‘Samarth is the third generation of my family to study in Apeejay’, says this grandfather

Located about 11 kilometres away from the city of Faridabad, Pali is home to several landowning families. One such is the Bhadana clan whose patriarch, Mr. Fateh Singh Bhadana (62) is the grandfather of Samarth, the five-year-old student at Apeejay Svran Global School.

Mr. Bhadana is a champion athlete with a rich haul of 53 medals in sprinting, who has strong roots in Pali, and shifted to the Faridabad city in 1978. He recalls being associated with Apeejay schools in Faridabad for generations as his sons, brother’s sons and grandson are all ‘Apeejayites.’ Not only that, his family members are Mr. Arjun Singh Bhadana, a lawyer practising at the Supreme Court of India and Ms. Kiran Singh Bhadana, an IAS officer currently serving in Shimla. His son, Mr. Sagar Bhadana is a Zonal Head at Axis Bank, Noida and younger son, Mr. Karan Bhadana, studied at the prestigious Harvard University. His family, at present, works towards organic farming, mining, construction and road projects in the area. In an interview, Mr. Bhadana shares why Apeejay has a special place for him. Read on:

How did Apeejay become your foremost choice?

I have immense trust in the teachers of this institution. When we shifted to the city, Apeejay School Faridabad, Sector-15 was near to our residence. As we relocated, I was delighted to find Apeejay Svran Global School, Sector 21-D closer to us. I feel privileged to be associated with Apeejay because it provides good upbringing to its students. I have enrolled my grandson now and soon, another grandson of mine will enrol here.

In all these years, have you observed any changes in the school?

The demands of the education sector keep changing. And surely, schools have to keep up with that. I learn a lot from my grandson, Samarth. Apeejay is the best school in Faridabad and that belief has not changed for me. The teachers have the same passion and dedication. I met them all during Samarth’s enrollment.

I would like to tell you that I have had the occasion to meet Mr. Ratan Tata ji several times. I cite this example because I can spot a similarity. The institutions found by the forefathers of a family, mostly don’t change. Till today, they have the same name and standing. Why so? Simply because of the honesty with which they were built. At Apeejay, I never had to second guess. I am certain that my grandson will make me proud provided the values and holistic learning from this school. I come from a generation where the standing of a ‘guru’ is most prominent and my children too believe in that as well.  

How was your experience during the admission process?

From the guards to the receptionist and teachers, everyone has been polite. These virtues are essential. Being kind to children and maintaining good hygiene in schools is necessary these days. All children cannot have the same calibre, so we must identify and nourish the potential of each of them. I commend the practice of praying before starting the school at Apeejay. This is slowly diminishing in other schools and I am not happy about this change.

Also, these days many schools don’t allow children to get lunches from their homes. I don’t agree with it because it deprives children of the joy of sharing home-cooked food.

Your advice for new parents wanting to enrol with Apeejay schools in Faridabad?

I know many families who have tried different schools in the area and they have had many grievances. I want to say to the new parents that Apeejay is a brand built from the hard work of many generations. Due to this, I have immense faith in them. My family is living proof of their excellence and commitment. Even in my village, I have recommended the school to so many families, I might have even lost count. From my life’s experience, I want to say that no child who ever studied with Apeejay lost their path in life due to their education, upbringing and values.