Anjum Budhwani - living her dream
Anjum has been teaching since the time she was an undergraduate student. She began as a volunteer at her community Religious Education Centre as part of the Institute for Ismaili studies’ Ta’lim programme, a course designed to introduce children to the faith, ethics, history and cultures of Muslim peoples and of the Ismaili community in particular. “Compassion builds a strong relationship between teacher and student,” she says. “If a teacher is caring and loving the student feels safe with her, and learning will happen successfully in turn.”
Anjum received her first bachelor’s degree in commerce from Hyderabad’s Osmania University, and went on to collect another bachelor’s in education followed by a master’s degree when she decided to become a teacher. Her aspiration was to join the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, and she realized this dream in 2012. “I feel elated when I hear people saying ‘She works at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad.' ” It was also her mother’s dream to see her daughter become a teacher.
Though she says every day at the Academy is special, some days have been more special than others. “I cherish the day when His Highness the Aga Khan was here on 15th April 2015,” beams Anjum, remembering some his words to our teachers. “He mentioned that there will be difficult times while you are teaching and learning and you will have failures during your journey of teaching. But remember the result and keep the goal in your mind that we are working towards creating future leaders and that it’s not going to be easy.” These words are a part of what inspire Anjum to teach at the Academy and to better herself as a facilitator to young students.
One of her favourite things about teaching at the AKA Hyderabad is discussing teaching practices with her colleagues. Anjum has imbibed the philosophy of being a lifelong learner; learning from her colleagues, she explains, has been key to her growth as a teacher. “We have regular and ongoing professional development, which has provided me with a lot of opportunities to improve myself,” shares Anjum. “Sharing best practices, professional development reading, action research and other platforms where we get to learn from each other gives us the chance to reflect on our learning and teaching process.”
These collaborative efforts have helped Anjum grow into the ideal PYP teacher who believes in giving her students voice, choice and ownership in their school work. “I design assessments and learning engagements with students in order to provide them with ownership and accountability in their learning.” Miss Anjum’s classroom is decorated with student input, with students also influencing their seating arrangement. In her class you will see the Innovation Corner, where students create new things from recycled material. Students of 3K have a duty list, where students are given charge of classroom resources like books and stationery. Giving students responsibility and ownership of their space this way helps allows them an early understanding of stewardship.
“She endeavors to exemplify stewardship through her actions,” says Academy Junior School Principal, Sreelatha Kumar. “Equanimity and her unquestionable commitment are her best qualities." Sreelatha adds that it is remarkable how Anjum deals with adults and children with the same grace and evenness.
It is very common that parents visiting the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad Junior School, upon seeing students in the sand pit or in the art room, wish that they could have done their primary education here. Should they peep into Miss Anjum’s grade 3 classroom, they will understand that it is teachers like her whom they missed having in school, because they are the ones who help create the idyllic aura of a primary school.
Written by Ajay Sundaram
Khushboo Shah (Class of 2016): Using artistic talents to connect with others
Khushboo Shah is an aspiring writer, visual artist, and the current alumni representative of Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad 2016 batch. She is a recipient of The Aga Khan Youth Award for Excellence, and plans to begin her undergraduate studies this fall.
In August 2014, I migrated from my hometown Goa, India and traveled to the Aga Khan Academy (AKA) in Hyderabad to begin my International Baccalaureate education. In retrospect, AKA Hyderabad taught us all how to be independent in our own unique way. It strengthened my intellectual roots and taught me that it is okay to question. And because I questioned, I was able to learn.
At the Academy, I ardently loved studying English, history and visual arts – they groomed me to be a principled thinker and ethical person. The Academy under the vision of His Highness the Aga Khan does an excellent job of grooming each one of us to be a risk taker and a leader. Prior to joining the Academy, I was always interested in visual art, but I did not know how to pursue my passion. Under the apt guidance and encouragement from my art teachers, I learned how to weave my passion for history and literature into art. I also received an opportunity to present my artwork to the Premier of Ontario, the Honourable Kathleen Wynne, on her visit to the Academy in Hyderabad in early 2016. The Academy’s brilliant framework allows each individual student to pursue his/her inner talent and vision. I had always wanted to develop my writing and leadership skills, and I was able to do so by serving as the editor of the Academy’s 2014-2015 Yearbook. I also served as the elected Student Council President for the 2015-2016 year. Serving as an editor gave me confidence to take my writing seriously, while being a student leader allowed me to become a responsible and thoughtful individual.
