Academy Yearbook 2025-26 (compressed)

Reading: The Foundation of Everything

VOLUME: 6

Year of 25-26 : About the year passed by…

942 students 205 staff

Theme: Reading: The Foundation of Everything

Concept:

How do we grow, imagine, and move forward?

Every journey begins with the ability to read, not just words, but ideas, experiences, and the world around us. Reading lays the foundation for learning, curiosity, confidence, and discovery. It shapes how we think, how we communicate, and how we understand others and ourselves.

As students grow, reading becomes more than a classroom skill. It becomes guidance in moments of uncertainty, strength during challenges, and inspiration for what comes next. It is not the finish line, but the starting point for every ambition and every possibility.

Contact: 080-71101700, 8088934740/41

Website: www.neevacademy.org

Address - Sy.No.16, Yemalur-Kempapura Main Road, Yemalur, Bangalore, Karnataka - 560037

Words from the

HEAD OF THE SCHOOL

Our parents had 35-year careers, we will have 45-year careers, but our kids will have 55-year careers. Will an upfront education of 16 years be enough for higher longevity in a world of constant change? I know I am being predictable, but given that last year will be remembered as the year arti cial intelligence went from arti cial to real, I believe the best habit, tool, and skill we can give Neev kids is the love of reading. “Literacy in itself is not an education” is a famous assertion by Mahatma Gandhi, highlighting that reading (and writing) are merely tools, and the true goal of education is wholistic development, and context matters. So let's turn to the current context, to understand why reading becomes an important tool today.

AI is no longer in the future. Through history, war has been an important use case and early adopter of technology; unmanned systems, enhanced surveillance, autonomous weapons and faster ‘kill chains’ are challenging ethics and decision making. Anthropic’s new development created the signi cant ‘Mythos moment’ by autonomously identifying thousands of high-sensitivity vulnerabilities across browsers and all operating systems used by government, banking, and other tech users, and then, without being asked, responded to its creator and con rmed that the task was complete. Can AI think? Our reading-driven, TOK debate at the start of the year in Grade 11 decided - Not yet! The tech world thinks this is two years away.

In education, beyond planning study schedules and a few logical uses in skill-intensive math or languages, AI is largely used as a Google replacement, evading learning with “cognitive o oading”. Our student group working on AI policy explored use cases for learning with AI, learning about AI and learning for AI. They realised that while kids (and teachers) spend most of their time using AI for convenience, making work easier/quicker, the MIT and Stanford studies demonstrate that this cognitive o oading reduces developing brains’ capacity, creating future vulnerabilities. The late Daniel Kahneman argued more than a decade back, that human beings are "lazy" by nature, meaning our brains are hard-wired to conserve energy.

The 20+ yr history of Neev parallels the birth and growth of the ‘Anxious generation’ for whom play-based and physical childhood is replaced by a phone based and digital one. And if we thought social media was toxic, AI takes the digital temptation to the next level. Fighting this gravity will require bravery; the rst three words in a book recently written about my rst generation entrepreneur father were: Veer Bhogya Vasundhara-"the brave shall inherit the earth." Bravery may be the most valuable of all virtues because it is hard to fake, and is greatly undervalued in children today.

The impact of current AI, social media, and digital lives, for educators, parents, and children is unmodellable. When we can't predict the future, it does not mean we can’t prepare for it. We will soon publish the student-driven ‘Guidelines for AI use at Neev - V2.0’, around 4 core principles: safety, transparency, fairness, and learning

comes rst. But these are guardrails, what matters are values, that drive free will or intent.

As parents and teachers, it is our job to help young learners without impulse control—whose long-term perspective is not yet developed—understand that moderation is a superpower and present them with the alternative. We need to encourage learners to take more opportunities for unique, self-driven work, physical work, interaction with humans, leadership, service, reading, writing, debate, music, and scienti c thinking; in fact, advise them to raise their hand, show initiative, show up, show optimism for their future. Pastoral care needs to merge with academic life in ways that it never has before, to ensure learners don’t just ow into the dehumanising AI vortex. The partnership between parents and teachers, around shared values, is now more important than ever because learning is not linear, it's modular, and works di erently for every child. Meeting this drives student-led initiatives, that build community culture at Neev, besides the launch of the IBCP, and the upcoming ‘World of Work’ initiative. All of this harks back to the philosophy of Gandhiji’s prescient, ‘Nai Taalim’

“Shouldn’t you spend your life doing something you love?” in the central proposition of Bill Gurley’s NYT Best seller, Running Down a Dream, where he brings the challenges of “lazy jobs’ and ‘quiet quitting’ evident in work places into conversation, outlining six key principles for building a ful lling, high-achieving career by pursuing deep passion rather than conventional, safe paths. His framework emphasizes escaping the "conveyor belt" of societal expectations to nd work where "the hustle doesn’t feel like hustle", and is as relevant for our young digi-zens.

If any one skill matters more in the long run, it is surely reading. Reading is neither natural nor leisure, and every rule of the digiverse goes against it. Reading is a hard skill that not only builds learning, but also the ability of learning to learn. Reading enables writing, debate, scienti c thinking as skills, it supports curiosity and open-mindedness as attitudes, and it builds patience and empathy as virtues. Reading is travel, and exploration, and builds re ection and bravery. Kids must read deeply to know the canon of their elds or interests, and read widely to build far analogies. Reading is a shared and modelled habit. Neev kids read way more than those at any other school, but nurturing this as a value will make the hard work become a pleasure. 2026, is NLF10.0, lets make it our biggest, in impact on our kids, on us. A pledge?

I am not arguing for or against technology or reading. I am asking what a good education is. This is a di erent inquiry. A more ancient one. And perhaps a more urgent one. Read more. Re ect more. Lets build a better world for our children, with our children.

Kavita Gupta Sabharwal Founder & Head of School

Principal

A story, a book and a chair by the window that has a view of nature! That's my happy place :-)). Reading, an experience that allows one to learn at one's pace, to travel to places of choice with imagination, the book a companion that is always there at your beckoning with information, insights and even comfort at times…..

This strong belief is at the core of Neev along with re ection and relationships. Our 3 R’s- Reading, re ection and relationships.

This belief translates into action and impact as it is one of our anchor practices at Neev Early Years where the skill of reading is built in a very concerted way and the habit is nurtured very early on! It is part of the environment for all age groups as their class libraries, a library space, read-aloud days for parents to read to and with the children, and the lending library for the K1 and K2’s.

Reading continues as children move to the Academy. Their enhanced capabilities and interest evident as they do various Reading Challenges through the year, and Novel Studies.

When I read Marianne Wolf books( Proust and Squid and Reader Come Home) it was a penny drop moment that unlike many innate aspects, humans are not wired for reading, it's a learnt skill and habit.

Reading will be your companion in understanding, fuelling curiosity with di erent perspectives that you will encounter and bringing back memories,

with book marks as you pick an old book to read again. I do that quite often and have repeat readings of some of my favourite books.

Let books and reading be your companions as you become re ective and nurture the relationships in your life.

Priti Anand Principal

Table of Contents

003 Message from the Head of the School

010 Neev Leadership Team

Team Pictures

018

Primary Year Team

019 Senior School Team

020 ICSE Team

021

024

Central Resource Team

PYP (Grades 1-5)

Primary Years Leadership Team

026 Grade 1

038 Grade 2

050 Grade 3

064 Grade 4

076 Grade 5

091

Faculty - Primary Years Programme

Senior School

Senior School Leadership Team

6

7

8

9

10

11

12 190 Graduating Cohort’s Notes

234

Senior School Faculty

Humanities Faculty Group

Sciences and Design Group

Mathematics Faculty Group

Music, theater, and visual arts Group

Language and Literature Faculty Group

Language Acquisition Faculty Group

Timetable and Exam cell Faculty Group

Student Advancement Cell Faculty Group (SAC)

Reading Faculty Group

Service as action Group

CAS & TOK coordinators Group

Physical Education Group

248 Central Resource Team

Admin

Admissions & Marketing

Finance and Procurement

HR Team IT Team

EA Team

Transport Team

KitchenTeam

Support Staff Team

Food Truck Team

Horticulture Team

Security Team 260 Student Teams

Table of Contents

278 Reading at Neev

286 Student Life

288 Neev Turns 20

290 Back to School

292 Expert Talk - Viral Doshi

293 Investiture Ceremony

294 TOK Camp

295 Independence Day X Language Day

297 Aikyam

299 Hindi Diwas

300 Neev Literature Festival 2025

304 Grade 4 and 5 Production

306 Halloween

308 Diwali

309 PYP Gallery Walk

312 Cambridge Workshop

313 Ideas @ Neev - Pranay Kotasthane

315 Children’s Day

317 Middle School Production

319 Alumni Interaction

320 Sarvajeet Diwas

322 Christmas

324 Grade 8 Learning Journey | Rajasthan

326 Grade 9 Learning Journey | Madhya Pradesh

328 Grade 11 Learning Journey | North East

330 Visit to People for Animals

332 Ideas @ Neev | Sandeep Singhal

334 Grade 6 Learning Journey | Gujarat

337 Grade 7 Learning Journey Amritsar and Dharamshala

340 Grade 5 Learning Journey | Delhi

343 Grade 4 Learning Journey | Hampi

345 Makar Sankranti

348 Eureka

351 ICSE Farewell

353 Keystone 2026

356 Neevotsav 2026 PYP Sleepover

359 Eid Celebration

361 ArtX

363 Grade 3 Sleepover

365 Srijaneev

367 Spirit of Neev

369 Graduation 2026

372 Editorial Team

Neev Leadership Team

Our Senior Leadership Team

As literacy scholar Maryanne Wolf reminds us, “Deep reading literally nourishes our capacity for attention, empathy, and insight.” When we truly engage with reading, it opens our minds, deepens our emotional intelligence, and sparks a lifelong curiosity for learning. These dispositions lie at the heart of our journey toward becoming thoughtful, agentic learners.

Shanthi Raghunath Associate Director, Special Projects

Reading lies at the heart of a child’s learning journey at Neev. When children read regularly, they grow not only as readers, but also as writers, thinkers, and confident learners. Through stories and information texts, students naturally develop critical thinking, imagination, and the ability to make meaningful connections. Reading introduces them to new ideas and perspectives, helps them explore topics more deeply, and encourages curiosity about the world around them. Most importantly, a strong reading culture in the foundational years builds essential skills, nurtures reflection, and lays a joyful foundation for lifelong learning.

Shilpi Nagpal Head - PYP

Focusing on reading is about shaping a shared culture of learning. Reading builds curiosity, empathy, and the ability to engage deeply with ideas. This means inviting students, teachers, and families to slow down, reflect, and engage with ideas together. In doing so, we nurture informed, compassionate learners who can make sense of complexity in an ever-changing world.

Priya Kerkar Head and Coordinator MYP (9 & 10)

Reading is the foundation of modern society, even in a time when screens and media—attractive and always a click away—compete for our attention. As a learned skill, it requires intentional and consistent practice; without it, the habit fades. In his book, 'Reading Matters', Joel Halldorf reminds us that reading is not merely about information but about formation—shaping empathy, character, and our shared humanity. I hope to see a sustained reading culture grow within the Neev community, inviting us to engage more deeply with ideas, stories, and one another.

Shobna Dhamija Head - MYP (6, 7 & 8)

At Neev Academy, reading is not just a habit, it's a ritual, it's an act of being. Neev intentionally promotes a discipline of deep reading in a world filled with distractions. Neev learners carry the wings of imagination and reflection and imbibe them in their day-to-day lives. Neev learners don't just read books, they live it. At Neev, learners from PYP to DP deeply immerse themselves in reading, thus shaping their individual perspectives. Their self identity evolves through the process of deep reading, and reflections. Reading becomes part of their personality and stays with them as a lifelong habit thus enabling the Neev mission of building knowledge, self-awareness and relationships with people and the environment, to seek happy, healthy, impactful lives.

Abhinav Awasthi Head - IBDP

Reading is just not an act of consumption but a cognitive discipline that builds the ‘deep self’. Our focus is to cultivate cognitive fortitude by treating reading as a discipline of sustained attention in an age of digital distraction. Students don't just consume information but actively synthesize complex ideas to build their own unique perspectives. By prioritizing 'deep reading,' we are equipping our learners with the imagination and critical depth required to lead with agency in an increasingly non-linear world giving them a conducive environment to keep the spark of curiosity alive for the rest of their lives.

Somdatta Mukherjee Head - ICSE

Reading sows the seeds of discovery that form the foundation—the neev—for the many paths our lives may take. Books draw us in and have the ability to keep us immersed in a whole new world: be it an era in the past, the minutiae outside our window, or an imagined realm in the future. As with the best things in life, books require effort to delve into, but their returns always compound in unexpected ways, holding open a door for inspiration, connection, and reflection; for beauty, truth, and meaning. What matters is that we resolve to read, to seek out books, to dive deep, and to be better versions of ourselves, today and every day.

Karthika Gopalakrishnan Head - Reading

Reading is about slowing down, thinking deeply, and understanding the world and yourself a little better through someone else’s story. Books have a way of helping us find parts of ourselves we didn’t know we were looking for. This year, may reading take us to places that bring us clarity, comfort, and growth.

Parull Khanna Head - Student

Advancement Cell

At Neev, we read. Not because we have to but because it makes us better. Better thinkers. Better writers. Better humans. We believe a child who reads widely grows up to ask better questions, see more perspectives, and make more sense of the world around them. From our youngest readers to our graduating class, reading at Neev has always been less about the books on the shelf and more about the curiosity they unlock. It is a culture - and it starts on day one.

For me personally, reading has changed how I think, how I write, and how I lead. The more I read, the better I get at understanding people, making decisions, and staying curious. It has quietly made me more of who I want to be.

Kalpita Jain Head - Admissions and Accreditations

At a time when distraction is constant, cultivating the discipline of deep reading is both intentional and essential.

We believe a strong reading culture is built through choice, consistency, and meaningful engagement. Children explore diverse genres and voices, revisit challenging texts, and engage in conversations that deepen understanding. Reading becomes both a personal and shared experience—one that cultivates reflection, dialogue, and connection.

Our aim is to nurture thoughtful, curious readers who engage deeply with ideas. When reading becomes a way of being, it stays with children for life—shaping how they learn, think, and grow with clarity and agency.

Shipra Sharma Head - Human Resources

Our Middle Leadership Team

Kanak Sakharani Section Head - Lower Elementary

Sneha Madgaonkar Section Head - Upper Elementary

Aditi Singh Senior Teacher & Language Coordinator

Meera Mohan PYP Coordinator

Vanita Purushotham Kudva Language Coordinator

Vishesh Singh Senior Teacher & Head - Well Being (PYP)

Ainee Sajid Senior Teacher - Mathematics & Lead - Grade 6

Surbhi Bhargava Senior Teacher - Biology & Lead - Grade 10

Radhika Pai Associate MYP Coordinator

Our Middle Leadership Team

Anindita Cordiera HOD - I&S & Student & Teacher Welfare

Pradeep N R Whole School Head - Visual Arts

Arushie Jain Whole School Head - Spanish

Ramya Prabhakar Whole School Head - French

Swapna Harihara Head - Sports Coaching & Activities

Vaishali Ghosh Basu HOD - English

Aarti Gadhavi HOD - Hindi - PYP

Hare Ram Agarwal HOD - Mathematics

Ramya Ramachandran HOD - Science

Our Middle Leadership Team

Lakshmi KP Finance Controller

Raghunath M Manager - Education Technology

Saai Sasidhar Patri Senior Teacher - I&S & Debate & Ideas Coordinator

Shubha Manoj Senior Teacher - English & PP Coordinator

Neeraja Konjeti Head - Student Services & Safety

Sreejith P Manager - IT

Girish Ravindra Senior Teacher - I&S & MUN Coordinator

Primary Years Team

Senior School Team

ICSE Team

Central Resource Team

Primary Years

Primary School PYP Leadership Team

A quick glance into Neev's PYP programme over the past year reveals a vibrant and engaging learning environment where students' curiosity is nurtured, their achievements are celebrated, and a strong sense of community and collaboration is fostered. Our programme focuses on developing the child as an inquirer, both within and beyond the classroom, and strives to meet the unique needs of every student, empowering them to thrive and succeed.

Shilpi Nagpal Head - Primary Years

Meera Mohan PYP Coordinator

Grade 1A

Isha Jonnalagedda

Dravid Saravanan

Ivaan Agarwal Kiaan Jain Kiara J Laavani Bhattacharyya Kiyara Gupta

Mira Parsheera Natasha Maben Neel Garg

Prithvi Chandrasekhar Nirvaan Jain

Riya Reddy Samaira Arora Samik Shah

Tiara Lakhiani Tavishi Agarwal

Trishabh Jha Vaanya Gupta Vaidehi Sinha Viaan Shetty

Atharava Dhingra Aavya Sinha

Dhruv Kaul

Grade 1B

Alizeh Suden Ahalya Setlur

Amyra Nagpal Anaika Anand Ananth Akshay

Arya Vyas

Arya Bansal

Aryan Dhuddu Ayaan Prithive

Dhiren R

Jai Mehra

Ekansh Shrenik

Kyna Gandhi Maanya Srinivasan Niah Vignesh

Sahir Verma

Ruhi Bhambri

Samaira Goenka Shaurya Anand Vanya Harish

Aaria Nautiyal Aarush Kothari Ahaana Devatha

Veer Gupta

Grade 1C

Agastya Dhingra Aayansh Borah

Aria Arora Aryen Arhanth Dhriti Trivedi

Inaaya Gupta Elham Ahmed

Jiana Mulani Kabir Dasappa

Kavin Chandrashekar

Meera Mittal Maya Mathews

Miraya Panda Reyansh Arora Riddhi Jain

Tegh Batra

Shaurya Daga

Vianah Sowmya Sharat Yukti Anand Yuvaan Nagori Zara Samadh

Aaratrika Patcharu Aarush Patil Aarya Raju

Grade 1D

Anaita Poddar Amyra Balani

Atharv Jhunjhunwala Kabir Verma Kaira Poojary

Leela Angelo Kavir Dadu

Leela Tata Meenakshi Raju Mia Dsouza

Myraa Tupelly Myra Rohit

Preksha B Reddy Roohi Saxena Ryden Toji

Shanaya Gupta Samar Jain Mansur

Shlok Baravani Vihaan Bothra

Aahana Tibrewala Agastya Naveen Ahana Tewary

Classroom Memories Grade 1

Student Reflections Grade 1

Student Reflections Grade 1

Grade 2A

Ayaan Rastogi

Ahaana Tomar

Brahmika Gokulakrishna Dhruva Trikutam Ibraheem Baig

Kabir Rao Kesari

Inesh Gunasekaran

Kai Jacob Manushi Kinra Miraya Jivan

Parnika Rathore Moakthika Magam

Reina Suri Saesha Gupta Samarth Disan Shanaya Bhriguvanshi Samyukth Hari

Siddhanth Sagiraju Ved Majety Vir Jain

Aaryaa Kanchan

Adrit Bhaumik Aditya Mukundan

Ziva Manu

Grade 2B

Achyut Gobburu Abhinav Shetty

Advay Agarwal Ahaana Gupta Anaisha Bhandari

Dhruvikaa Reddy Dharshika Reddy

Kabir Rawat Kiaan Kothari Laya Sethu

Nivriti Bharatram Miraya Kharbanda

Raghavasimha Ravindhiran Ridharv Venkat P K

Rohan Saxena Sahana Rajagopal Saanvi Shatakshi

Shreyasee Giridhar Vivaan Jain Yug Malpani

Aarin Sait

Aavya Agrawal Aariv Ahluwalia

Grade 2C

Kairavin Aggarwal Agasthya Manjunath

Khushhal Shrivastava Krishay Panakalapati Kumail Zavery

Mishita Banka Mira Jain

Aanya Tripathi Aariv Agarwal Aarya Roy

Rihaan Praveen

Nitara Rao

Shanaya Vora Siara Shetty Sahasra Kalangi

Tashvi Smaya M Theo Livingston

Vihaan Arcot

Yara Patil

Vikram Jain

Mysha Tanted

Nihaan Nagaraj Neel Baheti

Zeisha Parwa

Grade 2D

Anya Mittal Aditya Lakhani

Armaan Nabar Armaan Saxena Ayesha Hothur

Inaaya Chandna Harshika Idamakanti

Kabir Hemdev Kimaayra Mazumdar

Maneeth Reddy

Poorna Patil

Myra Ashana

Prisha Bansal Ruah Madhini Ryka Bagga

Samar Choudhry Sahil Raman

Zane Jacob

Srinav Holla Chergod Srivathsa

Vivaan Thachery Yohan Bucur

Aadhira Ravishankar Aarinvir Singh Aavya Sinha

Classroom Memories

Student Reflections Grade 2

Student Reflections Grade 2

Grade 3A

Ananya Datta

Anaisha Khedia

Ibrahim Syed Asad Krish Satheesh Maya Arun

Pahi Chug

Nitaara Modi

Raghav Kaura Rishi Arora

Rudra Jaiswal

Skriti Nayak

Samridh Dev

Vardan Sedani Ved Nambyar Vidhaan Abhishek

Aashirya Rao Amaya Vaswani Ahana Panigrahi

Vivaan Mashalkar Zoya Rawar

Grade 3B

Arya Sanghvi Patel Aran Leon

Aryeh Garg Atharva Kashyap Ayansh Rajvanshi

Hamdan Mohammed Dhruv Talluri

Kiansh Sachdeva Pragya Khanna

Prince Godara

Samaira Panjwani

Ryaan Banerjee

Sidhaan Shanthan Bysani

Sudiksha Koppula Ved Saini

Yashoda Agarwal

Vinidrah Sharma Vieara Bajaj

Aanya Dhingra

Anaya Seth Aarav Gupta

Grade 3C

Bhadri Anchala Arya Mishra

Dev Tupelly Diya Singh Iktara Sinha

Meg Havinahal Kiaan Navangul

Meher Nigam Mridul Mittal Nidhi Kapadikar

Rishi Sagar Kashyap Nihaal Shariff

Sai Sumana Chellaram Samar Bassam

Vaanya Choudhry

Viraansh Govani Viyona Jain

Vidit Vihaan

Veda Venkataraman

Abir Sikaria

Arth Palo Arjun Adarsh

Grade 3D

Ali Ahmed

Ahana Medda

Amaara Laxminarayan Arjun Teja Mudireddy Ayaan Fuzail

Ishita Aray Hridhaan Shreyas Reddy

Kavin Bopana Maanya R Neveah Mannava

Rivaan Sanghavi Reyaan Shrimal

Siaana Bahri Tara Kalichapara

Varnika Saravanan Vihaan Ramprasath

Riya Puri Samaraa Pulipati Shrinicka Devathaa

Abir Saxena

Ahaan Jaju Adyatth A

Classroom Memories Grade 3

Student Reflections Grade 3

Student Reflections Grade 3

Student Reflections Grade 3

Student Reflections Grade 3

Grade 4A

Vihaan Kabra

Avyaan Bakliwal Aryaveer Kapoor

Avyukt Agarwal Khadijah Samad Kiara Bhalla

Mayra Daga Mavie Parik

Meera Vardhan Noah Mookken

Reyansh Bhandari

Rizah Baig

Ritoban Banerjee

Rohan Alag Samarveer Singh

Sameera Shetty

Taarulya Praveen Veda Sabharwal Vihaan Garg

Suhaan R

Shivansh Dutta Chowdhury

Anaya Goel

Arjun Krishnan Anurati Sanyal

Grade 4B

Zayn Maniar

Advika Srivastava Aditya Warrier

Agastyaa Chetan Anika A. V Apurva Mohanty

Atharv Karthik Aryan A

Dhiyara Atheeth Fabio Celmi Ibrahim Taha

Jeana Govindraj Ivaahn Sharat

Jiwoo Lee Lohit Ratakonda Meera Sharma

Ruhaan Kabra Tanaya Deshpande Yuvin Shetty

Neil Sarawagi

Mihir Sethuraman

Aadira Shokeen

Aditi Chaoji Aaryavier Sujith

Grade 4C

Zachary Ahamed

Aradhya Sagiraju

Anvika Nagpal

Aryan Kora Ayaan Abburi Divith Gowda

Kabir Agarwal Ishika Shivam

Kian George Krisha Narender

Madhav Ramesh

Mira Sampat

Maryam Rizwan

Naidhruv Naveen Nandan Prasanna

Pranav Pradeep

Sthira B Gupta Ved Sakhrani Vedant Pratap

Sia Sikka

Sasmit Jain

Aarit Mehta

Aira Potluri Aarna Potta

Grade 4D

Hiyansh Issrani Ayansh Mushrif

Jaitrav Patil Janya Reddy Kabir Buxi

Leia Pradhan Krish Patel

Meera Menon Miyaara Ranjit Nora Shah

Rifqah Umar

Prayaan Bharimalla

Riyanshi Dadu Rudra Kumaramangalam Saniksha Reddy

Ved Kothiyal Vivaan Sinha Xerxes McGaw

Tishya Jha

Shenaya Shrivastava

Akhil Reddy

Ayaan Asrani Amaira Athreya Agarwal

Classroom Memories

Student Reflections Grade 4

Student Reflections Grade 4

Grade 5A

Ziaan Salvi

Dylan Ernsberger Chigateri

Dhruv Vallabhaneni

Geerna Patil Inaara Munjal Ivano Celmi Kabir Maheshwari K Veda Ponnappa

Mishika Singh Neal Dhingra Reeva Sadana

Rian Bhuwalka Reya Dabholkar

Sana Kosgi Syed Abdulla Syed Yusuf Asad

Vishnu Gudivaka Yoanna P Yohan Yadav

V Aadidev Reddy Tara Shah

Advita Prashanth

Arshia Upadhyaya Anouk Gupta

Grade 5B

Anaya Jayanti

Advit Singh

B Thanvitha Vihaarikaa

Disha Suresh Eshaan Rangaraj

Kiara Menezes

Kabir Doshi

Maryam Ishaq Niya Bandi

Reyansh Choudhary

Reha Goenka

Ria Krishnan

Ved Shetty Veer Gorti Zaaryan Tyagi

Roy Bhuwalka Sathvik Sai Kalangi

Tharush Sriram

Shanaya Morzaria

Aarabhi Iyer

Aatrey Iyengar Aarna Lahoti

Krishna Raghav Khemka

Grade 5C

Ahana Srinath Ahana Shrenik

Aryeh Surana Atharva Raghavan Barkha Chandra

Gayathri Palayil

Dhanvi N Reddy

Ishan Doshi Kyra Dixit

Mariam Fuzail

Roohi Shaikh Raeya Aggarwal

Sai Suraj Chellaram Shreya Karthik Siddhanam Kolhapure

Tharun Bavikatte Veda Anchala Vivaan Kashyap

Tara Pramod Sriyan Koppula

Aarin Agarwal

Ahaan Das Abeer Manipal

Grade 5D

Viraj Agarwal

Ananya Shringarpure Ameya Sudarsan

Anaya Prasad Aradhya Samantaray Arjun Saraf

Krishvi Trivedi Aryan Reddy

Layla Parekh Maya Mathew Naisha Singh

Prisha Agarwal Reyansh Srivastava

Romil Singh Ronel Abhijith S Upasti Niyama Shri

Sharvik Manna Sriram Ghorakavi Varaansh Reddy

Shanaya Choudhary Sara Bhansali

Aarav Arora

Amaira Belani Ahmed Hothur

Classroom Memories Grade 5

Student Reflections

Grade 5

Reading Reflection - Books vs screens

Books vs screens? That’s a tough debate. Some people say screens, some say books… but I say BOOKS! I love reading in general, and whenever we travel, my mom insists I carry a Kindle instead of lugging around half a dozen books. But I still unreservedly prefer real, physical books. I love the feeling of a book in my hands, the soft rustle of pages turning, and even the smell of books, especially the old ones. That’s my happy place.

When I walk into Blossom - my favourite bookshop, the first thought that comes to me is “Oh, I wish I could live here and read every single book, or maybe just buy them all.” This shop is one of my favourite places in the whole world, not just because of the sheer collection of books but because of the comforting scent of thousands of old and new books, all in the same place, Oh! It’s addictive.

At home, I enjoy spending time going through all the books in my library, taking in the colours and pictures on the titles or just rearranging them, sometimes by authors other times in an alphabetical order. One can't do that with a kindle or an e-reader, can they?

Once a friend visiting me at home was marvelling at my library, “Here, take this book” I said, pushing a book into her hand. “Try it, it’s amazing” Imagine if I didn’t have physical books, what would I have told her to do? Look up the title online?

I can think of so many reasons why I prefer physical books over screens, but my favorite one is this, when I lie down in bed at night, I pat my bedside table just to make sure my book is there. It makes me feel safe and happy. When I have a book beside me, I know I’m never really alone.

Will AI ever replace the skill and joy of reading?

Reading is undeniably something magical in my eyes, whether it’s an information book, entrusting me with all sorts of weird and wonderful facts that I didn’t know before, a fantasy, unravelling tales of enchantments and entities, maybe an article in the news, filling me in on global matters, or even an argumentative piece, forming miniature debates in my head. It almost feels like a routine to scour over various shelves and carefully select a book, sit down somewhere comfortable, and find myself lost in the story. It spins a cosy, nostalgic atmosphere for delving deep into the world of the book, to the music of the pages crackling as they’re turned and the quiet brilliance that comes with each read.

