I first became involved with Shanti Bhavan in the summer of 2019 as a volunteer teacher after hearing about the organization from my aunt. My time on campus was one of great joy and meaningful work. Upon returning home, I took on the role of Academic Administrator for the 2020–2021 school year, taking a leave of absence from my full-time job to do so. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was unable to return to campus; however, I continued my work with Shanti Bhavan from the United States. In 2022, I accepted a full-time position with Shanti Bhavan as its Associate Vice Principal.
As Associate Vice Principal, I work between the US and India. I aim to provide “big picture” mentorship for the children and staff while staying informed of the day-to-day happenings at the school. I oversee the two Administrative Managers and Academic Administrator, as well as the Volunteer Services team. It is also my responsibility to standardize the KG–8th-grade curriculum, oversee the special education curriculum, and manage professional development training for all teachers.
I spend four months a year on the Shanti Bhavan campus. I love my time at Shanti Bhavan—it truly is a haven of peace. Some of my favorite days on campus have been spent rolling naan for Sunday dinner while listening to Bollywood hits, trying to keep up with the high schoolers on the soccer field, exploring our surroundings on a Saturday morning nature walk with the small kids, and having passionate conversations about current events in the library after watching the evening news. On campus, everyone lives together and contributes to the greater community.
I was born and raised in Massachusetts. My dad is originally from Karnataka, India. In fact, he was born in the same area where Shanti Bhavan 2 is located! Working with Shanti Bhavan has been very grounding and brought me closer to my cultural background and roots.
I have a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Education, both from Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts. I hold a Moderate Disabilities, PreK–8, Professional Teaching License in Massachusetts. I am currently pursuing a Master of Education in International Education from the University of Massachusetts–Amherst.