When and why did you decide to take up education as your career?

Teaching comes naturally to me. Being eldest in the family, I used to teach my younger siblings. I believe my love for teaching started from there. But true awakening happened after the birth of my son. His birth gave birth to the teacher in me. I pursued B. Ed, MA, M. Ed, Cambridge Diploma of teaching and learning and so many certificate courses after his birth. The journey continued by being a tuition teacher and then the school teacher, followed by becoming the co-ordinator and here I am, the Principal of Pinnacle High.

As an educationalist, you are touching many human lives directly. Do you think educational institutions can play a significant role in overall development of students by encouraging them to take up co-curricular interests like Music, Art, Dance or Sports?

The answer lies in your question itself. The overall development cannot be complete without Music, Dance, Art and Sports (‘or’ is not applicable). Not necessarily with the career point of view, MADS gives us a lot of pleasure, promotes physical as well as mental wellbeing (mental health is also very important in today’s stressful and competitive world) and most importantly strengthens bond between people, in simple words making us more humane.
Institution definitely plays a humongous role in promoting overall development of students by promoting co-curricular interests. An institution is a social set-up, simulation of a community. It is here that the children spend best growing up years of their life. Along with academics, the co-curricular activities need to be promoted as this is the foundation for their future life. Also, when any form of art or sports is done in the company of peers, it is always an enjoyable experience as compared to doing it by self, alone at home. We tend to follow our friends and realise the love for any form of art on the way. Of course, higher learning can happen in solo.  The seeds sown in the formative years can also pave a way for career in music, art, sports, dance, drama and even movies. These are actually thriving careers in today’s times.

What are some of the most important initiatives related to co-curricular that you have taken in the institutions you have served?

All the co-curricular as well as sports activities are mandatory in Pinnacle High. Be it dance, music, karate, visual arts, swimming, skating, chess, basketball or football, everything is embedded in the curriculum. The result being students look forward to coming to school every day with a broad smile on their face. In fact, parents say that the students do not want holidays. That speaks volumes about the happy place we have created at Pinnacle High.
We also make them participate in many intra and interschool, state, national level competitions which boosts their morale.
School’s Facebook page as well as website is filled with winners in all arenas. Making every child participate in every activity also creates harmony and avoids unnecessary competition. It instils value of being equal and oneness in all.

In the days when most people measure success only by academic score, how would you convey to the parents of your students that co-curricular education is not something to be looked down upon?

I think my parents are already on the same page with us. As mentioned above, all the co-curricular and sports activities are compulsory. They can see the difference in their kids. Pinnacle’ites are ever smiling, stress free and confident. They also win competitions as well as excel in academics.
The challenge is in secondary years that is 8th, 9th and 10th where parents want children to only study and children want to run away from burden of hours of study. We try to keep few periods for recreation everyday so that we balance it out.

If you were to suggest one major change in perspective of co-curricular education, what would that be?

At least a couple of lectures everyday should be dedicated to co-curricular activities.
It should be given equal importance as academics. Many a times, parents do comment what will you gain by playing… school should try their best to make parents also understand

Please let us know about some key achievements of your institution and/or your student(s) in MADS at national/international level?

 Skating UNICEF - 24 hours skates around the world 2018! 
Varun Seth, Jared Menezes, Prabhuti Vira, Anush Iyer, Darsh Salian,Kyle Menezes, Vihan Shah and Dhruvi Vira

Ms.Gunjan Pandey, Grade KS 3 for winning 2nd prize in Inter school French Poem Recitation Competition!

Ms. Saffanah Kalam, Grade KS 2 for winning 'I want to be an author' competition! Crossword. 

Hida, Prisha, Prabhuti, Kaitlyn, Vedant, and Jared from Grade Checkpoint for winning 1st prize in Inter school Dance Competition at Gundecha Academy! 

2nd prize in inter school dance competition Yadansh, Hitansh, Kabir, Kimaya, Aakanksha and Kanak at Gundecha Academy!

Aiysh Chopra, Grade 4 Chess Competition! 
Inter school competition 'Renaissance'! 
Rishit Nanavati-1st prize in painting competition
Dashiell Rodrigues-1st prize in 'Best out of waste' competition
Dhyanvi Gundecha-2nd prize in colouring competition
Anush Iyer-3rd prize in Monologue competition

Grade 8 students had a privilege to act in the short film 'Spell bound' directed by Mr.Sohit Khanna which is now selected for the best children film category. 

