Please click here to download/view Invitation to Open Mornings Letter.

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I am pleased to announce to you the appointment of Mr. Matthew Raggett as Headmaster of The Doon School to replace Dr. Peter McLaughlin, who is retiring this summer.  After an extensive search conducted for the school by international recruitment consultancy Heidrick & Struggles, and further work by a search committee comprising myself, Mr. Shashank Vira, Chairman of the Education Committee, and Mr. Ravi Bulchandani, the Board ratified the selection of Mr. Raggett for appointment at its meeting in Bangalore on 11^th April.  After discussions with Mr. Raggett, he has accepted our offer of appointment and will join Doon during the summer.

Mr. Raggett, who has had an extensive career in international education, is currently the Principal of the Secondary School of Leipzig International School in Germany.  He grew up in the South West of England and studied Maths and Theoretical Physics at the University of Newcastle.  As well as professional teaching qualifications, he has an MBA in Educational Leadership from Charles Sturt University in Australia.  As he has a true sense of vocation, Mr. Raggett chose a career in teaching because he believed it was in education that he could make his greatest contribution to society and find the most rewarding work.  He taught Physics in the United Kingdom before moving to the Vienna International School as Head of Physics in 1998; he continued to teach Physics in subsequent positions. He has boarding experience in a number of the schools in which he taught, including Pearson United World College in Canada; United World College in Singapore; and King’s College, Madrid, where he was head of the boarding section. In Leipzig since 2009, Mr. Raggett has administered the senior school and taught in the IB programme.

Through his wide educational experience and professional development, Mr. Raggett impressed the selection committee as the candidate to lead the school forward in the completion of the Development Plan launched in 2010-11 and which extends to 2020, and the creation of the next roadmap for Doon’s continued progress. He has invaluable experience in strategic planning and educational policy-making and implementation in a variety of international settings.

His wife Lindsay was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland (coincidentally Dr. McLaughlin’s birthplace). She became a teacher of German in the North of England after reading for a degree in German Studies with English and Sport at Newcastle University, and has taught at Vienna International School, as well as in Canada, Singapore, Spain and latterly in Leipzig since 2009.  In recent years she has focused on teaching English and English as an Additional Language. Mr. and Mrs. Raggett have three children.

Matthew Raggett   joins us to continue the excellent work done by Dr Peter McLaughlin in lifting the academic standards, pastoral care and overall performance in school. With the help of an excellent team of teachers and the recent appointment of Phillip Burrett as Second Master, I believe we now have in place the leadership team to continue with the all round development of the school.

Please join me in welcoming Matthew, Lindsay and their children. I look forward to all of you for your help in settling them down quickly at school, and we all wish him and his family a happy, fruitful and immensely rewarding tenure at Chandbagh.

Yours faithfully,

Gautam Thapar

Chairman of the Board of Governors of The IPSS

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Congratulations to all those boys and their parents as well as the Masters for making school history this year. The Headmaster Dr Peter McLaughlin said We have been working consistently towards this goal and I am extremely pleased that it has now been achieved.At ICSE 62% of the boys gained 90% plus with 22% gaining 95% or more. I am very pleased that the boy who tops the batch of 2016 is Madhav Goel from Oberoi House, who attained an aggregate average of 97.8%. He has since passed the JEE Mains recently and is sitting the JEE Advanced.  At ICSE the results were also outstanding. The average was above 90% for the second consecutive year in which our boys achieved this score.79% of them gained 90% or above, with 22.8% scoring 95% or more. Unlike many schools, we have an unusually demanding curriculum in Classes IX and X, as all our candidates compulsorily take Mathematics (with 80% of boys gaining 90% or above this year in Maths) and the three sciences (in which 60% of boys gained 90% or above in all three subjects). The “toppers” were Advait Ganapathy  from Kashmir House and Harshit Bansal from Tata House, who each scored an aggregate average of 97.0%. Adavit is currently on exchange at Groton School USA and Harshit at Deerfield Academy USA.’

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• Letter regarding Open Mornings
• Open mornings invite

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Please click above for the PDF version of The Doon School Development Plan.

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Congratulations to Rudra D. Srivastvava from Kashmir House is awarded an Honour Scholarship by the K.C. Mahindra Education Trust for winning the Mahindra Search for Talent Scholarship more than once.

