Suman moved from Nepal to Bangalore when he was seven. Everything felt new: language, faces, and routines.
Then he joined a Teach For India classroom. Lessons were alive with stories, collaboration, and laughter. In maths, his Fellow paired him with classmates. Suman explained sums, checked work, and answered doubts. That’s when he discovered not just the joy of solving problems, but the joy of helping others solve them too.
Then came COVID. Classes went online, and the world Suman had begun to understand suddenly changed. Learning from home was lonely and confusing, and he felt disengaged. After all, who didn’t?
“During the first year, every student’s study level dropped… it was up to you to keep up. I made mistakes, skipped tasks, but over time I realised I had to push myself. Coming back to school, I understood the value of learning together.”
Slowly, Suman found his rhythm again. He asked questions, joined study groups, and helped classmates when they struggled. Each small success built his confidence and sense of responsibility, leading him to become Head Boy in 10th grade.
As Head Boy, he learned how to navigate disagreements, listen deeply, and find solutions that kept the team focused. “In council meetings, people would say no. I’d talk to them, find common ground, and move forward together. That’s how I learned to lead.”
At seventeen, Suman now studies at United World College in Italy, still chasing his love for maths, still learning from those around him, still building a vision of what he can give back to the world.
Who is shaping the person you are becoming?