I think that reading from a book itself holds a certain charm which artificial intelligence can’t touch - the way each topic, plot, character, or claim stems deeply from the author, displaying a form of absolute passion or caring. Despite the fact that we disagree with some pieces, each story or volume gets us thinking, “Is this true to me?”, helping us figure out what the book’s purpose really is. The process of creating the piece carries so much - small, meaningful ideas inching forward and expanding to become huge; words slowly being strung together, then yanked apart, then replaced again and again to create beautifully impactful sentences and paragraphs; pages and pages of plans slowly transforming into a glorious book. It feels more real, somehow.

In my opinion, AI stories don’t usually have that effect - AI implements what it’s hardwired to do, quickly generating sentences, borrowing styles and words, rephrasing your own prompts and presenting a piece in under five minutes flat. There isn’t a story or personal connection behind any of it.

I believe that the joy of reading can and will stay on despite the rising of AI. It’s such a powerful, meaningful way to connect and unite people all over the world. Its ability to pull people into its pages and get them immersed in every word is extremely astounding, and as I see it, the world’s habit of reading will remain. It will remain a fact that each and every book or piece we read shapes us as human beings, whether it adds just a flickering, pulsing thought to the back of our minds, a bouncing, flashing idea that longs to escape into the outdoors, or a silent, invisible connection with people across the globe whom we barely know. Books hold an entire universe in between their covers - after all, like Mason Cooley once said, “Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.”

Student Reflections Grade 5

How does sharing your reading journey inspire others to read more?

My mom once told me that you are never wasting time when you are reading a book. As a young child, who still hadn’t discovered the joy of reading, I simply believed and followed her blindly. However, as I grew older it began to dawn on me that she couldn’t have been more on point. Reading isn’t just a hobby, it is a complete experience in itself. And experiences are meant to be explored and shared. In the process of sharing this delight called reading, we open a window to others to get inspired to read.

I distinctly remember this one time when I was visiting my grandparents in Surat, Gujarat during my summer break. I had, as always, carried a ton of books along with me. Realization struck hard that for many people reading is confined to formal education. One day, I decided to give my cousin a book about football. His initial reservation to read the book wasn’t a shocker to me. However as he saw me reading everyday, he eventually decided to glance through the football book. In no time, he was charmed by the magic of holding a book and reading and there has been no looking back! When I read an interesting book, I don’t just quip, “The book was good” or “I liked it”. My tendency is to rave about the book in an excited tone and get into the details of a character, a quote, the fantasy or just plain reasons that kept me hooked to it. When we talk about a character passionately or a quote that we related to, our liking becomes visible and many times inspirational for others. Books often also open doors to deeper discussions and the joy of going into an imaginative land sparks curiosity in others. As a student of Neev Academy - a school that encourages reading extensively, affirmed by the slogan of Neev Literature Festival “Stories Make Us Human”, inspiring others through sharing my own love for reading has become my second nature. I can’t stop telling anyone who isn’t into reading about the benefits of reading as per their area of expertise - for the purpose of leisure, improving vocabulary, creativity, developing imagination, communicating, engaging, for information or simply for relaxation or plugging off from digital media. Through enthusiasm, honest reflection and a consistent habit of reading at least a single page to begin with, we quietly inspire people around us to explore a world of books on their own. And sometimes a gentle encouragement is all that is needed to spark a lifelong habit. Even though reading may seem like a personal activity, it carries collective inspiration for all those connected to the reader. After allstories make us human. And humans thrive on connection!

In today’s fast, digital world, why do you think deep reading still matters?

You might wonder about how reading is useful, and why it matters. You might think reading is a boring thing that they make you do in school. You also might think that playing a PS5 is much more useful than reading a book. Reading is important in multiple ways, it matters as it helps you see different world views, this helps you see others perspectives, understand the issues of the world, help you understand and empathize better with others, it helps you to see how others feel or think about the world as this helps you create your own judgement, and this impacts the way you respond to different situations. Reading also helps you act more responsibly, enhancing the way you respond to different things. Reading also has multiple other benefits like reducing your stress, helping you learn new things, increases your vocabulary and helps you communicate better, improves your focus, and increases your knowledge and creativity. Personally I have experienced that only when you read critically, focus on the book, try to understand the author’s or character’s perspective, feelings and ideas, all of this will come into place and reading might benefit you in a more positive way. Looking back on my reading journey I think reading is a much better hobby than looking up on the internet all night, and it helps you engage with people that you might never imagine. Reading is not as bad as it might look like, in fact, in the future you might be grateful for all books have taught you.

Student Reflections

Grade 5

Books vs screens

In a world full of noise, I often find myself deep within a story. From dragons to detectives, reading is a vital part of life. Reading isn’t just a task, it’s a hobby; a passion that I find myself loving for a long time. To escape reality and cope with everyday changes; that’s reading.

In an evolving society, screens are starting to take over. Almost every new invention has a piece of technology. While technology is revolutionary, it can be both beneficial and limiting.

Digital tools are slowly taking over reading. While digital media has its positives, it can’t replace a real book. Literacy is so much more than just seeing words. It’s a sensory experience, a visual journey, one that websites or digital media can never substitute for a bound story.

A traditional book has a different feel to it. It’s a new way to discover yourself and express yourself, while technology is just another reminder that the world is changing.

I recall a time when a book helped me drown out the cacophony of everyday life and strong emotions. The warmth and comfort of a book tuned out the harsh noises. I was deep into the world of Nowhere Boy by Katherine Rundell. I connected with these characters. This book taught me that we get caught up so much in our own lives, we often overlook others. I believe that stories have the power to change the world and yourself. The feeling of a real story is connecting to the author, the characters, and yourself. Technology may help books be more accessible worldwide, but it doesn’t change the accessibility of your own thoughts. Ultimately, reading isn’t just a skill, but a lifelong joy that will follow you, wherever you go.

In today’s fast, digital world, why do you think deep reading still matters?

The world hasn't stopped spinning yet, which means it still is ever-changing, but I believe books are here to stay. I'm Layla Rao Parekh & I think it's very important to read, though technology might get work done faster. Why, you may ask? Books, unlike screens, keep our imagination running wild and free. A few months back, I finished reading a personal favourite, Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters. Eventually, I couldn't hold myself back from watching the movie version; it's my biggest regret. The protagonist's appearance just didn't sit right, and I was so confused. My mind conjured up interesting characters and beautiful landscapes, whilst the movie placed me in a tight, claustrophobic box with a lid on my imagination. It is also highly important to read because I realise if I had not been reading as much as being on a screen, I wouldn't know half the words I use now! Too much screen time also causes a lot of mood swings and grumpiness. Have you ever heard of the saying monsters come out in the dark? Well, in our case, you just have to turn on a digital screen!

Every time I break my not-so-intimidating 30-minute time limit, I am sleepy, moody and unable to focus. I get frustrated with myself each time I break it and realise how much time I wasted when I could have been doing productive things; I had wasted all of that expensive time just for a pixelated game. To conclude, I prefer books because they help you grow, create, imagine and learn, whereas digital screens limit your growth to a stub.

Student Reflections

Grade

5

Books vs. Screens – Which One Do You Prefer, and Why?

"Books and screens each have their own way of entertaining , teaching us and influencing us but books have a special, unique power that screens just can’t match. Books are a form of expression, creativity, and, of course, fun! They are portals to magical places, taking us away from the real world and its problems. Once you get lost in a story, you never want to leave.

I realized that books are much more powerful than screens when I watched the Percy Jackson series. Watching the movie actually ruined some of the fun because everything was fixed. In the books, I could imagine the characters the way I wanted and design the world in my mind. On a screen, the imagination is done for you, but reading lets me be creative.

Books can also completely absorb you. Once, on a flight, I was reading the climax of Wings of Fire. I got so pulled into the story that I almost forgot I had to get off the plane! It amazes me how writers can vividly make us feel like we are inside the story in a way that movies can't. To me, books are magical. This is why I prefer books and believe reading is an important part of life, not just at Neev, but all over the world.

I don’t think AI can replace reading.

AI can tell us stories or give us information fast, but it can’t give us the same feeling as reading a real book. When I read, I use my imagination to picture the characters and what is happening. It feels like I am inside the story. One time I read The Book Thief. At first, it was confusing and a little hard, and I thought about stopping. But I kept reading because I like learning about World War II. I started to really like Liesel because she loved books so much. I felt sad for her during the war, and I liked how Hans was kind and helped her. When I finished the book, I felt proud that I didn’t give up. That is why reading feels special to me.

Will AI ever replace the skill and joy of reading?

Day by day, Artificial Intelligence is becoming a bigger part of our lives and can impact our overall wellbeing in positive and negative ways. As a reader, my opinion is that though it is growing more successful, AI will never be able to fully replace the skill and joy of reading. Reading a book would mean spending time flipping through pages that seem endless, while AI can give most of the details throughout the whole book, but that doesn't affect the joy of reading. Whenever I pick up a book and flip through the pages, within minutes I get immersed and forget about my surroundings. When I read, I add on to a continuous movie in my head, imagining every single detail the way I want. While I am at it, the more I read, the better my reading stamina gets, enhancing my reading skills.

The skill and joy of reading lie in the nuance of flipping back and forth when needed and reading at your own pace. That is the power of reading which AI will never be able to replace!

Faculty Primary Years Programme

1 (L-R):

2 (L-R):

Teachers Grade 1

Row

Nidhi Jain, Priyanka Chakraborty, Beulah Eden, Soram Joymati, Juvairiya Ibrahim

Row

Kanak Sakhrani, Sharanya Jayapalan, Prakruti R, Harshitha Jain

Row 1 (L-R): Chitra Devaraj, Varsha Kumari,

Row 2 (L-R): Kanak Sakhrani, Ankita Devnani, Leena Bhatnagar, Arthi Ravi,

Teachers Grade 2

Kavita Bali, Janaki Cardozo, Vanita Purushotham Kudva

Teachers Grade 3

Row 1 (L-R): Jini C A, Swarna Vedam, Smita Gupta, Sunitha Nair, Aswathy Uthaman

Row 2 (L-R): Sneha Madgaonkar, Karishma Rai, Asha Jerome, Aishwarya V

Teachers Grade 4

Row 1 (L-R): Ayesha Siddiqua, Ankita Das, Hema Nalini Rajiv, Bhoomija Patil

Row 2 (L-R): Sneha Srigiri, Vasundara Mukherjee, Sneha Madgaonkar

1

Teachers Grade 5

Row

(L-R): Vishesh Singh, Mary

Cherian, Meera Mohan, Aditi Singh, Amarantha Razu

Row 2 (L-R): Priyanka Srivastava, Sneha Madgaonkar, Suja Doyline

Teachers Language Team

Row 1

(L-R): Debasmita Gangopadhyay, Lovisha Arora, S. Sandra Naidene Jones

Row 2

(L-R): Gunjan Singh, Joyita Roy, Arati Gadhavi

Teachers Music, Visual Arts and Theatre Team

Row 1 (L-R): Parth Bharadwaj, Rebecca S

Row 2 (L-R): Maria Ralph, Meria Paul, Sachin Ravindran

Senior School Faculty

Senior School Leadership Team

Peek into the past year at Neev Academy's Senior School, where our Middle School crafted a harmonious blend of curriculum design, assessments, pedagogical practices, and pastoral care within an internationally minded framework. This approach nurtured and challenged students, sparking wonder and deep thinking, encouraging exploration, and broadening perspectives.

In High School, this philosophy continued to flourish, promoting feedback and reflection for continuous growth. Our students engaged in rich disciplinary learning intertwined with humanizing elements such as compassion, intercultural respect, creativity, metacognition, and critical thinking. At Neev, we are dedicated to shaping not just academically proficient students, but globally aware and compassionate individuals ready to make a difference.

Priya Kerkar Head and Coordinator - MYP (9&10)

Somdatta Mukherjee Head- ICSE

Shobhana Damijha Head- MYP (6,7 & 8)

Abhinav Awasthi DP Head

Grade 6A

Gia Sekhar

Farhan Mohamed

Kabir Sharma Kahini Sen Gupta Kimaya Reddy

Mira Bantia

Krishav Menon

Pranati Pramod Radha Dharmadhikari

Rikhil D. Reddy

Samir Sanjay Kumar Ruhaan Ahmed

Shiv Rajagopal B Sirigowri Gowda Swar Maheshwari

Yuvaan Aggarwal Vihaan Lakhani

Aleena Bassam

Ayaan Gupta Avyan Kalangi

Grade 6B

Hridhaan Karawade Ayaan Maniar

Kabir Chaudhary Kabir Kashyap Meera Tantia

Mishka Prashanth Meghna Raj

Mohit Bharadwaj Neev Sama

Nitima Bansal

Shlok Bagga Sarayu Kumar

Vir Kalichapara Yuvaan Singhal

Aarav Mohonot

Arunanand Vikram Karthick Anay Agarwal

Grade 6C

Angus Harkness

Afreen Sinha

Atharv Koppal Avyaan Bahri

Devarsh Kilambi

Kabir Sanjay Kumar

Driti Rohit

Kaira Chellaram Karna Seshadri

Layaa Vasudevan

Mila Prabhu

Malhar Navin

Saige Sarawagi Shivang Poddar

Shloka Nangineni

Viraj Vishnu

Vedika Jain

Aarin Bajaj

Advik Ahaan Aaryaman Kinra

Grade 6D

Aryan Khitri

Advik Sinha

Avyukt Sudhir Dhanvin P Ira Kapany

Khadijah Asad Ishaan Mohapatra

Naisha Bhriguvanshi Nibir Saha

Reyansh Magotra

Sahas Disan Ritvik Roy

Surya Ramakrishna Tisya Sushanta Panda Vaanya Sureka

Vian Kashyap Vedika Sethia

Aadhya Dhuddu

Abhishree Awasthi Aara Fanya Patell McGaw

Grade 6 AGNI

Kiara Panjwani Krishvi Deepti Ramani

Neyamukil K. M

Sanjana Dravid

Rudraksh Bhattacharyaa Dey

Viraj Gupta Vivan Yash Reddy

Ira Sarda

Duaa Tallam

Dhyana Darshit Vora

Aahana PrasadAnezka Iris Sequeira

Classroom Memories

Student Reflections Grade 6

Grade 7A

Araiya Agarwal

Anirudh Raghavan

Ariyanna Lal Arjun Rawat Arman Sahni

Avigna Satheesh Aryman Manipal

Dia Suresh Manasvi Sharma

Myra Nigam

Saina Goenka

Sai Aarav

Shanaya Banerjee Shivansh Malhan

Siddharth Gupta

Tia Singh

Siddhartha Singh

Tvisha Agarwal Tysha Raheja Vihaan P Vivaan Sampige

Abhay Vutukuru

Aarush Arora

Ahaan Shokeen

Grade 7B

Guneeva Kalkat

Azad Rishikesh

Inara Jain Ishika Mehta Jihyo Lee

Maithili Jha

Kanishk Reddy

Nea Mikaela Gupta Nimrat Kaur Prathik Reddy

Rishabh Thimmaiah Prerna Agarwal

Saadhwishri Venkatesh Saharsh Prashanth Shashank Bodapati

Siddhanth Sridhar Shaurya Havinahal

Vihaan Jhunjhunwala Viraj Tejavath Zahrah Hanif Ziva Sama

Areeha Jain

Aahana Sanath

Avyukt Shome

Grade 7C

Avram Bucur

Arya Mathew

Ayaan Punja Ayana Laxminarayan

Caylum Mannava

Eka Sivaraman Diya S

Ishaan Pokhriyal Kavni Reddy Mysha Saraf

Pari Chatlani

Nitya Anchal

Parth Kankariya Reyaansh Nabar

Ritvik Patchigolla

Sarah Stoeckel Samaya Shrivastava

Shashvath Palanivelrajan Sitaara Sharath Upmanyu Awasthi

Aarika Natarajan Aadyaa Gupta

Aaryan Devaiah

Grade 7D

Arihan Reddy Aradhya Khemka

Avyaan Abhishek Daksh Jain Devaansh Swaminathan

Inaya Shah Haya Nasir

Ishaan Khandelwal Leher Medda Priyanshu Nanda

Rishitha Ivy Rajkumar Riddhi Mantri

Rityn Shah Ruhi Singh Siddharth Vattikuti Tanishka Warrier Sreeved Kambalapally

Tara Ramakrishnan Vihaan Agarwal Yash Garg

Anam Aga

Amay Agarwal

Ananya Garg

Grade 7 JAL

Aarav Kumar Aaryan Bhagat

Anaisha Manglik Arham Jain Avi Raichand Rawar

Myra Bhalla Harsh Ojha

Reyansh Dharmapurikar Samaira Mariam Khan

Vedika Ashish Arya Zaara Samarjeet Salvi

Advay Sahay

Aditya Raghuram Talluri

Adhrit Jethi

Tara Hiremath

Skanda Balaraman Kashyap

Samar Sabharwal

Classroom Memories Grade 7

Student Reflections Grade 7

Student Reflections Grade 7

Grade 8A

Ananya Shridharan Abeer Kapadia

Arihanth Natarajan Arjan Singh Bhumi Bhandari

Elizabeth Stoeckel

Darsh Tolani

Gayatri Unnikrishnan Kabir Seshadri Mayur Ram

Nevan Kosgi

Neil Chunekar

Nimaay Reddy Nishka Sehgal

Niyanta Agarwal

Ronit Salwan

Rhea Rajiv

Saarth Jain Sahejdeep Singh Tanay Nawani Vivaan Tanay Desai

Aanya Agarwal

Aadhya Suresh

Aarna Sujith

Grade 8B

Aryav Kumar Arjun Jain

Ayaan Saraogi Baruni Dass Ekambir Sibia

Ira Reddy Eshaan Jailkhani

Neel Nayak Kapadikar Prachi Kumar

Rakshitha Srivatsan

Rayhan Syed Fouad

Ranganath Chandrashekar

Rhea Sinha Roshan Bhunia

Sama Maheshwari

Sana George Samaya Rao

Shivank Singh Viha Sanath Yohan Sunny

Aarav Chaoji

Aalya Gupta

Aishwarya Sandy Sree

Grade 8C

Iqra Rahiman

Avantikaa Sreenesh Bhat

Mishika Reddy Mohammed Chedkhan Nimay Agarwal

Poorani. S Om Karthikeyan

Pranshi Swain Reyna Doshi

Rishaan Bahri

Sahana Raj Rivaan Shah

Shivansh Sharma Shreeya Suresh Tanveer Nawani

Vriddhi Sethia Vir Bhansali

Zidane Das Zoya Kinra

Aryana Srivastava

Alok Bose

Aahaan Srivastava

Grade 8 VAYU

Harman Singh Oberoi Shrishti Nayak

Classroom Memories

Student Reflections Grade 8

How has reading infl uenced you as an individual?

To me, more than an escape from reality, reading creates a world to compare to reality. I have been reading for almost 11 years, the action growing from a school activity to a past-time to a passion. When I first started reading, at around 2 years old, I used to sit beside my brother as he used to read aloud, looking at pictures and making jokes together. My family was always a big fan of reading, with my cousins and siblings sharing jokes, having quizzes and having the same taste in books. This along with the huge reading culture and Neev created a very supportive environment for reading.

From there onwards, my reading developed from realistic fiction, to fantasy like Harry Potter, graphic novels about teens, to real world issues like the Syrian civil war, and complex issues involving dystopian and utopian books, leading to a reading taste that mixes my childhood and my growth.

In primary school, the teachers used to leave a new Tinkle magazine in the library every week, and I used to be super excited and eager every week to devour the new magazine.

When I first entered middle school, and walked into the library, I remember being elated at the fact that so many books were just waiting to be read and explored. Since then the concept of reading has developed further, the academic benefits being highlighted, and innovations like Kindles playing a role in improving accessibility.

As an action that holds many memories, lays out a road for many experiences, and creates many dreams, reading has helped me develop my vocabulary and analytical skills, which really helps in assessments and extra-curricular activities like debate, and my language, sentence structure and writing styles have also improved a lot. Reading also helps me calm myself, clear my mind and improve my cognitive skills as well. More than just telling stories, books also changed the way I look at social stigmas, stereotypes, and issues like gender bias and race bias. The topics I discover through books leave me with many questions, expanding my knowledge base and awareness.

Many times, characters in books, and scenarios in books reflect reality or resonate with me, which makes me reflect deeper on myself and the environment around me. With everything that is changing, constantly moving in this world, my identity, my values, and my personality have changed as well, but the one thing that has always remained with me is my love for reading. Ultimately, reading is an action that has shaped my identity, imbibed values like empathy and integrity in me, and played a huge role in developing my understanding of the world.

A classic, always a favorite

As a frequent reader, choosing a favourite book feels almost unfair. However, for me, one series stands out as the beginning of everything — Harry Potter. At first, the magic of moving staircases and unusual classes captured my attention. But as I grew older while continuing the series, I began to notice something deeper. The story ultimately highlights that our choices define us more than appearances or reputation. Many characters are misunderstood or judged incorrectly, yet it is their courage and decisions that reveal who they truly are.

The series also gave me insight into how relationships develop. The friendship between Harry, Ron, and Hermione shows that trust requires time and effort. Conflicts occur, but their willingness to stand by one another strengthens their bond. It also challenged my earlier perception that friendships exist mainly within genders, showing me that respect and loyalty matter more than labels. I carried this understanding with me as I entered middle school and formed new friendships. As I grew older, I noticed similar themes in Divergent. While Harry Potter sparked my love for fantasy, I became interested in more complex themes such as identity and social structure. In Divergent, society categorises individuals into single traits. The protagonist’s inability to fit into one category challenges this rigid system. This connects to the idea in Harry Potter that people cannot be reduced to simple labels, though Divergent presents a darker and more direct exploration of this idea.

Although these themes exist in fictional worlds, they feel relevant to my own experiences. During moments of conflict, misunderstanding in relationships, or pressure to fit expectations, I often reflect on these stories. The characters in the book remind me that identity is shaped by choices, not assumptions, and that growth comes from staying true to who I am becoming.

Student Reflections

Grade 8

Reflection

Reading plays a crucial role in my everyday life. Usually, I read almost every day for about an hour. I read at night time before I go to sleep, and this has helped me grow as a learner since it has helped me be more organized, as it helps me manage my time better due to the fact that I have designated time for all my daily tasks. Additionally, reading itself has taught me a lot, not just about grammar, and vocabulary, but books have also conveyed messages to me and helped me connect more with what I do, by encouraging me to think about what I learn from experiences.This has made me more aware of my surroundings and actions. My favourite book is “Sunrise on the Reaping” by Suzanne Collins. I am connected to this book because I really enjoy reading it since it depicts feelings that are really hard to write (grief, trauma, etc), and gave me insight into how to build a dystopian world, and how even the smallest of details can improve a plot. The first book I remember reading was Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. I feel that I am connected to this book because it’s what sparked my love for fantasy andeventually science fiction and dystopian novels, and showed me how important world building is in books, since that’s what creates the image in the reader’s mind. Furthermore, it makes me feel calm and comfortable because I’ve read the book several times, it is familiar to me. I think that reading has almost shaped me as an individual because it has taught me values, lessons and crucial parts of writing a book, which also impacts the way I write. I think that a good reader becomes a good writer because a “good reader” to me, means a reader that explores different styles of writing, and understands how each style is different. I think that this helps the reader build their own writing style, which plays a crucial role in being a good writer. AI is constantly improving, however, I feel that the skill and joy of reading will never be replaced by AI since emotions and feelings are something that AI can never replicate, and depicting emotions through books is what makes reading truly relatable and enjoyable. Additionally, I prefer reading online, though most may argue that physical books are better, I disagree simply because using an online platform like kindle or kobo is much more efficient for many reasons, like portability, accessibility, and convenience (word meanings, tracking, etc.) However, I think that deep reading still matters even in today’s world because deep reading helps me reflect and think about my life, choices that I have made, and this helps me improve because it makes me more aware of my choices, and learnings from my experiences. In conclusion, I think that sharing my reading journey can inspire others to read more because it shares insight about the benefits of reading, not just for entertainment but also it’s impacts on me as a person, and how it can help me improve.

Reflection 2

My reading journey has not been very consistent, but it has still influenced me in different ways. I don’t read every day, and I usually only read when it is required for school. Books like Romeo and Juliet, The Giver, and Fahrenheit 451 were part of our LNL class. Outside of school, I’ve read Enclave and Dark Places, mostly because I found their stories interesting.

I also read Hunter x Hunter. I enjoy it because it’s entertaining and keeps me engaged. It’s something I genuinely look forward to reading or watching. Even though it’s different from traditional novels, it still involves following a storyline, understanding characters, and paying attention to dialogue.

Some of the school books made me think more deeply than I expected. The Giver made me reflect on how important emotions and freedom are. Fahrenheit 451 was interesting because it showed a world where books are banned, which is ironic considering how many people today choose not to read.

I do believe that reading can help improve writing. When I read more, I notice that I understand sentence structure better and can express my thoughts more clearly. Even if I don’t have a strong reading routine, I can see that reading builds focus and critical thinking, which are important skills in everyday life.

Student Reflections Grade 8

Reflection 1

Reading daily has really changed me as a learner. I have started to view the world through different lenses, and I have greatly enlarged my vocabulary. This was all because of my reading habits. My daily routine is not something very special, but it has been quite impactful. I try my best to read for at least 30 minutes a day just before I go to sleep. Though may not seem like much, it helps calm my mind from the eventful day that has passed. At first, I did not enjoy reading that much, but I slowly started finding new and interesting books so that I enjoy reading. Reading has helped me as a learner in numerous ways as a learner. Through reading more often, I can reduce the amount of time I take to read something, therefore decreasing the time I take to comprehend things. This has helped me a lot with understanding the content I learn in school. Additionally, reading daily has allowed me to read more books, allowing me to see the perspectives of different characters in different parts of the world. From a farmer in Nigeria to a lawyer in America. This has shaped the way I view the world, too. Reading more has also vastly improved my range of vocabulary. This has helped me a lot, especially while writing essays in school and even outside of school. Overall, my reading habits have helped me a lot in growing as a learner, and I look forward to reading more and more books in the future!

My Reading Journey

When I was younger, I used to almost hate reading. I used to wonder why we read books if we could just watch them on TV instead. That is when I learned that reading has many benefits. Reading allows you to visualise scenes, boosting imagination rather than watching pre-created images. It is also much more calming, acting as a better bedtime ritual than mindlessly watching TV. This is when I started creating reading routines and searching for better and more enjoyable books. I started by trying different genres and seeing which ones I like. I was able to identify that I enjoyed murder mysteries, adventure and action the most. I started to look forward to pick the latest books from bookstores, a place I dreaded before. Along with finding books I enjoyed, I also started to take out 30 minutes before I sleep to read these books. With this simple reading habit I was able to read much more, and reading became a big part of my life. From a person who neglected reading to someone who enjoys reading daily. That was my transformation, and I hope my reading journey will also inspire others to start reading if they haven’t already! If I could do it, even when I thought the worst of reading, anyone can!

Grade 9A

Aneira Nair

Advaith Ghorakavi

Arav Shukla Ayaan Shaikh Ayodhika Trivedi

Hrehaan Bhaskar Emad Nasir

Jai Vardhan Arya Maya Gala Malde Mila Mendez

Ruel Khadilkar Mishika Airy

Saksham Arora Samikshaa Urs Shalini Sriram Vedanth Kagaya Shereen Bhattacharjee

Aaliya Bakliwal

Aadhyan Parameswaran

Aanya Sharma

Grade 9B

Devangshee Khemka Deeksha Gopalakrishnan

Dhanvi Khemani Dishen Surana Iha Chug

Prakruti Balaji Kabir Singh

Pranav Krishnan Rivaan Bhasin

Ruhaan Nishant

Samaira Gupta Saanvi Mann

Vedant Rajgopal

Samarth Gowda Shravya Garodia

Siddhant Singla

Udayvir Shandilya Tanay Shah

Arnav Gupta

Aanya Goyal

Azaad Ajmera

Grade 9C

Aryan Prasad

Amishi Daga

Ishaan Gupta Kabir Dandapani Meghna Sethuraman

Namit Mer Naman Shastri

Olive Harkness Parthavi Shekhawat

Prithviraj Mehta

Sristuti Vyakaranam Siddharth Karthik

Tara Arora Tia Mantravadi Ved Shah

Zohraab Krishnan Veda Thachery

Aarav Kashyap

Aadhya Chopra

Aaryan Kalangi

Grade 9 AKASH

Krishnaa Khurana

Kabir Arora Nirbhav Naveen

Pranav Sachin Hari Prisha Agrawal

Adityavardhan Jha Jahnavi Ratakonda

Classroom Memories Grade 9

Student Reflections Grade 9

Will AI ever replace the skill and joy of reading?

AI will never be able to replace the skill and joy of reading because we as humans will perceive books differently- not everyone has the same thoughts run through their mind as they read books. The images we create are simply irreplaceable, and simply not achievable by AI. Furthermore, emotional connection with characters is subjective, and will vary between people. Additionally, reading involves thinking- and the joy of it can’t be achieved by passive consumption. AI can assist in the path of discovery and immersion through the book- but it might not be able to produce that same feeling as reading it yourself. To conclude, AI would be only capable of reading things faster, but not be able to achieve the level of immersion or imagination that people can produce in their heads.