In January 2017, I was awarded the Aga Khan Youth Award for Excellence, which has humbled me and allowed me to believe that with the right balance of determination, hard work and guidance, an individual can achieve immensely. I also serve as the alumni representative for the Class of 2016. I believe that because of the Academy’s presence in my life, I have truly been able to strive towards my goals. From April 2017 to June 2017, I interned at the Naryn campus of the University of Central Asia (UCA) in Kyrgyzstan. When I was in Kyrgyzstan, I experienced the overlapping of multiple cultures, faiths, nationalities, and ideologies. I was able to share meals and go trekking with more than eight nationalities at once! My circle now includes friends from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Canada and the United States, making me extremely grateful for all my experiences and encounters.
At UCA, I was also required to assist with Student Life activities and other administrative work. Along with the University Counselor and other Student Life team members, I planned the cultural excursion to Lake Issyk Kul; and under the guidance of the Student Life team, I also organised the Hakuna Matata festival, which was organised partly on the Easter weekend as an arts and craft night, and as an Amazing Race all across Naryn town. Never before had Naryn seen such a race where the students were asked to complete tasks like building sand castles by the river, wearing traditional Kyrgyz clothing, competing against other teams over the game of foosball and conducting interviews with local people. All students were given a budget through which they had to complete their tasks. Students had to take cabs, the ‘mashrutka’ (local bus), or share a ride to reach into town. The race was a great experience as the students were not only challenged to try new things, they also learned to enjoy working collectively in teams. All the leadership qualities which I had acquired at AKA Hyderabad helped me to positively lead this activity. I believe that the Academy’s dynamic vision has allowed me to believe in my imagination, passion and curiosity while pursuing ambitious projects.
His Highness the Aga Khan emphasises that for one to become a global citizen, one must be multilingual. In Kyrgyzstan, I picked up some Russian, and thus was able to communicate a little with the local citizens – once on a taxi ride back from the local bazaar, a local lady whom I had never met before, moved me as she invited me to her house for lunch! That day I understood how by trying to speak the local language, I was not only learning a new skill, but was also breaking the barrier between myself and local citizens, and in a broader perspective – between two communities. Furthermore, on helping the UCA students to organize the first ever TEDxUniversityofCentralAsia, I truly understood the importance of embracing the diversity of different cultures as the event saw the coming together of over nine nationalities, and this collaboration truly humbled me.
When I look back at my Academy years, I often feel humbled and nostalgic. The time spent amidst those red bricked walls, with lovely friends and extremely supportive teachers has been one of the best times in my life. I have realised that an individual can continue to grow, learn and excel throughout their life. I am extremely grateful for the wonderful education I have received – it has been my sincere effort to try and improve in everything that I do by striving to become a more resilient and grounded person.
By Khushboo Shah
International Baccalaureate - Primary Years Programme
International Baccalaureate - Primary Years Programme
Shaivya Arya: Striving for animal rights
Animal welfare organisation Blue Cross of Hyderabad provides ceaseless support to animals in the city by improving their living conditions, and changing people’s mindset about animal rights. Academy students volunteer regularly at the Blue Cross as part of their CAS activities. Student volunteers walk and groom dogs, assist the shelter’s administration staff and run introductory sessions for new volunteers. Shaivya’s activities were centered around the dogs of the blind and disabled ward. She learnt about dealing with cases of dog bites and interpreting dog behaviour. During her time at the shelter, Shaivya also attended a session by Blue Cross of Hyderabad co-founder, Amala Akkineni.
In her time as volunteer, Shaivya found herself in situations beyond her ken but felt pleasantly rewarded when she worked through them. “Gradually, I learnt how to handle unfamiliar situations without anyone's assistance,” she says. “The work experience serves as a method to identify our strengths and weaknesses.” Shaivya says that working at the Blue Cross has improved her communication, organization and time management skills.
Shaivya is passionate about animal rights advocacy. Before her stint at Blue Cross, she conducted surveys for her personal project, ‘Ethical Treatment Toward Animals,’ to better gauge the issue of animal abuse. “What we do not realise is that activities such as visiting the circus, the zoo or even purchasing a certain product can contribute to animal abuse,” she said. Shaivya went on to lead a successful fundraiser for the Blue Cross at the Academy’s parent teacher meeting in January 2018, raising ₹34,000. The money went toward vaccination programs for strays in the city.
