how it will impact me and those around me. In doing so, I am able to get as much meaning and value out of every activity that I pursue.”
Mirabelle is still actively involved in the local community at the UBC Okanagan campus.
“I am currently taking on a legacy project that has been going on at the university for the past three years. It is a cultural fashion show in which we have students model and represent clothing from different countries in the world, as well as entertainment in the form of dances, for example, from different countries. The show is a fundraiser and this year we will be supporting local charities in the Okanagan. In doing so, we will be more engaged with the surrounding community and be able to tangibly see the effects of our fundraising efforts.”
When looking back on her choice to pursue the IB Diploma, she recognises the value it brought to her academic capability and how it set her apart from her peers who came from different systems.
“I highly value the IB curriculum and completely credit it with me being where I am now; at a well renowned university on a full scholarship, excelling in both academic and extra-curricular activities. IB was definitely very challenging, and the workload prepared me very well to handle first and second year of university. My peers did not find it as easy to meet the academic demands of school. In addition, IB helped me to balance school work while still being actively engaged in extra-curricular activities which has been very valuable in enriching my university experience so far. In addition, the course content of IB is at a very high level, which enabled me to better understand university courses and in some cases, allowed me to skip ahead and take more advanced courses in my first and second years.”
Her passion for excelling and engaging with issues that are important to her shows no signs of waning. She feels strongly about problems regarding the lack of adequate healthcare in particular.
“I believe that healthcare is incredibly important and should be a right rather than the privilege it is in some areas of less economically developed countries. If I had all the resources at my disposal, this is where I would focus; ensuring that medical care is easily accessible and affordable for all.”