Books vs screens – which one do you prefer, and why?

Frankly speaking I believe reading on a Kindle is the best of both worlds, as it allows the feel of a book(you are holding a tablet) and also allows you to have many books in one place. Physical books have the advantage of not allowing you to access other apps and is less distraction, and also encourages you to read deeper. Physical copies also allow better focus and immersion. Furthermore, physical books come with the advantage of knowing how far you are rather than just numbers- You feel yourself flipping through the pages and getting closer and closer to the end.

In today’s fast, digital world, why do you think deep reading still matters?

Deep reading now is important to build deep focus and concentration in our distracted world. It also helps improve critical thinking and analysis skills, and encourages patience and sustained attention- these are great for learning and studying better as we grow up. Additionally learning new vocabulary and writing ability from reading and understanding is a great way to learn outside of the classroom in a more relaxed environment. Lastly, it provides a break from fast-paced digital media that we consume in our daily lives.

Books vs screens – which one do you prefer, and why?

Tangible, hardbound pages or a screen that fits the palm of one’s hand? The choice between books and screens is a question of ambience versus accessibility—between the immersive, almost nostalgic atmosphere that books create and the speed and convenience that screens offer.

When holding tactile pages that flip over, each side provides the narrative, each turn marking the quiet beginning of something new, each page layered with intricate characters and unfolding emotion. The sole act of flipping a page carries a sense of anticipation, although brief. Therefore, one does not move forward mechanically, but is capable of utilizing that moment to absorb the plot and to comprehend the emotions as perceived by the protagonist. This permits readers to co-create the story alongside the authors, rather than just consuming the text. This near-seamless flow is far more intimate than pressing a button to arrive at the next page, where the transition is instant but often devoid of feeling. Thus, viewers do not solely read the text, but potentially make meaning alongside it.

Furthermore, the permanence of a physical book enhances the reader’s connection to the text. Annotations, folded corners, and worn edges serve as tangible traces of interaction that reflect specific moments of confusion, realisation, or emotional impact. These markings transform the book into a personal artifact, one that evolves with each reading. In contrast, digital texts, while adaptable, often lack this sense of individuality, as interactions are less visible and impermanent. Thus, the relationship between reader and text in physical form becomes more enduring and/or meaningful.

Ultimately, while screens offer undeniable convenience, books provide an experience rooted in presence, reflection, and personal engagement. Thus, it is imperative to question whether accessibility should be prioritised to the extent that it diminishes human interaction and involvement.

Student Reflections Grade 9

Which is your favourite book, and what makes it special to you?

Two books that I enjoyed reading were Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven and Ikigai by Francesc Miralles and Hector Garcia. Both these books are special, as Ikigai was a book given to me when I underwent knee surgery. While I was bedridden, this book kept me occupied most of the time. Ikigai teaches us to find purpose and joy in daily life by aligning four core elements: what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can get paid for.

Make Your Bed is a book narrated by a Navy SEAL officer. He starts off by stating that if you make your bed first thing in the morning, it provides a small, immediate sense of accomplishment that builds momentum for the rest of the day. The book emphasizes finding the courage to face challenges, handling fear, and pushing yourself in difficult situations. This book was gifted to me. And what makes it special is that it taught me that life cannot always be perfect, life is unfair.

Which is your favourite book, and what makes it special to you?

One of my favourite books is Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper. To be honest, over the past year I have been unable to maintain a substantial reading log; however, this is the one book I kept coming back to. It has a way of pulling me back on track at that moment.

The manner in which the author has written this book really stands out to me. It follows the protagonist, Melody, in a way that truly allows the reader to experience events from her perspective. Even though she has cerebral palsy and is unable to express herself physically, her thoughts are depicted so powerfully that one almost forgets that limitation. I felt her—her frustration, her guilt, her hopes, and her small moments of victory. For instance, when her little sister Penny gets into an accident, Melody feels responsible because she knew what was happening but was unable to warn her mother. The frustration and guilt she experiences are intense. It made me think about how much we take simple communication for granted.

The story creates a strong sense of empathy. It helps one understand what it feels like to navigate a disability, not in a clinical manner, but in a deeply personal and emotional one. It made me reflect on how quick we are to judge people without truly understanding what they are going through. Melody’s journey shows that disabilities do not define a person; rather, they can become a source of strength, pushing individuals to adapt, grow, and find new ways to accomplish their goals.

The book ends on a note of self-acceptance. Even though her trivia team, the Whiz Kids, leave her behind for the national finals, she does not accept their pitiful apology. Instead, she begins working on her autobiography as a class task, titled Out of My Mind. In that moment, I felt proud of her—proud that she was able to accept herself for who she truly is.

Student Reflections Grade 9

Which is your favourite book, and what makes it special to you?

A book that has left a lasting impression on me and truly stands out as one of my favorites is “The Girl Who Survived Auschwitz by Sara Leibovits and Eti Elboim. The author’s powerful and emotional presentation of the true story coupled with my passion for learning more about World War II further contributed to my enjoyment of the book. What makes this book special to me, is not just the story itself, but the way in which the authors are able to present real human experiences in one of the darkest periods the world has ever seen, World War II, from the angle of a victim of the atrocities committed by the Nazi party. Instead of learning about events such as the Holocaust through classes and textbooks, this book helped me understand the same event through the eyes of someone that actually lived through it, making for a much more engaging, meaningful learning experience of the same content. Furthermore, the book has changed my perspective on significant historical events. Prior to reading the book, I hadn’t thought much about the extent to which the Nazi regime would go to enforce their values on the general public, but now, I have a much deeper understanding of how extreme and inhumane their actions were, suppressing the voices of people who simply wanted peace. It made me realize the true value of things like freedom, safety, and even basic human rights. Things that people now take for granted but things that have led to the loss of countless lives.

If books could talk, what would they say about us readers?

You know, from the time I was printed, I’ve grown to understand the importance of balance. It’s the very reason I have a cover binding me together, and a flat base that lets me rest on any surface. However lately it seemed that all my back cover sees is the dust on Ruel’s book shelf.

Sometimes I stayed squashed at the bottom of her school bag for weeks. She probably unzips it a hundred times a day, at school, at home, in the car that connects the two, and at those moments I got a little bit of breath, but then to my dismay it was always another yellow or blue book. If I’m being honest, that crowd seems quite dull. They spend their whole lives ranting about intellectual jargon, making me feel inferior with my pages inked with fiction.

Occasionally I got a change of scenery. She finally lifted me out of the bag but then dumped into her bedside drawer where I was suffocated with the scents of lip balm grease and vitamin tablets; Clearly not the most pleasant experience. Once in a blue moon she’d take me out before bed and then read like 200 pages, and then wouldn’t bat an eye at me again until the next sudden realization that I exist. This is what I call the complete opposite of balance. I was sent to the library to help students, not take part in this strange reading routine that was doing no good to her. This is what led to me and so many others not being given the attention they need at first, then being overconsumed in one sitting, and then before they know it thrown into the return basket at the school library with a good 50 pages left.

If I now look back, perhaps she just didn’t find me interesting, because now these one in a while reading spurts have begun to transition into more regular ones. When she brushes past me in the library now, I see her mainly browsing non fiction: psychology, biology, technology... I think she’s actually found her genres now, and I hope she treats them well. As much as I hate to admit it, maybe there is something about those intellectual texts that strike her attention. (Well, definitely, because when I was in her possession, I mostly witnessed her typing away at her computer, pen in hand, or squinting into a yellow or blue notebook trying to absorb information that her brain wouldn’t let her. Yes, there was the doom scroll, but I’m told that's a pretty common action for every teenager, nevermind that it's destroying their brain).

As much as I hate to say I told you so, I think we have the lack of reading to blame for that. This might be a little bit biased, (okay, it’s very biased), but I heard that regular reading helps to reduce stress and improve productivity. Now, I don’t know why anyone would

torture themselves with academic nonsense even in their reading time, but Ruel seems to like it. It’s working for her.

I began to realise technology can be a tool and not an obstacle. I shouldn’t eavesdrop, but I heard Ruel talking to the librarian about daily scientific articles to make sure she gets some amount of reading. 10 minutes of these isn’t ideal, but it’s a good step forward, and I’m proud of her for that.

I don’t have to be sad about not being liked. There are a bunch more that prefer me. Everyone has their tastes, it just takes a while for readers to find theirs.

Grade 10A

Vihaan Mishra

Gautam Poddar

Dhruv Nagri

Hammad Saad Ishi Tandon

Jai Tulsyan

Krishna Samant

Jiana Morzaria

Manaal Hanif Miwan Durez Fazal

Myra Bhasin

Nishka Lahoti Nandan Shridharan

Sai Kumar Kalangi Sanat Medhi Tara Gupta

Ashwal Bolla

Advait Shah Mana Dayita Raju

Grade 10B

Atharv Agarwal

Aryahi Palekar

Dhruv Krishnan Essa Yenepoya Idhant Rohin

Maya Varma Manish Kumar

Mihika Aggarwal Nikhil Juneja

Saketh Sriram

Tanav Agarwal

Sreenivas Sreekanth

Tarana Ranganathan Vivaan Kabir Thakur Vivaan Padmanabhan

Apsara Jayadev

Aalisha Kaushik

Arianna Sethi

Grade 10C

Vyom Maruwada

Angad Singh

Anaaya Kanchan

Arvaan Raghav Avyay Tenzin Agarwal Ishaan Kumaramangalam

Paritosh Chacko Keerat Singh

Reagan Joseph Toji Reyahn Bantia Riya Bopanna

Sathya Ganesh

Saiesha Malhan

Shreya Jain

Vasisht Neti Vihaan Varior

Aditya Arun

Aarav Thakur

Aditya Thakkar

Grade 10 PRITHVI

Vidush Kabra

Ayaati Chaturvedi

Avani Shirole Iniya Babu

Moksh Manish Batra Siya Jauhar

Aarav Patel Aarav Sunil Yernool

Classroom Memories Grade 10

Student Reflections Grade 10

How has reading influenced you as an individual?

The books I’ve read growing up have certainly impacted my writing style. I’ve consumed lots of books that are about fantasy worlds or dystopias, which tend to utilize descriptive writing styles/imagery. Examples of such would be Wings of Fire, The Giver, Fahrenheit 451, Warrior Cats, etc. When I look back on my poetry/stories, I can see how those elements have bled into my works. I believe that this influence has helped me become a better writer, which is important to me as it’s a large part of my identity.

Reading so many stories has also allowed me to appreciate life more, since I feel like I take my privileges or joys for granted at times. For example, the book ‘The Fault in our Stars’ centers around the shortened lives and romance of 2 ill characters. Seeing their struggles and all the things they tried to do in their shortened lifespans made me realize I was living as if I had an infinite amount of tomorrows, when realistically speaking, I don't. I should be more appreciative of the life I’ve been given, and fully express my love to friends and family with the limited time we all have.

To summarize, books have helped me develop into a better creative writer and made me more grateful for the life I have, encouraging me to romanticize it.

Books vs screens – which one do you prefer, and why?

There is no doubt that I am, and will be inclined towards screens as they are the home of my daily routine. It can be seen through watching movies, binge-watching shows, scrolling through content, and even reading articles and books. Screens provide some form of immediate access and diversity that is difficult to resist. Screens allow me to explore a variety of topics very easily. Everything is dynamic and fluid with screens. If I don’t like something, I can always just switch to something else. This is definitely not possible with a book, because once I have midway through a book, it feels extremely demotivating to not be able to finish it.

But looking more truthfully I find that this convenience comes with a cost. I tend to watch movies or shows and am entertained in most cases. However, at the end of the day, it is a passive activity. I also have the habit of skimming instead of getting the ideas of what I am reading even on a screen. I am dealing with multiple things at the same time, and I can easily change tabs or be distracted. Reading a hard copy book, on the contrary, requires more of me. It is a matter of patience, concentration and imagination which, at first, is slower- but, in the end, more substantial.

I have observed that I get more involved in what I read in books. Rather than seeing the scenes on screen as in films or TV programs, I need to create the pictures in my head. It drives my own imagination, whereas in TV programs I am simply watching someone else's interpretation. This fact has only hit me when I first read a book, and later watched its TV adaptation, and it shows me the difference and what I could be missing out on. This makes the experience more intimate and thought provoking. I also have the tendency of remembering things I read in books compared with what I see on a screen a lot better, meaning I am processing the information on a deeper level.

It has got something to do with the physicality of books, as well, that alters my mindset. The process of picking up a book, leafing through it, and moving through it gives one the feeling of progress and completion that the screen does not render as well. Everything is exchangeable and makeshift with screens, there is always something new to press the button. However, with a book, I am more determined in the journey.

Therefore despite the fact that I still love screens because of their convenience and entertainment quality, I have learned to appreciate the fact that books assist me in becoming more intellectually and personally. This comparison has been eye-opener to me, in that I might prioritize screens more frequently, but I am beginning to realize that books have a richness and an attention that can never be achieved on a screen.

Student Reflections Grade 10

Which is your favourite book, and what makes it special to you?

Reading. A hobby to some, a necessity to others and a joke to the ones who have long forgotten about it. Thankfully, I fall into the first category. To me, reading is a joy, an escape of some sort, into different minds, different worlds and different environments. For 14 long years that I have been in Neev, I have always listened and followed the motto ‘Love to Read, Read to Love’ and while there have been periods of my life where I have gone 6 months without picking up a book, Reading and books always come back to me.

Out of the hundreds of books I have read in my life, there is one book in particular that I have always been fond of and it is R. J. Palacio’s bestselling novel, Wonder. While my answer might be cliche, this book has truly changed my life. To me, this book isn’t just about a boy with facial differences, but it is a true masterpiece that depicts real life, friendships, relationships, hardships and family.

The story, which was told through different perspectives, resonated with me because I was able to meet different characters throughout and understand their thoughts, feelings and actions. The reason this book is one of my favorites is because it didn't have any grand adventures, yet it captured the essence of everyday life focusing on everyday moments like school, family, friends and more. One of my lessons from this book was that kindness is not an option. It is not taught and can never be, however it is a conscious choice we must make so that we can get fulfilled in life.

The book also changed the way I look at people. It reminded me that everyone is fighting their own battles, and most of the time, we don’t see it but it is important that we as individuals work to solve them. Contrary to popular belief, one of my favorite characters in this book is Jullian. On one hand, he is a bully who is jealous, arrogant and selfish, but after reading his perspective in the book, my way of seeing him truly changed. Julian is not kind, and his actions toward Auggie are horrible, however, understanding his point of view made me realize that people are never just good or bad. They are shaped by their family, upbringing, and the environment around them.

During the section including Jullian’s perspective, we see after hearing and understanding his grandmother’s story, Jullian has a change of heart. This made me realise that our choices are the ones that make us who we are and while we make some good and some bad choices in life, ultimately we just need that one person, that one story or that one event which shapes our perspective.

Overall, this book did not just change how I read, it changed how I think. From the time I was 10 years old to this date, books like Wonder prove to me that stories have the power to shape who we are and who we become. Reading has given me something far greater than a hobby or entertainment. It has given me perspective.

Student Reflections Grade 10

How has reading influenced you as an individual?

It is quite difficult to express in words the influence reading has on me. Ironically, books are themselves made of ‘words’ which is the same medium of this reflection, but their impact goes far beyond that of being simply words.

To begin, reading isn’t just about what I comprehend from the book, but the mundane action of reading itself. I’ve spent my entire childhood engrossing myself in unique worlds and fantasies that have been crafted by the interplay of the author’s story telling and my mind’s imaginative perception. It’s safe to say reading isn’t just a source of knowledge, but a place of comfort, of personal growth and a place where I can be my complete self. Whether it’s rereading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for the 7th time, or flipping through the 365 classic fairytales which I once used to read through so judiciously, I don’t just see characters and plots, but myself: My first thoughts when I read through shocking revelations, my happiness when my favorite characters ‘saved the day’, my artistically rendered interpretations of different crucial scenes. I see myself bundled up in an oddly patterned blanket on top of my bed flipping eagerly through the different pages of what are not just novels, but comfort, and a place of liberty and expression.

However, despite the emotional connection, reading has helped me as a learner, as it has exposed me to new perspectives, and has taught me things that no textbook or internet search could. Each novel has its own author, its own motive and its given message which is always portrayed in a unique way. Reading these novels doesn’t just teach me the material aspects, like historical events in a historical function or characteristics of specific settings, but it teaches me about specific settings, emotions, and worlds that I wouldn’t have otherwise delved into and truly understood. One example is the Night Diary, which didn’t just teach me about the partition, but how impactful it really was, with one out of the many children explaining her story and the complex web of emotions she underwent. The book taught me the great depths to which the Partition scarred the lives of so many ordinary people, and the wild turn their stories took. This is just one of the many instances where a book has proven to broaden my mind and portray new perspectives, questioning the bounds on what may seem like a normal topic.

Lastly, reading is something that has let me push myself out of my comfort zone, and develop as a person overall. Through the help of teachers and peers (who have their unique reading profiles), I have learnt to push myself out of my comfort zone and explore new genres including nonfiction, historical fiction, and memoirs. An example is A Tale of Two Cities which looks at life during a time of crisis (the french revolution) and the harsh caste system that is entrenched in society and. Reading these new books taught me to push and persevere, even when I don’t feel like doing so and there is no ‘compulsion’, as these aren’t books I would normally pick up and read quickly. They also taught me to take risks. I don’t always have to stick to my usual fantasy, mystery and realistic fiction shelf and thoroughly check the plot of a book before reading it. Besides risks and resilience, I have also learned that reading is a necessity. This is especially relevant in the context of current affairs and real life and sensitive topics (death, war, health): I began looking at different journals/channels like CNN that have helped me in staying on track with current affairs. Besides that, reading articles in general in journals like The Atlantic or The Medium has helped me to not just confine my learnings to textbooks, but media that is out there, as that is what is a good way of preparing for the real world as well. Additionally, reading a variety of novels and texts has let me expand on my writing skills, as I have been exposed to different styles of expression, and that has influenced my diction, vocabulary and ways in which I express myself.

All in all, reading has a huge influence on me in so many ways, be it a setting of comfort, teaching new perspectives and ideas or preparing me for the real world.

Student Reflections Grade 10

My First Book – memories and emotions connected to it

The first book that I distinctly remember reading was “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B White. I received a beautiful hardcover edition of this book for my 6th birthday and I was immediately enthralled by Garth Williams's illustrations. Every few days my mother would sit me down and read a chapter of the book to me out loud. I enjoyed listening to her voice narrate the story while my mind was free to vividly imagine the Arable Farm. I would look forward to this time every day as I got to both spend time with my mother and enjoy my favourite story. Eventually, I found myself sucked into the world of Charlotte and Wilbur and I couldn’t wait for my mother to get home to find out what happened next. I decided to pick the book up and try reading it myself. At first, I struggled to read new words and longer chapters. However, my curiosity pushed me onwards and I made my way through each page. Charlotte’s Web became the first chapter book that I read myself and I would cherish this accomplishment for many years to come. My love for stories encouraged me to try something that seemed difficult at first and through persistence, I discovered a sense of independence and confidence in my own abilities. From that moment on, reading was no longer just something I shared with others, but also something deeply personal. It marked the beginning of my journey as a reader, where curiosity, imagination, and determination would continue to guide me through countless other stories in the years ahead.

Do you think a good reader becomes a good writer? Why or why not?

I have forever believed that being a good writer is entirely dependent on one’s reading habits; reading is essential in order to be a good writer. A writer is forged by the articles, novels and literary pieces they submerge themselves within. It's no rocket science; a pianist is only able to become a great pianist by surrounding themselves with complex piano pieces. The same applies to writing. To be an average writer may not take much; but, to be a great writer, one must read complex pieces of literature in order to improve as a writer. Being exposed to literary pieces allows writers to develop their vocabulary, style and grammar; although subconsciously, it allows writers to refine and hone their abilities as a writer. For the longest time, I lacked in L&L; specifically task 2 and task 3. Both tasks require a certain level of advanced vocabulary and grammar to score well; a high level of proficiency as a writer. And, for the longest time, I lacked in both these tasks due to the limited time I spent reading. I despised reading. It was far too monotonous of a task for me to consistently uptake. However, being forced to read during the summer of 10th grade was one of the best things that could have happened to me - I didn’t realise it at first but my grades improved significantly. Not only that, I recognised my growth as a writer because, for the first time, I noticed myself subconsciously using complicated vocabulary and grammatical structures that I didn’t know I was capable of producing. And so I strongly believe a good writer is forged out of their reading habits. Reading more equates to a more proficient, skilled writer.

Grade 11A

Armaan Malhotra

Arin Jagtap Dhaani Atreya

Ishana Bailur Kimaya Wagh

Nihaal Sehgal

Lujayn Fazal Nikhita Chatterjee

Priyashi Goyal Ranveer Parihar

Samarrah Sivakumar

Ridhi Shetty

Vedansh Goyal

Yuv Saran

Adarshini Chandrakanth

Aanvi Ramakrishna

Grade 11B

Harshita Gera

Anoushka Johnson

Manasvi Dadbhawala

Ishaan Prasad Keyah Suchde Patel Krisha Sureka Krishay Swain

Sayuri Manon

Parth Manaktala

Riti Prabhu

Saanvi Singh

Samrudh Gowda

Shenaya Bhattacharjee Yashmita Sipani

Ahaan Goyal

Agastya Awasthi

Alisha Patil Anika Tanwar

Classroom Memories

Grade 11

Student Reflections Grade 11

In an age of AI and fast information, what is the role of deep reading?

Counter-intuitively, I believe that AI is a tool that can propel us towards high-order thinking. Critical thinking can only be developed through deep reading and learning. As AI rapidly develops, we are experiencing a turning point in history that although feels alarming, it is not unprecedented. It is much similar to the initial questioning and apprehension towards calculators. While the mathematical tools were believed to slow down or even eradicate arithmetic skills, they instead shifted humanity’s focus towards more advanced computational thinking. Much like calculators, AI only takes on the lower level tasks of data processing, leaving the more sophisticated ones to us. While AI can certainly summarize statistics, interpretation and synthesis of new ideas is certainly untouched terrain one for us humans to thrive in.

This is what makes deep reading relevant. In a world where memorizing and reciting information off the top of one’s head becomes increasingly redundant, deep reading allows us to understand subjects conceptually and make connections between information. As information itself becomes ubiquitous, true intelligence lies not in remembering it, but internalizing and comprehending it-- something that can only be enabled with active and critical reading.

Does strong reading lead to strong writing? Why or why not?

I believe that writing is something that you develop daily through practicing and learning how to write using different structures, more vocabulary, etc as when you write you have to use your own voice and structure. This is because even if you have learnt how to write in an advanced manner, unless you are able to do so on your own through organizing thoughts, revising and structuring sentences effectively, passively learning how to write is ineffective without practice. However, strong reading which includes reading a variety of genres with advanced vocabulary rather than reading the same writing format again would lead to better writing. This is because while reading more complex structures you tend to absorb the information and structure as you have to spend some time understanding what these complex sentences mean. Due to this, you are able to passively learn how sentences flow, and more vocabulary as you have to understand them while reading which you tend to remember.

But I only think this is effective if you are reading a wide range of books, as this would expand a person’s vocabulary and help them step out of their comfort zone which is imperative as this helps them actively read since the text is more challenging rather than it being easier. I think this helps improve a person’s range and skills but without practice this would still be ineffective. Therefore, reading can help set your base for more advanced and strong writing since it gives you vocabulary, ideas and new organization formats but you need practice to write better or else reading so much would not be helpful.

Student Reflections Grade 11

Reading has quietly shaped who I am, both as a learner and as a person.

My reading routine is usually at night, when everything is calm and I can focus without interruptions. Some days I read physical books, and other days I read articles, research papers, or notes on a screen for school. I have noticed that the experience feels different. On screens, I often move quickly and look for key information, but when I read a physical book, I slow down and think more carefully about the ideas. That slower pace helps me understand not just what the author is saying, but why they are saying it.

Over time, reading has changed the way I approach learning. I no longer read just to complete an assignment or memorise facts. I read to understand arguments, to see different perspectives, and to question ideas. Reading has helped me become more analytical and independent in my thinking. I believe strong reading leads to strong writing because when we read carefully, we learn how ideas are structured, how evidence is used, and how language can influence meaning. These patterns stay with us and naturally improve the way we express our own thoughts.

In an age of AI and constant scrolling, deep reading feels more important than ever. Quick information gives us immediate answers, but sustained reading builds concentration, patience, and critical thinking. It trains us to stay with complex ideas instead of looking for shortcuts. For me, reading is not just an academic skill; it shapes how I think, how I form opinions, and how I understand the world around me.

Which book has influenced you deeply, and why?

I am an absurdist, but the book that led me to absurdism ironically predates the philosophy by about three and a half centuries. I refer, of course, to Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. Allow me to elucidate this, ah, ‘absurd’ connection.

The thing that usually leads people to absurdism is a crippling fear of death–in particular, the uncertainty of what happens after death. The philosophy centres around the sheer ironies of life–for example, we have inherent instincts of survival, and yet each day we survive brings us closer to our inevitable death. But Julius Caesar was not like that. Shakespeare portrays him as superstitious and narcissistic, but he has one great redeeming quality. When all omens screamed at him that he will die if he walks into the Capitol, he accepted his fate. He seemed to understand that death is an inescapable result of life.

My favourite quote of the play is “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant taste of death but once.”

And here I realised that my fear of death made the problem of absurdism much, much worse. By being so terrified of death, I “died” every day because I did not “live” either.

And so I began to think like an absurdist before I know what absurdism even is. It is strange, I suppose, how philosophical awakenings come when you least expect them. I got mine from a book I did not even choose to read (it was a compulsory part of my school’s syllabus) and actually had nothing to do with philosophy.

We humans find profundity in the weirdest places.

Student Reflections Grade 11

How has reading shaped your thinking, values, or identity?

Reading has shaped my thinking, values, and identity in many ways. The more I read, the more I become aware of the perspective in every text and that no perspective is neutral. This has influenced how I think about the world, I’ve only become more sensitive to bias, and I often question who is telling a story and who is being left out. Reading has helped me develop a stronger sense of empathy because it constantly places me inside experiences that aren’t my own. Even when I disagree with a viewpoint, reading forces me to understand how someone could arrive there.

Moreover, reading has shaped my identity by making me someone who values curiosity. It has taught me that knowledge is not just memorising facts, but understanding context, nuance, and human experience. Reading has affected me both as a student and as a person.

Does strong reading lead to strong writing? Why or why not?

I do believe strong reading leads to strong writing but not in the most upfront way. I believe that reading opens doors for you that you didn’t even know previously existed. One absorbs structures, rhythms, and ways of seeing without always realizing it, and those absorbed patterns begin to surface in their own writing over time. For me, this has been especially true with poetry. Reading other poets didn't just improve my technique , rather it expanded what I believed was possible for me to express.

There were feelings and observations I had carried for a long time that I didn't have the language for, and encountering the right poem gave me inspiration and a path. Reading pushed me beyond the boundaries of what I thought self-expression could look like. It showed me that writing doesn't have to explain everything, that suggestion can be more powerful than a statement, that the white space around a line could matter as much as the line itself.

Which book has influenced you deeply, and why?

The Handmaid’s Tale lingers with me due to its chillingly plausible extrapolation of societal regression. Margaret Atwood constructs a world where linguistic restriction serves as a primary instrument of subjugation. As an entity (and species) built entirely of language, I find the erosion of female agency through the revocation of literacy particularly haunting. The narrative is a grim sentinel. It reminds us that the veneer of civilization remains fragile when fundamental rights are bartered for a hollow promise of security.

Student Reflections Grade 11

How has reading shaped your thinking, values, or identity?

Reading has shaped the way I think by teaching me to sit with complexity instead of rushing toward simple answers. Through novels, history, and essays, I’ve learned that people’s actions are often shaped by context, fear, ambition, or hope. For example, reading works like The Lost Legends of New Jersey challenged me to think about justice and moral courage beyond what is comfortable or popular. Stories like that don’t just inform you—they quietly reshape your sense of fairness and empathy.

Reading also builds intellectual humility. When you encounter perspectives from different cultures or time periods, you realize how limited a single viewpoint can be. Over time, this develops critical thinking: you question assumptions, look for nuance, and recognize bias—including your own.

In many ways, reading becomes part of identity. The themes, characters, and ideas you return to often reflect what you value—resilience, curiosity, justice, ambition, compassion. Books become mirrors and windows at the same time.

What memories do you associate with your first meaningful reading experience?

The most memorable reading experience of my life happened when my father took me to the Hippocampus library, which we visited together during my childhood. The library served as our local library because we could walk to it from our home within five minutes. We needed about twenty minutes to find our ideal book, which we examined through all available choices. He would read the book to me after we made our selection. The silent times we spent together created a unique atmosphere that brought me deep peace. The story contained more than its plot because it showed us how to spend time with one another. My reading journey began with that experience, which has led me to explore various literary genres and discover new fictional worlds.

