‘Due to Apeejay’s unflinching support, my son climbed to 3rd in Under-16 National Golf Ranking’

Vinod Kakar is in the business of industry chemicals and his spouse, Rashika Kakar, is a homemaker. His elder son, Manav, is an alumnus of Apeejay Faridabad and is pursuing Bachelor of Science (Major in Computer Science) course from the prestigious University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada. His daughter, Ashwika, is studying in class 10.  In an informal chat, Vinod takes us through the tremendous progress made by his children since joining the school. Edited excerpts: 

Why did you pick Apeejay for your children?

I am an alumnus of Apeejay Faridabad. What I admired about Apeejay the most is its unflinching focus on personality development. I shifted to Apeejay in class 11 from a Convent School and I could immediately spot the difference between the two. In my former school, the focus was solely on academics, whereas in Apeejay the stress was on holistic development. Soon after joining Apeejay, I became the captain of the school’s cricket team and took part in numerous competitions. That’s why, when it came to picking the best school for my children I picked Apeejay with my eyes closed.

Take us through the progress of your children.

I am fully satisfied with the growth of both my children. Apart from academics, they have excelled in other domains as well. Manav was the Head Boy of the school for two consecutive years. He was a national level golfer and has also played outside India. In 2016, he climbed to 3rd in the Under-16 National Golf Ranking. This could not have been possible with the active support of the school. Apeejay even rescheduled his exams due to his golf schedule and teachers gave him extra classes after school hours so that he can freely focus on golf and make the country proud on the global stage. I remember once Manav had to go to Chicago, US to represent India in a golf tournament. One of Manav’s friends from another school was also selected for the competition. You will be surprised to know that his school didn’t give him permission to go to the US as he had some ‘periodic test’ lined up. Can you believe that? His parents were livid with school. On the contrary, Apeejay had always encouraged Manav to take part in various competitions. He also holds a black belt in karate and has represented his school numerous times in Model United Nations. Talking about Ashwika, she won the Dr Stya Paul Award for Human Values 2021, given to students who exhibit human values in their day-to-day life. As you can see, Apeejay has played a critical role in the all-round development of my children.

You lay special emphasis on extracurricular activities. Why is it so?

If children are involved in sports, inter-school competitions, social work, and leadership roles it will help them excel in the real world. Extracurricular activities equip students with a range of skills, personal qualities and experience—all while having fun! Students who are aiming for the top colleges and universities, don’t take extra-curricular activities for granted. Remember, a good academic score will not suffice.