I graduated from this esteemed institution in 2009, having traversed its hallowed halls from the tender age of grade 1 through the formidable challenges of grade 10. While the school boasted luminaries in its faculty, including the likes of Gulshan Sheikh, Meenaakshi Manchanda, Rajan Sarang, Prathamesh, and the illustrious Leena, there existed a darker underbelly marred by individuals unsuited to the noble vocation of teaching.
In the nascent stages of my education, I encountered the lamentable duo of Pranali Indurkar and Sandra, whose presence in the classroom was more akin to tyrants than educators. Pranali, in particular, exhibited a penchant for corporal punishment, subjecting hapless students to the indignity of her wrath, with myself enduring her brutal onslaught for the crime of tardiness in note-taking.
Transitioning to the secondary section, the specter of oppression persisted, embodied by the disdainful Madhuri Vichare, who capriciously banished me from her domain, citing trivialities such as my allegedly disagreeable smile. The infamous Farida Bombla, with her cacophonous tirades, not only disrupted the sanctity of the learning environment but also encroached upon the solemnity of practical examinations.
However, the nadir of my educational journey was reached in the presence of Sapna Nair, whose pedagogical acumen paled in comparison to her proclivity for tyranny. Despite being granted dispensation by the school’s principal to eschew traditional footwear in favor of more accommodating sports shoes, I endured daily diatribes from Nair, whose penchant for ridicule knew no bounds. Her disparaging commentary, including an egregious instance of fat-shaming during a lesson, bespoke a character bereft of the requisite compassion and professionalism expected of an educator. During one memorable lecture, she made a grossly inappropriate remark, stating that a flowerpot was kept in a "typre, " akin to the large rubber tires seen on vehicles, jesting that I, too, must possess several of these "huge tires."
In a particularly egregious incident, a new student with developmental challenges was subjected to physical reprimand by Vice Principal Mehta, only to be rescued from further indignity by the intervention of Meenakshi Ma’am.
Furthermore, the scourge of slut-shaming tarnished the school’s reputation, with certain faculty members engaging in the reprehensible practice, casting aspersions upon the character of a fellow student for her purported transgressions.
Once, our school embraced a lively playground, adorned with grass and mud where students reveled in joyful play. Sadly, the school’s management succumbed to greed, transforming the vibrant space into a cold concrete lot for parking buses. This shift prioritized profit over the holistic development and education of students, illustrating a disregard for their well-being in favor of monetary gain.
As I reflect upon my formative years within the confines of this institution, I fervently hope that those entrusted with the noble task of nurturing young minds have evolved, aspiring to the lofty standards befitting a bastion of enlightenment.