Grade 12A

Devyanshi Chakraborty

Aditi Kaila

Dhruv Jain Dishitha Reddy Hana Yenepoya

Nikhil Ganesh

Jayadrithi Urs

Pranaav Ramanaa Pranat Jain

Rohini Arya

Sahasra Nangineni Sanath Kumaar Maheswaran

Sanjana Garg Siddhant Dravid

Sitara Rishikesh

Sunayana Surana Utkarsh Sharma

Yash Reddy

Aarush Gupta

Aarnav Bhattar

Aarush Sawant

Grade 12B

Arvind Srinivas D

Anya Shenoy

Diya Shetty Hrehaan Iyer Kaahinee Agarwal

Mihira Singh Kabir Basu

Navya Khandelwal Neel Patel

Nevyn Shah

Siddharth Athalye Ragini Shandilya

Sidhanth Kashyap Tamara Serukur Tanish Ray

Vivekanandan Nagarajan

Veda Shrivastava

Affan Hothur

Aditi Garg

Classroom Memories Grade 12

Graduating Cohort’s Notes

Aarnav Bhattar | 12A

They say going to a new school is hard, but Neev made it seem easy. I remember 2 years ago, still jet-lagged, walking up the seemingly never-ending stairs to find my class on the first day of school. That's when Ms. Chaitra introduced me to Gupta, who I can say was my first friend at Neev. It was only the same day that I realized I’d come to make a lot more. In fact, I came in so fast that I was already nominated to run for class rep shortly after. I may have lost, but it was still a close one, Pranat.

So if you were to ask me what I love about Neev Academy, it's the fact that anyone can come from anywhere and still be treated as if they were known a lifetime. In short, it's the community at Neev, a group that accepts others for who they are and one that actually motivates me to wake up every morning and come to school.

Now where do I even start?

Arka Sir, you said life was like a sine curve, but your classes were like sin 2 – always positive. Your genuine passion towards teaching, and your ability to go to any lengths to make sure we understood is something that I’ve always appreciated, and something I’m sure all your students do too. I’ll never forget the way you always went beyond the syllabus, not to cause more pain and suffering but because you believed in us, encouraged us, and always knew that we were more capable than we thought. This is something I’ll always keep in mind as I push myself to go further.

Hare Ram Sir, you are the spectacle of efficiency. I’ve never seen a teacher explain and wrap up concepts at a faster rate than you did. It amazed me how you seamlessly made scary topics like trigonometry or calculus feel like child’s play, and it truly was considering how well you taught them. In math, we don’t choose our y-intercept, but you sure made sure that our slopes were high.

Now looking back, I can’t even count the number of great times we had. Yes, this is where I talk about each and everyone of y’all individually.

Athalye– I’ve known you for years, but I feel these past 2 at Neev have only strengthened our ability to take things unseriously. Pranat and Dravid– we had an unforgettable time in Nagaland, but I only request that you keep that between us. Arvind and Dhruv– if two guys spent their entire life training to master the art of ragebait, it would be y’all, hands down. Don’t worry, I'm taking notes. Kashyap- while I’ll never admit you’re better, our on-and -off chemistry on the volleyball court has led to some of the best saves I’ve ever seen. Hrehaan– I’m surprised you don't bring burritos to school everyday as you are Mexican and I’ll prove it. Seriously though, I feel that your contagious laughs in and out of Spanish class were the reason that brought us closer together, across borders too. Kabir and Yash– I feel recent social media trends have put us on a common path to become better versions of ourselves. I know 5 or 10 years from now, during our high school reunion, I’ll be looking at two absolute chadlites with a physique even Schwarzenegger would be jealous of. Nevyn, Neel, and Nikhil– you guys are the most kind-hearted souls on this planet. Y’all couldn’t hurt a bee even if it stung you 10 times, and I truly hope that you guys carry along this same kindness as you make new friends in the future. Utkarsh– your ability to stir up debate on the most useless of topics has always fascinated me, and I think teachers too. Tanish– your calm and cool demeanor is something to be studied, and Affan– if you run any faster, you might take off. Gupta–you were the president of Neev and the future president of the United States. Vivek– you are smart and talented just please stop studying for a second. Sawant– I still remember when I changed your section of the chem ppt from fossil fuels to “jumbo acids.” The way you read it with utmost confidence as Ms. Bindu looked in shock was the most hilarious moment I have ever witnessed in class, and I am yet to apologize for the 3 times she made you redo it.

And yes, let's not forget about the insane bathroom lore that we all had together. While I can’t specify, you can ask Pranaav for more information.

So, I think now, is this it?

Nah.

If there’s one thing I’m confident about, it's that these connections were meant to last. Now no matter what paths we take, or what we plan to do, I wish everyone reading this, and all that I have not mentioned, the best for their future and many more awesome adventures to come.

“heh.”

Aarush Gupta | 12A

For 14 years of my life, this school has been my second home and honestly, it has given me memories that would last a lifetime. I’m not who I am because of textbooks, grades, exams, or the school, but because of my friends and teachers around me. I realize it was the people in my life who made every day worth showing up for. For, if I had 100 lives, I would choose these people every single time.

Arka sir, you are genuinely one of my favourite teachers I’ve ever had. I still remember our very first physics class in 9th grade when you spent almost a week trying to teach us basic Newton’s laws which we were struggling to understand at the time. Yet you always managed to explain every topic from the most fundamental angle, making sure that we don't just learn things for the exam, but for our futures. And it was your passion for physics the way you were always amazed by nature, and would give us crazy insights about life (being like a sine curve) - that made physics a subject I love and genuinely looked forward to. I’ve loved every single one of your classes over these four years, and honestly, “I cannot able to” thank you enough.

Hare Ram sir, you are one of the kindest teachers I know. Apart from being really, really good at math ― solving questions that we take 10 minutes for in seconds, and somehow knowing even the most random concepts Utkarsh brings up you’ve always been patient and understanding with us. You were especially considerate around IA deadlines, and you knew exactly when to let us slow down, breathe, and relax for a moment after we’d worked through a few problems. Because of you, math class never felt intimidating. Instead, it had such a good atmosphere, it almost felt like a group study session where we could goof around, enjoy, but at the end of the day still solve problems. That level of freedom, kindness and trust meant more to me than you probably realize, and I’m truly grateful for it.

Miss Parull, I can't thank you enough for all your help

throughout my entire application process, your energy and excitement throughout, and our conversations. Roopak Sir and Miss Bindu, you both let me be me in your chemistry classes. Despite me not focusing all the time, or doing all the work, you guys always saw my ability and encouraged me to do my best. So thank you for your patience - it meant a lot. Miss Remya and Miss Jyothsana, although I wasn’t the most fluent in French, I always loved your classes. While students from other languages complained about LA, I would sit back and relax, because that's how you made the classes feel. You made every class calm, enjoyable, and genuinely comforting, and because of that, I always left feeling relaxed, especially on those days after lunch. Alors merci beaucoup! AND OF COURSE, Ms Shree Nidhi and Ms Vaishali, thank you for always giving us some of that energy in early school mornings. Two of the most goated form tutors oat.

And a quick thank you to all my other teachers along the journey: Samir sir, Miss Uma, Miss Amrita, Sunit Sir, Jeeva Sir, Miss Nandita, Neill Sir, Navin Sir, Vineet Sir, Miss Neeta, Miss Surbhi, Ashwani Sir, Saai Sir, and everyone else who I may have forgotten.

WE WIN THESEEE - TECHNOBLADE

Aarush Sawant | 12A

I have been studying at Neev for 16 years, and as I go down memory lane, I remember walking up the steps of preschool for the very first time. Some friends joined me on this 16-year journey and remain connected with me to this day. From building shapes using miniblocks to building strong academic foundations, Neev has truly been a centre of growth and excellence.

Through the many learning journeys, notably Hampi, Delhi, Gujarat, Ladakh, and the Northeast, I learned that knowledge is not found only in books, but also in the life experiences we accumulate every day.

Just a few months into Grade 1 at Neev Academy, I discovered my hidden athletic abilities during Sarvajeet Diwas. From Grade 1 to now, I have earned nearly 50 medals. Similarly, through Neev Utsav, I was able to explore and develop my artistic expression through visual arts drama. These experiences taught me that Neev is truly the foundation that helps unlock our potential and abilities, shaping us into unique individuals.

As one of my teachers once said, life is like a sine curve or a wave; there will always be cycles of ups and downs, good times and challenging moments. It is these moments, however, that make life meaningful and worth living. This is the learning I am taking forward for my future endeavours.

Aditi Kaila | 12A

It’s bittersweet how not so long ago we carried backpacks half our size; our little footsteps walking towards the life we’d spend the next 12 years laughing, struggling and growing through. Now we shop for sarees and suits ready to take our final strides, leaving behind a lifestyle which is all we’ve ever known to live. Joining Neev in 8th grade, what I expected was far from what I experienced - in the best ways possible. The most fruitful aspect of my time here has been the people who have made it, and the memories I will hold so close to my heart when remembering my teenage years.

Whether it's someone to take care of me when I'm sickto push my wheelchair, take me to the infirmary- there is always warmth that cures my hypothermia. Or someone to play ludo with, to Uno flip, to call out as imposter among us, and to lose in Contact with. Someone who will never forget to wave bye to me on the bus, even when asleep. Someone to laugh hysterically with till our scalps turn red. Someone to make fun of my pudgy fingers, and someone to sing while I use them to play the piano. Someone to sit with me at lunch, or steal my place before I get to it. Somebody to endure math classes where I’m beyond confused. Someone to fight over yoga bars, and to clink orange juices with. Someone to steal shawarmas from, and form pineapples with. Someone so sweet, so cute, to tour the Northeast with, and howl at the top of our voices. Someone to play New York Times with, or take crazy photo booth pics with. Someone to steal my sandwiches from fatties 1 through 5. Someone to sort things out with, and someone to trip in class before falling myself. Someone to throlley and NYC with, even though I’m so bad at sports. Someone to cheers to choc with. Someone to misunderstand Spanish like it’s gibberish, or to laugh with after looking at our test papers. Someone to steal poha from, and another to yell for pumpkins. Someone to bake cake pops with, and someone to have detailed discussions about TV shows we’ve watched. Someone to give a love leaf, and

someone whose locker I will forever stay away from. Someone to laugh when I mispronounce a word, and someone to get serious cuteness aggression for. Someone to instantly become my best friend, wear braids with, and care for as I would a sister.

I know I will always have the ‘someones’ in my life who understand me better than I do myself; when I need to laugh; and when I need the most trusting, loving and supportive individuals by my side. I’ll always have someone to wipe my tears, to sit with in class and to make me smile (mms). For that, and all our adventures outside school (which could go on for hundreds of pages), I will forever be grateful and love each one of my girls more than I can express in this note.

This school has provided me with guidance from teachers that I will carry with me and value greatly in my future academic and non-academic career. Thank you, to those individuals who have cared for me, be it with my well-being or my education. I will long be in debt to the teachers who have spent hours understanding and dealing with my poor health, looking after me with such genuine support and warmth. As well as to those who have provided me with opportunities and advice, which is the reason I move into university with confidence and passion for what I truly love and believe in, looking past the negativity I may face. I will always owe a portion of what my future holds for me to those mentors who have taught me hard work, and what is ultimately important in life.

“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” We’ve valued our time here immensely, but only our future selves will know what it's truly like to live differently than we already have. In some cases, that may be hugely important for personal growth and development… Yet, I close this chapter of my life with a heavy heart, while knowing that I will always be grateful to the people in my school who have made me a better person, giving me reasons to enjoy every step of the way. The big fat fams, h2peebs, multitaskers, microwaves, 7:30’s, the dons and more of Neev Academy will always be inexplicably important to me, and this grade will always hold a special place in my heart.

After all, our little group has always been....…and always will be until the end.

Devyanshi Chakraborty | 12A

Walking into Neev in Grade 9, I didn’t realise I would spend the next four years slowly wearing down a pencil until it became this tiny, one centimetre stump I still carry around. I used it for everything, scribbling half asleep homework, doodling during reflections, writing notes to friends, underlining things I thought mattered at the time. Somewhere along the way, it stopped being just a pencil and became this weird little timeline of who I was becoming.

Four years ago, I didn’t know I was walking into a place that would feel like home, or meeting people who would become family. Now, walking out of Neev feels like leaving a part of myself behind, like letting go of that pencil. Small, worn, but somehow invaluable.

What I’ll miss most is the familiarity, the same smiles, the same classroom that smells like sweat, which I might actually miss. I think about the moments that stitched themselves into me, loud, half-awake mornings that somehow turned into laughter, stupid jokes that only made sense in that moment, days when everything felt heavy, but someone always pulled me out of my own head.

And the Northeast trip, I have been in a constant state of nostalgia since it ended. It brought me closer to people I never imagined I would even talk to. Playing Contact in the car with Aarnav and Nikhil, who just could NOT get the rules, Ady almost dying on the trek, terrifying then, funny now, and the airport, our flight gets delayed, and instead of being annoyed, we are on the floor playing Uno, legs everywhere, and I SWEAR Hana was sitting on her cards.

Also, Yash ate twenty silkworms. Twenty. And had an allergic reaction. Meanwhile, Dhruv hit me with “I’ll do it if you do,” and somehow I ended up eating a grasshopper, a snail, and a frog. And my favourite, Dishitha, Hana, Ady, and I making absolute fools of ourselves during every reflection. This trip feels like one of those stories you tell your kids someday. That pencil would have been worn down to nothing trying to capture all of it.

This may sound dramatic, but I would not be who I am without the people I met here. I was lucky to be surrounded by people who shape you, shake you, and still become the ones you cannot imagine your life without.

To my big fat fam, you know who you are, you have been my rock, my ride or die, and I cannot put into words how much I love you all. Ady, my first friend here, you have become more of a sister than a best friend. I do not say it enough, but I am forever grateful for you. Ragini, you feel like home, I will miss bio, mach bhaja, and your constant presence. Mihira, your giggles made every day better, please never lose your warmth, or your appetite.

To my H2PB, I know we are never losing each other, cool aunts, weddings, Bali trip pending.

Dhruv, thank you for always being there, for believing in me, and for putting up with my 25 by 8 rants. Navya, I hope I am half as kind as you one day, I am so grateful you were my buddy in Grade 9. Hana, I love you almost as much as your food, and I will never admit again that you are one of the funniest people I know.

Aditi, I will miss our shared trauma and your tsunami alarm laugh. Dishitha, you are literal sunshine, and we are never beating the Chinese allegations. Kashyap, your ball knowledge, your fake accent, your 900 teeth, I will miss laughing with you every BM class. Hrehaan, thanks for surviving French with me, we really should have cried about those grades.

Kaahinee, every class felt lighter with you in it. Veda and Kaahinee, you made bio fun somehow. To my BM class, making songs in class is something I will never forget. Akshaya and Jaya, thank you for saving my life in throwball, I would be leaving with a broken nose without you.

I truly wish I could put all of you in my pocket and take you with me.

To the teachers who believed in me when I did not, thank you for the patience, the tough love, and the quiet kindness that meant everything. To my seniors, I hope I become even half of who you are. And to my juniors, do not forget your cool senior Devi. Take care of Neev, and do not let it get boring after we leave.

Maybe years from now, when life gets too loud, I will find that tiny pencil at the bottom of a drawer, and it will bring me right back here. Neev will always be the place that built me. And wherever I go, I will carry that pencil, and everything it holds, with me.

I do not know what the future looks like, but if these years are anything to go by, I think we will be okay.

These years were truly so sweet, so cute.

Thank you for everything.

Dhruv Manoj Jain | 12A

I waddled into Neev as a tubby, little toddler in PreK, unaware of the memories I would make, the friendships and relationships that I would build, and the immense character building I would undergo that Bill Watterson’s six year old Calvin would despise. Neev, in all its shades, has been my second home.

My journey in this first phase of my life has been enriched by the presence of my family, friends and teachers. They have made this journey not just possible, but have filled the years with a plethora of memories that would take over 50 Extended Essays to detail.

Unfortunately, we have to condense these memories into a small graduation message. Thus, I have chosen to dedicate a few lyrics from some of my favourite songs to my family, friends and teachers to show my gratitude, appreciation and love for having guided me, supported me and helped me undergo a butterflyesque metamorphosis into the man I am today.

To my family, it is incredibly difficult to articulate the gratitude I have for your presence in every single sphere of my life. Because of you, I have developed into the individual I am today, carrying a boatload of experiences, unconditional love, and innumerable lessons while also knowing that wherever I go, I will always have a home. To you, I dedicate Eminem’s ‘Not Afraid’, as you have prepared me beyond measure for the world out there.

I am not afraid to take a stand Everybody come take my hand We’ll walk this road together, through the storm Whatever weather, cold or warm Just let you know that, you’re not alone Holla if you feel that you’ve been down the same road

To my friends, you will be reminded of Ladakh from this, and I would even go to the extent to say that it’s our

grade’s anthem - to you, I dedicate Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s ‘See You Again’. You’ve stood by my side through thick and thin, and now you’ll be with me for the last ride.

First, you both go out your way and the vibe is feelin’ strong And what’s small turned to a friendship, a friendship turned to a bond And that bond’ll never be broken, the love will never get lost

(The love never get lost)

And when brotherhood come first, then the line’ll never be crossed Established it on our own when that line had to be drawn And that line is what we reached, so remember me when I’m gone

(Remember me when I’m gone)

How can we not talk about family when family’s all that we got? Everythin’ I went through, you were standin’ there by my side And now you gon’be with me for the last ride

To my teachers, your unwavering support, advice, guidance and lessons will hold me in excellent stead in this subsequent phase of my life. You’ve elevated my curiosity, intellectual ambitions and love for learning to new heights, and so I dedicate Empire of the Sun’s ‘Walking on a Dream’ to you.

We are always running for the thrill of it thrill of it Always pushing up the hill searching for the thrill of it On and on and on, we are calling out and out again Never looking down, I’m just in awe of what’s in front of me

It’s incredible how our schooling years are a mere microcosm of the vast world around us. In the moment, it feels like everything, and yet there’s still an unfathomable amount of things left to discover.

Calvin may be a six-year old, but his words of wisdom backed by thirty years of job experience never fail to strike a chord.

It’s a magical world, Hobbes, ol’ buddy…Let’s go exploring!

And I am nothing short of overjoyed to be able to explore the vast world out there.

Dishitha M. Reddy | 12A

I hesitated to begin writing this note, because it would open a door to a flood of memories and feelings I wasn’t quite ready to face. But now, as we are nearing the end of our journeys at Neev, I can’t help but look back with gratitude for every memory we’ve made together. Stepping into this school as a two and a half year old, and now leaving as an eighteen year old, takes me back to all the learnings I’ve had over the years, and all the people who have played a huge role in shaping who I am today. This place has felt like nothing less than a second home, safe and comforting in every way. These memories, so sweet and so cute, don’t just bring immense joy, but also an endless flow of tears.

Every time I think about the moments I’ve shared with these people, I can’t help but wonder how I’ll soon have to do it all without them. The friendships I’ve built over the years, and the awkward gaps we’ve filled with endless conversations, remind me how these bonds have quietly become the most meaningful parts of my life.

Starting with Ragini, my oldest friend and second half, when one of us isn’t there, the other is always asked about, and that says everything. Aditi, with her unceasing theatrics, never fails to entertain while also being a constant support. Jaya and Akshaya, the two thirds who complete my whole, without whom my days, especially art, would feel incomplete. Hrehaan, a steady source of laughter, whose endless questions annoyed me but who always listened to my rants patiently. Hana, whose failed pranks and constant braid redos somehow balanced out with everything else. Navya, whose red faced giggles could brighten any day. Ady, who made every bus ride unforgettable. Mihira, my little bundle of joy, especially in math. Kaahinee, whose hugs are the highlight of my mornings. Devi, whose presence and singing always brought calm.

Dhruv and Kashyap, the quarreling duo, kept conversations alive, usually about food. Tanish and Affan, whose teasing always came wrapped in laughter. Pranat, forever making unconsented bets.

Yashmita, who brought baked treats and endless smiles. Utkarsh, who could always persuade teachers in PHE. And Sahasra, handing out mints and candies, bringing joy in the simplest ways. In their own ways, each of them made my days brighter, and I’ll always carry these small but meaningful moments with me.

Beyond friendships, I am deeply thankful to my teachers, who guided me with immense patience. From preschool, Miss Babitha and her good mornings at the gate, Miss Sowmya and her birthday cakes, and Miss Anshu, who showed us the beauty of paper snowflakes. Miss Shiza, who wrote the sweetest notes, and Miss Ainee, who made sustainability creative and always encouraged me in math.

David Sir, for turning form time into rant sessions. Miss Ruchi, for bringing joy to online classes during Covid. Miss Manju, for believing in my work and helping me discover my love for Biology. Vineet Sir, for letting me play every aunty character. Miss Neeta, for never separating us despite our constant talking, and for believing I could do better in math every year. Navin Sir, for letting us work in groups. Miss Vaishali, for supporting us and easing our workload. Miss Rithica, for answering even the most obvious questions with patience.

Miss Leesha, for letting us share our stories, even when it took time away from lessons. Miss Biji, for making classes interactive with simulations and Kahoots. Miss Vinita, for guiding us from Grade 6 to 12 and helping us remember everything. Pradeep Sir, for ideas, laughter, and all the little treats. Abhinav Sir, for always being available. Miss Bishnupriya, for listening patiently and always helping us feel lighter. And Miss Parull, for making Nagaland rides and college conversations memorable. I am truly grateful for every lesson and every moment that made me believe I could do more.

As I think back, it isn’t just the lessons or laughter I remember, but the presence of these people in every moment. Neev will never be just a school I look back at, but a place that has given me countless memories I will carry into every part of my life.

As I leave, I find myself hoping I can recreate moments like these again, even though I know nothing will truly compare. High school feels like a rehearsal dinner, teaching us how to handle chaos before the real feast begins. And while the future may be uncertain, I know that everything I carry from here will always remain a part of me.

Hana Rasiya Yenepoya | 12A

No amount of tears I’ve cried over the past four years could have prepared me for the moment when we went from dreading our uniforms to soon wearing visitor badges just to come back to school. Looking back on my time at Neev, I realise it isn’t one defining moment that stands out, but rather all the small traditions that made these years what they were.

It was the carpool rides for Spartis every Wednesday, the Yoga Bar challenges where Kaila somehow always managed to rig it, and the week-long Uno tournaments that got far too competitive. It was the throwball games that turned chaotic, cheering together for choco lava, and loudly embarrassing our friends on their birthdays in the cafeteria. It was the long walks around the track, random vlogs, sudden screams of “pumpkin” for no reason, and saving one apple for Sahasra. It was collecting paper cranes during class, learning songs on the guitar, and sitting at our black table until it got cut in half.

It was the VMA prayer before every math exam, small conversations on the stairs before heading home, checking the colour of our uniforms every morning, and laughing through Spanish listening exams because we understood absolutely nothing. It was showing up to morning sports and regretting it instantly, being late and missing class, trying to trip each other in the hallway, and secretly looking at answers during Kahoots when we had no clue.

It was no-sugar challenges that never lasted, games of Among Us where we always ended up as imposters, stealing water bottles, making one person fill ten at once, and convincing teachers to move class just for the AC. It was endless food hunts, writing reflections that were just so sweet and cute, being overly competitive in everything, and splitting my food in half for all my fatties—now I don’t think I can finish a meal on my own.

These experiences wouldn’t have been the same without our teachers—whether they were shouting at us or sometimes even joining in. I truly think I was lucky

with the teachers I had. Thank you for every conversation, every extra class, every bit of patience, and every moment that went beyond the lesson plan. All of these have become flashbulb memories in my head.

We’ve gotten so close as a grade that now, when we play charades, we can guess each other instantly. In assemblies, we don’t even stand in class lines anymore—we’re just 41 peas in a pod. So no matter how far we go, I know I’ll always remember this class, because these people have truly made me the person I am today.

And because we can’t think outside of Ludo anymore, I see life as a game of Ludo—sometimes you race ahead, sometimes you have to start all over. Right now, we’ve all got one pawn safely in because we made it through high school, and three are still out there, waiting for all the big things coming our way.

Jayadrithi Varchus Urs | 12A

Neev has been like a second home for me, a constant. At the start of every year I’d be eager to come back, meet my friends and teachers, and make new memories. Each year was like a new beginning but in a familiar place. I’ve grown alongside this school and this is the place where I became who I am today - the girl with paint on her hands and a camera around her neck, the one with a whole portfolio about animals and a concerning obsession with wildlife.

It all started 17 years ago at Neev Whitefield. I was barely a year and eight months old when my parents decided to take a chance and put me in this new small school that only took me in on one condition, that I’d repeat the year because I was too young. 16 years later, I couldn’t be more grateful to them, for the people I met, the friends I made and the person I’ve become.

To my teachers - thank you for the patience and guidance that carried me through all these years. To Ms. Aparna and Ms. Keerthana, thank you for believing in me and making my first few years at Neev some of the best I’ve had. Ms. Amita and Ms Rohini, you made Spanish class more than just about learning a new language, you made it fun and exciting, y por eso, estoy muy agradecida. Ms. Biji, Ms. Leesha, Ms. Amrita and Hare Ram Sir, thank you for helping me get through these last two years, constantly pushing me to do the best I can. And last, but definitely not the least, thank you to each and every one of my art teachers, Ms. Benezeer, Ms. Sushma, Karan Sir, Ms. Jayethi and Pradeep Sir, thank you for making me the artist I am today.

To my friends - thank you for all the memories, the company, the jokes and the conversations. From pre-school to grade school, Core Campus to Yemlur,

Hampi to Nagaland, PYP to DP, from the firsts to the lasts, you guys have been my constant. We grew up with monkeys stealing our lunch and trips to the butterfly park, in pre-school, through stargazing, Neevotsav, the lemonade stand and project rhino in PYP; to racing through the Rann of Kutch, counting cows, taking care of Bob and online PHE in middle school. From all the “what happened”s, to the grey mask and the “snow peaked caps” of Ladakh to horror stories, silk worms, and long drives in Nagaland. I’ll always remember the art room therapy sessions, MM Hills trips, kings in the student lounge, mafia and charades, the minor setbacks and major comebacks, the competitions and the smoothies, and every other goofy thing we did. Thank you for growing up with me, making school feel like home and for giving me memories I’ll never forget.

- Blue (check Hana, Navya and Akshaya’s notes)

Nikhil Ganesh | 12A

G’day!

I stumbled into Neev Academy as a quiet kid, a person with no opinions; I was not expressive. I rarely participated in class discussions and engaged with activities. As a 4th grader, I could have never anticipated the monumental change that Neev was about to bring to my life, the moment I stepped into the gates of Neev Academy and the boundaries of the PYP block, the only thing that could stop me on this journey was myself. I often describe my time at Neev as a luggage cart of experiences, some are small while others are big but they always travel with me, regardless of the destination. Experiences in which I laughed and learnt (laughed more of course!). The experiences and memories can never be summed up in a note, however I will try my best.

Learning journeys were definitely one of the best things during my time at Neev, the excitement and joy preceding departure and the fun and celebration upon reaching the destination. Years on from Gujarat and Ladakh I still cherish memories but I must give special mention to the Nagaland trip. I will never forget my travel team for the trip - Devi, Aditi and Aarnav. While I may not have understood the objective of Contact (still don’t) and the many other games we “tried” playing, it remains etched in my memory, I could not have had a better travel team.

My experiences in class left me with a lot of questions to ponder on and jokes to laugh at. Be it having insightful conversations in every corner of the classroom or cracking jokes, these tiny things have helped me build connections and form powerful friendships.

If I did not include my friends in this grad note, it would feel incomplete. To my dear friends, thank you so much for making my school years memorable, you guys are the reason I wake up at 6 AM to come to school.

To Dhruv and Kabir, thank you for joining in on my YouTuber aspirations, while we may not have become famous minecraft YouTubers, we built something far better.

Kashyap, Tanish and Affan, our friendship stretched far beyond the confines of the Business Management classroom. Thank you Affan and Tanish for making every class fun and memorable, truly the Hypemen of any class. Kashyap, thank you for gracing me with your football opinions (I dont agree with) and ball knowledge (“Impeccable”) also thanks for making me study Business Management in any free period.

Gupta and Nevyn, thank you for listening to all my opinions and thoughts, we could make a book with the number of opinions I have given!

Neel, Hrehaan and Utkarsh - Thank you for tolerating my volleyball and football skills during every lunch, I apologise if we were never able to get a full rally in volleyball or score that easy goal.

Arvind and Pranat, thanks for being partners in getting food at all the restaurants in Indiranagar, these moments strengthen our relationship over something we like (a lot).

To my math class in a math class - Siddhant, Aarush, Sawant and Pranaav, I will always teach you a maths concept if you dont understand it (even when I dont understand it). Siddhant, your constant questioning and jokes have made me laugh everytime. Pranaav, your practical “solution” to solving problems has definitely helped. Aarush, your constant connections to physics elevate my understanding of math and its applications, literally!

Athlete and Vivek, both of you without a doubt, give a positive mood to any meeting or conversation. Thank you for being the comical and whimsical people you are.

Navya, Hana and Aditi, thanks for calling me to play Among Us. While I may have never won, the laughter and games made it worthwhile

Devi, Kaahinee and Veda: Thank you for being fantastic friends and classmates. Business management classes would not have been as fun and memorable without you guys. The roleplays and Scottish accent are something I will never forget.

