Isha Vidhya Students Share their Passions and Bright Visions for the Future
Isha Vidhya students have displayed steadfast commitment in their studies and beyond, and are thriving with their diverse talents. Many have produced stellar results in different competitions, on regional and national levels, and some are venturing into employment and offering their skills to the community. Here are just some Isha Vidhya success stories to warm your heart.
Aarthi: ‘I want to be an architect with innovative styles for the common good’
Aarthi, a Class 11 student of Isha Vidhya Salem, was first drawn to architecture and interior design during a school field trip to the Airavateswara temple in Thanjavur, Darasuram, a few years back. She says, “I was impressed by the intricate designs on the walls of the temples, and thought I should pursue this as a career.” She then began browsing the Internet and was amazed by the temples in Mahabalipuram. This cemented her desire to study architecture.
Aarthi has been a class topper and has also won prizes in throw ball and tennikoit (ring tennis) at the zonal level. She says that her teachers’ encouraging words, “You can do it! You have such good skills,” inspire her to do well in academics. She aims to do well in Class 12, gain admission to Anna University, Chennai, and become an architect with innovative styles for the common good. She also wants to build low-cost housing for the poor.
Punithrajkumar: Get set, Bolt
Punithrajkumar, a Class 10 student from Isha Vidhya Dharmapuri, has been on a winning streak for a few years now, winning top prizes in High Jump, Long Jump, Javelin Throw, and Discus Throw at school and district levels. He also won the Overall Championship prize at the school-level sports meet in 2019.
Winning hasn't come easy for Punithrajkumar, the son of a daily wager. He has spent countless hours of training after school in preparation for competitions and attributes his success to the support and encouragement he has constantly received from his teachers too.
Punithrajkumar says that he joined Isha Vidhya because the school gives equal importance to academics and sports and lays emphasis on the practice of sports. With Usain Bolt for inspiration, Punithrajkumar dreams of becoming a successful national-level athlete and also win in international competitions.
Suriya: ‘I am interested in designing because of Steve Jobs’
Suriya, a Class 11 student at Isha Vidhya Vanavasi, wants to pursue fashion designing after Class 12 because he was inspired by what Steve Jobs said about design: “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”
Suriya used to enjoy drawing pictures with his sister earlier, and when he started at Isha Vidhya, the art and craft class took over. He enjoys drawing because it relaxes him, and he enjoys art class because it allows him to be creative. Suriya loves working with oil pastels and has won numerous awards at the school, district, zonal, and national levels.
When he won third place at the national level in the International Child Art Talent Contest, which included a cash prize of Rs.1,000, he thought it was unbelievable at first. His parents are especially proud of his achievements because there are no other artists in the family.
Ajaykumar: ‘I want to be a jet-fighter pilot and protect my nation’
Ajaykumar, who just completed Class 12 from Isha Vidhya Salem, has appeared for the NDA exams and is eagerly awaiting the results. He was inspired to become a jet-fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman (an Indian Air Force fighter pilot who was held captive in Pakistan for 60 hours after his aircraft was shot down).
Ajaykumar says, “It’s my duty to protect my motherland from terrorism and wars. Reading biographies of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and watching movies like Border and Kargil motivate me.”
Ajaykumar, who studied on a scholarship, loves math, physics, and computer science. He was a class topper and also won prizes in kabaddi at the zonal level. His parents feel happy and proud of his decision to protect the nation.
Deebha: Merging Landscapes with Computers
Deebha has been dabbling with colors, drawing, and painting since childhood, encouraged by her parents, though no one in her family is artistically inclined. Naturally, the art and craft class is dear to her, and her favorite artist is Raja Ravi Varma.
Deebha has won awards at both the national and district levels in art competitions, and she was also chosen for the wall painting at Chennai Airport for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. This multi-talented student has also won awards in scientific and athletic competitions. She says that the numerous art competitions held at school as well as various locations have helped her hone her skills while receiving encouragement and motivation from her teachers.
A Class 11 student at Isha Vidhya Villupuram, Deebha is studying on a merit scholarship for her above-average grades in Class 10. She intends to pursue further studies in Computer Science while continuing to nurture her love of painting.
Shanthan: Sowing Seeds for a Greener Planet
Shanthan works as an afforestation supervisor at NLC, a government-owned fossil fuel electric power generation company. Despite completing a diploma in mechanical engineering from Swamy Abedhanandha Polytechnic College, Tiruvannamalai, with a high score of 96%, he chose to take up this job because he wants to be a tool to promote afforestation.
The seeds were sown for his chosen path at his alma mater, Isha Vidhya Cuddalore, where Shanthan was involved in growing saplings for Project GreenHands, an ecological initiative established by Isha Foundation.
He says, “Our school teachers were like friends who are concerned about our development. They are the ones who celebrate our triumphs. Not only did they want us to study well but also be good human beings who contribute to the community in a positive way.”
Perumal and Annamalai: Bonded by Bows
P.T. Perumal and Annamalai of Isha Vidhya Vanavasi are ardent archers. It all began when the older Perumal chanced upon some students practicing archery at the school campus and tried it for fun. It soon became a serious pursuit, and he went on to win numerous prizes at the district, state, national, and international levels.
Annamalai also took to archery because he was inspired by Karthikeyan, another award-winning archer from the same school. He too went on to win prizes at the national and international levels.
Though their parents are uneducated, they wanted their sons to get a good education, but they were not able to fund it. Eventually, their dream came true when their children got scholarships to join Isha Vidhya. For them, the nutritious midday meal was also an added bonus.
The siblings are inseparable; they walk to school together, meet at lunch, and constantly strive to excel for each other’s sake. While Perumal, who is now in Class 11, has set his sights on becoming a chartered accountant, Annamalai is in Class 8 and wants to pursue engineering.