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Scholarships 2015

Summer Schools 2015

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Spring Term

Grade 5:

• Aryaman Kakkar from Oberoi House
• Harshit Agarwal from Oberoi House
• Suyash Chandak from Oberoi House
• Karan Sampath from Tata House
• Aneesh Agarwal from Tata House
• Aryan Bhattacharjee from Jaipur House
• Ravshaan Mangat from Kashmir House
• Paras Gupta from  Kashmir House
• Aarsh Ashdhir from Hyderabad House

Bronze (Grade 6)

• Anant Jain from Hyderabad House
• Mahir Kasewa from Hyderabad House
• Sparsh Agarwal from Hyderabad House
• Mihir Gupta from Kashmir House
• Devang Laddha from Oberoi House
• Yashmit Sutodia from Jaipur House
• Rajveer Kochar from Tata House
• Amritansh Saraf from Tata House
• Divij Mullick from Tata House
• Devang Laddha from Oberoi House
• Kanishk Kanodia from Oberoi House

Silver (Grade7)

Atrey Guruprasad from Kashmir House

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For more details about this series of events, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Madan Kothari by email:admissions@doonschool.com or tel:+91(0) 135 252 6406 or tel the department’s mobile: +91 8979639477

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1. Abhinav Kejriwal from Jaipur House
2. Gaurav Kothari from Jaipur House
3. Josh Pasricha from Jaipur House

The highest mark in English was 97%.

Abhinav has been offered:

1. Johns Hopkins University, USA,
2. University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, USA
3. Purdue University, USA,
4. University of California, Los Angeles, USA,
5. University of California, Davis, USA,
6. University of California, Irvine, USA,
7. University of California, San Diego, USA,
8. University of California, Santa Barbara, USA,
9. Wheaton College, USA,
10. Boston University, USA,
11. Drexel University, USA

Gaurav has decided to accept Singapore Management University.

Josh has accepted Christ University, Bangalore, India

He got offers from Vellore Institute of Technology, India, Ashoka University, India, Symbiosis College, Pune, India, SRM college, India, St Xaviers Mumbai, India.

The winner of the award for the highest average for Maths and Science was Suyash Raj Shivam also from Jaipur House. The highest average mark was 97.66%.

Suyash Raj Shivam has finally decided upon Hindu College, Delhi

He got offers from:

1. Rajdhani College, Delhi, India,
2. Hansraj College, Delhi- India,
3. Kirori Mal College, Delhi, India

At ICSE the highest mark in English was 98% achieved by Smithi Nair from Kashmir House.

The highest Maths and Science mark was 98% and that was awarded to Rudra Srivastava, from Kashmir House

Jaidev Singh Memorial Award and Scholarship Memorial Award and Scholarship for the highest mark in Science at ICSE (97%) have been awarded to:

• Rudra Srivastava from Kashmir House
• Ishaan Kapoor from Oberoi House
• Priyanshu Raj from Hyderabad House

Mahindra Search for Talent Scholarship Awards for 2014-2015

The following awards are made to boys who have secured the highest aggregate marks in their final examination in November of their academic year and in their ICSE board examinations held in March:

• In C form: Kanishkh Kanodia  from Oberoi House
• In B form: Advait Ganapathy from Kashmir House
• In A form: Rudra Srivastava from Kashmir House
• In S form: Madhav Goel from Oberoi House
• In S form IB: Shrey Aryan
• ICSE: Rudra Srivastava from Kashmir House

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Please:

• Click Here to view the Arts Calendar as a PDF
• The Doon School Art Calendar August 2015 (Flip-book)

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• Click here for the flyer
• Click here for Letter to the prospective parents

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• The Doon School Arts Calendar – August 2015
• The Doon School Arts Calendar – Spring 2015
• Dosco Newsletter Autumn Winter 2014
• The Doon School Arts Calendar Spring 2014
• Discover Dehradun – Places To Stay in Dehradun

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From across the world, boys have completed their experiences in a range of courses at Summer Schools. They aim at giving boys a taste of how they might learn at university and college with the chance to see how assignments, independent reading and meeting tight deadlines are not only the preserve of life at Doon! The experiences have proved in the main to be academically rigorous, internationally and culturally diverse and fun as they lived and worked on university campuses.

Vaibhav Chandak from Oberoi House reports from Cornell’s Summer School: ’ This programme further increased my desire to study at Cornell University.’

‘ I applied for an Economics course at Duke University and a Business programme at Cornell University. I got selected for both. However, I chose Cornell University Summer College because of the fact that I place Cornell at a higher academic level than Duke University. Also, I wanted to study at an Ivy League institution, hence it was a perfect fit. The course I attended was ‘The Business World’. It was an introduction to business management and lectures and discussion sessions were conducted by a renowned Cornell University professor, Prof. Dave Taylor and his team of talented ‘Teaching Assistants’.

We explored and focused upon the different aspects to be taken into attention for a business to run successfully. There were about 250 students in the course. We were divided into two lecture groups of 125 each; both lectures were taken by Professor Taylor. We were further divided into 10 groups of 25 students each. 10 ‘Teaching Assistant’ were in-charge of these groups; each one taking a group. The course as a whole had about 60% Americans, (about 30% first generation Americans though). The other 40% consisted of about 30% Chinese people while the other 10% were spread from all over the world.

We had to do three main assignments, two of which had to be presented during the discussion sessions. We did an online business simulation which involved starting up a coffee shop and making all decisions pertaining to it. This was really exciting and was differentiated the course from ‘every other’ tedious business course at different places. We also did a detailed case study on Nike that involved reflecting on how the theories and concepts of business were put into effect by Nike to become successful.