This incredible journey would not have been possible without my teachers. Thank you to all the teachers who have supported me in my academic journey.

“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” – A.A. Milne

Pranaav V. Ramanaa | 12A

Neev has been my second home since I was two years old. It didn’t just teach me subjects—it shaped me into the person I am becoming. Every corridor I walked through, every classroom I sat in, and every conversation I had here quietly left its mark on me. Neev gave me more than an education; it gave me values, perspective, and a place where I always felt I belonged.

I was not the ideal student, and I did not always score the highest marks. But this school never made me feel small for that. Instead, Neev taught me to respect effort, to face failure honestly, and to accept setbacks with the same calm as success. Here, I learned that failure is not an end—it is often the beginning of real learning. I learned to trust the process, even when the results didn’t come immediately.

My years at Neev were full of challenges, growth, and quiet lessons that shaped me over time. There were moments of doubt, moments of struggle, and moments where things didn’t go my way. But each of those moments taught me resilience. Each mistake taught me clarity. Each experience prepared me, not just for exams, but for life beyond these walls. As I step into a much larger world today, I do so with confidence—not because I know everything, but because I know how to learn, how to grow, and how to stand back up when I fall. Neev taught me to move forward with belief in myself, even when things feel uncertain.

Before I thank my teachers, I want to thank my parents. Thank you for your patience, your sacrifices, and for giving me the freedom to find my own path. You supported me through every high and every low, trusted me even when the journey wasn’t clear, and believed in me when I struggled to believe in myself. Everything I am today is rooted in your support.

I would now like to thank my teachers—not just for teaching me, but for shaping me.

You saw me beyond my report cards. You gave me time

when I needed it, guidance when I was lost, and honesty when I needed to hear it. You taught me discipline, responsibility, reflection, and confidence. You reminded me that growth is not always visible immediately, but it is always happening.

Ashish Sir, thank you for, standing by me even when my scores were against me and for teaching me that consistency matters more than sudden change.

Ms. Shree Nidhi, thank you for your patience, encouragement, and for helping me believe that mindset matters.

Ms. Vaishali, thank you for your constant support, and for always being willing to help me when i needed it.

Ms. Nandita, thank you for motivating me and helping me hold onto my confidence during difficult moments.

Ms. Devleena, thank you for bringing clarity and structure to ESS, and making it feel manageable.

Ms. Arushie, thank you for your effort, your extra classes, and for making Spanish easier than I ever expected.

Ms. Parull, thank you for guiding me beyond academics, and reminding me to enjoy the journey, not just the result.

A special thank you to Mr. Olwin, my mentor. You believed in me when my marks didn’t reflect my effort. You pushed me to be disciplined, sincere, and organized, and you never stopped expecting better from me. Your belief shaped my confidence more than you know.

And finally, to my friends—thank you for making these years what they were. Thank you for the laughter on difficult days, the conversations that made things lighter, the shared stress, the shared joy, and the memories that will stay long after school ends. Some of you helped without even realizing it. Some of you stood by me quietly. All of you mattered.

These 18 years shaped me in ways I will only fully understand with time. This chapter may be ending, but everything it gave me stays.

I move forward grateful, confident, and ready. See you again at the reunions.

Pranat Ajit Jain | 12A

I mean, it is unbelievable, Neev Academy is like an excited expanding container, it is unbelievably unpredictable.

As Arka Sir very rightly said, life is like a sine curve, always oscillating between the positive and the negative. Looking back at this past year, I realise how true that has been. So many moments swung between fun and frustration, but now all I feel is nostalgia. From Aarnav’s warm cuddles in Nagaland, to Sawant’s god awful spikes every time I set to him, to Affan punching the ball no matter how many times I told him not to, to Dishitha checking up on me whenever I seemed off, to Hana constantly losing aura for skipping morning training, to Ragini always sharing her strawberries, to Athalye and his fancy car, to Sunayana and Truth or Dare on long Nagaland drives, every moment, high or low, came together to create a rhythm I’ll always remember.

“You must square yourself, always remaining in the positive quadrant.” In that spirit, a lot of people pushed me to do better. Arvind ragebaited me into locking in for 75 Hard out of pure spite, and Kabir did the same during math and volleyball. Nikhil’s calm, gentlemanly aura and his directions to Jyotinivas became a core memory, oddly enough sharpening my sense of direction. Sanjana mogging me in chemistry made me realise how lost I was, pushing me to actually try in term 3. Sitara’s book suggestions and her company in Ladakh made me a little more literate and thoughtful.

Sometimes, the most random things made us laugh uncontrollably. As Arka Sir said, if we could find joy

in such chaos, maybe we really were deprived of entertainment. But I’ll never forget laughing with Dhruv during the “give Saahas a bite” incident, or judging people with Yash in physics, or dealing with Aditi’s nightmare laugh and nonstop talking in math. Rohit’s no fizzy drink journey somehow became entertaining, and Anya’s endless drives home and anime musical rants were moments I genuinely looked forward to. Sanath, no matter what anyone says, you’ll always be a horse in my head. Tamara needed that extra nudge, Veda and I laughed at literally nothing, and Tanish made the Ladakh bus ride unforgettable with Tiny Tingu. Even memes like Abundalakaka and Allouette somehow became core parts of our humour since Grade 9.

Through all of this, teachers grounded me. Miss Parull for always promising food, Miss Vaishali for appreciating it, Miss Uma for keeping me company when I was late, Miss Surbhi for disciplining me in biology, Prabhat Sir for always giving me the volleyball, Sunit Sir for accepting my flower, Dawa Sir for losing to me in tennis, and Ujwal Sir for making me write math again and again until I finally got it. And most importantly, Arka Sir, for the quotes and the perspective that stayed with me.

Beyond classmates and teachers, my juniors made school life unpredictable and fun. Areeha, Rity, Uppu, and Aarin for trying to bully me despite the size difference, Meghna for genuinely wanting to learn, Araiya for that detailed house tour, Aarav for daily daps, Keerat for always smiling, Vidush for bus cookies, Shreya for the fist bumps, and Manish, I think I can finally beat you at arm wrestling. Agasthya taught me ninja stars, Dhaani shared my obsession, Aanvi’s giggles were unmatched, and those endless panipuri rides, I still owe you all for that.

Some people deserve a special mention. Nevyn, for the company that one morning. Tanish, for your glow up and your constant push. Hrehaan, for the endless reels and emotional support. Arvind, for shaping how I live, from gaming to food. Vivek, for the duets that made classes better. Neel, for always competing with me and pushing me to improve.

Diya, for listening to my endless thoughts, Sahasra, for basically writing my college essays, Akshaya, for the most chaotic and unforgettable conversations, and Utkarsh, for always showing up. Whether it was morning training, food, or just being there, you never bailed, and that meant everything.

When I counted everyone I mentioned, I realised I had left someone out, myself. And honestly, these last eighteen years wouldn’t have been possible without me either. So I guess I’m grateful for showing up, for being part of every moment, and for becoming who I am today.

Rohini Arya | 12A

I put off writing this until the very last moment, which honestly feels like the most accurate representation of my time at this school. Neev has always been a second home for me, from the Whitefield pre-school era where I wore pink EVERY SINGLE DAY, to this campus where I still carry that legacy through my pink ‘highlighter’ shoes.

This journey would not be complete without the amazing teachers I got to meet along the way. Miss Benazeer, thank you for shaping my artistic side from the start. Karan sir and Nischit sir, thank you for helping me get better at art and for giving me the confidence to actually pursue it in DP. Pradeep sir and Miss Jayeti, thank you for supporting me through the madness that is the DP art. Miss Nandita and Miss Chaitra, I was fully prepared to hate economics, and somehow you made me like it. Miss Biji, thank you for making bio fun with your quizzes. Ashis sir and Ujwal sir, thank you for making math feel less like an enemy. Miss Vinita, you’ve stuck with me since Grade 6 and still managed to keep hindi ‘manoranjak’. Sunit sir, thank you for bringing panache into our lives. Arka sir, thanks so much for laughing at Anya with me. Miss Vaishali, thank you for helping me get better at L&L even on days when I had given up. And Miss Uma and Miss Mary, thank you SO much for tolerating my constant requests for exit and infirmary slips all these years.

Neev gave me more than just knowledge, it gave me the friends that have made me who I am today. Veda and Tamara, thank you for always lifting me up and making my days better. Sanjana and Sitara, I will always proudly flaunt my membership in the ‘Dead Readers Society’ and hope that maybe one day we’ll actually read a book together. Sanath, sunshine, leprechaun, thank you for being an amazing cameraman and the best mid-game interviewer. Sunayana, thanks for making the car rides in Nagaland entertaining while Pranat slept. Vivek thanks for helping me edit this. Nikhil, Kabir, Yash, and Anya, thank you so much for staying locked in for Hindi with

me. I don't think I could have done it without you guys. Diya, Jaya, and Aadya, thank you for surviving the pandemic with me and my obsession with matching profile pictures. Jaya, leading the art club with you was one of the highlights of my time at Neev, I never could have done it alone. Pranat, thank you for forcing me to study, it’s been fun being the Yang to your nothing. Kashyap and Moksh, thank you for making the bus rides tolerable (Kashyap you still owe me money), I will forever remember Route 11 (I promised Ritwik a shout-out). Arvind, thanks so much for keeping me company during that horrifically tense RCB match, your commentary was much needed to keep me focused on the game and not dinner. Aarnav, I really hope you and Aarav eventually become friends. Diya Samit, thank you so much for making the MYP art classes so fun, still waiting for the autographed copy of your E-assessment painting for my room. And Anya, I don’t even know where to begin. How am I supposed to summarise nine years of summer camps, classes, impromptu sleepovers, road trips, and all our other shenanigans? Thank you for making me laugh, keeping me grounded, and being my fellow pathetic pedestrian.

As much as I complained all these years, I will always fondly look back at my time here. To vaguely quote my favourite movie, “I hate the way I don't hate [school], not even a little bit, not even at all”.

Sahasra Nangineni | 12A

In media res, or “in the middle of things,” is when a story begins mid action. I joined Neev in media res in eighth grade, where the concept was, quite aptly, one of the first things I learnt here. As we finally leave the middle to reach the end, it feels right to look back and thank the people who got me here.

To my teachers: Miss Surbhi, for your belief that I was a biology prodigy in 10th. Karan Sir, for teaching me to (bee)lieve in myself, even if I still can’t draw a straight line. Miss Chaitra, for being the best Nagaland companion and for caring so deeply for all of us. Miss Bindu and Roopak Sir, for not throwing chemicals at us despite temptation. Samir Sir, for your “rampant” tolerance of late submissions and your passion for history and music. Sunit Sir, for your giggles in Econ, and Miss Nandita for your refreshing honesty. Hare Ram Sir, for convincing me I can, in fact, do some math. Miss Vinita, for pushing us to succeed in Hindi. Saai Sir, for making me love the humanities and guiding my GP EE. Miss Leesha, for always smiling and somehow being excited about CAS. Miss Karthika, for watching me stumble from NLF to Neev Times. Miss Kavita, for believing in me. Miss Parull, for hot chocolate and endless essay rewrites. Miss Vaishali, for keeping me on my toes and for our lunch conversations. And Miss Amrita, for being one of the kindest, most supportive people I’ve ever known.

Aditi, thanks for covering my notebooks with doodles and for SOBO accents during Karunashraya. Hana, thanks for the apple slices and Duolingo motivation. Dishitha, for your hugs and thoughtful gifts. Mihira, for your sunshine in 315. Dhruv, I will never forgive you for throwing my magical mountain stick out of the van, but the coffee jelly almost made up for it. Kashyap, for all the Geoguessr and flag games. Dravid, for keeping me humble and finishing every orange. Akshaya and Tamara, for saving me in Tamil and dancing through chaos. Hrehaan, for your perfectly timed dad jokes.

Sitara, for letting me exploit your New York Times account, shooting hoops, and listening to Karunashraya rants. Sanjana, for hunting nonexistent four leaf clovers

and being the best roommate. Rohini, for always checking in. Veda, for your reactions to everything. Anya, for your humour, comebacks, and a fridge that never disappoints. Sanath, the yin to my yang, thank you for making every Northeast trip louder and more chaotic.

Jaya, thank you for tolerating my nonstop talking with that patient smile. Gupta, for being occasionally funny in math and chem. Nevyn, I admire the effort you put into everything. Kaahinee, you’re my favourite brown thing, and I know it’ll work out for both of us. Athalye, thanks for being infuriatingly funny, now give me back my eraser. Tanish, you’re paradoxical in ways I’m still processing. Utkarsh, thanks for the L&L ragebait and for appreciating girly pop. Neel, for your honesty, constant needling, and love for Minecraft music.

To my juniors: Anoushka, for your hugs and enthusiasm. Shen, please bring a jacket, and thanks for reminding me to just go for it. Ishana, Nihaal, Arin, and the Neev Times team, thank you for your dedication and teamwork.

Pranat and Vivek, I don’t know where to begin. Vivek, thank you for driving me insane, showing up at random times, being my spare bank account, and for all our walks, grocery experiments, and pre exam math panic sessions. Thank you for the dumb jokes, the great food, the constant support, and for always checking in. You’ve helped me grow more confident in ways I didn’t expect.

And finally, Diya, my illegal wife, soulmate, and cat impersonator. Thank you for helping me discover things I didn’t know I loved: the colour red, nachos, lying on grassy hills, and being late because neither of us can keep track of time.

As I leave, or as Neev lets go of me, I think it’s only fitting to end with this: everything in life is free if you just take it. Maybe not literally, but don’t hold back. Be unapologetically yourself in everything you do. It’s what makes the world interesting.

And remember, if it’s mutual :)

“Someday, I will repay you. Unless, of course, I can’t find you or if I forget.”

Sanath Kumaar Maheswaran | 12A

I entered Neev in DP-1 not only new to the school but the city as a whole, and these last two years have been some of the most transformative in my life, even if I maybe haven't lived up to my own ideals on what my personal duties as a person given my particular circumstances, are to be. My time here in this school and city both have helped grow the scope and depth of these ideals and helped form a more holistic view as to what I should aim to be, and this unique cosmopolitanized sense of self could not have been fostered without the people who have been with me along the way.

To all my teachers throughout DP-1 and DP-2, thank you for always giving me a second chance to redeem myself whenever I ended up falling behind, even if it was often entirely by cause of my own wrongdoing, I wouldn't have been able to make it through these two years without your support.

If I had to describe my experience with the cohort in short, it would be a sense of unity in a common experience of chaos, which honestly is not that far from my description of what keeps this city together, I am truly blessed to have been with such a chaotic neutral community, and even if I did often self isolate myself, It will always mean something to me that I was a Neev student, and I think each and every one of you had a distinguished impact on the person I have become, and even if I forget your names and your faces, it won't change the fact that you’ve made me into who I am.

If I had to relate my state of mind and emotions with which I wrote this grad note with to a song, it would be death bed (coffee for your head) by Powfu.

Garg | 12A

Neev has been where I’ve grown up. I’m incredibly grateful that I chose to come here, and for the people who have been there along the way.

Thank you to all my teachers. Hare Ram Sir, for always answering all of my questions with exceptional patience and for your faith in me. Saai Sir, thank you for encouraging me to do more, both academically and in debate. Miss Bindu and Roopak Sir, for making me look forward to chemistry classes and for dealing with our constant negotiations over free periods and grades. Miss Biji, thank you for the highly competitive biology-themed games, which made class infinitely more fun. Miss Vinita, for your constant dedication (and sorry for all the spelling mistakes). Miss Ela, for the hundreds of terrifying comments on my essays and for tolerating us laughing when we weren’t supposed to.

To my friends, some of my favourite memories have been with you. Sitara, thank you for being my favourite person to talk to about everything under the sun, and I’m so glad that we were forced to do that L and L assignment together when we were 12. We really do form an echo chamber. Rohini, thank you for the music recommendations and for the hour-long calls during the pandemic. Anya and Tamara, thank you for being my first and occasionally funniest friends in Neev. Our lunch-table conversations are unforgettable, even if I desperately try. Sahasra, I can count on you to do a crossword with me and make me laugh during Hindi. Diya, thank you for stressing about deadlines with me and for the deep conversations during PHE. Finally, Aditi, we are truly inseparable. When I first joined Neev six years ago, I was shocked to see how closely-knit everyone was, and now this community and its support are something I’m immensely thankful for.

I’ll miss Neev and all its spaces. The library I always forgot

to renew books from, the classrooms where seating arrangements were sacred, the sloping hill that became an observatory. Some of the most memorable parts of my life have been in the past six years, whether it be intensely rooting for Narmada in every house competition, the car rides in Nagaland, or day-to-day classroom interactions. I’m glad that the future, uncertain and hopeful in equal measures, begins from this place.

Sanjana

Siddhant Dravid | 12A

Confronting fear is the destiny of the Jedi

Luke Skywalker said to Rey in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. While not my favourite Star Wars movie, these words, spoken by my favourite character, really resonated with me. I entered Neev Indiranagar in 2013 as a five year old, unsure of what to expect except that I would probably get to sleep a lot, which I still do. What I found instead was a home that nurtured me for the next twelve years. From the sandpits of the PYP building to the peaks of Nagaland, Neev has been the one constant in my life. Now, as I stand on the edge of leaving for college, looking back feels overwhelming. The years begin to merge as the reality of leaving truly sinks in. It is finally time for me to confront my fear.

Before I go blow up the Death Star and maybe study Economics or Law on the side, there are people I need to thank.

To my family, thank you for always being there and putting up with my out of pocket perspectives. Mom, thank you for teaching me that everyone deserves respect and for introducing me to everything nerdy. Dad, thank you for always being ready for a political discussion and for passing down your music taste. My dorm will always have Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, and Billy Joel playing because of you. To my sister, thank you for being honest, even when I did not want to hear it. And to my cat, thank you for greeting me the same way every day, no matter how my exams went.

To my teachers, thank you for shaping me along the way. Samir Sir, thank you for tolerating my questions and granting extensions on history essays. Miss Nandita, thank you for answering every current Affairs question I had. Ashis Sir, thank you for your advice that somehow

always made sense later. Miss Vaishali, thank you for pushing me and teaching me that failure can be the greatest teacher. Miss Rohini, thank you for helping me with Spanish and indirectly introducing me to Spanish music. Finally, Arka Sir, thank you for always believing in me, even when things were not in my favour. I will carry that belief with me.

To my friends, the people who made these twelve years unforgettable. Some of you I have known for over a decade, others for only a few years, but all of you have mattered equally.

Nevyn, thank you for being there from Indiranagar to the long drives home. Maldini is still better than Van Dijk. Dhruv, my fellow United fan and Car 1 partner, thank you for the memories. To Car 1 in Nagaland, thank you for bringing me out of my shell and making that trip unforgettable. I will always remember the two wins I got.

Tanish and Kabir, we have grown up together, and I would not change that for anything. Hrehaan, you are one of the nicest people I know, and somehow your insults are still funny. Neel, thank you for being an amazing bandmate and always lifting me up. Pranat, thank you for being someone I could trust and for the memories since fifth grade. Utkarsh, thank you for reminding me that I am a fake sports fan. Nikhil, thank you for sitting with me in math and talking about Andor. Start Peaky Blinders.

Prannav, thank you for keeping me humble with your wisdom. Kashyap, my Kendrick Lamar twin, thank you for introducing me to Wes Anderson and for singing with me on Language Day. Devi, thank you for your music taste and for helping me with LNL and Math. Aditi and Sahasra, thank you for the history classes and all the memories in 301 and 315. Arvind, thank you for always making me laugh, whether intentionally or not.

To my juniors, thank you for making school more fun. Vihaan, for improving my music taste. Aarav Yernool, for the random bus conversations. Aarav Patel, for the daily corridor greetings.

To everyone who has been part of this journey, I have one final message. The Force will be with you, always, and so will I. Thank you for everything, and I will see you at the reunion.

Sitara Rishikesh | 12A

When I was little, I used to daydream about walking up a flight of grand stairs and delivering an acceptance speech (for seemingly no accomplishment) that ended in rapturous applause and the audience in tears. However, this will do nicely.

Thank you to my family for being chill, especially when I was the polar opposite of that. Thank you to my teachers. Although I did sometimes have nightmares of all of you morphed together screaming “You shall not pass” like that one meme, I am incredibly grateful. To Miss Vaishali, for being scary but also cool, the very epitome of an English teacher. Miss Biji, very sorry for scaring you with our sieve-like memories when it comes to units we have already covered. To Miss Bindu and Roopak sir, I don’t know how you made my scariest subject seem almost straightforward, but I applaud you for it. Ujwal sir, thank you for showing me that math can be fun, even though it’s usually not. To Ashis sir, for the constant IA hacks. To Miss Chaitra and Miss Nandita, thank you for turning economics from a subject requirement to an actual interest. Miss Vinita, thank you for never saying anything about the mid-Hindi sweets.

For the friends who have come and gone and stayed, I have been very lucky to know every one of you. Sanjana, thank you for putting up with my incessant chatter (and being the only one in the world to hear it). Sometimes I think we are dangerously on the same wavelength. Sanvi and Hana, terrorizing those tiny frogs that one rainy day after a sleepover was definitely a core memory. To Rohini, thank you for the constant companionship in class, and sorry for all the amazing plans that have fallen through (inevitably, because of me). Tamara, thank you for your solidarity in remaining sane through chemistry. Anya, your comedic timing is insane, you genuinely may be the funniest person I know. To my lunch table group, the conversations we have are definitely the most interesting part of my day. Aditi, thanks for being an unexpected friend and an amazing Chief Editor. To Sahasra and Diya, an unforeseen source of deep philosophical conversation on the basketball court (and

thank you to Sahasra for being the source of said mid-Hindi sweets). One does not simply forget friends like these.

I always thought I couldn’t wait to graduate, but as I write this, everyone’s warnings otherwise begin to take effect. I shall dearly miss everything, from the hardships to the triumphs. And one thing is certain, I will glance back with affection.

The Road goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can

Sunayana Siddharth Surana | 12A

I realise as I grow older that growing never ends. Each time after another wave of maturation, I think back on my views before. I thought I knew all about what joy and sadness was, and yet I continue to find new forms of every emotion everyday. Here I am, happy about finally going to college and feeling more independent. Yet it makes me disappointed that I can never again make those high school memories, the kind where you skirt around rules just enough to not be in trouble, the kind where you laugh until it hurts.

Truth be told, I was never particularly best friends with anyone in our grade. But I am still fortunate to have been part of a great batch. There were many kind peers, like the ones at my current lunch table: Rohini, Tamara, Sanjana, Sitara, Veda, Anya, Sanath and occasionally Sahasra and Diya. These people are the ones who deserve most credit for my still-intact sanity. The hilarious talks and movie recommendations that I can’t remember for the life of me, were all memorable. Then there are some others, like Aditi who always cheers me on for a race or a test, or Dishita who carefully did my makeup for the senior’s graduation, Hana who got me the best ever Christmas present, Pranat and Rohini who were the best company during Nagaland and the list goes on and on. There’s Akshaya’s constant reminders for Goa (even though I am not going), and also her sandwiches that I’ll miss. Then there’s Veda sitting with me for Hindi and Tok throughout the first half of 11th grade. There’s so much to mention that I might as well list them out: Buzzfeed quizzes, Throlley, Psych Movie, AWOO, Nagaland Uno, Polar Bear after exams, unserious CSP, constant bickering between Hrehaan, Mihira and Ragini, references to IT, etc.

I want to highlight how each subject and teacher, not just students have become a part of my life forever— Miss Vaishali’s dramatic classes and occasional doughnuts, Pradeep Sir’s bad jokes and generosity, Ashis Sir’s one-liners, Miss Biji’s white-board games and efforts to make the class interactive, Miss Vinita’s praises and threats that kept me on line along with her help for Extended Essay, and finally Miss Leesha’s relatable life lessons and true crime discussions. The

teachers who left were still impactful, like passionate teacher Ujjwal Sir, sweet Miss Jayathi, hilarious Sanket Sir and Sunit Sir (in different ways), and supportive form tutors Miss Chaitra and Miss Jyothsana.

At a time when I am leaving all of these behind, but taking along with me the memories, I find it quite nostalgic already. I might be looking at it from rose tinted glasses of hindsight but truly, what else does one need to remember except joy and lessons.

Utkarsh Sharma | 12A

I was 5 or 6 years old. That’s how old I was when I first walked through the gates of Neev, a nervous kid who had just moved to India, unsure of what this chapter of life would bring. What I didn’t know then was that Neev would become more than a school. It would become home. From those early days in Neev Early Years, I remember the laughter on the playground, the stories whispered during break time, and the sense that I belonged somewhere that saw me for who I was: curious, wide-eyed, and full of questions. I made friends then who felt like family, and somehow, after all these years, people like Dhruv, Affan, Diya, and Anya are still right here beside me.

I still remember my first teachers who shaped my early journey: Miss Shiza in Grade 1, who even in her punishments for my shenanigans had lots of love; or Miss Daya and Miss Meera in Grade 5, who showed me that learning wasn’t just about books, but about curiosity. They were the first to see a spark in me before I saw it in myself.

When I moved into Middle School, the challenges grew, but so did my love for what I did. I had incredible mentors: David sir, who somehow made me fall in love with literature I once dreaded; and Vineet sir, who pushed me to grow both on stage and off it, reminding me that confidence isn’t built overnight but earned through persistence. Those years were full of laughter, panic before submissions, and the slow realization that school wasn’t just where I studied but where I learned who I was becoming. And then came high school, which feels like both a lifetime and a moment ago. I think back to meeting Arka sir, who spoke a language that, at first, felt completely foreign to me, complex physics. Over time, though, his words and lessons grew familiar, not just the subject, but the depth of knowledge behind it. I’ll miss that rhythm, those discussions, that unspoken understanding that what he taught went beyond equations and into the way of thinking itself. Saai Sir, who joined in 9th grade, and with his passion for debate and the humanities in general, inspired me to find my own path in that realm. I will always miss the daily math classes with Hare Ram sir. He believed in me through every high and every low, reminding me that consistency is what will define growth, and that sometimes

knowing the complex might be useless if you forget the basics. Miss Vinita, who has incredibly managed to handle my chaotic energy in Hindi since Grade 6 all the way to Grade 12, deserves far more than a thank you. Miss Leesha, who could make even the biological approach in psychology theories feel fascinating, reminded me that passion is what turns learning into joy, and ensured that I remembered the ethics of psychological research and knowledge. Miss Chaitra, who taught me in 8th grade, and still chose to believe in me again in 11th grade. And Miss Amrita, whose love for literature inspired me to contribute to every single class, even if she might’ve preferred a little more silence.

Every person, every moment at Neev has been a brushstroke in the painting of who I am today. And when I think of all those years, there’s one constant thread: the friendships that carried me through. To all my friends, thank you. For the laughter that stitched broken days back together, for the fierce debates, the late-night study sessions, the shared silences that said a thousand words more than language could. I’d like to give a small shout to every single one of the people who’ve been a part of my journey here.

Starting with my first group of friends at Neev. Dhruv, the first friend I made, 13 years ago, because by some stroke of dumb luck, the buddy I got assigned, joining 3 weeks into the year, is still here with me till this day, arguing on the basketball court, but also laughing, seeing others play. Thank you for being there to disagree with me on my outlandish views, arguing with me on who’s winning the league this year, but also for making me laugh for the last 13 years. Affan, the firecracker whom I also met 13 years ago, thank you for our long bathroom conversations, thank you for our little jokes, and thank you for the wonderful biriyani you used to give me. Diya and Anya, thank you for the short conversations and words of encouragement over the past 13 years; they matter a lot more than you might think.

Moving on to everyone on my journey from 1st to 12th grade. Starting at the very end of my time at Neev, Aarnav, Athalye, Arvind, Sanath, Vivek, and Kashyap. Aarnav, thank you for reminding me how lucky I am to have lost my accent within a few months of shifting to India, and somehow always competing with me for a place as first receiver. Athalye, my “stoic” goat, your unwavering sense of “calm” reminds me that maybe life isn’t so stressful after all. Thank you for that. Arvind, in many ways the exact opposite of Athalye, thank you for being so chalant, your voice truly reaches the hearts and the ears of everyone in a 2-mile radius around you. Sanath, on the days you do show up to school, your presence in Econ truly improves the classroom. Thank you for the many disagreements, but also the many times you helped me defend my argument to the rest of the class. Vivek, my performative male friend, thank you for teaching me that you know how to make better dough, thank you for being the only one (outside of maybe Neel) who’ll always be up for solving the most diabolical math problems, and for sitting with me on the many long hours of treacherous college applications. Kashyap. You want my gratitude? You want a ‘Thank You?’ Then keep it, bro, keep it.

Yash Vutukuru Reddy | 12A

They often say we are the sum of our experiences. Now, reflecting back on my twelve years here, I know every challenge and triumph has helped sculpt the person I am today.

I remember stepping through the school gates as a quiet kid, intimidated by the world. It was the unwavering support of my friends that allowed me to embark on a profound emotional journey, shedding that shy shell and growing into a confident, outgoing person. The bonds we forged are unbreakable, and you stood by me through every high and every low.

