‘My daughters have made outstanding progress in all aspects of learning’

Dr. Avadhesh Kumar Gupta is Professor & Head for AI and Machine learning division at Karnavati University, near Gandhinagar, Gujarat. His wife Geeta Gupta is a homemaker. They are proud parents of Paridhi Gupta and Anwesha Gupta. The former is studying in class 10 and the latter is in class 8 of Apeejay International School, Greater Noida. In a candid interview, Dr. Avadhesh explains why value education is critical to develop the child’s personality in all possible aspects. Edited excerpts:

Why did you pick Apeejay for your daughters?

I had to relocate to Greater Noida from Ghaziabad after I landed a new job. Being an academician, my first priority was to look for an excellent school for my daughters. I am a firm believer in value-based education, so I wanted a school that devotes special attention to character development. I visited most of the schools in the vicinity and interacted with their teachers and staff. However, apart from Apeejay, no other school caught my attention. I also knew a couple of Professors who taught in the Apeejay Institutions of Higher Learning. As a result, I was aware of the ethos of the Apeejay group and its management. After much deliberation, I got Paridhi and Anwesha enrolled in class 2 and Nursery respectively.

It seems for you character building and values are paramount. Why is it so?

Values held importance since the inception of mankind. I regret to see the inadequate attention given to values by schools and other educational institutions. Values ought to be made guiding principles of life. Students must not be groomed to simply be ‘salary package materials’. They must be taught to be responsible citizens of the world. We have to get rid of the self-centred approach that has been nurtured by some of the schools in the name of education. To resolve this, value education is the best solution.

How has your experience been till now?

I am thankful to the Apeejay faculty for nurturing my daughters with utmost care. They have made outstanding progress in all aspects of learning including extra-curricular activities. They also have commendable oratory and leadership skills. The school encourages every student to participate in school events, competitions and join student bodies. Being a tutor myself, I understand the importance of sound communication and teamwork skills in this day and age. Sadly, the feedback that I receive from the corporate world is that new talent lacks soft skills such as communication and teamwork. I have also noticed that though some of the students from the so-called ‘top schools’ have a wide vocabulary, they can’t frame meaningful sentences. This is because they lack rational and logical skills.

Share with us a memorable moment?

In one of the Parent Teacher Meetings, one of the teachers was so happy with the progress of my daughters that she wished that she had daughters like mine. It brought tears to my eyes. You can’t get a bigger compliment than this.