Faridah Lakhani - epitomising self-learning and personal growth
Written by Kamini Menon
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!
The Aga Khan Academy Dhaka
“This new Academy will be an important node in a network of 18 schools throughout the developing world, providing world class education for young men and women from all backgrounds, irrespective of ability to pay. It will be a remarkable place to go to school.”
His Highness the Aga Khan, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 20 May 2008
Introduction
The award-winning Aga Khan Academy Dhaka represents a significant investment in education by the Aga Khan Development Network for the benefit of Bangladesh. It will become a new national asset for the whole country – and for its broad educational community.
This not-for-profit school will be part of an integrated network of Aga Khan Academies located across 14 countries. The Academy is being established to provide exceptional students with an outstanding education to prepare them for leadership roles in Bangladesh and across the world. Students are selected based on merit, regardless of socio-economic background, gender, race or religion. This ensures that talented students from all sectors of Bangladeshi society can access a world-class education.
Through its Professional Development Centre (PDC), the Academy will also act as a regional hub for academic innovation and excellence. The PDC is dedicated to training new teachers to the highest standards while offering veteran teachers the opportunity to stay on the cutting edge of education through research and practice. This expertise is then shared to enhance teaching and learning at government and other schools.
Award-Winning Design
The Aga Khan Academy will be located on a 20-acre plot in Bashundara, Dhaka and will enrol 750 students (K–12) with a capacity to expand to 1,200. Residential facilities will be provided for students and staff to allow for wide participation and enable a diverse learning community. The school has been designed by renowned international architects to ensure the best possible educational experience in a physical environment that resonates with local Bangladeshi culture and architectural traditions.
The design for the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka received the award for best ‘Future Education’ project at the World Architecture Festival 2017, held on 15-17 November in Berlin, Germany. The award recognises the excellence of the school’s design as well as the project’s intention to generate positive social impact, which arises from the mission and values of the Aga Khan Academies and the wider Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The vision of the Academies is to develop future leaders with the skills and knowledge to positively support development in their own societies.
Construction of the Academy begun in 2018, with classes for students planned to start in 2020.
Educating Future Leaders
The Aga Khan Academy in Dhaka will develop leaders with a pluralistic sensibility – individuals who are proudly Bangladeshi yet also connected to the larger, cosmopolitan world. The Academies programme, which is based on the highly regarded International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, prepares students to succeed in a globally competitive world while also connecting them to their own language, literature, history and heritage. As they grow to take on leadership roles, this education uniquely prepares them to address the issues facing their communities with solutions that draw on global best practices and are appropriate to the local context. As language is essential to leadership, the Aga Khan Academy will provide bilingual education in English and Bangla, ensuring that students maintain strong ties to their roots. Service learning projects also cultivate the ethic of serving one’s community. In helping their neighboring communities, students are exposed to the challenges they face and learn to come up with contextually appropriate solutions.
Global Linkages
The Aga Khan Academy Dhaka will be the fourth school in a planned network of 18 campuses in Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Middle East, following Mombasa (Kenya), Hyderabad (India) and Maputo (Mozambique). Academy teachers and students will be able to collaborate across this network via technology to share experiences with others from different cultures. Teacher exchanges between schools provide exposure to different learning environments and opportunities to share best practices with colleagues. Student exchanges between schools are also planned to allow them to experience another culture first hand and further their experience of living in a pluralistic world.
International Partners
Education at an Aga Khan Academy is enriched by unique academic and co-curricular partnerships. The Academies work closely with AKDN agencies across many areas including for curricular innovation and to offer students in-depth service learning and internship experiences. Partnerships with internationally renowned institutions contribute to the quality of the Academies’ curriculum and professional development programmes, and ensure that the Academies maintain and enhance their international standing. Partners include the International Baccalaureate, the University of British Columbia, Concordia University, the Government of Ontario (Canada) and Microsoft, with the Academies in Mombasa and Hyderabad having both been recognised as Microsoft Showcase Schools.
Alqaim Lalani (Class of 2019): The importance of mentoring and positively contributing to the community
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.
Originally from Tanzania, Alqaim was actively involved in the Academy’s community. As a dorm captain in the residential programme, he learnt time-management skills, maturity and developed strong work ethics. He also gained a passion for positively contributing to his communities, which could be seen in the social enterprise he founded as a student called “Tumaini la Maisha Cancer Initiative”, which supports economically disadvantaged children suffering from cancer to raise money from crafts they make to subsidise their own care. His efforts gained widespread recognition in Tanzania, where he was named one of the ‘Most Influential Young Tanzanians’ for his achievements in social enterprise and philanthropy.
However, upon entering university, Alqaim discovered a new passion: mentoring students during their university application process. Since he began his undergraduate studies in 2019, Alqaim mentored International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme 1 and 2 Academies students, who he believes “are at a very critical stage in their lives,” because they are at the juncture of shifting from school to university.
“Transitioning from high school to university can be daunting, given the pressures to choose what you want to study, partake in activities and internships and ultimately determine how you want to start your career – all in the span of a few very consequential years,” Alqaim said.
Alqaim’s interest in wanting to mentor stems from his own experience at Columbia, where he was introduced to an alumni network and inclusive student community. He soon learnt that Columbia and some other universities actively supported first-year students in selecting courses, applying for campus societies and recruiting for selective careers.
“Even before stepping foot on campus, I was being supported by a community committed to my success, enabling me to transition quite seamlessly once I arrived on campus,” he says.
Alqaim knew he wanted to pay it forward and ensure other students felt this level of support. To date, Alqaim has mentored 11 Academies students from Mombasa and Hyderabad across varying aspects of the university application process. From building a shortlist of institutions that meet their academic and financial needs to approaching standardised tests with confidence and ultimately bringing their authentic self forward when voicing their achievements and background.
One of the students who benefitted from Alqaim’s mentorship is Ayaan Dewani, Class of 2023 from the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, who is studying at Boston University with a full-ride scholarship.
"I am incredibly grateful for the invaluable assistance I received from Alqaim during my university application process,” Ayaan said. “His guidance and support were instrumental in helping me navigate the complex and often overwhelming journey toward higher education. He took the time to understand my interests, strengths and aspirations and then provided tailored advice on which universities would be the best fit for me. His insights were spot-on, and he helped me create a well-rounded list of target schools that aligned with my academic and personal goals.”
Considering it a privilege to work with students, Alqaim believes he, too, is benefitting from his mentoring.
“Serving as a mentor has helped improve my leadership skills, exposed me to new perspectives and consolidated lessons I previously learnt,” Alqaim said. “I believe the true value of mentorship lies in eliciting self-reflection and critical thinking from the mentee, rather than simply rearticulating one’s own experience.”
Although he is currently working in financial services, Alqaim continues to support Academies students through this journey by working with them to find internships and jobs that appeal to their talents, and helping them foster the transition from student to working professional by connecting them to other alumni a part of the Aga Khan Academies Alumni Association.
“My experience at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa has been pivotal in my life,” Alqaim says.