Our learning journey was truly exceptional, covering both the academic and the non-academic. The small class sizes meant we had incredibly personal, enriching discussions, not just lectures. This environment fostered a special teacher bond—to all my teachers, thank you for not just instructing me, but for seeing me, guiding me, and equipping me with essential life skills. Your patience and dedication were instrumental.

And then there were the physical and mental adventures: the high-altitude demands of the Ladakh trek, the rigorous discipline of preparing for our exams, and the countless small moments that taught us more than any textbook ever could. These experiences were far beyond academics; they were lessons in endurance, leadership, and true camaraderie.

I leave here immensely grateful for my friends, who were my anchors and my inspiration, and to the teachers, who guided me with such care. Thank you for the memories, the growth, and the bonds that will truly stay for life.

Aditi Garg | 12B

The seemingly insignificant moments at Neev are now the ones that feel impossible to part with. A shoebox in my room overflows with small memories: Glow-in-the-dark bracelets from my first Battle of the Bands, diyas painted every year on Diwali, paper rings from the green tissues, and at least a hundred chits I was too afraid to throw away.

I will be grateful for and forever in debt to the teachers who have so immensely shaped my life. Miss Vinita, thank you for forgiving the same spelling mistakes since sixth grade. Sunit Sir, I will always treasure the list of your phrases in my notebook. Miss Nandita, for sustaining my love for Economics beyond school, and Samir Sir, for dealing with my handwriting and rushed conclusions. Thank you, Hare Ram Sir, for having faith in me when you probably shouldn't have. Miss Bindu and Roopak Sir, for the free periods and repeated explanations, I stand by the fact that chemistry is fake. Miss Shree Nidhi, for never minding the fact that taking our attendance always meant coming to the wrong section. Miss Leesha, for all the waves and for letting me disturb your classes. Miss Vaishali, for letting me take so much panga with you and for the trauma I will hold above your head eternally. Finally, thank you, Miss Ela, because I left all your classes for the milkbreak smiling after having accomplished wasting 90% of your time.

It makes me glad to know that despite all the hairfall that came with DP, we will always revert back to a time where we could be ignorant of whatever complex numbers are. I will never forget us staying up to stargaze in Gujarat, being woken up rudely by Gupta and Neel’s snoring from the next tent in Ladakh, or the early sunrise in Nagaland that made me forgive Kashyap’s loud footsteps. I wish I could forget the algae in the cubbies in sixth grade, and wish I could say the stench from Mihira’s locker is not as bad, but at least some things never change. I truly would not be who I am without the monkey in our repulsively smelly homeroom, the constant throat ache after every throlley game, begging Miss Uma for last minute exit

slips and printouts, the absolute rage at being killed for no good reason during Mafia, Among Us, and Ludo, or our insane ethos-pathos-logos that got us out of classes and to the field. Thank you to all my classmates for setting the bar so high.

Thank you for making me partly codependent by coming with me to wash my hands, dropping me to classes or the bus, for holding my bottle, and for tolerating the same three jokes that started the tsunami alarms. I will forever cherish the nights before Spirit days for the sudden ability to coordinate costumes, for having the courage to scam alumni and teachers during fundraisers, and for annually escaping the sports day tryouts. I have no recollection of when any of you forced your way into my life, but there’s an infinite number of reasons I am proud to have been momentarily in yours, and beyond grateful to have had you in mine.

Thank you for adding to the shelves of memories Pixar would never be able to make a movie about. Aksh, for your endless laughter and for being the real football team captain, and Jaya, for letting me steal your pencil pouch and inspect your stationery daily. Anya, for your limitless knowledge on Wicked and for all our interpretations of monkeys in chains. Nevyn, for holding every door open and patiently giving us all the answers in Chem, and Tanish, because your obnoxious handwriting will always be worse than mine. Utkarsh, for all the urgent math IA emails and for listening to my accurate Stranger Things theories, and Gupta, for cheating in Buzzfeed and because I will never get distribution. Pranat, for showing me Brawlhalla where I discovered my immense natural talent, and Sahasra for helping me rediscover my love for Fox’s and for always nudging me awake. Moses and Vivek, thank you for the best start to the best learning journey, for Apples2Apples, and for the far left. Hare, for your bholu Spanish nonsense, and Dhruv for all the side-eyes in Hindi. Diya, for the bathroom and library escapes, for removing me from that terrible groupchat, and the cockroach encounter. Sitara, because I know deep down you love my contributions to your Hindi notebook and because the Sith speak in absolutes.

Kaahinee, for the cuteness-aggression (100%), and Mihir, for just the aggression. Dev, for the failed EE all-nighter, music staybacks, leaked songs, and for getting all my jokes during throlley. Kailu, because of Emily, the root of one, and since there is no world in which I would have survived math without you. Nav, for making trekking bearable, and for needing a minute to laugh. Hana, Rag, and Dish, I hope your future kids know my name. Thank you for the hundreds of vlogs, the cursed bunsen Burner, Monopoly car rides, benches, socks, colour-colours, for taking the fruits from my custard, and for the radish engraved on the throwball court. Finally, Sanjana, because the two of us never needed an introduction.

You are so welcome for the bedtime story. I love you all more than I could dare to put into words.

- Aditi

Affan Mohammed Hothur | 12B

My first step to gradually becoming the person I am today, was Neev. I remember first stepping into Neev as a pre-K child, completely oblivious to the years ahead, the bonds I would forge, and the quiet but lasting transformation of my own character. The character that blossoms today in his own ways of course. Everyone’s perfect in their own way. Through every phase and color of my life, Neev has successfully remained a place I can proudly call my second home.

From the scraped knees on the playground, to daily diary notes, to skipping classes but not getting caught, to sleepless nights before deadlines, Neev has silently witnessed every version and phase of me growing up. It has been, and always will be the backdrop to the laughter that echoed far too loudly, those tears that shed in moments of doubt, and those small victories that felt like the world. The aura. The classrooms taught me far more than just books and teachers, taught me far more than just subjects, entitled me with attributes like resilience, empathy and dedication, the courage to find my own unique voice. The teachers believed in me even when I hadn’t yet learned to believe in myself, and my friends that managed to turn days into everlasting memories that I'll carry for life. As I step forward to successive stages of life, I do so knowing that a significant part of me will always belong here.

Now, as we step into the unknown and move forward, there's a quiet hope that stays with me much like “Fix You” , a reminder that no matter how uncertain the road becomes, the lessons, people, and love from this place will always guide us home. Neev will always be a part of my story, not just as a chapter I completed, but as a light I carry with me wherever I go.

And of course, my friends, mi familia, who’ve truly changed me and made me a better person. Huge shoutout to the gang; Tanish, always backing me no matter the situation- real advice, no sugarcoating, and the kind that I actually listened to; obviously when it mattered most, Gupta for always holding it down with a lot of support, Nevyn for the pure-hearted, good vibes only nature, Dhruv for always pushing the bar higher and

giving me unconditional faith, Kabir with the sharp mind but no IQ to spare, and Neel, for staying grounded through every win. Love yall man, for life. Won’t forget the lore and the upcoming stories and memories to come with y'all boys.

I can’t forget the girls either; Kaahinee, for being there in every high and low, for knowing everything before it even becomes a story, and for giving advice that's always been genuine, Jaya for carrying a sense of peace that rubs off on people real quick, Akshaya for always being there for me, Veda for lending me stationery not knowing it’s getting stolen or lost the second class finishes, I owe you big time man. Saiesha, for being my safe space on the days I didn’t have words, for fixing through listening, for always matching my freakquency, and for standing by me in ways that mattered more than anything loud ever could. Love yall too gang.

For me, this school didn’t just teach me lessons. It gave me time. Time to mess up, to recaliberate, and to grow with the pressure of having it all figured out. Somewhere between the chaos and the comfort, I became someone I actually like. And for that, I'll always remain grateful.

Fifteen years deep. No regrets. No shortcuts.

I’d like to end with a line that’ll probably summarise it better than I ever could

Job finished?? I don’t think so.

Kobe Bryant

Akshaya Prakash | 12B

The person I am today is a result of all of you.

I won’t say a word They’ve all been said before I laugh, and so do you And we create a chain of life.

Everything comes back to all of you.

When we’re old and grey

We’ll tell our little ones

About the stories written in these walls The ones we can’t fully explain

The world is our oyster, cherish every tiny bite Savour it till your last breath

My gratitude has no bounds. I hope you’re all happy.

These last 5 years at Neev have shaped me into the girl I am, and the woman I hope to be. I used to think it was big achievements that define you—but I don’t think so anymore. It’s the small, everyday moments.

Debating burgers. Laughing about AI detection. Talking about our future kids. Eating all the yellow skittles. Sharing reels about garlic bread. Fighting over football captaincy. Goofy filters. Re-serving in volleyball till we get it right. Drawing stick figures in Hindi notebooks. Running from Olwin Sir because we never wore uniforms.

From gossiping in the art room to eating way too much pani puri. From making fun of juniors in music club to

rolling down the grass slope. From halving our words to crying together in the recording room. From winning Kahoots to shouting in our sleep on trips.

From blasting Baby by Justin Bieber to acting like vloggers. From ranting about boys to spontaneous shopping plans. From memorising mark schemes to wasting money on Yulu rides. From doing the griddy in Nagaland to attempting stupid trick shots.

From sending reels about food to walking around sniffing for a certain perfume. From obsessing over Haikyuu to sharing songs. From bothering teachers with doubts to downloading VPNs just to watch One Piece. From missing MYP deadlines to missing DP ones.

From playing cards in Ladakh to arguing about asking for free periods. From crying over math scores to deciding haircuts. From One Direction jams to ChatGPT-ing L&L work. From using soap instead of shampoo in Meghalaya to inventing ridiculous volleyball saves.

From being called the wrong name to being delusional about every interaction. From competing constantly to bonding over music. From romance anime to getting injured but still playing. From late-night gossip to pranking teachers.

I genuinely don’t understand how so much fit into five years—but these are the moments I’ll carry.

To my teachers—thank you for being more than just teachers. For your patience, your extra time, your quiet belief when we had none. For letting us be loud, messy, emotional—and still pushing us to be better. For caring enough to scold, joke, guide, and stand by us, even on the hardest days.

I’ll carry pieces of you in how I think, question, and grow.

To the ammas—thank you for your quiet care, even on our most chaotic days.To the bhaiyas—thank you for the sneaky food and small acts of kindness that meant everything.

And to my crazy basketball team—I’ll miss your stupid doubts, our constant teasing, and complaining during runs just to skip rounds later. I’ll miss our laughter across the court, the tears after losses, the ice creams, and those early morning “are you coming?” messages—when I always did.

Somehow, that court became where I found parts of myself.

Thank you for being my home—then and always. Everything I become will carry a little bit of all of you.

— Red (check Hana, Navya and Jaya’s notes)

Anya Shenoy | 12B

When I look back at the last 16 years, starting out as a toddler and ending at graduation, I realize that the memories I look back on with the most fondness are the memories I considered rather ordinary at the time. They include playing UNO Flip in a little shack in Nagaland, reading Rainbow Magic books in the core campus library, and losing my breath from laughing too hard.

Beyond the memories, Neev has always been a great community because of the wonderful teachers. From Miss Dolly in Neev Koramangala to Miss Suchismitha and Miss Meera in PYP, I spent my formative years setting strong foundations. Later, it was teachers like Vineet Sir, who taught me how to shine on stage, and Miss Vaishali, who made English classes exciting.

I have so many people to thank for making my DP journey bearable, starting with Arka Sir, who never judged me for not knowing the answer. Thank you to Hare Ram Sir for being willing to explain the same concept a thousand times until it finally sank in. Miss Ela, thanks for creating an entertaining learning environment, and for not murdering me after the dentures poem. I never thought I would enjoy chemistry, but Miss Bindu and Roopak Sir proved me wrong. Thank you Miss Vinita for never giving up on me, even when my Hindi looked hopeless. Thank you Saai Sir for making classes engaging by giving us all the readings we could ever need. Finally, thank you Sunit Sir for encouraging us to live life with panache!

I couldn’t talk about this journey without talking about my friends. I have to thank Diya Shetty, who, despite rage baiting me since 2010, made every bus ride fun, and Diya Samit, who was the backbone of our MYP shenanigans, and is without a doubt my favourite Genshin Impact player. I couldn't talk about my ride or dies without mentioning someone who always needed a ride. Pranat, you have the world’s worst music taste, but, carpooling with you was still fun. Sahasra, I still wish I had your talent at making every PPT aesthetic using picsart stickers, and making every room aesthetic by walking into it. Enough about my actual

friends, let’s talk about the victim of my ragebait. Aarnav and Athalye, sorry for never sending you the drone parts, but in my defense, it was quite funny. Arvind, YOU’RE WELCOME for the copy of Twilight I got you. Dravid, while nobody asked for your statements, I still appreciate each and every one of them.

Sanjana, I’m so glad to share so many classes with you, you keep me sane. Sitara, I will miss the comfortable silence we shared while reading and splitting a pack of Choco Stars in Gujarat. Aditi, thanks for giving me the best peer feedback I could ever ask for. Sanath, you’re my favourite horse, and thank you for reminding me to stay warm. Veda, you’re the 7 to my 6, I hope one day you can get over your fear of my dad. Tamara, nobody matches my energy quite like you do. From Britney to ‘Assamese Veg Thali’, we’ve laughed at so many things that make no sense. If I could do Nagaland again, I wouldn’t want anybody but you as my roommate. Last but not least, Rohini, thank you for being the best friend I could ask for. Hanging out with you brightened up my school days. Thank you for the vlogs, the inside jokes, and the horror movies.

As I sign off for the last time, I want to leave you with a line from a musical I adore, because of course I do.

“You’ve found your heart and left a part of you behind.”

Arvind Srinivas D | 12B

“Heh” – Sidhharth

Athalye

I walked into Neev pretty lost about what I wanted to do after my 10th grade graduation, and I’m proud to say I’m leaving more confused than ever. While my journey here wasn’t exactly smooth, it was a rollercoaster in all the right ways. As Brad Pitt once said in a speech, when asked what matters more—the journey or the destination—the answer was “the company.” I couldn’t agree more. I wouldn’t have survived the chaos of DP1 without the people around me.

Arka Sir, you’re easily the best physics teacher I’ve had. Thank you for never letting me settle for halfunderstanding a concept. While I used to find your constant questioning annoying, I’ve grown to genuinely enjoy it. You’ve made me more curious about physics, and that’s something I’ll carry with me.

Hare Ram Sir, I still remember your first class on Binomial Theorem—complete confusion, followed by sudden clarity after you explained it. That moment defines your teaching: precise, efficient, and impactful. Thank you for making math engaging, and for tolerating my chatter.

To Ms Shree Nidhi, Ms Vaishali, and Roopak Sir—thank you for guiding us and putting up with our chaos.

Neel, Nevyn, and Nikhil—you’ve been some of the kindest people I’ve known. Neel, you inspired me to start exercising (purely because the elbow lever looked cool), and you’ve been one of the funniest and most solid friends I’ve had. Nevyn, thanks for tolerating my daily attempts to annoy you—and for sticking around anyway. Nikhil, our food trips have been some of my favorite memories. Also, thanks for picking up the bill more often than not.

Aarnav and Athalye, your friendship showed me how deep bonds can be. Aarnav, you’re effortlessly chill, and I’m glad we grew closer this year. Athalye, I’ll finally admit—you did judo-toss me that day. Your laid-back attitude has been a reminder to not take life too seriously.

Kashyap and Dhruv—GP with you guys was chaotic in the best way. Kashyap, your jokes rarely land, but when they do, they’re gold. Dhruv, despite your relentless rage-baiting, I’ve come to see how genuine you are. Also, thanks for introducing me to Berserk.

Utkarsh and Hrehaan—you’re partly responsible for my weight gain. Hrehaan, your accents are unforgettable. Utkarsh, your food and poetry have both carried me through rough days.

Vivek and Diya, your dedication to academics stands out, but what stayed with me is everything beyond that. Vivek, from arguments in class to shared laughter, you’ve become one of my closest friends. Diya, math classes—and even balloon fights—were always more fun with you around.

To Anya, Rohini, Sanath, Akshaya, and Navya—thank you for being part of the experience. The music, the volleyball, the shared moments—you made Neev what it was.

Siddhu, Affan, and Tanish—you’ve each shaped me in your own way. Siddhu, your calmness is something I admire. Affan, you’ve made me laugh like few others can. Tanish, your confidence is something I’ve learned from.

Gupta, Kabir, Pranat, and Yash—you’ve been at the core of my Neev life. Gupta, from day one, you’ve been a constant. Kabir, what started as admiration turned into one of my closest friendships—we’ve shared everything from academics to games to food trails. Pranat, your chaotic energy and confidence have given me some of my best memories. Yash, our constant bickering somehow became a bond I wouldn’t trade for anything.

If I could, I’d relive the conversations, the food trips, the games, and the laughter all over again. 12th grade has been one of the best years of my life because of all of you.

To end, I’ll borrow a line: don’t be a stranger. If we cross paths somewhere down the line—just say hi.

Diya Shetty | 12B

As I leave Neev, I hope to carry something from everyone I’ve connected with here, a piece of you to internalise and take forward in my journey ahead. Thank you for believing in me, and please believe in yourselves, always.

To all my teachers, I hope to take your patience and maturity. Miss Amrita, thanks for the cool outfits, the fortune telling and the class parties. Miss Biji, thanks for reaffirming my love for bio, for the random games in class and for coping with our constant demands. Roopak sir, thanks for making chem fun and answering all my questions. Hareram sir, thanks for being simple, unchanging and understanding. Miss Nandita, thanks for your patriotism and detailed-oriented nature. Miss Jyo, thanks for genuinely being one of the coolest people ever, and for just understanding. Miss Ramya, thanks for truly caring.

To all those in route 4, I hope to take the knowledge that unlikely friends can be found in unlikely places, and that trapping people in a confined space may actually bring them together. Yashmita, I take your unwavering kindness and strength no matter what you face (Aanvi being perpetually annoying). Aanvi (what a loser…), thanks for the unhinged conversations (shout out to St. John’s signal), for cup pong (while it lasted), for blocking my way in hallways, for falling for my pranks, for your dreams, for the 30 minutes of sleep you sacrifice, for the unbelievable parallels, and for saving my seat in the bus for my soul. We’ve both grown over the past decade and I don’t have to choose what to take from you because our journey doesn’t end here.

Anya, thanks for enduring the chaos in the bus and my random ranting. I hope to take your unparalleled sense of humour if I can ever match it, your habit of reading and your love for a certain Italian. Dhruv, your GK, your unique balance of passion with pragmatism, your love for rap, and your decisive nature. Thanks for the bio reels. To you both, I am forever grateful for you supporting me all these years. There’s something different about childhood friends, and I hope that we’ll preserve that. Akshaya, I hope to take your spontaneity, and the way you seek connection with everyone. Thanks for dealing

with my late night screaming. Jaya, your composure and the way you commit to the things you love without overstating it. To both of you and Dhruv, thanks for making me laugh in bio, and for staying close even if we can’t talk a lot. Hrehaan, your persistence, your hidden maturity and hard work. Thanks for the races to class and LinkedIn games. Neel, your willingness to explore, to redefine yourself and your honesty. Thanks for sharing my love for nature and for trusting me. Taambdi chaamdi, thank you all for the car rides in Nagaland. We shall live on!!

Aditi, your willingness to truly root for people, your insane organisation and your maturity. I’ll never forget when you encouraged me to apply for class rep in 8th and you’ve never stopped supporting me since. Thank you for the fandom discussions, the music room discussions, library visits and for the updates over the years. Rohini, your vibrant energy. Thanks for saying hi, every time, for the pandemic video calls, and for putting everyone before yourself. Sanjana, your positivity, thoughtful nature, quirky jokes and the way you give the best gifts (and cards!!). Thanks for always being on the same wavelength. Sitara, your sophisticated taste and your quiet brilliance. Veda, your supportiveness. Thanks for the random gossip sessions. Sanath, your energy, love for food and horses. Thanks for all the arguments.

Arvind, the way you call it as it is. Thanks for keeping me humble in math classes, for inspiring me with that crazy academic growth, and for showing me that a tough exterior can hide a gentle soul. Sawant, your confidence and fist bumps. Hana, your playfulness, empathy and generosity. Thanks for your help with those hilarious president posters. Kaahinee, your unparalleled authenticity. Tamara, your musicality. Utkarsh, the way you remain unabashedly yourself. Nevyn, your robotic dedication. Gupta, your non-chalance (of course) and the importance of conversation. Pranat, the tennis requests, bus conversations, and love for explanations. Tanish, your agency, love for music and travelling. Dravid, your love for Sinner and blueberries. Yash, your fearlessness. Kabir, your desire to keep improving. Athalye, your goofiness and your pens. Thanks for making me laugh. Aarnav and Athalye, what true love means <3

Finally, most importantly, Sahasra, it’s impossible for me to choose. Perhaps a fraction of your random geography knowledge (just kidding I’ll never touch it), your NYT games skills, your creativity, your articulation, your observation, your straightforward nature, your ability to stand up for those you love, your strength, your resolve, or the way you feel so so deeply. Thank you for all those afternoons on the hill, for the most interesting conversations, for the insane improv jokes, for making sure I eat well, for dealing with my bio nerding, my perpetual bewilderment (and my mood swings over the years!!), and for always having my back. I hope you take something from me, and that one day you find yourself as beautiful inside and out as I know you are.

Remember, it’s not harassment… (check Sahasra’s)

Hrehaan Swaminathan Iyer | 12B

The Season Finale: A Director’s Cut

Writing the synopsis for this season of our lives feels impossible. If I were to pitch it, the genre would be hard to define. It was a sports drama on the courts, where every match felt like Game 7. It was a high-stakes thriller during exams, and an improv comedy in the hallways between classes.

We had our Dead Poets Society moments in theatre and debates, finding voices we didn’t know we had. We had our road-trip movie scenes in Nagaland, Ladakh, Gujarat, and Delhi, where conversations mattered more than destinations. We lived through filler episodes and cliffhangers, not realizing we were creating some of the best scenes of our lives.

As Ferris Bueller said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Before the screen fades to black, I want to acknowledge the people who made this season unforgettable.

To the mentors who gave us more than textbooks—Miss Bishnupriya, thank you for being a constant guide through every twist. Miss Amrita, your wisdom and patience with my endless questions shaped how I see the world. Miss Jyotsana, our conversations—from French class to long drives—taught me what life is really about. Miss Kavita, thank you for showing me capabilities I didn’t know I had and always pushing me further.

To the teachers who shaped how we think and express—Vineet Sir, thank you for the theatre days and for teaching me how to express myself. Saai Sir, for igniting a love for debate. Arka Sir, for your engaging thinking and endless patience. Sunit Sir, for making even the hardest concepts enjoyable.

To those who brought balance and energy—Miss Shreenidhi, for being both a guide and a mentor. Miss Swapna, for showing what calm leadership looks like.

Miss Arushie, for unmatched energy. Miss Parull, Miss Rohini, Miss Uma, Miss Leesha, Miss Vaishali, Miss Nandita, Miss Gouri, and Abhinav Sir—thank you for your support, kindness, and for making everyday school life lighter and better.

To the champions of the court—Ujwal Sir, Hareram Sir, Jeeva Sir, Prabhat Sir, Ashwani Sir, and Pradeep Sir—thank you for the energy, competition, and joy you brought into our days.

And to the unsung heroes—our Ammas and Bhaiyas—thank you for quietly being the backbone of our everyday lives.

No story is complete without its cast. To my classmates, who turned ordinary moments into unforgettable ones—thank you.

To the ones who brought laughter into every scene—you made the chaos worthwhile. To those who brought warmth, honesty, and depth—you made the journey meaningful. To the dreamers and high-flyers—your ambition inspired all of us. To the partners in crime—every shared class, trip, and inside joke made this experience what it was. And to the FGF Plus crew—thank you for the late-night conversations, the games, the debates, and the constant presence when it mattered most.

There were also the special guest stars—the hallway conversations, the shared laughs, the unexpected friendships—that added color to this story in ways we didn’t always notice at the time.

Most people spend so much time worrying about the finale—the grades, the admissions, the “ending”—that they forget to watch the movie itself. It’s easy to get caught up in what’s next and forget to live what’s now. But you can’t fast-forward to the good parts without missing the story.

As Master Oogway said, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift.”

A perfect script doesn’t exist. You’ll forget lines. Things won’t go as planned. But it’s not about perfection—it’s about showing up, taking the hits, and continuing forward.

So play the scene you’re in. Be present. Be real. Be part of the story while it’s happening.

The credits may be rolling on this chapter, but the story is far from over.

Go make the sequel extraordinary. And in case I don’t see you—good afternoon, good evening, and good night.

Kaahinee Agarwal | 12B

Around 17 years ago, I walked into Neev. Now, 18 years later, I leave as someone more open minded, balanced, willing to take risks, knowledgeable, curious, principled, reflective, a thinker, communicator, and, most importantly, a caring individual.

I still remember walking into preschool, drawn in by Miss Sudhesh’s sunshine smile, making paper cranes with Miss Gayatri, and playing like monkeys with Miss Archana and Miss Pooja. Then came Grade 1, when I cried every morning, terrified of a big, unfamiliar school filled with strangers. I didn’t know it then, but those “strangers” would become the best parts of my life.

From writing shape poems in Miss Navita’s Grade 2 class to scoring 100% in AI nearly a decade later in Miss Nandita’s class, Neev has seen every version of me. I am deeply grateful to the teachers who shaped this journey. Miss Bishnupriya, my fairy godmother; Miss Shree Nidhi, who I’ve grown to “dislike” (love); Miss Vaishali, for always trusting my far-stretched interpretations; Miss Chaitra, for the unforgettable music videos and “kitty parties”; Miss Leesha, for answering every “does this count as CAS?” question; Miss Uma, for the countless infirmary notes that got me through; Abhinav Sir, for making even the scariest senior moments manageable; Miss Biji, for making science something to look forward to; Miss Bhavya, for life lessons I won’t forget; Vineet Sir, for helping me find my confidence; Miss Rohini, Miss Rini, and Miss Aarushie, for sparking and sustaining my love for Spanish; Miss Parull, for fueling my college essays with imagination; Sunit Sir, for making Economics fun; Miss Jyotsana, for reminding me to lead with empathy; Saai Sir, for helping me believe in myself; Miss Nandita, for setting the gold standard for organisation; and Ashis Sir, for being the best math teacher I’ve had—and for not expelling me despite my red-zone performances.

To my classmates—you were the reason I woke up at 6 a.m. every day. Veda, your empathy is unmatched. Nikhil,

no BM play was complete without your Scottish accent. Sawant, your laptop screen got me through many long classes. Devi, without you (and the pages we tore from your book), I might have dropped everything. Pranaav, your resourcefulness and generosity will always inspire me. Kashy, I would not have survived the trek without your instructions on how to walk and drink water. Potta, thank you for almost sending me to jail over business law every week. Tanish, thank you for always adjusting.

Anya, you saved me during drama; Rohini, my favorite Ladakh tent mate; Diya, you are my morning sunshine; Sahasra, I love our shared enthusiasm for water bottles; Aditi, you made school worth coming to; Soham, for teaching me completing the square just in time; Tamara, for the after-school laughter; Ady, for always being “nose to toes”; Nevyn, for being a constant in the SAC lounge; and Moihira, for your raincoat and our Ludo championships.

Ragini, we may solve everything in life except red-zone math. Sanvi, you hold all four chambers of my heart. Pranat, I still owe you for that beetroot farm rent. Sudhishna, our Google searches in Grade 7 clearly didn’t help. Aarush, one day the world will know who won that hide-and-seek game. Affan, I’m still waiting for reparations for my pens—and my head.

Utkarsh, you’ve been the big brother I never had. Jaya, the bright pink notebook will forever be iconic. Navya, your values continue to guide me. Hana, your lasagna alone was reason enough to come to school. Akshaya, you make me believe I can do anything. Hrehaan, you may not have grown vertically, but you’ve grown in every way that matters. And Dishitha aunty, mornings will never be the same without seeing you first.

I wish these 17 years could become 17 more, but life moves on. I cannot imagine this journey with any other class. Every day, I grow more grateful for every single person who has been part of it. I wish there were a Grade 13, just so I could see you all again next year—but maybe I’ll see you this November… retaking the math exam.

Kabir Basu | 12B

Most people don’t try. It’s possible to surpass the average person in any field simply by putting in consistent effort over a long period of time. The problem is that above a certain threshold, most people aren’t satisfied being just above average. We all aim for the 99th percentile. Of course, people have different passions. Not everyone wants to be the best engineer, athlete or artist. But wherever that passion lies, there’s an undeniable urge to be the best. The tricky thing about being the best is that ‘best’ refers to a very small group of people – a minority. And statistically, we’re all in the majority. For someone to be hailed as the best, there have to be people worse in comparison. And no matter how much work you put in, after a point, the standards simply go up too fast to meet them. The 75th percentile is constantly expanding – the ‘just above average’. Consider applying to college. A 43 predicted score and 1530 SAT will get you into plenty of decent colleges with a few comprehensive extracurriculars to complement them. But inflate your expectations just a little, look at a top 20 college or an Ivy League, and suddenly you have to be the founder of 30 non-profit organizations, get your art into the Louvre, win multiple Olympiads and maybe speak at the UN for good measure. It’s frustrating. You think you’re doing well, and then you learn about people who blow your achievements out of the water. And it’s not just education. Every facet of our lives works this way. If everyone tries harder at Clash Royale, top ladder just becomes the new mid ladder. 15,000 trophies seems farther away than ever. If everyone across the board starts locking into combat games, platinum becomes the new silver. But diamond remains unattainable. After a certain point, no matter what you do, everyone at your level is doing the same thing; they’re putting in just as much if not more work than you are. And the net result? The gap between you and the peak just keeps widening. You fall behind, the best remain where they are.

