Recently, Ayesha Mehjabeen Rahgir, a Grade 10 student at the Academy visited the US to take part in the Exeter Summer programme at the Philips Exeter Academy.
The Times of India: Aga Khan Academy gets going in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: The Aga Khan Academy, a state of the art international school belonging to the Aga Khan network of institutions was formally inaugurated in presence of spiritual leader Aga Khan in an elaborate ceremony on the academy premises in Shamshabad on Friday.
The Indian Express: Aga Khan Academy opens in Hyderabad
The Indian Express gives us a brief review of the official inauguration of The Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad, an important event which included the presence of His Highness the Aga Khan as well as the Honourable Chief Minister N Kiram Kumar Reddu and the Honourable Union HRD Minister M M Pallam Raju.
Imtiyaz Hariyani (Class of 2014): From Hyderabad to Abu Dhabi and beyond
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. In his words, it has also provided him with “the ability to thrive in a pluralist society and function in an intellectually and culturally diverse setting.” This is particularly fitting for Imtiyaz as he has had experiences in various parts of the world: he has just finished in degree in Biology at NYU Abu Dhabi and has undertaken opportunities in Mombasa and Lisbon. He is working towards a career in research in Molecular Biology or Bioinformatics.
Imtiyaz is from Pune, India and first heard about the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad in Feburary 2012 – he distinctly remembers making the decision to attend. His parents attended a seminar conducted by the Academy in Pune but they hesitated to ask Imtiyaz if he would be willing to study all the way in Hyderabad. For Imtiyaz, who had grown up at home and was attached to his family, their uncertainty was justified. And yet, he replied, “Why not?”
“Undeniably,” says Imtiyaz, “that day has shaped my career and is the reason for my academic progress and journey to NYU Abu Dhabi.”
At AKA Hyderabad, Imtiyaz was introduced to the merits of a global education and the International Baccalaureate programme. He quickly became familiar with an educational style quite different from what he had experienced in middle school: instead of rote learning, the Academy focuses on understanding concepts in a hands-on, practical manner. Imtiyaz believes that this approach to teaching, along with an emphasis on extra-curricular activities under the banner of Creativity, Activity and Service, led him to redefine what it means to be educated.The Academy in Hyderabad offered students outlets to shape the school’s future. “In the senior school’s first year of establishment, we also received the opportunity to initiate activities that would turn into legacies,” Imtiyaz recalls. With a classmate, he transformed his passion for cricket into the AKA Hyderabad Cricket League, now in its sixth season. “As an alumnus who returned to the Academy three years after graduating,” he reflects, “I was immensely proud to see how the students have respected and maintained the legacies set by the Class of 2014 and have contributed to uplifting their standards to an extraordinary level.”
After graduating from the Academy, Imtiyaz took a gap year and was offered a five-month internship at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. There, he tutored students in various subjects, supported the cricket team, and mentored a group of Middle Years Programme students.
Imtiyaz’s internship in Mombasa was the beginning of his global experiences in the past few years. “Mombasa was the first time I had left my country in twelve years and the fact that I was going to a new continent knowing nobody was intimidating at first,” he remarks. “Fast forward two and half years – it has become an essential part of my life.”Last summer, Imtiyaz pursued a research program in Lisbon, the city which is host to the Global Seat of the Ismaili Imamat. There, he celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of His Highness the Aga Khan, the Imam of the Ismaili Muslim community and founder of the Aga Khan Academies, which he thoughtfully describes as “the perfect occasion to rejoice and reflect upon life after the Academy, and to express our gratitude to the Imam who has served the worldwide community for sixty years and has contributed to uplifting the quality of countless lives globally.”
Currently, Imtiyaz is working as a Research Assistant at NYU Abu Dhabi. Imtiyaz attributes his desire to seek the best in his university education and to learn first-hand about other countries and cultures to his experience at the Academy in Hyderabad and the vision of His Highness the Aga Khan.
“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. “From Pune to Portugal, I believe this journey is a result of His Highness’s tireless efforts in the field of education, and the Academies which have implemented this vision with great success.”
By Natasha Pirani
His Highness and His Family Visit AKA, Hyderabad
Photographs from the visit of His Highness the Aga Khan and members of his family to the Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad on 10 April 2015. Click on the pictures below to view a slideshow.
Welcome to the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad
Multimedia
A better world through education: The Aga Khan Academies
Recent News
Grade 2 students took part in an engaging guest speaker session with Dr Melita to explore how signs and symbols make our surroundings comprehensive.
The First TEDx Youth at AKA Hyderabad
120 guests that primarily included Academy students, faculty, senior management, heads of departments and alumni attended our first TEDxYouth@AKAHyderabad on Saturday 26th May 2018, whose theme was ‘Think Again.’ Eight speakers, two performances and two TED videos were organised in two sessions.
Jagran Josh: The Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad Officially Inaugurated By the AP Chief Minister
Jagran Josh reports on the inauguration of The Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad, performed by the Honourable Chief Minister of Andra Pradesh. They provide an overview of the Academy, notably, how it is part of a network of 18 schools whose aim is to offer education of excellence to talented children regardless of financial capability.
Award-Winning Photographer Fredric Roberts Conducts Workshop
The Hindu reports on a photography workshop for high school students in Hyderabad with award-winning photographer Fredric Roberts.
Aga Khan Academies student exchange programme launched!
15 grade 9 students from AKA Mombasa have arrived in Hyderabad for a two-month long stay, while 16 Hyderabad students are in Mombasa for the same time. We wish them all the best of luck!
Firstpost: The Aga Khan Academy at Hyderabad formally launched
The Firstpost reviews the inauguration of The Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad with a quick look at the Academy’s trajectory: from the foundation stone laying ceremony in 2005, to the opening of its doors to students in 2011, to its professional development centre for teachers and its part in the growing network of Academies that will span across Africa, the Middle East and Central and South Asia.