Other than that we had to do regular reading of the textbook in advance to class so that we were prepared for lecture.

The assignments that we had to do included the following:

1. Writing a business memo/ letter to Atlantic Philanthropies to make a donation for charity and explaining how the money would be put to use.
2. Delivering a presentation for about 5 minutes on what we learnt from the business simulation
3. Making a stock pick recommendation by researching two companies

These assignments were much different from the ones we did in ICSE and were somewhat different from the ones we do at IB. We had to do more research and had to devote more time to them. We had to work on and develop these examples by re-drafting the written assignments and practicing the spoken part of the presentations.

The summer school was similar to what I thought it would be. I had envisioned earlier what I experienced later: the residence halls, diverse friends, an academically tough course and some fun apart from studying. I think it was a well rounded experience: I learnt a lot from it academically and also put in a great deal of effort to get an A+ grade overall. I also made a bunch of friends and a few probable life-long friendships. The length of the programme was ideal since 3 weeks was neither too much nor too less. It is a completely different experience from school and you also learn how to thrive and make friends in a more global environment. It gives rise to not only academic growth but also fosters social growth.

I would recommend it to any boy who is willing to learn something beyond the school classrooms, who wishes to interact with people from diverse cultures and wants to make productive use of the summer.’

Anvay Grover from Oberoi House reports from Hong Kong:

‘ My parents supported my summer school choice. Although initially I was nominated by school, my parents had no inhibitions once they learnt about the summer school. The experience was educationally stimulating as I encountered scientific topics I had not learnt before. More specifically, the laboratory experiments were a lot more advanced or challenging compared to my previous experiences.

The approach was based on a lot more on practical experiments, possibly because of the excellent medical facilities that were available at the University. The anatomy labs in particular were something new altogether. The student body was largely local (from Hong Kong) except a few students from Malaysia and USA. There were no other Indian students.

There was not a great deal of independent research or study as the work was done during the lectures or the labs. We were not required to do extra reading. The week spent in Hong Kong confirmed HKU as a possible college destination for me. It did not make me re-think my other choices.

If possible, boys should go to a summer school because it can be educationally stimulating. But I do not consider it a necessity, rather as something which should be done if feasible.’

Dhruv Madhav Johri, from Oberoi House chose to attend Berklee College of Music’s Summer School. There are currently two Dosco’s studying Music as a major at this specialist music college in the USA. Dhruv talks about his experience:

Q. Which course did you attend and did you apply to others and why did you apply to the one you chose?

A.I attended a five week performance programme for the saxophone at the Berklee College of Music, Boston. I was also accepted for programmes in Politics, Government and Music at Georgetown University and Brown University. I applied to Berklee because I wanted to explore the possibility of combining my passions with my future academic pursuits. Also I saw Summer School as a chance to study something that I wouldn’t normally opt for. I can study Economics in school itself. however I couldn’t study Jazz Saxophone Performance and is for primarily this reason that I choose to spend the summer at Berklee.

Q. Was the summer school what you thought?

A. Honestly at first I was extremely intimidated by the standard of music produced at this school!

Q. Would you recommend the experience and why?

I would recommend the programme to anyone who is unsure of whether they want to see if Music is something they wish to do. This is because I feel that Berklee helps open your eyes to the vast world of musical styles and opportunities. Also Berklee gives out many scholarships so financing oneself shouldn’t be an issue. One mustn’t however be shy to audition.

Q. Has it made you decide to study at that institution and that course and if not why not?

A. Although I have not yet made a solid decision, the programme has got me to change to Music in the 11th and the 12th grades. I would love to attend Berklee professionally for their Music business major.(please add to O house website as well as summer school site, university destinations and offers section, IB, all music sections in academic and co-curricular and also home page as part of the whole article) Add his photo and also the uni and country logo at the top of his interview.

Nikunj Agarwal from Kashmir House chose to study Applied Science and Design at UBC, Canada ‘The approach to learning was that different, but here we not only learned the theory in every lecture but had experiments and labs to try it by ourselves. From making a design and printing on our own in 3D Printing Class to programming a remote control car, we did it all by ourselves.’ Reports from Canada:

Q. Which course did you attend and did you apply to others and why did you apply to the one you chose?

A. I applied for the “Applied Science and Design Course” at the University of British Columbia as I want to pursue a career in engineering, but I do not have any specific areas of interest. This course would help me look at some engineering courses closely.

Q. Please provide a brief summary of the course?

A. This course had four different parts. They were, Mechatronics, 3D Printing, Civil Engineering and Technical Communications. All of these courses were of different length. The Mechatronics part was the longest of all and Technical Communications was the shortest. I learned to programme a remote control car using software in Mechatronics. I learned how to use CAD software to design anything to be printed using the 3D printer. In the Civil Engineering course, we were taught about the strength and foundation of buildings and how we can use more sustainable constituents in a building. In the Technical Communications course, we were taught how to present in a showcase or a presentation. What do we do wrong and what can we do better?