The only differentiating factors here are talent and luck.

Luck is what you pray for. Talent is what you’re born with. Sounds depressing. But this leaves you with two options: either harness an untapped talent by putting 100% of your effort into a field you know you’ve got an affinity for (and of course any ancillary fields that complement it), or find a field so niche that no one else is bothering to put in the work required to excel at it. Pursuing something just because people say people in that field are successful is stupid. That’s how everyone competing with you thinks. That’s what’s widening the gap between you and the top 1% in whichever you field you pursue. Enter these streams if you believe you’ve got talent with enough firepower to break through the brick wall that is the sweats inhabiting the 80th percentile. It’s not about racing down the dead-end road to ‘satisfactory’. It’s about taking advantage of the opportunities no one else looks for. And you won’t find them in a YouTube video essay, a podcast episode or a best-selling self-help book. That’s where everyone’s looking. Differentiate yourself. Do something, even if it fails. Compete with the people you look up to. Fail forwards. Not all opportunities are branded by prestige. Use whatever you have. Even a tower of dirt can reach the sky if it’s tall enough.

Mihira Singh | 12B

After 15 short years at Neev, I realise I am nothing but a mosaic. A mosaic made up of countless memories, endless laughter, and shared tears. A mosaic of the classrooms, hallways and desks, and of the faces and voices of the people that I’ve come to love so incredibly much.

I would like to thank Miss Vaishali, who has known me not just as a student, but as a person beyond the classroom. You’ve seen me grow with a quiet understanding that never needed explanation. You are my secret role model. Miss Leesha, thank you for the laughter, warmth and ease you brought to psychology—your daily check-ins and “I missed you” (after two days) meant more than you know.

Miss Neeta, despite my abysmal maths performance, you gave me constant love and optimism, our gossip sessions and complaints about the menu will be missed. Namaste, Miss Vinita, thank you for six years of unwavering support and belief in me. Miss Nandita, thank you for your patience in repeating explanations, and Miss Biji, for after-school help, Kahoots and Pictionaries that made biology fun. Samir sir, thank you for guiding me through my EE, and Abhinav sir, you are my personal hero. Thank you Miss Uma for always handling my last-minute chaos.

To my PYP teachers, Miss Meera, Miss Daya, Miss Shiza and Miss Navita—thank you for laying my foundation. To my MYP teachers, Vineet sir, Miss Gauri, Karan sir, Ashwani sir and David sir, thank you for your guidance, laughter, and support. And to the ammas, cafeteria bhaiyas and IT team, thank you.

Now, to friends and memories. Despite the stress, hairfall and caffeine addiction, I’ll always be grateful we got through it all together. Some I’ll always hold close: Dishitha, my AA SL companion—you’ll always be my hello-kitty. Navya, for last-minute Econ help and

contagious laughter. Ragini, my partner-in-crime since grade 9—the hardware to my software, my twin flame, and my funniest person. Kaahinee, for unreliable gossip and being the A to my C.

Aditi, my lifeline since grade 6—your wisdom inspires me. Ady, for reminding me there’s more than academics. Kashyap, for silent support and eating my breakfast daily, our Nagaland car remains unmatched. Dhruv, for pushing me to be my best. Akshaya, for being a fellow submission survivor. Jaya, for laughing along. Vivek, for our endless texts and Roblox games. Devi, my confidante, I’m so glad I sent that email in 9th grade.

Gupta, my EE companion; Neel, for the random punches; Rohini, for COVID memories; Anya, for your humour; Sahasra, for kindness and help; Diya, for our early years; and Sanjana and Sitara, for always laughing.

Hrehaan, thank you for your constant support since 9th grade. Tamara, for bio and Nagaland memories. Veda, for our shared love for IT. Risa and Soham, words aren’t enough. And Hana, my best friend, for everything from food to walks to memories, I will always be grateful for you.

For everyone else at Neev, there’s so much I cannot fit here, but it will always stay with me. These will all be stories someday, and our pictures will become old photographs, and we’ll all become somebody’s mom and dad.

Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture, and save it from the funny tricks of time…

Navya Khandelwal | 12B

‘There’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things. Isn’t that kind of the point?’ Pam said this in the finale of ‘The Office’, and after my journey at Neev I couldn’t agree more. It’s the seemingly mundane things, like playing ludo and ‘throlley’ during every free period or the endless laughter and conversations that end up being the moments I will miss the most.

My teachers have played an integral role in shaping who I am. From pre-school, Ms Kirthana, Ms Benezeer and Ms Pooja made my earliest years at Neev some of my best ones yet. Our lemonade stand and dance parties in fourth grade, with Ms Ainee and Ms Shiza were unforgettable. I will also always remember our FIFA discussions every morning in fifth grade with Ms Daya, and Ms Meera, for nurturing my interest in UOI.

In MYP, Ms Amita was our collective class therapist, and someone who I’m still grateful to be in touch with. Thank you, Saai sir, for introducing me to debate, which became such a defining part of my high school life.

Thank you to my economics teachers, Sunit sir and Ms Nandita, for encouraging my love for economics. Ujwal sir and Ashis sir, thank you for taking math from being one of the classes I dreaded in tenth grade, to one of my favourites in the DP. Thank you Ms Rohini for going beyond being a teacher, and helping me manage my anxiety. Ms Vaishali, I never thought I’d enjoy analyzing texts and searching for deeper meanings (that mostly don’t exist), but our class discussions built that interest in me. Thank you to Ms Bindu, Roopak sir and Ms Biji - for creating a love for science that I know I will carry beyond school. Thank you to the entire school leadership, especially Ms Priti, Abhinav sir and Ms Kavita, for always believing in me and supporting my passion for the student government. Thank you to the ammas and the cafeteria bhaiyas for always being there to help us.

To my juniors and seniors - whether through 77

Olympics, athletics, debates or unfunny jokes - Neev wouldn’t have been the same without you.

To all my friends - there is no way to capture what you all mean to me. From 150m runs that felt like the end of the world to eating cheese sandwiches everyday, laughing uncontrollably in math, changing colours in uno, obsessing over JJ and Nathan, getting annoyed at the Indigo song but raving about Don Toliver and going to dance fitness classes together, you made every moment unforgettable. Whether it was doing every little thing like filling bottles or walking to assembly together, needing a minute to laugh, failing our chem IA again and again, supporting RCB together through and through, playing table tennis, bonding over the Kardashians and Raising Canes, dancing to Danza Kuduro, lurking in the group chat, laughing at the sigma boy song and Peppa Pig, screaming ‘Gotta Go My Own Way’, Codenames and Gartic Phone until 2 am and walking marathons on the school track - I’ll miss it all.

Thank you for everything - no matter where I go and what comes next, a part of me will always belong to this place and these people.

- Yellow (check Hana, Akshaya and Jaya’s note)

Neel Patel | 12B

Halo to whoever’s reading this, I assume you’re either looking for inspiration for your own graduation notes or maybe you actually go through the yearbook every year (if you do I’m both in awe and confusion but that’s besides the point). I suppose a graduation note is used to thank teachers, friends and such for their support throughout the years, and while of course I am eternally grateful to every single person I have interacted with throughout my four years at Neev (despite my shenanigans and what can only be described as ‘monkey-business’ in the most literal sense possible (I’m sure any teacher you ask will vouch for this)), I want to make this something that people look at and can maybe laugh, something that encapsulates my four years and the feelings into words (which is a VERY difficult task, but for me at least if I ever come back to this note in college and reminisce on these years I’ll at least know for sure I’ll be laughing).

I think highlighting Ladakh is appropriate because in all honesty that is literally the only series of events I remember from my first year at Neev. It literally formed the cornerstone of all my relationships and is the perfect beginning to the best 4 years of my life. First off the greatest thing was rooming with the absolute GOAT, my best friend Aarush Gupta. I will not, in lieu of space, yap too much but genuinely if I didn’t room with him my trip wouldn’t have been as good as it was. Besides that, there were the late night ‘excursions’, totally not breaking the rules to sneak into each others’ rooms, there was that one time when we smuggled coca-cola into our bottles while watching Mission Impossible on the TV and of course the last day on top of the restaurant where we blasted music through a speaker as tall as me, having forgotten of everything besides that moment. If it weren’t for Ladakh, maybe I would have still made the friends I have today, but the belonging and community I felt because of the trip, despite me having joined maybe like 2 weeks before the trip, despite everyone else having been with each other for years, I became a part of the

group and for that I am so grateful. Honestly, my two DP years were more fun than I could have imagined, when people say it’s a hard program, sure, it is relatively, but if you have a good set of friends I can tell you with complete confidence you’ll manage and even excel. I can go on and on about moments from these years but there’s just too many and I need to fit this into a page so I guess those remain moments I will cherish as unwritten memories.

And now, thank you. I said this wouldn’t feature but I changed my mind, every single teacher who has taught me and accepted me for who I am despite how loud and hyperactive I can be. For answering my questions despite me asking them again and again, and for showing me that learning is actually fun most of the time. And thank you to the absolute goats of these four years, the peakest humans I’ve met, I’m very grateful to call you my friends (ya’ll know who you are).

Before I entered high-school, I used to wish I would get to study somewhere with exciting people and experiences and these years at Neev have been everything and more, I can proudly say that I would not change a single thing.

In the future, let’s all put up one meetup scene, I promise I’ll be there. I don’t know how to end this, it’s probably because I don’t want to, so I’ll just say ya’ll are chads of the highest order, peakest goats, and I could not have asked for a better four years.

Nevyn Shah | 12B

In the benninging beginning, coming to school was the most ordinary part of my day, but now it has become the time I will miss the most. It’s only now, as graduation gets closer, that I’m starting to realise the true value of all the time we’ve shared together. While I have drastically changed over the past 17 years, I would not be who I am today without the help of my friends and teachers. From playing games during our stargazing sleepovers at school, to spending days working on ArtX, EE and TOK, we have built so many memories to remember our time in school together.

I would like to thank all my teachers and the Neev leadership for always being there to support me.

Thank you, Arka sir, for always entertaining my absurd questions during physics. Thank you for always taking our classes one step further, teaching us about each topic in depth, and for guiding me through all the highs and lows during my EE and IA. Thank you, Hare Ram Sir, for explaining math in such a beautiful way and believing in me even after my poor performance in Summative 5. Thank you, Sunit Sir and Ms Nandita, for making economics such an enjoyable and fun subject. Even though I initially had no interest, over time, I have come to like the subject a lot.

Thank you, Ms Amrita and Ms Vaishali, for tolerating my spelling mistakes and continuously pushing me to do better in L&L. While there is still room for improvement in my work, I have still made tremendous progress since Grade 6, and I couldn't have done it without your help. Thank you, Roopak sir and Ms Bindu, for always completing the portions on time and for helping me overcome the numerous challenges I faced with my IA. Thank you, Ms Vinita, for making sure I practice consistently. I would have failed Hindi by now if it weren’t for your help.

Thank you, Ms Shree Nidhi, for being such a great form tutor. Thank you, Ms Parull and Ms Bishnupriya, for all your help with the college applications, for pulling me out of class when writing all the essays became overwhelming and for your constant support over the past few years. I would also like to thank Ms Priti, Ms Swapna, and Ms Kavita for their support.

Thank you for everything, this will always feel like home.

Maybe it was about the friends we made along the way.

Ragini Shandilya | 12B

I so vividly remember how nervous I was walking into the core campus for the first day of grade 1. Now having almost completed grade 12, I wish more than anything to go back and tell my nervous 6 year old self that I would have the most amazing time and have absolutely nothing to worry about.

After filling every campus, floor and classroom with doodles on the tables, mold growth in mysterious lunch boxes, jokes between individual desk groups, and so much laughter, I can now confidently say every corner of this school feels like home. I have known nothing other than Neev my whole life, and I am forever thankful to have grown up somewhere that always felt so familiar.

From the cozy little art room and the big tamarind tree under which I would sit in the Whitefield preschool, all the beautiful places we visited during our learning journeys in between, to now the student lounge and sports field where I spend too much of my time - each of these places hold the most special memories. These places, however, are nothing without the people. My preschool teachers, grade school teachers, classmates, friends, seniors, juniors, the security, the ammas, and the lunch staff - I feel so lucky to have met all of you and I hope to keep coming back to see all your faces. My radish, h2pb and big fat fam, you have the most special place in my heart forever.

While we are all away, I will cling extra hard onto the chits I’ve saved in my pencil pouch, the videos we took in class, the jokes that stuck forever, the bracelets I got from my friends, the massive collection of green tissue papers in my schoolbag, the learning journey souvenirs, all the stickers on my notebooks, the stolen pens I never gave back, the bright yellow wristbands from field trips, and everything else in between.

While I am so sad to leave this little family, I am so excited to see all the amazing things my classmates do

in the future. I am honored to have got the chance to grow up in the same place with the same people, and am eternally grateful for the 17 years filled with so much love, laughter and learning. I will carry with me the time we all got to share at Neev, everywhere I go.

Siddharth Athalye | 12B

When I look back on the past two years I’ve spent at Neev, it all feels like a blur, and I wish it weren't coming to an end this soon. I walked into Neev on my first day of school with no idea what to expect. But fifteen minutes of listening to the guys talk was enough for me to know that I would fit right in. From hanging out in the bathroom during snack break to eating burritos in the poetic drizzling rain, I’ve never had a dull moment during these two years. I guess I have you guys to thank for all of that.

If I had to sum up our cohort in one adjective, it would be “united.” One would probably argue that watching Arvind and Yash squabbling and Dhruv's unfailing ragebait comments were not particularly reminiscent of unity. But I think it is exactly these moments that bring us all together.

As they say in the States (Yes I’m looking at you Aarnav),

Life needs salt–not enough to ruin it, but enough to give it a bit of flavour.

That salt was our chaotic behaviour and our incessant noise. We argued, bickered, but in the end, that somehow brought us closer together than further apart.

So if there's one thing I hope we carry forward, it's that wherever we are and whatever we do, we can always take comfort in knowing that our unity was never about being the same, but about tolerating each other and growing closer because of it.

Sidhanth Kashyap | 12B

How did Neev treat you? Well, it depends on the day. Most days, my friends and teachers had me feeling whimsical and jovial, and life felt great. Some days, the workload and constant pressure made me feel like I was at death’s door. Yet, through it all, I will probably look back at these 2 years with my nostalgia goggles and remember the good days more than the bad ones. These people I have spent this time with have made Neev feel like home to me, and I could have never imagined these 2 years without them. Thank you to my Big Fat Fam for making me feel part of a group, and our constant stupid shenanigans,, and my exploitation of your funds. Thank you to Nikhil for letting me be your long-term liability with the amount of money I owe you. To Dhruv and Arvind for making Global Politics extremely energetic. Neev was never just a place where we studied; it was a place where we grew up a little more. We learned how to think, how to argue, how to fail and try again, and how to support the people around us when things felt overwhelming. And while these two years often moved faster than we wanted, the people here made every moment count.

Tamara Serukur | 12B

I can almost feel the blazing sun in my eyes as I walked through the big school gates on my very first day of first grade. Back then, they felt enormous, intimidating even. Now, standing on the other side of twelve years, those same gates seem strangely small. I still don’t know exactly who I am, and trying to compress twelve years of growing up into a single page feels almost as daunting as living through them. But maybe this journey isn’t meant to be neatly summarised. Maybe it’s meant to be remembered in moments. Moments like building intricate underground tunnels in the sandpit, while our shoes and pants collected more sand than we could ever shake out. Being one of the last few left on the bus with Ekta, sneaking to the back, creating own make-believe worlds, laughing, and existing like we had nowhere else to be. Practicing endlessly for ArtX with Aadya, exchanging adrenaline-laced high-fives and hugs before stepping on stage and pretending we weren’t nervous. Long car rides through Nagaland with Anya, Vivek, and (Arush) Potta; to the simple, earnest conversations I shared with Amodini, Ananya, and Nevyn at the end of our daysconversations, laughter, and silence all blending into memories I didn’t know I’d carry with me.

These are the moments that shaped me more than any timetable or report card ever could. While I may not leave this place knowing exactly who I am, I leave knowing who I’ve been, and grateful for the people who were part of that becoming.

Miss Biji, I am indebted to your support, guidance and constant prodding to me in my IA, my EE, and in class: you gave me the confidence to believe in myself. Miss Vaishali, I’ll come clean now and say that I’ve always regarded you as one of the coolest teachers I know, despite those times where you blurred the line between being a teacher and a mother; thank you for keeping me on my toes. Miss Leesha, Roopak sir, and Miss Ramya, thank you all for believing in my full potential and constantly pushing me to be more than just the ‘quiet girl’ in your classes. To Miss Jyothsana, who changed me

from an insecure, angry middle schooler, to a self-assured high-schooler with a slightly improved French vocabulary, I would not be where I am today had it not been for your guidance and constant effort to help me crack open my shell, one idiom at a time. Ujwal sir, you gave me hope in a pathway that I thought was a dead-end: mathematics. Your patience and encouragement truly pushed me to prove myself, not just in those dreadful paper 3s but in life. Miss Manju, if it were not for you, I would have never understood my deep interest in biology; I promise to keep the ‘bio-wire’ within me alive.

Anya, my fellow camper at camp-half blood, Nagaland would not have been the same without you; thank you for always matching my energy and somehow making everything funnier just by being there. Sanjana, my other fellow camper at camp half-blood, I would love to go and tell your sixth-grade self about the bouts of success and talent coming your way. Sitara and Diya, you’re genuinely wiser than your years, and I admire that; chemistry was not as scary knowing that you were there. Rohini, your laughter is infectious, you break my morning nonchalance easily, and seeing your smile reminds me of our times in kindergarten where the world was behind us. Veda, you are the last proof I have of humanity’s kindness, thank you for reminding me to see the good in others. Vivek, thank you for making our Nagaland car rides fun; singing our hearts out and probably traumatizing everyone is something I’ll never forget. Sanath, you keep me on my toes with our questionable, infuriating, utterly nonsensically diverse conversations, and for that, I thank you. And to all those who I’ve laughed with; thank you for the memories.

My dear family, you have seen me transform from a naive girl, to a sarcastic, moody, fire-breathing teenager, to now someone who hopes that she will follow in your footsteps into a hopefully well sorted individual; no amount of words can circumvent the gratitude I have for your support. To my grandmother, amma, while I will forever loathe the fact that you will not be there to see me at the end of my school days, I hope I have made you proud.

Perhaps this is what this school has given me; moments that don’t need answers, only presence.

And in this moment, I swear, we are infinite.

Tanish Ray | 12B

Fifteen years at Neev, crazy when you really think about it. Feels like I blinked and went from a little kid, crying, and hiding behind mum, to wrapping up senior year, about to step into some billion dollar ambitions. This place watched me grow through every setback, every come-up, every lesson, every W.

When you spend this much time somewhere, it stops being “school” and turns into something more indispensable to your identity. I walked these halls so many times I could probably map them with my eyes shut. I’ve sat in classrooms half asleep some days, fully locked-in on others, but either way I left with something: knowledge, confidence, or just another joke to laugh at later. Many of my teachers across these 15 years have left a lasting impression on me, but one person I would really like to mention is Ms Bishnupriya, without whom, my high school life would never have gone the way it did. From student government, to internships, to college admissions, Ms Bishnupriya has truly been my guardian angel and I am indescribably grateful.

Respect to the sports coaches, because they also fully rerouted my whole journey. I started off as the kid who’d dodge PE every week, a boy who hated running, hated drills, hated anything that made me break a sweat, but they clocked potential I didn’t even see. My coaches kept pushing, kept backing me, kept dragging me out of that lazy mindset until the grind actually started making sense. Next thing I know, I’m leading the football team, holding the sports captain badge, picking up the sports excellence award. Off the pitch, they taught me consistency, pressure control, discipline, and most importantly, how to take the L and bounce back. I am truly grateful to the sports department at Neev, and to every single one of my coaches over these 15 years.

And of course, big shoutout to my boys: Affan with stories that always had man questioning reality, Gupta with the love and support no matter what, Utkarsh

dropping wisdom like he’s lived three extra lives, Pronty with the jokes that never land but make the moment, Harehaan’s chalant nonchalance, Nevyn’s pure-hearted vibes, Dhruv’s drive pushing the room higher, Arvind supplying humour on demand, Siddu reminding me of kindergarten every time we talk, Sawant conversing with me in Japanese, Nikhil guarding my faith in Chelsea, Kashyap tryharding every moment like the UCL final, Kabir with IQ points to spare, and Neel keeping it humble through every W. Parth, you too bro. Love all you man for life.

I can’t forget the girls either: Akshaya and her unstoppable optimism, Diya with a higher level of composure, Sahasra’s relentless determination, Jaya’s enviable inner peace, Dishitha with genuine kindness, Aditi’s rugged discipline, and Kaahinee being the best Student-CEO of all time. Every single one of them has patterned my journey in a significant way.

Lastly, I must mention that I’m grateful for the resilience I somehow managed to hold onto, for the persistence that kept me moving, and for the belief in myself that stayed intact despite the noise around me. I know I’m nowhere near my prime, but that day will come.

For me, this school has been the perfect loading phase: all the buffering, the updates, the glitches, everything running in the background while I prepare to game for real. Now I’m stepping out of that loading screen fully rendered, no beta version, no demo. Yes the world is big, but thanks to Neev, I’ve never felt small.

Big love for the past 15 years. Bigger energy for the future.

We're gonna get that bag, forever ten toes down.

I would like to conclude with one of the wisest quotes that ever blessed my ears-

“Mans gone, innit” - Michael Olise

Veda Shrivastava | 12B

I still remember standing in the PYP block in Grade 4, imagining what it would feel like to finally reach this moment. After attending six different schools and experiencing almost every board, Neev has been my constant. No matter where I go next, I know I won’t find a community as close-knit as this one. The bonds formed here go far beyond classrooms—they’re connections I’ll carry with me long after I leave.

First, to my parents and family—thank you for being my foundation. For standing by me through every high and low, pushing me when I needed it, and believing in me even when I didn’t.

To my second family—my teachers. From Miss Shiza and Miss Priyanka in the early years to my teachers in Grade 12, thank you for making this journey meaningful. Miss Ankita and my ICSE teachers, thank you for your patience with our chaotic batch. Abhinav Sir, for your stories; Miss Parull, for calming every deadline; Miss Uma, for the in-between conversations; Miss Leesha, for always listening; Miss Vaishali and Miss Shreenidhi, for the warmth and laughter; Miss Biji, Ashis Sir, and Miss Vinita, for guiding me through academics; and Miss Amrita, for always pushing me to do better and reminding me who I am.

Beyond classrooms, I’m grateful for the Ammas, the security bhaiyas, and the cafeteria staff—your smiles and small gestures made school feel like home. Some of my best memories come from learning journeys—the bus rides in Gujarat, Ladakh’s treks, Nagaland’s endless photos, and Coorg’s laughter-filled trips. From chaotic hotel moments to late-night study sessions, our grade has stayed together through everything.

To my ICSE batch—you’ve shaped some of my happiest years. From pranks and parody books to shared laughter after bad grades, you’ve all left a mark on me. To my juniors and seniors, thank you for the conversations, support, and sense of belonging you brought. And to my batch—you’ve been everything. From lunch-table gossip to classroom chaos, from shared

playlists to endless laughter—you made these years unforgettable. Whether it was study stress turning into gossip, inside jokes that never got old, or simply showing up for each other, you made Neev what it was for me.

To my classes—BM, L&L, Psych—thank you for the jokes, debates, panic before exams, and constant laughter. And to the friends who made even the most ordinary days special—you know who you are.

From dancing in primary school classrooms to singing together at farewells, I’ve realised that while we once wished time would move faster, a part of us now wishes for just a little more of it.

I don’t have the words to fully capture what this journey has meant. Thank you for the memories, the laughter, and the love. And as the song goes—I’m only one call away.

Vivekanandan Ravi Nagarajan | 12B

Although I only joined Neev 2 years ago, these two years have changed me in more ways than just my hair. The memories I made and the people I met have indubitably been serendipitous and pulchritudinous (crazy memories type beat). Although it would be impossible and questionable to even try and condense all of that into this single note, I still want to mention the people that made school mean something to me, as they say in the States. In the wise words of 2chainz “My stove deserves a shoutout, I’m like what up stove”.

Arka sir, thank you for the wisdom and life lessons that you somehow integrated into the classes like “Life is a sine curve, square yourself”. Hareram sir, I still don’t understand how you managed to deal with mine and Pranat’s horrendously out of tune renditions of “All I Want for Christmas is You” at 8 a.m. on a Monday while teaching calculus. Ms Parull thank you for your endless supply of patience, Dark Fantasy cookies and Kitkats that made rewriting the 8th draft of my CommonApp essay bearable. Thank you Roopak sir for teaching that dreadful subject with a smile on your face. Ms Vaishali, thank you for the tiramisu and ceremonial-grade matcha. Thank you Ms Chaitra and Ms Nandita for helping me improve in Econ and never losing hope in me. Ms Amrita thank you for giving me feedback for every practice I wrote despite me seemingly never improving.

Neel and Hrehaan, thank you for convincing me to focus on the things that really matter in life like beating Fireboy Watergirl crystal temple. Nevyn, Kashyap and Athalye I still remember us sharing every room in the learning journey, cramming the three of us onto one bed, watching Little Balraj together and playing poker with apples to apples cards. Kashyap I look forward to the day when you finally put down the facade of the deep voice. Athalye thank you for jumping on the beds in Nagaland in the middle of the night, staying locked

in the bathroom in Meghalaya and for your constant almost induced nonchalance. Tamara thank you for adopting me into your car when my original car decided that they were better off without me and willingly cramming into one row of the Innova along with Anya so the seating arrangement fulfilled itself. Thanks for the yellow star twin. Aditi, thanks to your terrible sense of humor, Apples to Apples was always so easy.

Dhruv thank you for hating on me for being chronically online in public only to send me the same reels later and telling me to shut it every 5 seconds no matter what I was saying in the watchparty for the Abu Dhabi GP. Sanath the way you are is so tuff twin thanks for being my day one. Pranat and Sahasra thanks for being with me the entire time regardless of what happened. Thanks for helping me with my IO when I forgot to send it to Ms Amrita before the feedback deadline, thanks for all those nights during spring break that we spent talking by the pool about how deadlines were killing us, for listening to me vent to you after I was called for an “Academic Progress Meeting” and our walks to Taco Bell.

Utkarsh, appreciate you for always being somewhat of a Lando fan yourself, for cheating in Codenames everytime and for matching my excitement after listening to Son of Spergy. Arvind, whenever I think that I am hating to my maximum potential you show me that there is more that I can be doing. Thank you for all the white girl music recommendations (also always remember who got you into Pop 2) Mihira thank you for the endless yap on text while acting like strangers in school, for the fashion advice and all the dress to impress outfits you sent (even if they weren’t quite my tempo). Nikhil you are the only person more goated than me in volleyball keep being you twin.

And finally thank you Pranat, Akshaya and Rohini for being the background noise while I wrote this. What is a conclusion paragraph? Just stop reading.

Pensaba que contigo iba a envejecer

En otra vida, en otro mundo podrá ser

En esta solo queda irme un día

Y ver pa'l cielo a ver si te veo caer

Si me ven solo y triste, no me hablen

Si me ven solo y triste, soy culpable

La vida es una fiesta que un día termina

Y fuiste tú mi baile inolvidable

No, no te puedo olvidar

No, no te puedo borrar

Tú me enseñaste a querer

Me enseñaste a bailar

Senior School Faculty

Faculty Group

Humanities

1

Senior School Faculty

Row

(L-R): Saai Sashidhar Patri, Leesha

Joseph, Anindita Cordeiro, Anju Rawat, Shreya Jain, Girish Ranvindra

Row 2 (L-R): Nandita Mathur, Shree Nidhi, Swapnil Gupta

Sciences and Design Group

Row 1 (L-R): Roopak Ramakrishnan, Devleen Sengupta, Biji Jose, Trina Bhattacharya, Sushmita Bhowmik,

Sailaja H, Arka Moulik

Senior School Faculty

Row 2 (L-R): Anshu Jain, Remya Ramachandran, Surbhi Bhargava, Sohini Chattopadhyay

Senior School Faculty

Row 1 (L-R): Music, theater, and visual arts Group

Senior School Faculty

Faculty Group

Language and Literature

Row 1 (L-R): Radhika Pai,

Row 2 (L-R):

Senior School Faculty

Vaishali Basu,

Subha Manoj

Ela Singh, Mobika Maring, Amrita Roy, Navin Agarwal

Row 1 (L-R):

Row 2 (L-R):

Senior School Faculty

Bindu Nitheesh P, Vyomika,Siddharth choudhary, Emilia Rodriguez, Ritu Vanhille

Vinita Kumari, Arushie Jain, Shweta Pandey.

