Alumni Success

“Vaels hardwired excellence in me as a child. I will always hold my 5 wonderful years at Vaels so close to my heart and will always be thankful for fostering so many lifelong friendships with both my teachers and classmates. Every time I have the opportunity to visit India, I ensure I have a chance to visit Vaels and my teachers as they’ve left a lasting impact on my life and still continue to support me to this day. My time at Vaels helped me to prepare for my life long journey by providing me a solid foundation for my academic pursuits while also allowing me a unique educational opportunity that rounded me to becoming a well-rounded individual. My love for academics was nurtured by the exceptional quality of the teaching staff, small sized classes that aided more personalized attention, the ability to challenge myself with intriguing courses, and opportunities to apply my learning outside of the classroom. I am currently based out of New York City and play the role of Vice-President at Universal Relocations Inc, a multi-national logistics firm. I also hold a bachelor’s degree from Pratt Institute, New York (class of 2019) and am all set to begin my Master’s in International Business in New York University.” Regards, Anu Dattani ALUMNI STUDENT OF VAELS

Hello! My name is Shahana Yusuf, and I am an alumnus of Vaels International School. Allow me to tell you a little bit about myself, my time at Vaels and Beyond! I joined Vaels in VII Grade, having just moved from London and very nervous about how I would fit into the Indian schooling system. I soon learned that Vaels International School is nothing like your average Indian school. It is truly an international school; to my surprise I found many other students like me who had lived in various other parts of the world! This meant that our teachers were also empathetic towards the cultural shocks we faced, and had created an environment where we saw them more as mentors and friends rather than strict masters of our learning. Five years later I graduated from the school, having gained experiences like Head Girl of Student Council and Secretary-General of Vaels MUN. From here, with the help of some teachers who continue to go above and beyond to support me, I gained a place on University College London’s BSc Economics program! I am currently living in London pursuing this degree, and I often look back at how my time at Vaels has shaped the way I approach my university life. As with any schooling experience I faced competition and various challenges along the way, but life at Vaels has taught me how to navigate such circumstances, leaning on those who support you through it all! Vaels International School will always hold a special place in my heart for the people I have met, the lessons I have learned, and the experiences I have gained!

Hello everyone! I am Parnal Kapadia. I’m a doctor, currently studying to pursue post-graduation in the USA. I believe that school life is the most significant time in one’s life. Mine was always filled with love and joy. I have an abundance of memories from the 6 years I studied in Vaels International. The school environment was undoubtedly student-friendly. It’s like they say, “ You are who you surround yourself with.” The teachers made the biggest impact. They understood that each student is different and approached them with utmost care and empathy. I felt comfortable approaching them with my concerns. I am grateful for the friends I’ve made for life. The things I have learned over the course of my time in Vaels, will stay with me forever.

Hi, my name is Abhishek Milind. I am 24 years old. I am originally from Kerala. I am currently residing in Bangalore. I am a mechanical engineer and recently completed my masters degree. I belong to the class of 2014 of Vaels International school. I had such a wonderful experience studying in Vaels. The school taught me a lot of lessons and values which has shaped me into the person that I am right now. From the time I was elected school head boy in 5th grade to passing out of Vaels International school, it has been a roller coaster of emotions. The teachers in vaels had taught us not to consider them as “school teachers” but rather as mentors and friends who only want what’s best for us. They had been the guiding star for us. From the cultural events to taking part in sports, we always received the support of the school. Sports has always played a big role in life as it taught me a lot about myself. Since I had the privilege of studying in Vaels, I got the opportunity to play a lot of sports and also represent the school in the football team. I learnt about team management, leadership, setbacks and working as team. After passing out of school, I realized how much I miss the PT classes, the morning assemblies, the annual days, the sports days, the carnivals and most importantly the teachers. They shaped us into better human beings and taught us to work hard and strive for success. With the above being said, I can honestly say that I am a proud alumni of Vaels International School.