Q. How was the approach to learning different? Please comment upon class size, lecture size and international v US or country of origin mix?

A. The approach to learning was that different, but here we not only learned the theory in every lecture but had experiments and labs to try it by ourselves. From making a design and printing on our own in 3D Printing Class to programming a remote control car, we did it all by ourselves. The class size was not very big. We had 25 students in the class. Every lecture was 3 hours long with a 10-minute break in the middle. There were students from 12 different countries so there was a diverse culture.

Q. What assignments were you given and how were they assessed? Were they very different to how your study at ISC/IB?

A. We had to practice and go through whatever we were taught in the class when we got back to our rooms as whatever we were studying was totally new to us and we did not enough time to go at an easy pace. Although whatever was taught was very understandable, if we did not practice when we got back, next day was much tougher.

Q. Was the summer school what you thought?

A. Yes, it was. A lot of my friends have gone to a summer school before and they’ve shared their experiences with me. So, I had an idea of what exactly a summer school is like. And, it turned out to be pretty similar.

Q. Would you recommend the experience and why?

A. I would totally recommend the experience as whatever I learned there, has not only opened my mind but also has given me an experience which I could never have had here at school. It was because there were people from so many different cultures and backgrounds, and even if two people who were from the same country, were so different. During the summer school, I did not only get a chance to experience what a university lecture is like but also to make new friends.

Q. Has it made you decide to study at that institution and that course and if not why not?

A. This experience has showed me the correct path which I will follow. I will be definitely be applying to the university. This experience has also helped me decide what I will study at the university. I enjoyed the programming bit of the Mechatronics course the most and I realized that it is where my interests lie.

Varun Sehgal from Jaipur House attended Columbia. ‘I applied to these courses because they didn’t teach any subject in isolation but actually taught a mixture of two different topics, whether it be economics and politics or engineering and business.’ reports from the USA.

This is what he had to say:

‘I attended the Globalization: Challenges in International Economics and Politics at Columbia University, New York City. I also applied for the Management and Technology course offered at the University of Pennsylvania. I applied to these courses because they didn’t teach any subject in isolation but actually taught a mixture of two different topics, whether it be economics and politics or engineering and business.

The course helped students understand how political conditions affect economic decisions and vice- versa. We studied various theories of International Political Economy and used case studies to analyze the relationship between nation states. We also studied the Greek debt situation in depth and worked out various possible solutions to avoid its exit from the Euro zone. In addition, we also read different articles related to our course and presented an individual summary and critique to be graded on.’

Q. How was the approach to learning different? Please comment upon class size, lecture size and international v US or country of origin mix?

A. Our day was divided into two two-hour sessions of classes. The first was generally an interactive lecture while the second was reserved for presentations, quizzes or even field trips. My class consisted of 26 students out of which approximately 50% were American citizens. Classes at Columbia University were more interactive and having students from all over the world definitely helps by giving the class a multilateral perspective. Also, field trips to sites such as the United Nations Headquarters helped enhance the experience.

Q. What assignments were you given and how were they assessed? Were they very different to how your study at ISC/IB?

A. We were given quizzes, which were marked out of ten points, twice a week. These were quite different from tests we receive at school. We also had to give an individual presentation of a summary and critique of an article of our choice related to the opted course. At the end of the course, we had to submit the presented paper to be graded on. Writing the paper was much like writing an IB English commentary, something that we had practiced writing last term.

Q. Was the Summer School what you thought?

A. Yes. It actually exceeded my expectations, keeping me busy with academically oriented, yet enjoyable, activities to perform daily. It also exposed me to life in a big city as well, with many entertaining evening activities planned in Manhattan.

Q. Would you recommend the experience and why?

A. Yes, definitely. I feel that it is an experience that exposes you to a different way of learning and at the same time gives you a feel of what college in the United States would be like, especially if you plan to apply to that same university.

Q. Has it made you decide to study at that institution and that course and if not why not?

A. Yes. I have always wanted to study at Columbia University and this experience only increased my desire to study there. I am not sure about the course, however, because even though I enjoyed studying it, I plan to move into engineering.

And from the parents…

Mr Johri (whose eldest son, Yash is an undergraduate at Georgetown) supported his younger son, Dhruv in his pursuit of his love of music and this is what he had to say about his son’s choice of Summer School:

‘There is a lot of daily homework and numerous hours of practice required tremendous amount of independent research and initiative.’ I would recommend the summer school approach where a child is focused and passionate about the subject and the whole experience. The programme has the potential to add to a child’s persona and knowledge. I would NOT recommend it merely as a tool to add to the resume.

‘Going to the Berklee’s Music five week programme was Dhruv’s idea, he searched the details, sent his recordings, got part scholarship. We supported him as the course would give him an opportunity to explore his passion for music. Had Dhruv been going for just another run of the mill summer school programme, we may not have been so encouraging. Without doubt, it has been an exposure to the rigorous and extracting schedule of the world’s best music college, great professors and a very competitive environment. Dhruv has been exposed to disciplines like theory of music, ear training, musicianship, playing in an ensemble, studying the business of music and most importantly private lessons with some of the best in the field.