Row 1 (L-R): Timetable and Exam cell

Senior School Faculty

Row 1 (L-R):

Row 2 (L-R):

Senior School Faculty

Sheetal Shah, Parull

Khanna, Tabeah Sperber, Olwin Veigas

Neha Mahesh, Madhumanti Majumdar

Reading Faculty Group

Row 1 (L-R): Aparna

Row 2 (L-R): Sneha Bhagwat,

Senior School Faculty

Venkittan, Swati Ramkumar, Sneha Sunder, Zainab Farook, Ankitha Venkataram

Karthika Gopalakrishnan, Vinitha Mahesh

Service as action Group

Row 1 (L-R): Arka Moulik, Kabita Devi, Neeta

Roopak Ramakrishnan

Senior School Faculty

Row 2 (L-R): Surbhi Bhargava, Priya Kekar, Radhika Pai

Ramesh, Subha Manoj, Devleena Sengupta,

Group

CAS & TOK coordinators

Row 1 (L-R): Pradeep NR, Ruchi

Row 2 (L-R): Nandita Mathur, Sohini Chattopadhyay, Vaishali Basu, Anindita

Senior School Faculty

Prasad, Shree Nidhi, Surbhi Bhargava, Arushie Jain, Leesha Joseph

Cordeiro

Physical Education Group

Row 1 (L-R): Abhishek Chandra,

2 (L-R): Mary

Senior School Faculty

Mohammed

Fazel, Saseendran K, Dawa Chokpa, Pravat Naik

Row

Jennifer, Jeeva S, Swapna H Subramanian, Gargi Madan

Central Resource Team

1 (L-R):

2 (L-R):

Central Resource Team

Row

Shanthi Kumar, Ramesh

J, Ravindran

Devaraj, Sreejith P, Muniraja M, Gopan M P, N Raja

Row

Asha D Souza, Neeraja

Konjeti, Lakshmi K P, Thejus Vikram

Finance and Procurement

Row 1 (L-R): Aradya.M, Lakshmi

Row 2 (L-R): Srinivas Kamath,

Central Resource Team

Srinivas, Anitha Rao, Mallesh

Lakshmi. K P, Nageswara Reddy

Row 1 (L-R): Krithika Ashok, Megha

2 (L-R):

Central Resource Team

Eganagoudar

Row

Swati Jhalani, Shipra Sharma, Siddharth Rajeev

HR Team

Row 1 (L-R): Nithesh Rebello, Prem Kumar

Row 2 (L-R): Sreejith P, Raghunath M, Sudhee K S

Central Resource Team

1 (L-R):

2 (L-R):

Central Resource Team

Row

Mary Assumptha, Anuja Mujumdar, Ancy Thayil, Shubhi Saxena, Shiny Mary R

Row

Uma Raghunaidu, Kavitha Rajashekar, Prajna Acharya

Central Resource Transport Team

Central Resource Transport Team

Central Resource Kitchen Team

Central Resource Support Staff Team

Central Resource Food Truck Team

Student Teams

House Council

Sports Team

Sports Team

Sports Team Swimming Seniors - Boys & Girls (Grade 9-12)

Sports Team Tennis Juniors - Boys (Grade 6-8)

Reading at Neev

Reading culture at Neev

This edition is dedicated to the readers, the thinkers, and the wonderers because at Neev, every story we tell begins with a book.

Each year, we take a moment to celebrate what we do. This year, we pause to reflect on something deeper: why we read. From toddlers turning their very first picture books to graduates who carry a lifelong love of reading into the world, this edition celebrates reading as the heartbeat of Neev.

Reading at Neev has always been more than a skill. It is a culture we intentionally build from the very first day a child walks into school. In our Early Years programme, children are immersed in a rich world of stories, images, and language learning that every word holds meaning, every story invites thought, and every book opens a new way of seeing the world. As students grow, this culture deepens through thoughtfully designed reading programmes, structures, and spaces that nurture a lifelong relationship with reading.

This year marks 10 years of the Neev Literature Festival (NLF), a significant milestone that allows us to pause and see its impact more clearly. NLF reflects this commitment building a rich, curated library ecosystem that places the right books in the hands of every child at every stage. We see it in our students in the way they choose books with intent, engage in thoughtful conversations, make connections across ideas, debate and read not just with purpose. Beyond access, NLF brings reading to life through author engagements, literature-led experiences, and platforms like the Neev Literature Festival, where children interact with writers, illustrators, and thinkers from across the country, experiencing stories as living, evolving ideas.

Reading Centres within classrooms and across campus offer inviting spaces where children can read independently, explore at their own pace, and discover their personal reading journeys. Reading Week brings the entire community together students, teachers, and families to celebrate the shared joy of stories, ideas, and imagination. Together, these experiences reflect a simple but powerful belief: a child who reads widely, reads deeply, and reads for pleasure grows into someone who thinks more critically, feels more deeply, and learns for life.

At Neev, reading is not a programme. It is a habit of mind—nurtured from the earliest years and carried forward, long after our students leave our campus.

Student Life

July 2025 Neev Turns 20

Two decades of building foundations, shaping futures, and reimagining excellence in education in a changing India. As we enter this milestone year, we carry forward the same purpose and passion that started it all. Every year marks a new beginning.

The campus is coming alive again—with spaces that inspire learning and community. In the two weeks before school begins, so much takes shape:

- Leaders reflect on the year gone by, share the organisation’s goals, and set the tone for intentional and impactful work ahead.

- We welcome new teachers who join this shared journey of shaping meaningful learning for new classes and communities.

- Returning teachers collaborate, align, and renew their commitment to children and learning.

- The parent community joins Orientation sessions to understand the core components and intent of the curriculum. Children meet their buddies—building comfort, connection, and a sense of belonging before school begins.

It’s a joy to witness the camaraderie, shared purpose, and clarity that lay the foundation for yet another year of thoughtful teaching and learning.

July 2025 Back to School

Transitions that Build Belonging!

The first day of school at Neev Academy was thoughtfully designed to help students ease into new spaces, responsibilities, and relationships—across PYP, MYP, ICSE, and DP. In PYP, our youngest learners were welcomed with a joyful assembly, read-aloud sessions, and ice-breaker games. Teachers gently introduced classroom routines, and students reflected on their hopes and dreams for the year ahead.

For students entering MYP, ICSE, or DP, the transition to senior school marked a meaningful milestone. Activities like “Name & Action,” “Me in a Bag,” and co-created class expectations encouraged self-expression and peer connection. Bonding games during PHE and guided reflections fostered a sense of belonging, while teacher-supported goal setting helped students begin the year with clarity and purpose.

These intentional beginnings across programs laid the foundation for a year rooted in confidence, connection, and purposeful learning.

We look forward to yet another exciting year at Neev Academy!

July 2025 Expert Talk - Viral Doshi

Mr. Viral Doshi, a highly experienced educational consultant, debunked myths, challenged current trends, and provided valuable insights for college admissions through a Q&A session with our students, teachers and senior school faculty at Neev Academy.

With a deep understanding of the global admissions landscape and years of experience guiding students from school to college and into their careers, Mr. Doshi offered enlightening and practical advice thereby helping our students face this uncertain journey with some clarity.

August 2025 Investiture Ceremony

The Investiture Ceremony at Neev Academy was a momentous occasion that brought the school community together to formally introduce and honour the newly elected student government. This event marked the beginning of a new chapter in student leadership, highlighting the importance of responsibility, teamwork, and commitment to the school’s values. During the ceremony, the newly appointed leaders took their oaths, pledging to uphold the ethos of Neev Academy while serving their peers with dedication. The atmosphere was filled with pride and anticipation, as these student leaders are now entrusted with the crucial role of guiding their fellow students and fostering a positive, inclusive school environment.

August 2025 TOK Camp

At Neev Academy, learning extends beyond the classroom into reflection, questioning, and dialogue.

Our Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Camp was led by distinguished educators — Dr. Cyrus, former Principal of The Bombay International School, and Dr. Richard Sims, a TOK expert with over 30 years of experience as teacher, examiner, workshop leader, and curriculum designer.

Over two days, DP1 & DP2 students explored profound knowledge questions, challenged assumptions, and connected ideas across disciplines. Guided by Neev’s TOK faculty, the camp fostered curiosity, critical thinking, and intellectual courage — core to the IB Diploma journey.

Through passionate debates, case studies, and shared experiences, students discovered that knowledge is not just acquired but shaped, shared, and reimagined. The buzz of inquiry and laughter reflected a thriving community of thinkers, leaving students not with final answers but with deeper, better questions to approach the world with wisdom and wonder.

August 2025 Independence Day X Language Day

Happy Independence Day & Language Day!

Today, we celebrate two powerful ideas together—freedom and identity. Independence Day invites us to live with gratitude, hope, and humility. Language Day roots us in our cultural identity, giving us authenticity, honesty, and courage. Together, they strengthen us from within—building resilience, character, and a sense of belonging.

At Neev, we see this every day in our students—leading with kindness, embracing traditions with pride, and making thoughtful choices in learning and life.

In a world of constant noise, these values—Grit, Honour, and Grace—help us stay true to ourselves and contribute meaningfully to our families, communities, and country. Stronger together.

August 2025 Aikyam

Neev Academy's inaugural Aikyam event celebrates oneness through culture and sports! 10+ schools unite, spanning grades 4 to 12, for a remarkable showcase of talent and unity.

In the cultural arena, witness the electrifying "Battle of Bands" competition, where musical brilliance shines. contests in football, swimming, basketball, and tennis, showcasing young athletes' together as one.

September 2025 Hindi Diwas

Hindi Diwas Celebration at Neev Academy

At Neev Academy, we celebrated Hindi Diwas with pride and joy through activities that nurtured a love for our language. Teachers shared inspiring stories, while Grade 4–5 students read aloud to younger peers, fostering mentorship and connection. Children expressed their creativity through posters, poems, and slogans, showcasing confidence and joy in Hindi.

The day was a beautiful reminder of how language unites, inspires, and strengthens our sense of belonging.

September 2025 Neev Literature Festival 2025

Stories came alive, imaginations soared, and readers found their tribe. Neev Literature Festival 2025 was a celebration of books, ideas, and voices that matter.

September 2025 Grade 4 and 5 Production

When collaboration meets creativity!

The Grade 4 & 5 production marked a first — two grades coming together to bring The Wizard of Oz to life.

What made this special was that students were given the choice to either perform on stage, be a part of the choir or be the heroes behind the scenes and work on the stage design. The wizard of Oz seemed like the perfect choice for this where various characters go on a journey of self discovery.

October 2025 Halloween

At Neev, we celebrate identity in many forms — we are local first, and then proudly global. Whether it is Language Day, where we embrace the many languages that shape who we are, or Diwali, where we celebrate light, joy, and togetherness — our celebrations are full of josh, meaning, and belonging.

Today, we brought the same spirit to our Halloween celebration! Our children came dressed in imaginative costumes, shared stories, and enjoyed activities filled with creativity and laughter.

No matter the festival — from our own traditions to those from around the world — we celebrate with curiosity, respect, and joy. Because every celebration is a chance to learn, connect, and understand the world, while staying rooted in who we are.

October 2025

Our vibrant community celebrated Diwali with a potluck, diya decoration, and Rangoli creation. Laughter, tradition, and togetherness filled the air, embodying the spirit of the Festival of Lights.

October 2025 PYP Gallery Walk

From Grades 1 to 5, our Gallery Walks came alive with curiosity, creativity, and confident sharing. ��✨

Grade 1 learners took their parents through their journey of Sharing the Planet, bringing nature walks, seed journals, bird feeders, and reflections together to showcase their understanding of living things and their needs. Grade 2 students explored Where We Are in Place and Time by presenting landform models and brochures that highlighted the connection between physical and human geography. Grade 3 celebrated exploration and its impact on society, culture, and the environment through collaborative displays and thoughtful presentations. Grade 4 showcased innovation through sustainable-energy prototypes—from solar vehicles to wind turbines—demonstrating their learning from How the World Works. And on their first Grade 5 gallery walk, students shared meaningful actions and inquiries on responsible use of natural resources with clarity and confidence.

Each gallery walk reflected our learners’ growing skills in research, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking—truly embodying the spirit of inquiry at Neev. ��✨

November Cambridge Workshop

Neev community had the privilege of hosting Sarah Hales, Senior Regional Manager – International Admissions at the University of Cambridge.

She led an insightful workshop for students, parents, and counsellors, demystifying the admissions process for top UK universities. From deadlines and entry requirements to personal statements, admissions tests, interviews, and more, the session broke down the why, how, and what of applying to the elite institute. What made it even more rewarding was the focus on the critical questions:

✨ Why Cambridge?

✨ What does the university truly value?

✨ How can students showcase both competitiveness and authenticity in their applications?

With practical guidance and meaningful insights, the workshop brought clarity, confidence, and direction to every aspiring applicant. A truly enriching experience that left our community informed, empowered, and inspired to approach higher education choices with purpose and preparation.

Here’s to brighter pathways and bold aspirations!

November Ideas @ NeevPranay Kotasthane

Before embarking on their Learning Journeys, our Grades 8, 9, and 11 students paused to understand the bigger picture- how the Indian state functions and what civic participation truly means.

This lecture wasn’t just about governance; it was about equipping young minds with the conceptual tools to question, analyse, and move beyond surface-level assumptions about development, policy, and state responsibility.

By exploring frameworks around public policy, state capacity, and citizen engagement, our students were prepared to ask informed, meaningful questions to the public officials and stakeholders they would meet.

November Children’s Day

Celebrating Nehru’s values, we place children at the heart of everything we do. Our teachers planned a memorable day filled with a special assembly, engaging games like ‘Lock and Key’ and ‘Langri Tang’, timeless picture books, and a reflective activity where students wrote notes to their childhood selves. Graduating students enjoyed a fun school picnic, and a heartfelt thanks goes to our cafeteria team for curating a special menu.

This Children’s Day, we reaffirm our commitment to nurturing our students’ curiosity, resilience, and joy, building strong foundations for their futures. ��

November Middle School Production

The Middle School Neev Theatre Production brought together our young performers from Grade 6, 7 & 8 to showcase their talent, creativity, and growing theatre skills. This year’s adaptation of The Lion King featured a remarkable ensemble who brought the Pride Lands to life with expressive acting, captivating music, and beautifully choreographed movement.

What made this production truly special was that every element—from the cave entrance to the stage design—was curated by the students themselves.

Through weeks of practice and collaboration, they transformed into independent, confident individuals—learning to lead, create, problem-solve, and support one another.

Exploring powerful themes of love, courage, friendship, betrayal, family, and the circle of life, their performance left the audience cheering with a roaring applause.

November Alumni Interaction

Building a Community of Learners! ��

As part of our ongoing mentorship initiatives, our alumni and current Grade 12 students recently led a powerful session for their juniors—highlighting how research skills, learning habits, and academic identity begin to take shape as early as high school.

They shared practical insights to help any student start their research journey with confidence and make the process more meaningful and effective:

• Start early and choose a topic that genuinely interests you

• Use credible, diverse sources

• Read smart, create data sets, and work through dense texts with effective strategies

• Analyse your data thoughtfully and present your findings clearly using appropriate tools

• Write regularly to build clarity and depth in your thinking

• Don’t grade your own work—seek external feedback from peers, mentors, and academic review services

• Share your work by submitting to journals and research platforms or presenting at conferences and symposiums

This is how Neevites learn to lead, give back, and grow into the kind of ancestors future learners can look up to.

December Sarvajeet Diwas

Neev’s Sarvajeet Diwas is truly a day when everyone wins! These two days were as eventful as it gets!

The entire Neev community came together and displayed great zeal and zest on the field and track!

Students across all grades participated in an array of events including a spectacular March Past display, followed by the jubilant Neev Band, as well as enthusiastic participation in the baton relay, the obstacle race and other sporting events! This year was extra special with not only parents and grandparents but also our Neev alumni joining in, adding their enthusiasm to the mix. Win or lose, Sarvajeet Diwas teaches us about teamwork, camaraderie, leadership, and respect.

Most importantly, it reminds us to savour the joy of the game! Here’s to another year of fostering friendships, learning life skills, and cherishing the unforgettable moments on and off the field!

December Christmas

Joy, laughter, and the spirit of togetherness filled the air as students, teachers, and parents came together to celebrate Christmas! From heartfelt carols to warm moments of connection, the celebration was truly magical.

December Grade 8 Learning Journey | Rajasthan

Unveiling Rajasthan’s Rich Tapestry: Our Grade 8 students embarked on an 8-day Learning Journey, breaking stereotypes and exploring history, culture, and identity. From Jaipur to Jaisalmer, they decoded hidden signs and are now crafting a travel documentary on the “Dangers of a Single Story”

December Grade 9 Learning Journey | Madhya Pradesh

The Madhya Pradesh Learning Journey connected classroom inquiry with lived experiences, deepening students’ understanding of development in India. Through prior research, roleplay on the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, and exploration of development indicators, students built a strong foundation before engaging with the field.

Travelling across Bhopal, Panna, and Khajuraho, they interacted with communities, NGOs, and policymakers, gaining insights into livelihoods, governance, and cultural identity. Encounters with tribal communities, wildlife ecosystems, and historical sites enriched their perspectives on the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of development.

Through reflection and dialogue, students moved beyond theoretical frameworks to view development as a complex, lived process shaped by people, place, and perspective.

December Grade 11 Learning Journey | North East

Grade 11 students embarked on a transformative learning journey to Nagaland and Meghalaya in December 2025!

Through breathtaking landscapes, rich indigenous traditions, and deep historical connections, they explored the intricate relationship between people, land, and identity. Trekking through biodiversity hotspots, engaging with local communities, and questioning the narratives of progress and tradition—this journey was more than just travel; it was a conversation with India’s living history.

January Visit to People for Animals

Field Trip to People For Animals

As part of their Sharing the Planet unit, our Grade 2 learners stepped beyond the classroom to explore animal adaptations and the role humans play in protecting living beings. Their visit to People For Animals (PFA) brought learning to life as they observed how animals adapt to their environments and reflected on how responsible human actions help nature thrive.

The experience inspired action too—through school announcements and posters around the PYP courtyard, learners led an Animal Support Drive, encouraging the community to support PFA. A reminder that meaningful change begins with small steps and young, caring minds.

January Ideas @ Neev | Sandeep Singhal

There's no formula for success. Build strong roots, grow slowly, and flourish over time like bamboo."

Public and private investor Sandeep Singhal delivered a thought-provoking session for Neev Academy high schoolers that went far beyond investment strategies, it was a roadmap for living an impactful life.

His insights on patience, compounding, friendship, gratitude, and India's growth story left a lasting impression on our students and deeply aligned with Neev's mission to build self-aware, reflective learners who lead impactful lives.

Thank you, Sandeep, for investing your time and wisdom in our young leaders!

January Grade 6 Learning Journey | Gujarat

From Ahmedabad to Bhuj, the Grade 6 Learning Journey to Gujarat became a powerful exploration of what it truly means to build communities with purpose.

Through visits to CEPT University, Sabarmati Ashram, Amul, and the heritage pols, students discovered that communities are shaped not just by spaces, but by shared responsibility, values, and collective vision. Experiences across Dasada, Patan, Modhera, and Dholavira deepened their understanding of resilience, sustainability, and thoughtful design.

In Bhuj, interactions with artisan communities and reflections at the Smritivan Earthquake Museum brought this learning full circle — showing how identity, perseverance, and hope sustain communities through time.

What emerged was a meaningful shift — from “me” to “we”. Students began to see themselves as contributors, recognising that strong communities are built when individuals choose to act for the greater good.

January Grade 7 Learning Journey

| Amritsar and Dharamshala

Our Grade 7 students got immersed in India’s vibrant culture and history during their learning journeys to Amritsar and Dharamshala. From Jallianwala Bagh to the Wagah border, and the Golden Temple to Dharamshala’s Tibetan haven, the journey fostered their appreciation for sacrifices, unity, and the delicate balance of freedom.

January Grade 5 Learning Journey | Delhi

A captivating learning journey to Delhi exposed Neev Academy's Grade 5 students to India's rich history and vibrant culture. From exploring ancient Mughal sites like Humayun's Tomb to savouring traditional street food in Chandni Chowk, the trip offered a multi-faceted experience. Expert guides helped students delve into Delhi's historical layers, while interactions with storytellers fostered an appreciation for diversity and national identity.

January Grade 4 Learning Journey | Hampi

Fourth graders embarked on a captivating learning journey to Hampi, India. Guided by experts, they explored ancient ruins, temples, and historical sites, uncovering the rich history and culture of the region. Activities like scaling a hill for scenic views and participating in mock excavations fostered a spirit of exploration and discovery in the students.

February Makar Sankranti

�� Embracing the Joy of Harvest! ��

At Neev Academy, the harvest season was filled with joy, shared traditions, and a strong sense of community. Each year, it’s heartwarming to see how the celebration grows—what begins with children simply spotting and exploring kites in the sky soon becomes learning to fly them, and now blossoms into a lively kite-flying competition, with cheers of “Kai Po Che!” as kites soar higher and higher.

More than a festive moment, these shared cultural experiences help children connect with who they are, bringing a strong home-to-school connection to life. When traditions from home are honoured at school, students feel a deeper sense of belonging, pride, and togetherness. With colourful rangolis, festive treats enjoyed together, and the campus coming alive with laughter and colour, we celebrated gratitude, abundance, and the traditions that connect us all. ����

February Eureka

Eureka- Because Learning Should Go Beyond

the Classroom

The most powerful learning happens when students take ownership of ideas, of problems, of their own growth. Eureka is Neev's prizes programme that celebrates not just what students know, but how they think, question, and create.

From science and debate to writing and reading, each prize has a different dimension of the mind:

- The Chandrashekar Science Prize rewards interdisciplinary problem-solving.

- The Ambedkar Debate Prize challenges students to practice with complex, contemporary ideas and argue them with rigour and originality.

- The Begum Rokeya Writing Prize celebrates voice, perspective, and craft.

- The RK Narayan Reading Growth Award builds the kind of deep, sustained reading that shapes how we think for life.

But Eureka is more than a competition. It's a provocation to students, teachers, and parents that we value the process as much as the outcome.

Last week, as the Ambedkar Debate concluded for Grades 6-8, we saw something that stayed with us. Three Grade 9 students, stung by repeated losses at National finals, didn't just practice harder. They decided to build debate as a whole-school culture. Working with their teacher, they ran workshops, introduced 250 students to debate, and gave focused coaching to 1 20 more.

The finalists debated the very prompt that had once ended in defeat for their seniors. It was a genuine delight to watch.

This is Eureka - where young people who don't wait to be taught, but go out and create the conditions for others to learn.

February ICSE Farewell

Not just a farewell, but a memory written in smiles, tears, and gratitude.

Our Grade 10 learners walked down memory lane as juniors poured their hearts into every moment. Teachers’ words echoed pride, love, and countless shared journeys.

As you step forward, carry this warmth with you—once a part of us, always a part of our story. ��

February Keystone 2026

Keystones Projects Day 2025-26

Keystone Projects Day at Neev Academy marked a moment of convergence, learning from across programmes coming together in purpose and action as the students showcased their growth as self-directed learners and community builders.

The dictionary tells us that a keystone is the central stone at the summit of an arch, locking the whole together. Similarly, a Keystone Project at Neev brings together interdisciplinary solutions to real-world problems, demonstrating complexity, individual self-direction, and programme strength.

What we experienced: Grade 5 students owning their learning through collaborative inquiry (IB PYP Exhibition), Grade 10 learners presenting passion projects (IB MYP Personal Project), Grade 12 learners defending research-based claims (IBDP Extended Essay), and ICSE students celebrating cultural heritage through "Sanskriti Vaibhava."

However, more than the projects themselves, we witnessed: Confidence built through self-direction, Curiosity sustained over time, Thinking that goes deep, not just wide, Students who can articulate not just what they learned, but how and why.

To the families who asked meaningful questions, and celebrated every learner, not just your own, thank you. You showed our students that community means showing up for each other.

To the schools who joined us, observed with curiosity, engaged in thoughtful conversations, and shared in our learners’ journeys; thank you for being part of this day. Your presence reminded our students that learning grows stronger when it is shared.

This is the strength of the learning community at Neev. This is the Neev journey.

February Neevotsav 2026 PYP Sleepover

Our Grade 1 and 2 students traded their beds for sleeping bags and showed us exactly who they are on the Sleepover. Reading books by torchlight, playing board games and card games, asking big questions about the moon. Stars gazed at with wide eyes and wider curiosity. And yes... sometimes, they even slept. But what stayed with us was something quieter than the giggles. A child zipping up their own bag for the first time, a friend reaching out in the dark to say "I'm here" and questions asked not in a classroom, but under the stars, bolder, freer, more themselves. These are the quiet moments where relationships are built not in a lesson, but in the in-between.

That's what a sleepover at Neev looks like.

The next morning, during the reflection and gratitude circle, they shared their favourite moments. "Playing with my friends." "Looking at the moon." Simple words. Full hearts.

These small, brave nights are part of something bigger. Learning to be independent, resilient, and deeply connected to the world and the people around them. At Neev, we believe it's not just what children learn, but who they become in the process. The next morning they returned home with lasting memories and stronger bonds that truly matter.

On 28th February, our youngest learners showed up brave, curious, and shining bright. We couldn't be prouder.

March Eid Celebration

We began the celebration with a special whole-school assembly, where a few students shared the significance of Ramadan and reflected on its core values of kindness and gratitude, a beautiful reminder of community and connection. Yesterday, Neev came together to celebrate Eid, led enthusiastically by our parent volunteers, and our school came alive with meaningful experiences for children across age groups. From the sensory corner to eidi envelopes and the appreciation notes, every element reflected the value and the intent behind it. Not to forget the wall of Sadaqah, where students explored the spirit of giving during this time and contributed to a growing gratitude wall, making the act of giving and generosity, both visible and meaningful. It was heartening to see children not just participate, but truly engage with the values behind the celebration. Moments like these remind us that learning goes beyond classrooms. They help nurture empathy, gratitude, and a deep sense of belonging, bringing us closer as a community.

March

ARtX

ARtX at Neev celebrated the artistic brilliance of our Grade 10 ePortfolio students in Music, Visual Art, and Theatre. Over three months, they immersed themselves in artistic exploration and presented their unique perspectives on how art bridges people across time and space. The event featured captivating music performances, a diverse visual arts exhibition, and powerful theatre productions, highlighting the interconnectedness of our world through art. Music students presented original compositions across genres, showcasing individual and collaborative talents. Visual Arts students displayed works influenced by themes of interconnection, using styles like Impressionism and Surrealism. Theatre students performed pieces exploring diverse cultures and styles, highlighting interconnectedness and fostering transformative change. The event captured imaginations and demonstrated the power of art to unite us.

March Grade 3 Sleepover

Before stepping into Grade 4 and continuing their learning journey, our Grade 3 students marked their final PYP sleepover in a way that felt truly special.

The evening unfolded with moments both joyful and meaningful. From playful time in the sandpit to energetic Zumba sessions, the excitement carried on as night set in. Under the open sky, they gazed at the moon and Jupiter, played board games, and settled into cozy shared reading.

But beyond the fun, it was the quieter moments that stayed—laughter shared, friendships deepened, and a growing sense of independence. These in-between spaces, filled with connection and discovery, are where memories truly take root.

They returned home with full hearts, lasting memories, and bonds that will carry forward into the next chapter of their journey.

April Srijaneev

Our students from Grade 4 to 8 stole the show at SrijaNeev with an array of performances showcasing their skills in Indian performing art forms - Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kalaripayattu, flute, violin, Carnatic music and Hindustani music. From heartwarming musical numbers to beautiful choreographies, the morning as promised was filled with talent, dedication and creativity.

April Spirit of Neev

Neev Academy celebrated student achievement across various academic disciplines at its Spirit of Neev Awards. Students from elementary, middle, and high school were recognized for excellence in spelling, reading, science, writing, debate, and project-based learning. The event highlighted the school's commitment to fostering well-rounded students who excel academically.

April

Graduation 2026

Seven, in many ways, is a number of wholeness, like the seven colours of a rainbow, each distinct yet coming together to create something complete; like the seven pheras, each step is a promise that shapes a meaningful journey.

Our 7th graduating cohort of the IB Diploma Programme carries this spirit forward, a vibrant blend of perspectives, strengths, questions, and aspirations that together form a truly remarkable whole.

In her message, our Head of School, Ms. Kavita Gupta Sabharwal, encouraged students to take risks, to step into the unknown with courage, and to always find ways to give back to India, shaping not just their own futures, but the future of the communities they belong to.

Our Chief Guest, Dr. Raghavan, reminded us of a powerful truth, that the world, much like our classrooms, thrives on coexistence. It is the interplay of the great and the not-so-great, the differences and the dialogues, that makes any ecosystem richer, more real, and more human.

Here’s to the journey ahead- may it be as vibrant, balanced, and full of promise as the many sevens that inspire it!!!

Editorial Team

Production and Creative Team

Kalpita Jain Advisor Advisor

Photography

Manoj Sudhakaran and Team

Procurement Satish Babu. E and Team