Spread over a vast expanse the campus looked vibrant, the carefreeness on the faces of the students of diverse age groups spoke about the real concept of burden-free education and even the teachers too seemed friendly, quite unlike from many other educational institutes. Among all these, here appeared the creator of this beautiful world of stress-free education, Ms. Anjum Babukhan. As young and elegant Anjum started narrating her journey after ushering us into her chamber with a warm welcome, we were amazed to learn about her ideas and see the host of accolades adorning the walls of her cabin. Her identity does not stop at being the co-founder and Director-Education of Glendale Academy, she was also the Education Chairperson of Young Indians, which is a part of CII (she was instrumental in setting up the first “Akshara” – a centre with learning aids for poor students ), represented India for two global conferences, WISE (Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality) and MLT (Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow). She is also the only Muslim woman to have chaired the women’s wing of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) which serves the general population as well as Education Chair of CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) in Hyderabad.
laugh. However, she insists that her being away did not distance her from India and her soul is always Indian. She has high regards for the Indian heritage. Thanks to her parents who made it a point to stay connected to their roots. Right from speaking Urdu to wearing traditional clothes during festivals or celebrations to observe “tehzeeb” (etiquettes), Anjum had everything that kept her to be an Indian away from India. “My friends who I grew up with said I was the most “Indian” amongst them all, and only I could have settled in India after growing up in the US,” she adds. All this notwithstanding, she was a little apprehensive about moving to Hyderabad. But to her surprise, everything worked out and the shift was smooth and hassle-free. Highs and Lows of Hyderabad With a very supportive and progressive in-laws and husband, the transition
became quite easy for her. It allowed her to return to her roots and flourish in Hyderabad. She also realized and accepted the fact that every place has its share of pros and cons, be it America or Hyderabad. Quite obviously, she figured out the disadvantages of this new place very soon. During her pregnancies she craved for certain food. “For years I prayed for Pizza Hut, Subway or Italian restaurant to open an outlet in Hyderabad and my prayers were answered after many years,” she recollects. Counting ‘pros’ she states when she got married, her father-in-law, Mr.Bashiruddin Babukhan was a Minister in the state cabinet for Higher Education and Major Industries. Naturally, she got to meet luminaries from different walks of life as she used to accompany her in-laws to various events. She also got engaged in meaningful programmes, social service and education.
Early Life Her parents who hail from Hyderabad migrated to the US soon after their marriage more than four decades ago. She is the eldest born and has one brother and two sisters. Anjum was brought up in a simple, conservative middle class family settled in the suburbs of Chicago. Anjum recollects how shy and what an introvert she was during her school days. Surprisingly, by the end of her high school studies, she turned out to be a complete extrovert and gregarious person. She had not only become a high honor roll student, but also had participated in a number of extracurricular activities. She even earned the tag of “Junior Miss” in Chicagoland’s Scholastic Pageant. Her academic achievements included 11 scholarships that saw her through her graduation. After studying Psychology, she enrolled herself in the Honors Program at Loyola University. Later, she pursued M.Ed in Educational Administration and Instructional Leadership. She met Salman, who attended the same university, both of them become friends and one fine day he proposed to her. The response was obviously a ‘Yes’. Her marriage to Salman brought her back to India. India as she saw and got connected When she was just nine, she visited the country once, but young Anjum didn’t like it much as there were no TV channels for kids nor was there pizza, she quips with a hearty
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