From being in awe of the quality of musicians and the sheer scale of the environment on day one, Dhruv has gained immensely, whether it is living on his own in a foreign city or performing confidently in an ensemble. The environment at Berklee is very unique because everyone there is focused on Music as a career. There were 1050 students from 48 states of America and 75 countries. There is a lot of daily homework and numerous hours of practice required tremendous amount of independent research and initiative. While Dhruv’s career choices are still some distance away he is seriously considering taking Music as a subject for his IB Diploma.

I would recommend the summer school approach where a child is focused and passionate about the subject and the whole experience. The programme has the potential to add to a child’s persona and knowledge. I would NOT recommend it merely as a tool to add to the resume.

Editorial View from the school: We could not further support Mr Johri’s view on this as going to a Summer School for any other reason than to further the love of your subject, only shows any future university and employer that your prime interest is in ‘scamming the system’. The school was also delighted to read that the emphasis was on practice, independent research and initiative. It was music (excuse the pun) to Doon’s ears!-

Ashish Sharma whose eldest son, Nikhil has been offered a place to read Law at King’s College London in 2015, sent his younger son Vivan to attend the Life Sciences Course at Imperial College. This is his feedback:

Q. Why did you support son’s application for his Summer School choice or was it very much you idea?

A. This was very much Vivan’s idea after he met a person from Imperial College, regarding Summer School. It was driven by Vivan. I supported him as it was his own initiative and as it was the only Summer School he found that was focused on Life Sciences which was his area of interest. If Vivan wants to be a doctor then the UK and Australia are his countries of choice. He already knows Australia so England was the other country option. Additionally, London in summer is an amazing experience.

Q. Do you feel that it has been an intellectually and generally useful educational and personally provided your sons with greater independence and confidence?

A. Being a Dosco, he was probably the most independent and (quietly) confident person. He has been traveling internationally on his own for at least two years and happy to live away from his environment. Additionally, his exchange experience in Denmark also helped.

Intellectually, Summer Schools are not expected to be challenging so I am not surprised. The key positive factor for me was the chance for Vivan to work on multinational group projects and make friends as a result. Vivan has remained in contact with his summer and exchange friends and I hope he keeps in contact.

Q. How international was the student body and were there other students from India?

A. Vivan indicated to me that there were very few Indian students and most of his friends were from Spain, Italy and Scandinavia. So I would say it had a more European focus. I believe there were more Indians in the engineering stream which Vivan had little to do with.

Q. How much independent research and study was required by the assignments?

A. Vivan indicated that it was mainly group study/projects and they completed two projects (one per week).

Q. Do you think that the experience has helped him either confirm his possible university choices in terms of course, country and institution or has it made him re-think, which is often a very positive outcome!

A. Vivan remains keenly focused on doing medicine or life sciences before and after the summer school so there has been no change to his interest. The country (Australia, UK) focus remains unchanged. Yes there is much discussion to be had on possible universities in each country over the next 12 to 18 months together with NPY’s team.( Editor’s note: Head of the Careers Information, Education and Guidance Department and her team)

Q. Would you recommend the Summer School approach to other parents?

A. I would only recommend sending your son to a Summer School if he is interested to go and then it should be with a focus. There is no point pushing a child beyond a certain point.

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Each year an increasing number of boys qualify for the three week Duke University programme. This is aimed at gifted and talented boys and girls in Year 7 and 8 from all over India, who have had to sit a series of tests before they get chosen to join the programme. There are numerous courses to choose from which include Maths, Science, History and Geography as well as technology and Medicine/Life Sciences. The tutors from Duke, aim to stretch the pupil intellectually in a creative and rigourous fashion making them work in teams and also individually.

Gunveer Paintal from Oberoi House reports, ‘One thing I have learned is that I can write if I put in the effort because nobody is born a writer, you become a writer.’

‘I must confess despite being a little apprehensive about missing three weeks of my ICSE IX course, I was excited about going for this programme. Days at TIP passed like our time does at school.  I hope to start writing for the school publications when I return. Among other things, we wrote an essay and a short story which we shared with each other and critiqued on where they could be improved and what was well written. I am hoping to give the short story for The Weekly in the coming term. One thing I have learned is that I can write if I put in the effort because nobody is born a writer, you become a writer. But most of all I enjoyed the balance between studies and activities. Socially I have never met so many people with different thoughts yet so like-minded, so open and ready to accept others’ views. I have made friends who I never wish to lose touch with. The evening activities were unique, fresh, insightful and fun and provided a much needed break after the strenuous and demanding class regime. From good old basketball and football to debating and JAMs.’

Abhiraj Lamba from Oberoi House reports, ‘We as a class broke the enigma code and this record by two minutes and that to in our first attempt. This was quite an achievement as breaking the enigma is not an easy task and it requires knowledge of many advanced mathematical topics such as permutations.’

