Hi, I am Gurinder Singh Khaira, an alumnus of Akal Academy Baru Sahib, native of a small town named Kharar near Chandigarh. I joined Akal Academy in the year 1992 when I was in 4th Standard, and from there on the school took my heart forever for the rest of my academic life – I completed my entire schooling from there in the year 2000. Though I never thought I was too brilliant a student but thanks to the great schooling & its teachers that I managed a score of 90% in 10th and 82% in my 12th.
Post my 12th I pursued my B.Tech & M.Tech integrated course in Computer Science from IIT Delhi – the much needed motivation and the required guidance behind the appearing for IIT entrance was induced by Mr. Amarjeet Singh, one of my teacher and a great mentor at school, had it not been for him, I could’ve never made it to the IIT. After successful completion of my course I was blessed with a Job at Morgan Stanley, Mumbai, where I have completed 7½ years now and am presently working at the I.T. Department as the Vice President, managing a team of 6.
I hail from a very simple middle class family where my father works as a Govt. employee and my mother is a housewife. It so happened that around the time I was in 4th standard, most of my friends & classmates joined day boarding schools which also intrigued me to join a day boarding too, but at that time there weren’t too many day boarding schools of great reputation especially in and around our small town, but, luckily at the same time, a senior person from my dad’s office came into picture and told us about Akal Academy at Baru Sahib.
Upon enquiring and checking out the place, my family was totally convinced about the Akal Academy as the best option for my schooling considering and evaluating the numerous opportunities, stark facilities, curriculum and the infrastructure the academy had to offer alongside the exclusivity of providing spiritual-religious education that was available no place else.
14 years down the line, having moved to a city like Mumbai and seeing the all the differences in the lifestyle here and in cities like Delhi, I have zero doubts that there couldn’t have been a better school for me than the Akal Academy at Baru Sahib. If I compare, even today, the standards of the school in terms of everything – the infrastructure, the faculty, the facilities for all round development of a student, the curriculum and all, still stand at par with the modern schools of Delhi and Mumbai City.
Moreover, at Baru Sahib, I feel that there exists an atmosphere like that of a family – I think me and even all my batch mates, they all had a personal relation with all our teachers, staff members and everyone around at the Baru Sahib Campus for it being a small township. Almost all the faculty was brilliant; the few names that my mind recalls the foremost are Dr. Davinder Singh Sir, who taught us Biology; Venkatesh Sir; Ms. Misha Valer Mati, our science teacher who was a daughter of a scientist, she deeply motivated & inspired all of us science students; and the most respected Mr. Pandhir, who has now passed away, he used to be 60-65 year old then, had a double degree and he taught us Maths & Physics like no one can ever.
The Academy has fostered a lot into me, especially the sense of doing for others. I really feel for providing education to the rural kids, especially the ones begging; I think helping them become independent & educated individuals is one of the noblest tasks. If I am able to do anything for the society it would be to bring a change in their lives through education. Currently, me and my team, we regularly participate in our company’s social activities; through associations with the schools, we go and teach the children.
Rest, I feel that the Govt. and the organizations like the Kalgidhar Trust are already providing great support, facilities and infrastructure to facilitate the education for the poor and the rural, there just the need to create more awareness about the education and its benefits amongst the rural parents so they be motivated and inspired to send their kids to schools.
Wishes & Regards
Gurinder Singh Khaira
V.P. – IT Department
Morgan Stanley, Mumbai