Shaivya’s group members at Blue Cross constantly supported her. She credits them with helping her through tough situations and reflects on how they grew together. According to her, the team’s diversity directly impacted the work they did at the shelter. Dogs would run away from baths or refuse to be groomed and Shaivya notes that that could have been frustrating if it wasn’t for her friends alongside her.
“Each one of us has the power to make a change,” says Shaivya. “To save an innocent creature’s life, to help animals. It is time we make this a better world for us, for them, for all.”
Living on Campus
Residential life at the Academy complements and extends the academic experience. Our residential programme includes a broad selection of activities and leadership opportunities to enhance students’ learning and growth.
The Academy’s residences include facilities to accommodate both students and teachers. Our residences house boarding students requiring accommodation as well as those participating in international exchanges between the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad and other Academies and schools.
Teachers' quarters on campus house both resident and visiting faculty.
Learning beyond the classroom
Our residential programme is about the learning and growth that comes through constant interaction with a diverse and talented group of teachers and peers.
Mealtimes and other gatherings provide our residential students with opportunities for informal interaction as well as for discussions, meetings, language tables and study groups.
The focus of the residential experience is on students’ intellectual, social, spiritual and physical growth in a structured and ethical environment. Many of the least tangible but most important elements of an education – the development of practical leadership skills, the capacity to make ethical judgments, the ability to navigate through complex cultural settings – are formed outside the classroom.
The safe and secure environment of the Academy’s boarding facilities gives students of all backgrounds the opportunity to thrive emotionally, intellectually and physically.
Photo gallery
Our Campus
Built on a 100-acre site near the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad offers state-of-the art facilities on a secure, landscaped campus.
Our school is the second in a network of about 18 planned Academies offering the highest international standard of education to students in countries across Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Middle East.
The campus has been specially designed by renowned architects and is purpose built. Our facilities include the following academic and resource areas:
- subject and age-specific classrooms
- well-equipped science and computer laboratories
- library and resource centres
- rooms for the fine arts, music and dance, including individual practice booths and a music recording area.
The Commons building houses the dining hall and an array of spaces for school activities. It is designed to be the hub of student activity, serving as the Academy’s main space for major school functions, including music and drama performances, and public lectures.
Sports facilities
Our sports facilities are extensive and include:
- swimming and diving pools
- sports fields, for example for soccer, hockey and athletics
- cricket pitch
- tennis and squash courts
- athletics centre for aerobics, dance and fitness.
We invite you to visit the Academy to take a tour of our campus.
Vasanthi Thandlam: Lifelong learning and giving
An active volunteer for Operation Smile, an international charity group that helps children with cleft palates around the world, Vasanthi trained at the Operation Smile head office in Norfolk, Virginia, USA and has been passionately promoting the cause for five years. She started an Operation Smile club at the American International School Chennai with a small group of high school students who went on to participate in various local and international medical missions.
Now, Vasanthi will be accompanying a team of Indian students to Vietnam to make presentations on various health modules. These not only teach prevention and basic health knowledge but also help reshape everyday habits of people with unhealthy lifestyles. Health education is an effective tool to improve health in developing nations. In the future, she hopes to bring Operation Smile to the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad.
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.
The Academies Network
The Aga Khan Academy, Dar-es-Salaam is the fourth in a planned network of Aga Khan Academies being established in countries across Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Middle East.
The aim of the Academies is to develop future leaders with the skills and knowledge to support positive development in their societies. We achieve this by recruiting exceptional young people from all backgrounds and providing them with the highest international standard of education.
Admission is means-blind and based on merit to ensure access for eligible students regardless of financial circumstances.
...the Academies will be serious, focused, rigorous environments—but at the same time they will be spacious and joyous places. They will operate on the cutting edge of knowledge and pedagogy, but they will be rooted in history and steeped in tradition.
When complete, the network of Academies will form a global learning community of approximately 18 schools in 14 countries (map).
They will eventually serve approximately 14,000 girls and boys of exceptional calibre, graduating 1,500 students annually.
For more information, visit our Academies network home page.