‘I cannot say much about the others but I had expectations from this programme and it would not be wrong to say that it did indeed exceed those expectations. Not only did it help me in the academic sphere of life, which was its main purpose, but also in the social sphere of life as it has connected me with a number of equally gifted students from all around the country. Every Saturday we watched a movie related to or involving cryptology and discussed it on Monday. Our instructor, Mr. Aaron Feickert, told us that the record for any cryptology class, from DUKE TIP USA and India combined, to break the ENIGMA as a class was 35 minutes and that too in their second attempt. We as a class broke this record by 2 minutes and that too in our first attempt. This was quite an achievement as breaking the enigma is not an easy task and it requires knowledge of many advanced mathematical topics such as permutations. Our instructor had many such fun activities for us, one of which was a cipher quiz within the class in small groups of 4 – 5 people. Every day after classes, we had an hour of free time, which was followed by activity time in the evening. The activities taken by different RCs, who themselves were college students, were just amazing. There were sports, arts, literary events etc.I mostly went for the literary events like debating and I must say that these activities were extremely enjoyable and challenging.’

Shreyas Minocha from Jaipur House reports, ‘On the whole I am extremely satisfied by my experience at the Duke Tip Summer Studies Programme India 2015. I would like to thank the school and ASSET for giving me such a good opportunity.’

‘The three weeks that I stayed at the SNU campus, I was always busy with various activities and interaction with other children of similar interests. The courses that were offered were of high quality and we covered a lot of material within the three weeks that we stayed there. I was in the Maths Problem Solving Course and we learnt a lot of new things that are not normally taught at this level. This ranged from the Prisoner’s Dilemma game to proof writing techniques. We learnt all this in a non-conventional, fun-filled activity based way. We made various presentations in random groups and had to create our own version of games that we studied. Our instructor and TA were both extremely helpful and were interested in the welfare of the class as a whole. They answered our questions and cleared our doubts as and when required. The evening activities after classes were also extremely innovative. We had different activities each day. Some activities that were offered include quilling, relay quizzes and American football. We also utilized our weekend time very constructively taking part in Ad act competitions, dance competitions, quiz competitions and sports contests. The rooms that we stayed in were clean and had basic facilities. On the whole I am extremely satisfied by my experience at the Duke Tip Summer Studies Programme India 2015. I would like to thank the school and ASSET for giving me such a good opportunity.’

Paras Gupta from Kashmir House reports,

‘My course was DNA and I think that I have enjoyed it to the most. The crazy activities we did cleared our concepts and we did stuff that no one thinks of. This was our own class and the syllabus depended on us’.

‘I have no words to express the amount of learning we did in 20 days. I can say that this was the best camp I have ever been to. The intellectual classes we had and the RC groups competitions made the camp reach the next level.

Firstly I would like to talk about our pastoral care. According to me the RC group (the people who were with us all the time as our mentors) treated us well and engaged with us in a friendly manner .We spent one of our best times hanging around with them during our evening RC group meetings and chatting in the late night meetings. They ensured that we are well and are out of all the troubles .They were also our friends with whom we shared our days schedule. They acted as our guides and showed the right path.

Now the most important aspect, academics. My course was DNA and i think that i have enjoyed it to the most. The crazy activities we did cleared our concepts and we did stuff that no one thinks of. This was our own class and the syllabus depended on us. If we were interested in any topic we could go in depth and skip one topic we were not interested in. The debates and discussions were really interesting because all my colleagues were really smart. Hence I can say this was the best academic exposure I ever had.

The activities were amazing and new. We had a lot of debates example can be a fou corner debate and funky debate. We explored music in form of Acapella, and had dance and drama competitions. The weekend DJ was a great way to have fun after a tiring academic week. Activities were important because they relaxed us and also made us think which activity we were really interested in.

But the best part was we were living with different cultures and we could interact with them. My own roommate was from Bengal he taught me many things about the God and Goddesses of his religion. I conclude by saying that this is the best exposure one can get and this camp should be attended once in your lifetime’.

Simran and Inderjit Singh Paintal report on their son’s experience:

‘Gunvir had an excellent experience at the programme. It has helped him in more ways than one. The Creative Writing course was very informative, fun and involved a lot of discussions. The children were introduced to the work of some very inspiring poets and authors and were taught a whole new array of techniques. I believe the atmosphere in the classroom was very amiable and a lot of collaborative activities were undertaken. It was a very non-threatening , non-competitive, relaxed environment where the participants were encouraged to express themselves freely without inhibition. There were various activities which encouraged them to think out of the box as well as various opportunities to enhance their critical thinking skills. The instructor was very accessible and encouraging and used very innovative methods to teach the students.

The after-class activities were no less innovataive. They were kept busy and engaged in a very positive way all day and various streams collaborated on and off stage to showcase their talents which made the large group one cohesive unit.  It was a very friendly, non-judgemental environment that encouraged full participation. The Residential Counselors were very helpful, mentored them well and left lasting impressions.

