Alumni Speak

1. Tanya Sharma

Class of 2012

It is not often that one sits down, early in the morning, to reminisce the days gone by. The days, that shaped you to what you are today. As I do this today, my mind is flooded with a tonne of thoughts as to what made me the woman I have become. I am turning 25 in a few days, and technically that’s a long enough time to realize one’s true calling. As Deepa mam would say – “Follow your passion, always”.

I can proudly say, that I did and still do. There have been times, in my life, when I have doubted my capability and turned my head in despair. It is then that I consciously sit, and remember the little girl I was at school, unafraid and with eyes full of dreams. To a listener, this would sound very cliched, however, my batch at CISFG would be able to relate this to the core.

When I came to Cambridge in class VII, the culture here was in stark contrast to the typical convent culture I had seen till now. The hesitant little girl in me was encouraged to speak her mind, and was polished in way that my natural talent became my strongest strength. I have a vivid memory of the day I went up the stage for the first time in my life, as an orator in my own right. It was the applause and the personal encouragement from the teachers around, that instilled confidence in me. I cannot fathom how different a person I would have been, had this not happened to me. We learned and studied for the sheer joy of it. And more than anything, we were given the essence of experiential learning. The moto of - Dream, Dare, Do - was instilled to the core of our being.

School life at Cambridge was very different. I realize this even more, now that I have interacted with hundreds of people, across cities and states. We were cushioned (from the grim realities of the world), nurtured in a very safe environment, by teachers, who were like our pals. We were encouraged to do what fancied us, for it meant unleashing our creativity. Never were we snubbed, no matter how childish an idea was, but only guided in the right light. These were the teachers, who laid the very foundation of the women we were to become. Mentally strong, resilient and independent. By independent, I mean the independence of thought, and not otherwise.

When I look around and observe the school kids these days, I feel blessed for the times we were brought up in. I feel really lucky to have studied at Cambridge in those days, for the teachers here seemed like a prodigy of impeccability. The kind of teachers we had, are a rarity these days. More so, as I prepare for a paper on ‘leadership’ in my MBA, I realize the leadership role played by Deepa ma’am in our long term development, and not just getting good grades.

It is hard to state in a few words the criticality of the role played by Deepa ma’am in our lives. However, as I grow, I can proudly say that I can feel her core beliefs reflecting in me. And that is a testament to the impact my dearest teacher had on my life.

When I meet my oldest Cambridge friends, I realize, that the school did something unique to each one of us. But the one common thread is that tiny whisker of pre-teen innocence, which was nurtured here at Cambridge, and has come up like a fresh bloom as we grow into women of substance. And that is what sets my Cambridge women apart from the rest of the world. I am not in touch with a lot of them, however, the few I meet on an off, make me proud. About my own self, I would give the entire credit to that one decision my mother took years back, to shift me to Cambridge. And I am ever grateful.

2. Anureet Tiwana

Class of 2012

Cambridge International school has done a commendable job by positively impacting the education system. Equity and inclusion are powerful words central to ensuring that all students and teachers have the support to achieve their potential, these two words resonate with theme of this prestigious institution. Cambridge school tends to foresee trends in education and in the world at large. It aspire to act with creativity and courage in our work. It has transformed industrious students into responsible members of the society. Studying at Cambridge have been the most formative 2 years of my life. They have set a strong foundation and have impacted my thought process which in turn has helped me in making some valiant decisions. Cambridge school gave me wings to dream beyond the quintessential, to explore the uncharted territory. I swerved away from the conventional path of medicine and decided to venture into neuroscience with the goal to uncover the fundamental mechanisms that underlie the human experience, i.e. who we are. As I begin my journey as a neuroscientist in at the University College London (UCL) this September, I am extremely thankful to teachers and staff at Cambridge international.

3. Sadhika Burman

Session 2005-2006 to Session 2014-2015, Class of 2015

Cambridge and I have a lot in common. We were both growing when we met. I was eight when I became a part of my Cambridge family. I went to an all girls school for almost half of my life and, NO, I DO NOT regret it or think that I missed out on anything. Instead, I believe that these 10 years were still not enough to grab all the opportunities that were offered to me at Cambridge. Dream, Dare, Do wasn’t just a motto or a saying that I grew up listening to. It is what I am doing right now in this moment.

I dreamt of being so confident in my speech and actions, that one day I could share my opinion with thousands of people and it would matter. I dared to pursue a degree that people advised me not to, since it was “not a girls’ place to be” or it was “hard” and finally I am doing what I wanted to do. Cambridge has played a huge role in making me the young woman I am today.

There was never a time where I was discouraged or stopped to do something (unless of course it was wrong). I still remember walking up to Deepa mam and telling her that I wanted to study War and Investigative Journalism and how a lot of the people I discussed it with told me I don’t have the health or confidence of being that impactive. She sat there, right in front of me, calm like she always is and said, “don’t let what people think overpower what you believe in, my bacha”. These words have stuck by me for all these years that I’ve been away from home. Cambridge was and always will be my comfort place, where I can be myself and let my guard down.

Being Cambridge Alumni is an honour in itself. I joined Cambridge as a baby, I grew up with it. I’m 21 years old today and it is remarkable that nothing has changed. The love, trust, respect and friendship that I still share with my teachers is so precious that I would go beyond and over my capabilities to keep it that way for the remainder of my life. The world implied time and again that we belonged to a weaker gender and yet the irony is I felt at my strongest when I looked at all the beautiful girls building a life they wanted. I am brave, independent and my voice makes a difference, does that sound like weak to you?