Swan Song
The search for the 'Crescendo' moment represents the joy of learning, the indomitable spirit of humanity, and a hope that serves as our greatest support in overcoming life's challenges.
A final accomplishment or performance, one's last work.
It has been forty years of work, from a humble shop floor worker to a self-styled School Improvement Coach! What has stayed the same is the passion for #JoyOfLearning.
“Put one foot forward, and the other will get you where you are going~!" Bag Lady, Swan Song” ― Robert R. McCammon, Swan Song
I spent two decades grooming at The English Book Depot and years road-running with students at the Welham Girl’s School in Dehradun, India. Trekking in the Himalayas and working in the publishing and bookselling family business were excellent phases of my life. I grew up from a slim schoolboy to probably a weather-beaten young man!
I spent one decade with Book Cafe, a flexible-format bookshop co-located with F&B and other hospitality partners #BrewingKnowledge—CCD, MAX, Fortis, Fabindia, even McDonald...This decade-plus and setting up a home in Delhi was another new life; with the girls growing up and moving from Welham to LSR, I loved the years in a city #DilJeeto.
Then, the doldrums, Book Cafe ebbed. Now what? I went along with a stint with The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award, a hiatus, and a pause to reflect and realise what I like doing best: with young people. I found my mojo; it was back to school.
I had a short stint with the NSDC-affiliated Plumbing SSC and knew nothing about taps and pipes. I ended up as an interim CEO with the Indian Plumbing Skills Council. The six months helped me understand how a public-private partnership works and what it takes to navigate the corridors of government and policy.
Walking in the forest near our home in Delhi, I found a wonderful human being in William N Bissell of Fabindia, and this gave me the next decade-plus entire twelve years with The Fabindia School #MyGoodSchool #JoyOfLearning #SchoolsCanChange.
After completing 40 years of work-life and retiring from The Fabindia School, I finally found my passion with My Good School #WherePassionMeetsEducation. A school that believes in #Oneness and only works once a week, we have an academy for teachers and help schools deliver better.
Live Life in Crescendo
Your Most Important Work is Always Ahead Of You
- Stephen R. Covey and Cynthia Covey Haller
My Swan Song is aptly the Good Schools India Journal (www.GSI.in); back in my corner office, The English Book Depot curating the GSI Journal as Editor and publisher, is perhaps my most joyous moment, only next to the writing of the best-selling book My Good School, published by Rupa Publications in 2021.
Please support the Good Schools India Journal. We have free and paid subscription plans; if you want to gift me a book, go to the website and help us build the Joy Of Learning Libray established by the Learning Forward India Foundation.
If you do not wish to subscribe to or support the Gift Me A Book initiative (www.GSI.IN), you can share this message and help spread #JoyOfLearning.
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