Gunvir came back very happy, excited, confident and full of new ideas. Most importantly he has made a whole new set of friends who understand him and he can identify with them. The amazing thing is that he discovered a latent talent for dancing which he is now exploring further.

We spoke with his instructor when we went to pick him up. She was very happy with his writing and told us that he had been a very active and welcome participant in all the activities.

It has been a very satisfying experience for him and for us. Hopefully he will be able to use the tools he has gathered at this programme, in the days that unfold.’

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Congratulations to Aditya Vir Roy from Jaipur House who played soccer and has been awarded a place at St Stephen’s College Delhi to read History on the Sports Quota and to Suhel Karara from Kashmir House who have been awarded places to read B. Com. At Sri Ram College in Delhi and at St Xavier’s College Kolkata.

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‘The Careers Department was very helpful to us and Pulkit through his journey to getting admitted in Harvard. They helped him choose his subjects and identified his interests from A-form itself, and helped him build on them. Pulkit chose the IB.

The selection of colleges and universities was a joint effort. We made a list that was revised on many occasions through the year, through constant consultation with the Department. We made this list based on our research through the Fiske Guide and through first-hand account of previous students. Since the department knew Pulkit so well, they also helped us choose places where he could blossom.

Through his journey, they supported him in building a strong application, writing good essays, ensuring that he stuck to the deadlines. They even played a critical role in his success with SAT examinations, for which he got lessons from school itself. We recommend to all parents to be in constant touch with the Department and to trust them to know what you and your child wants best.’

Siddarth left Doon in 2015. Chand Sarin, parent of Siddarth Sarin said:

‘As Siddarth was shaping up brilliantly at Doon school by participating and winning several accolades and awards in various co-curricular activities and sports, we wanted to choose a college which encouraged the student’s quest to exploit his inherent talents and skills just the way The Doon School could do, both academically and vocationally. With the Careers Department’s immense guidance and help we could select a college where Siddarth could continue to excel in all fields including the crucial academics without sacrificing his flair for sports and adventure.

Without an iota of doubt, the Careers Department played a pivotal role in guiding Siddarth as well as us as parents in selecting a tailor- made university to pursue excellence. Siddarth’s success in getting admission in several universities of repute would not have been possible without the unstinted efforts and enormous time given by the Careers Department and in particular the valuable guidance of Ms Pandey and Ms Negi who had from day one guided us through the processes and finally handpicked what was best for Siddarth and his future. We will eternally grateful to the school and the Careers Department who helped Siddarth shape his career and gain admission to University of Toronto and the several other colleges.’

Preetham left Doon in 2015. Mohan Bhatt, father of Preetham Mohan said:

‘Preetham aimed only for international Universities and Colleges maintaining his CV with his best academic records and was able to get the following offers:

1. HKU with offer of renewable full tuition fees
2. HKUST with one time full tuition fees
3. Drexel with offer of renewable full tuition fees
4. U of T with $2000 Entrance Scholarship (one-time)
5. York with $12000 Entrance Scholarship (one-time)

Preetham studied the IB and could have got many more offers but the financial constraint was a major hurdle. The high SAT score of 2300 plus instead of 2140 may have helped with acquiring more reputed offers from the USA. Thanks to The Doon School’s high academic standard, development of importance on co-curricular activities and the worldwide reputation of the school are all major contributors in building excellent boys with better offers from across the globe. The role played by the Careers Department, headed by NPY, is commendable. The counselling and follow up by NPY and the team is tremendous. The support and close monitoring with good guidance for Preetham played a big role in him getting good offers.
As parents we put our best efforts and all the supports to Preetham. However, The Doon School team – HM and the teachers and, in particular, the Careers Department played a big role in getting the reputed global offers which shall build him a beautiful career with high values. Of course, Preetham’s effort is equally appreciable!’

Ritvik Kar left Doon in 2015. Sumit Kar, father of Ritvik Kar said:

‘The college application process, we’ve come to learn, is a tricky one. The numerous considerations that need to be made, ranging from selectivity to finances, before deciding where to apply were unheard of to us as first time parents dealing with this process. As parents who live abroad, we could not arrange as many in-person appointments as we would have liked to but that never became a problem because even over the phone, members of the department were able to communicate information to us smoothly and conveniently. Our son’s college list was compiled after numerous meetings between him and the career counsellors, who were able to guide him and advise him at every stage. Because of the constant interaction between the department and Ritvik, he was able to have a very clear idea of what and where he wanted to study. The additional help that came from Mr Stephen Magee and Mrs Preeta Priyamvada on the college essays front was an extremely helpful resource. The individual attention and concern that the Careers Department pays to every boy, re-assures us as parents through every step of this process.’