Ms. Anubhuti Anwekar, Grade 12 for essay 'Inner Reflections'.

Shotokan Karate Championship 2018 Hero Gada-Silver
Manan Singhal-Bronze
Ryan Khan-Bronze

Skating Champs! Road skating championship
Prabhuti Vira - 3 Gold and 3 Silver
Varun Seth - 1 gold and 5 silver 
Jared Menezes - 5 silver and 1 bronze 
Anush Iyer - 1 bronze
Darsh Salian - 4 bronze 
Vihan Shah - 3 bronze 
Dhruvi Vira - 3 silver 1 bronze

Ms. Rhianna Rodrigues for winning Silver (1st Runner Up) in Mumbai Schools Sports Association U-12 category (MSSA) Lawn Tennis Championship! 

Mst.Raqib Khan, KS 2 football U 12 

Aryan Mehta, IG Sr for winning Gold Medal in Mumbai Games Squash Tournament U-18!

Kyle Menezes for being a part of Runners Up U-10 football team at the RVP Invitational Sports Meet 2018! 

Times of India Global Sports Show 2018 Raqib, Kyle, Jas, Kiara, Hrydhansu and Manfred participated in La Liga Football workshop with Foreign Technical Head. 

Rhianna Rodrigues for being the semi finalist Lawn Tennis state level tournament!

Kyle Menezes, Grade 4 for winning the Player of the match award in Football Match played at Don Bosco, Matunga!

Aarav Shetty, Grade 3 and Kyle Menezes, Grade 4 for being a part of Sportnicians U-10 Football Team who were the winners of the Malad Motivational Cup!

MISA Speed Skating Championship!
Dhruvi Vira- Gold
Prabhuti Vira-Gold
Vihan Shah-Silver
Anush Iyer-Silver
Jared Menezes-Bronze
Maaha Mir-Bronze
Sapnit Shetty, Grade 11 (AS level) for winning Silver at Mumbai Games Premier League Badminton Tournament U-17 boys singles!

Mumbai Games Speed Skating Championship!
Jared Menezes-Road Race-Silver
Rink Race-Bronze
Prabhuti Vira-Rink race-Bronze
Anush Iyer-Road Race-Bronze
Darsh Salian-Road Race-Bronze
Rink Race-Bronze
Dhruvi Vira-Road Race-Bronze
Rink Race-Bronze

Raghav Vedhaanth, Grade 2 for bagging Silver medal in National Taekwondo Championship held at Pune!

Aiysh Chopra, Grade 4 for winning a medal at Republic Day special One Day Rapid Chess Tournament!

Kanak Save, Grade 1 bagged Silver in U-8, 50 m run and Aaron Chettiar, Grade 6 won Bronze in U-12 100 m as well as 200 m run at SASA (Schools Association for Sports & Athletics)!
 
Vihan Shah, Grade 4 for winning Gold and Dhruvi Vira, Grade 4 for winning Silver ar Acuver Speed Skating Championship at DSF Rink!

Manfred Fernandes, Kyle David, Raqib Khan, Keagan Fernandes and Jas Jaiswal for being a part of U-14 Football Malad Motivational Cup

Ms.Rhianna Rodrigues, KS 2 for winning first position at All India Ranking Lawn Tennis Tournament held at Goregaon Sports Club!

Skating winners all the way........
ISPL Speed Skating Championship
Jared Menezes-Silver
Prabhuti Vira-Gold
Dhruvi Vira-Gold
Maaha Mir-Bronze
Anush Iyer-Bronze

2nd Mumbai Skate Challenge
Jared Menezes-2 Silver
Prabhuti Vira-2 Silver
Dhruvi Vira-1 Gold, 1 silver
Vihan Shah-1 Gold, 1 Bronze
Anush Iyer- 2 Bronze

19th Roll-O-Fit Skating Championship
Jared Menezes-1 Gold, 1 Silver
Prabhuti Vira- 2 Gold
Dhruvi Vira- Bronze

Mst. Kyle Menezes, Grade 4 and Mst. Aarav Shetty, Grade 3 for being a part of winning team (3rd Position) at the Impish Entertainment Football Tournament!

What are your personal interests in Music, Art, Dance or Sports and how do you continue to pursue them?

I enjoy listening to music in my free time and love seeing dance videos on you tube and dance occasionally too. Age is catching up fast with me so do not play sports anymore but do enjoy watching tennis matches.

Any other thoughts you may want to share.

#MADS is the new mantra for happiness.