I’m Lovelyn Chandrasekhar, studied in Vaels for 8 years. I did my Bachelors in Science (Honors) in Psychology in Counselling Skills from Middlesex University Dubai. After having the best 8 years in School with such amazing teachers who’ve groomed me into becoming the person who I am today. Their care, support and constant encouragement have always motivated me. They’ve thought me to stay grounded and work hard. I will forever be grateful to them. Now, I am an Actress in the Tamil film industry and working to explore more in my craft and creativity. I’ve acted in Two Tamil films (House Owner and Maratha) and waiting for work to start post Covid.

To say my experience at Vaels prepared me for what lay beyond it would be an understatement. The final few years of your high school experience will always set the foundations for your perspective of the ‘real world’. So for me, Vaels embodied more than textbooks and classrooms, it was an eco chamber that gave me the motivation, drive and skills to propel beyond its horizons. I graduated in March of 2018 from the Cambridge curriculum at Vaels, completing my IGCSEs, AS Levels and A Levels with the undeniable support of many teachers that are still dear to me till date. Unique to Vaels, however, was that it was never just teachers who taught you that you interacted with; it was teachers and staff from several disciplines, students, as well the management. It felt like a big family, with the support, compassion, squabbles and all! Vaels affirmed in me a strong sense of self. It taught me who I was, to stand up for what I believed in and to take on the world with pragmatic authority. For this, I will always be grateful. Since my time walking the halls in my bright yellow uniform (which I must say I do sometimes miss!!), I have gone on to pursue BSc. Philosophy, Politics and Economics at UCL, the 8th ranked research university in the world. Additionally, I currently work at the Education and Training Office of the World Federation of United Nations Associations in New York and Geneva. I was further lucky enough to work on Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ United Nations 75th Anniversary Campaign, with my research mappings appended to the report he submitted to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept 21st 2020. As such, I was honoured to be nominated for WFUNA’s Young Leader of the Year. Life at Vaels gave me friends to last a lifetime, memories to cherish, and taught me lessons I will never forget. There’s very few things in life that you can look back on and say “Yes, this made a difference to who I am today”. Vaels is one of those things.

I am going to share my experience with Vaels as a student! Where should I even start!? I started my journey in Vaels at the age of 12. Vaels is what shaped me become the person I am today. Vaels gave birth to a very strong mindset that I possess today. Even after 7 years I share a very emotional bond with all the teachers in Vaels because of the care and affection they all showed towards me and all the students. Vaels has the most amazing teachers, who truly care about their students with all their heart . The fantastic experience I had with vaels is not because of the education they provide, because best education can be provided by many schools, but it is how the teachers make the students “feel”. Students might forget what they’re taught but they will never forget how a teacher makes them “feel” So, I passed out from Vaels in 2012, Now, I am working as a quality assurance engineer in an amazing company, after doing my Masters in Construction Management in Auckland University of Technology (AUT), New Zealand. “I am focusing on living an intentional life, leaving a legacy behind, and changing the world”

My name is Aprajita .. So basically I studied in Vaels from 2010 student and it was a very positive outlook for me . I enjoyed 5 years of my schooling . Currently I’m pursuing my master’s in Bangalore indian institute of psychology and research, 2nd year in Counselling psychology.

little ecosystem on balance-loop. The teachers and staff were always there to push us beyond our boundaries and explore our capabilities in all directions. It was always the best to get us to traverse the world using our skills that we learn and strengthen with our understandings which are sometimes hidden and are made of good use in our future. They taught us our lives aren’t going be pen on paper or books forever. It felt like more than just a class and opened us up to different possibilities of teaching styles. I believe there is so much more to learn from this experience, both then and now. Each and everyone has helped me to think about how my actions and the way I chose to study to develop as a student, has made a tremendous impact on my life. This impact is one that I have been carrying into my future as I advance into my professional life and studies. The foundation mindset to grow and achieve was built around an environment of valuable advice, interactive engagement and outstanding mentoring. I’m a freshly graduated architect and an architectural journalist, currently pursuing my (M.Arch) Masters in Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Nottingham. Amirthavarshini Pugalendhi (Batch of 2016)