The Art of Man-making: ‘My school taught me compassion and kindness’

He loves to play basketball and has recently taken up playing the tabla. Getting the prestigious Dr Stya Paul Award for Human Values (academic year 2024-25) was a welcome shock since this Class VI (now Class VII) student was not expecting it at all. He felt his interview was not formal enough, even though he was extremely respectful throughout. “The ‘complicated’ part was that I didn’t think my casual way of speaking would be enough for such a prestigious award, but it turned out to be,” Ryan Kumar of Apeejay School, Noida, said.

Read on to know more…

You play the table. Is it a hobby? 

Yes, I doubt I would take it up professionally. It’s all because of the school. The facilities here are amazing — you can play basketball, cricket, or anything you want. The music teachers are nice and taught me both the basics and some advanced tabla techniques. The school encourages us to try new things, and that’s how I discovered my passion for this instrument.

What do human values mean to you? 

Human values to me are the essential values everyone needs, like kindness, compassion, humility, and charity. These values are important because when we treat others with kindness, they’ll treat us kindly too. For instance, if we speak to an elder respectfully, they’ll appreciate it. When we implement values like kindness and compassion in our daily lives, people will respond to us in the same way.

What aspect of Dr Stya Paul’s life inspires you the most? 

His commitment to charity inspires me. Even though he was very successful and had a lot of support, he stayed humble and gave back what he earned.

Are you personally involved in any charity work or NGOs? 

Yes, I am slightly involved with Wildlife SOS, an NGO here. Once, I found an injured pigeon on the road. I brought it home and treated it myself before telling my parents. My father and I then gave the pigeon to Wildlife SOS. They treated it completely, and we donated Rs 1,000 to them. It felt good to help, and it made me want to do more.

I want to continue contributing when I grow up and have my own money. Right now, I try to help whenever I can.

How has your school helped in teaching you human values? 

My school has taught me many values like compassion and kindness, mostly through our assemblies. We have skits that focus on these values, and speeches from our principal also emphasise them. These assemblies help us understand how to apply values in real life.

What role have your parents played in teaching you values?

My parents are my first teachers, and they’ve taught me the same values — compassion, kindness, charity, and humility. They also showed me how to be responsible, like when they helped me donate to Wildlife SOS after I rescued the pigeon.

How do you handle situations when your friends don’t follow the same values, like honesty?

Occasionally, I try to teach them how to be respectful. If I notice something wrong, I correct it, and they usually accept my advice. But sometimes they don’t, and in those cases, I just try to set a good example and hope they’ll follow.