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jayanthi

Jayanthi S (Gurukul)

Children……bundles of joy and full of surprises!!! Passionate about working with children, she feels it’s a great pleasure being with them & getting an opportunity to understand their little kingdom. She feels they help her discover her passion and has not looked back ever since she took over in Banjara’s Gurukul many years ago. Very hard working, dedicated, and has loads of patience. She has learnt to stay calm & composed in most situations and thoroughly enjoys her work. Since she feels that every child is different and unique in his or her own way, she tries to bring out hidden talent, special abilities, and at the same time has been a perpetual learner, feeling fulfilled and getting a great sense of contentment.
venu

Venu (Office and Administration Manager)

An all rounder who has grown tremendously in the past 20 years of his working life, steadily rising up the ladder by dint of hard work and commitment. Genuinely interested in seeing the growth of people and willing to help them in different ways. An excellent team player, always willing to learn, take up new type of work and even take the lead spontaneously whenever required. Looks up to knowledgeable people to gain greater insights and learn from their experiences. Very meticulous in fulfilling his responsibilities, does not give up till he has found a solution or brought a task to completion. Absolutely punctual and keeps all tasks in mind with a high sense of responsibility.
anees

Anees Fathima (Human Relations Manager)

An excellent people’s person who has the innate ability to understand others around her. A good team player, she can play both the role of a leader or that of a follower with equal ease. Helpful, smiling and pleasant demeanor. A person with a strong sense of commitment and dedication, backed with the willingness to work hard and diligently. She possesses the natural ability to diffuse crisis situation at most times, and also does not hesitate to ask for help when required. Her greatest strength is to withstand stress with the least distress. Her ability to build rapport with people and understand their needs is also very strong. She has an open mind and is a keen learner, very open to learn both from people and experiences.
arun

Arun Kumar Jana

From a small village and agricultural background to a competent professional managing the facilities, security and establishment, is one of our senior-most staff members. He has come all the way from West Bengal, and made Bangalore his home for the last Three decades.  He has been completely in charge of the premises, the assets, the housekeeping and the services.  One of the most responsible and committed persons that we can come across.
His colleagues recognize the following sterling qualities in him:
  1. Forgives and forgets, does not bear grudges
  2. Non-interfering
  3. Very diligent in money matters
  4. Guides in distress, helpful
  5. Committed to his work
  6. Fully devoted to Ali and the Academy

Time has come for exams, tension, anxiety …..and hopefully the end of the academic year.  Then the rush for admissions, entrance exams, confusion of which course to take.

We teach children for 12 years in school, but do not give them any skills to choose their careers.  There is a mad rush for Computer Science Engineering or medicine, and lakhs of students prepare for years and years to crack JEE or NEET, without knowing what they are in for and where it is leading them.

It is the responsibility of all of us to give inputs and familiarize students, and their parents, about which career (out of innumerable lucrative choices) is suitable for any specific child, and to resist the herd mentality.  Please make that effort…..

It is a question of their whole future, they need a little hand-holding.

Learn to Enjoy Stress - By Dr. Ali Khwaja

How often have you felt that you are stressed out the moment you think of studies and exams?  Have you ever felt like just giving up and running away somewhere?  If you have faced or are facing such situations, did you ever stop to think how and why stress accumulates in some of us, while others are carefree and whistling their way through exams and life?

There are answers to these questions.  All we need to do is to take a short break, stop getting stressed out by thinking of exams all the time, and pay attention to a few important facts.  Otherwise we will become like the over-enthusiastic boy who was so happy when he got a contract to cut trees that he just went on chopping with all his might.  He never stopped to sharpen his axe, with the result that all his efforts were in vain.  The blunt axe could not cut, and in his frustration he kept hacking harder and harder till he dropped of exhaustion and lost the contract.  Are you ready to sharpen your mental axe?

The countdown to exams has begun.  You are probably counting days now, and are getting tensed, particularly when you think of those tough and boring subjects that you have begun to hate.  No one can be good at all subjects.  There are at least eight types of intelligence: mathe-logical, linguistic, interpersonal, intra-personal, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, spatial and ecological.  Eventually you will find the right vocation that suits your intelligence, but right now you have to study all subjects from languages to technical ones.  To make the best of it, here are a few tip:

  • Start with relaxing BEFORE you sit down to study. Don’t wait till you are tired and fatigued.  The fresher your mind, the more you will be able to take in, in the least time.  Find out a method of relaxation that suits you, don’t copy what someone else is doing.  A few examples are: Long, brisk walk; Jogging, Tennis, golf, Swimming, Aerobics / dancing, Playing with child/pet, Gardening; Driving into nature, Shouting loudly and freely, Yoga, Meditation, Prayer / discourses, Talking to a friend or counselor, Listening to (or playing) music, Maintaining an informal diary, Thought-provoking books, Punching a pillow, Tearing old newspapers.  Experiment till you hit upon the right one.
  • Take periodic breaks. Never study till you are so tired that nothing is going to your head.  Only you know how long you can study before you need a break, follow your mind.  The duration may vary depending on whether you are studying an interesting or boring subject.  At the same time, keep in mind that your break should be short and relaxing, and not taking your mind away into another activity.
  • Study systematically. List out all the chapters, mark those you have trouble with, keep periodically revising or reviewing.  Don’t get bogged down into one subject the whole day.
  • Keep giving yourself periodic tests, both verbal and written. Do mock exams even at home, they will prepare you for facing the actual exam.
  • Keep track of your biological clock, when you are at peak energy, and when you are down and out. Study difficult subjects when you are feeling energetic.  For boring subjects, allot a fixed time and tell yourself that you will finish as soon as the time is over.

As your exams get nearer, do not cut down on your sleep beyond rational limits.  You can certainly do with 25-30% less sleep than average, but cutting it down to 50% or less can actually add to your strain.  Keep up your hygiene, food habits, get fresh air and clear your mind periodically.  On the day of the exam, don’t cram till the last moment.  Have a healthy meal, go early and check out the place, talk to friends or family to calm down your nerves, and then begin the exam with the clear thought – it is just an exam, it is not going to kill you.

Ali’s Notes:

Technology has advanced immensely. Schools have state-of-the-art facilities in every aspect of child requirements, and millions are spent for providing all comforts and amenities to the students. Yet a survey by Banjara showed that 95% of all children, including those in high-end schools, still carry a water bottle in addition to the already heavy bag. Is it not possible to provide purified drinking water to the students in their classrooms? If we really cared for our children, we can think of these (and many similar) small steps to make life convenient to them.
We have still not managed to reduce the size (and weight) of the school bag in today’s e-learning era. We continue to give all our attention to home work, completion of portions, innumerable tests and exams, and rote learning.
If we wish to create a better world around us as the next generation takes over, it is high time we took some initiatives.