Transform the lives of 3200 children in Hyderabad

I come from a small village in Kerala, where I grew up attending a government school until Grade 12. My childhood was filled with quiz competitions and story writing, activities that sparked my curiosity and shaped my creative thinking. In Grade 12, I discovered a deep passion for History, which led me to pursue an undergraduate degree in History, Archaeology, and Museology. Alongside my studies, I began volunteering as an educational mentor at a government-supported resource center, helping children in my community. I was also selected as a student representative in my local Panchayat under Kerala’s Child-Friendly Local Self-Governance initiative. These early experiences showed me how education and community come together to shape lives. Later, I moved to Hyderabad to pursue my Master’s in History at the University of Hyderabad. The shift to a new city expanded my worldview and deepened my love for cultural history. But more importantly, it made me reflect on how education could be a tool for transformation—not just a subject of study.

Teaching has always felt like home to me, a place where learning, imagination, and purpose meet.
I’ve always believed that teaching is one of the most powerful ways to bring about real change.
That belief is what led me to join the Fellowship where I can teach, learn, and truly understand
what education looks like in low-income communities. 

At the start of the year, my classroom felt like a storm—loud, scattered, and disconnected. There was no real sense of community. Fights were common, and learning felt more like a chore than a joy. When I conducted the beginning-of-year assessments, the results were disheartening: every single one of my students was a pre-emergent reader. I knew this year would be tough, but I also knew that we had nowhere to go but up. So, we began to build slowly but intentionally. I focused on creating a space where students felt safe, seen, and excited to learn. We introduced consistent routines, celebrated even the smallest wins, and used a classroom rewards system to help make learning feel joyful and valuable. One of the biggest shifts came when we started our daily reading fluency routine.

At first, it was tough. We stumbled through simple sentences. But over time, those short, hesitant readings turned into confident storytelling. As the months passed, the classroom transformed. It became a space full of laughter, curiosity, and care. My students became more independent and responsible, not just about their learning, but also about their classroom community. The energy shifted from chaos to focus, from fear to joy.

One moment that I will always carry with me is our year-end showcase, Aarohan. My students took
complete ownership of the event. They planned it, prepared their parts, and led it with pride. They
stood in front of families and teachers, shared their learning journeys in English, and celebrated
each other with confidence and love. Watching them on that stage was surreal. It wasn’t just a
showcase of what they had learned but it was a celebration of who they had become.

By the end of the year, seventy-five percent of my students were reading at or above grade level.
But more than any number, it was their spirit that moved me most is their belief in themselves,
their joy in learning, and the strength of the community we built together. This journey reminded
me that change doesn't happen overnight. It takes patience, consistency, and a lot of heart. But
when we lead with belief and care, transformation isn’t just possible—it is inevitable.

Links:

• TEACH FOR INDIA