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

I have been independent throughout my life and would take tuitions during my academic advancement. The students’ progress and deepening love for the subject made me realize that the profession was the right one for me and thus I began moving in that direction.

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?

Learning needs to be holistic and cover both curricular and cocurricular subjects so that a child’s abilities is manifested and developed to its maximum potential. Educational institutions prime objective is overall development and they do that by creating a timetable which incorporates these subjects and activities like music, sports, art, craft, dance and much more. Thus, they contribute significantly to creating an ethos where social, academic, physical, mental developments reach heights.

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

We make four sports activities mandatory for our students along with regular P.E. They are Basketball; Cricket; Football and Lawn Tennis. Our Std. III and IV have swimming classes. With 30 coaches working full time, students are coached for range of sports competitions and drills so as to make them healthy.
We offer mandatory two music classes from Preschool to Std. VIII wherein they choose from learning guitar, piano or drums.
Students have mandatory Art / Craft classes from pre-school to Std. VIII. 
Beyond that we have created a new subject called ‘Global Outlook’ which aims to build skills in students like communication, collaboration, research, critical thinking and team building. Thus, students work on topics like ‘Laundry day’, ‘Oil spills’; ‘Traffic’; Cheese etc.
Most important are the environmental conservation activities with regular beach clean-up drives, composting and consistently working towards the Global Goals.

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?

Showcase them case studies of personalities who have risen based on their talents and passions. Also, if the school has been existing for many years, collect alumni record and show how students who have shown forte in other fields have excelled in life. 
This year, I showed the parents statistics given by World Economic Forum on future of work and how 21st century skills will prepare students to enter completely new jobs in the future. We emphasized on skill building and how we all stakeholders, i.e. parents, teachers and the management should come together to propagate cocurricular activities in our school and have maximum participation of all students.

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

Co-curricular should be seen as an extension of curricular activities and not extra activity.

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

I listen to a lot of music and have my own blog where I share my new learning or short stories.

Any other thoughts you may want to share.

Learning needs to be experiential in nature for long lasting effects.