The Art of Man-making: ‘My family encourages me to be nice to everyone’

She got to know that she had been selected for the prestigious Dr Stya Paul Award for Human Values only a day before it was announced on Founder’s Day. Her joy knew no bounds since she was not expecting to get the results so fast. “It was such a shocker to know I had been selected. It was exciting as well; I was sharing the platform with a friend,” she shared. Meet Anandita Bhardwaj, a student at Apeejay School International, Panchsheel Park.

In an impromptu interview, she talks about what human values are.

Tell us about yourself.

I am in DP-2. My HL subjects are Business Management, English, and Psychology. I plan to do my major in Psychology and minor in Business Management for my undergraduate. I plan to apply to Indian as well as foreign universities. Then I’ll see where I end up because I aim to study at the best university possible.

What do human values mean to you?

They are important for everyone. There are multiple human values like trust, kindness, and honesty. These are necessary in everyone’s lives because they are what they make us. The beliefs we have, the norms and values that we hold, make us who we are as a person. Incorporating human values should be part of our lives.

One aspect of Dr Stya Paul’s life that inspires you.

Our Founder-Chairman was a hard-working, devoted, and most importantly dedicated person who built Apeejay Education. The institute educates thousands of students and it’s inspiring the way he worked throughout his life.

What are some of the values that your parents have inculcated in you? 

My mother and grandmother have always encouraged me to be nice to everyone no matter what happens. You never know what someone else might be going through. My father advises me to be true to myself. If I’m not true to myself then I won’t be able to be true to anyone else.

What has been the school’s contribution to your life? 

This school is very important to me. A plus point is that I have made some amazing friends. It’s nice to have a circle that you can rely on. I appreciate the way they (school and my friends) have shaped my life because they have always guided me in the right direction.

Do you do some kind of charity work or some social work that you are involved with? 

The IB curriculum at ASI encourages us a lot to do service and to help people. I believe that because of that I have learnt to be caring towards others. I was probably selected as I like to help other people.

Were there any apprehensions during the selection process?

ASI has trained me a lot for interviews. We have them often for other reasons and public speaking in general. So I wasn’t nervous about any of the processes.

Is it tough to follow values as we are surrounded by negativity today?

It is difficult, yes, but I feel that when something is meant to happen, it will happen. My friends and family support me a lot by comforting me or trying to help me out as much as possible so that I can pick up my pieces and go forward and face these temporary problems.