Dr. Phalguni Sikka with her husband Dr Shagun Sikka and son Sahir
Dr. Phalguni Sikka is MD Microbiologist while her husband, Dr Shagun Sikka, is a urologist. The couple are owners of Sikka Hospital in Jalandhar. They are also proud parents of Sahir Sikka, a class 2 student of Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg. The couple also has a five-month old daughter named Sahira Sikka. In a candid interview, Dr. Phalguni explains how the school facilitated the all-round development of her child.
What made you pick Apeejay? I completed my studies till class 10 from a convent school before joining Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg, to complete my classes 11 and I2. My husband completed his schooling from Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg. His sister also studied in the same school. So, we knew the school inside out. We had a great experience in school and became successful doctors. Also, the school is conveniently located in the heart of the city.
Please share your experience with us. We had a great experience till now. Due to the pandemic, Sahir completed his class 1 studying online. Despite the limitation of online learning, he still remembers the entire class 1 syllabus like the back of his hand. Teachers teach so well that even during online classes, students pay total attention in the class. This helps increase their concentration powers. Their creativity has increased tremendously due to emphasis on extracurricular activities. Last year, my son participated in almost all extra-curricular activities. This boosted his confidence levels and he launched his own YouTube channel under the name ‘Sahir Sikka’. You can watch his videos to see his amazing confidence. He is also learning the piano. To develop confidence, students are taught to give extempore speech. Also, every day a new student from the class is asked to share the ‘Thought of the day’. This is a great way to enhance the vocabulary of students and take their confidence to new heights.
Why are extracurricular activities important? They are critical to the holistic development of children. For example, when playing the piano, you need to master complex coordination. At times, the left and your right hand may need to execute totally different movements. This helps in the development of the brain which results in more creativity and better problem-solving skills.
Are you happy with the teachers? I am extremely happy, especially with the class teacher Neelam Ma’am and others such as Jyoti Verma Ma’am, Riya Malhotra Ma’am and Ankita Ma’am. I have never seen them lose their temper. Every concept is being revised 10 times. This helps reinforce what’s being taught. They give timely updates on the progress of the child and are available 24×7.
Please share with us your most memorable moment. Once I forgot to pick up my child from school. Our driver was not available and I lost track of the time due to my work. I got a call from the class teacher informing me that Sahir is waiting in the school to be picked up. At that moment, I got really scared. I was so concerned about the well-being of my child. I rushed to the school and saw Sahir playing with his class teacher. I was shaking. The class teacher helped me calm down. It was reassuring to see a teacher taking care of my son like a mother. This moment really touched me deeply.
“Based on my experience I will definitely recommend Apeejay to others. We will surely admit our five-month-old daughter, Sahira Sikka, to Apeejay.”
Dheeraj Sharma is Asst. Editor (Newsroom). He covers events, webinars, conducts interviews and brings you exciting news snippets. He has over 10 years' of experience in prominent media organizations. He takes pleasure in the small things in life and believes a healthy work-life balance is key to happiness. You can reach him at [email protected]