Anant Singh Mann left in 2015. Govind Mann, father of Anant said:

‘Anant choose to study humanities at ISC and the subject he liked most was history. His first choice was Delhi University but we realized that the north campus was long shot. As we didn’t want send him anywhere else in the country, getting admission abroad was a necessity. Our elder son Gopal was already doing an Economics degree at Warwick so the U.K. seemed a natural choice. In Gopal’s case he had got an offer from UC San Diego but we felt that it was too far so hence the U.K. After we examined the university ranking, both for the university and for courses Anant applied accordingly. He has now selected St. Andrews as his first choice as the subject offered is International Relations with Modern History. He also received offers from Durham, King’s College, London and Warwick ’.

Over the past two years the Careers Department has been extremely proactive regarding Anant’s university selection and future. Right from the start to finish the Careers Department gave a very personalized experience. Initially Anant was floundering and unsure what he wanted to do. However, after a couple of talks with Stephen Magee he started to find some direction. In the sessions with Stephen he finally determined the subject he should study as well the best universities to study it in. After which he was helped in his application process including the essays and other requirements. Without the department to hold his hand through this difficult period none of this could have happened.
My advice to parents is to keep abreast of new developments and be in touch with the Careers Department. Ask the kids to be more proactive and in touch with the department.’

Ishan Sandhu left Doon in 2015 and was School Captain. Sandeep Sandhu, father of Ishan Sandhu said:
‘It was during the admission process of our elder son Sumaer Sandhu that through the Careers Department at Doon, I learnt about the concept of ‘The Right Fit’. Before that all we thought was that according to the rankings we would short list colleges and universities in the broad spectrum where the boys can realistically expect to be admitted depending on his scores. It was this concept of the FIT that made us decide on the choice of colleges and universities and to come to a right fit for Ishan. The help and assessment of the Careers Department was most important in getting to this right fit.

It was through the personal counselling that we were made aware of the strengths of our son and his inclination towards his field of interest that he would like to pursue in college. This advice was extremely helpful as it came from the counsellors, who were able to interact with the boys from a different perspective and this gave us better insight which helped us make a informed choice.

Career Counselling is one of the most important aspects in preparing your child for the future and to help him make the right subject and career choice. The Careers Department at Doon is doing a great job, the boys need to take it more seriously specially in the A form and the parents encouragement & involvement in this process is most imperative.’

Ashutosh Goyal left Doon in 2015. Shipra Goyal, mother of Ashutosh Goyal said:

‘My interaction with the Careers Department has been quite a lot in the last three years and it has been quite fruitful. The presentations that the careers department gave before each PTM were very informative. The first hand information that we got cleared all our doubts.
Specifically, the last two years saw us discovering Ashutosh’s interests and he himself discovering himself, with the help from the Careers Department.
Initially, we were looking at liberal art studies in the USA and Canada, Business Studies in India and Management in Singapore. Ashutosh has made decisions and the careers helped us know the pros and cons of these decisions. Eventually, we were eliminating universities and colleges as per Ashu’s interests. Ashutosh was sure during this time, that he wanted to study Economics, Business and Art and a combination like this could only be done in the USA.
The refining of his essays by Mr. Magee and Ashutosh’s summer school in UCLA, under the guidance of Ms. Nagalia were also of immense help.
I always wanted Ashutosh to go to an Ivy League college, but the school also counseled me too. Furthermore the Headmaster’s recommendation to read the David and Goliath story, made me realize that for every child there is a college that was meant for him which may not necessarily be an Ivy League College.
Thank you Namrata, and the entire team in the Careers Department who guided Ashutosh in making the right decision. My husband and I are very happy for him to be studying Economics at Indiana. He will be able to pursue Business Studies there and also develop his creativity.
Our experience at The Doon School was amazing and we look forward to an equally enriching experience at The Indiana University Bloomington.

Aditya Bhattacharya left Doon in 2015. His parents said:
‘My son’s subject choice was the main influence, because it narrowed his options down and allowed him to choose colleges that catered to his interests and ambitions. Aditya chose to study the ISC. The financial cost of attending these colleges was also a major factor, as it would have been difficult to support my son’s undergraduate education without a scholarship while also supporting his sister’s postgraduate degree. The careers talks had a positive influence on my son as he was able to get information on colleges that were both affordable and had a good reputation for the courses he wanted to study.
The Careers Department provided various publications such as the annual ‘How to Future-Proof Your Career’ guide and the guides on Summer Schools and MOOCS, as well as allowing my son to sign up to receive information from the various colleges and universities that visited school. His college choices were almost completely made by the advice given to him by the department and the SAT classes and mock tests also helped him improve his scores. His essays were also supported by the advice and guidance from Mr Magee and Ms Priyamvada which ultimately helped him impress the colleges that accepted his application.
I would advise all parents to do a bit of homework on their own beforehand about the prospects and risks of the careers their child wants to pursue, and also look at the opportunities that could be available to him. I would also recommend being honest about your financial situation and let your child know what you can and cannot afford. Finally, patience is the most important aspect of the applications process, because sometimes your son may not decide where he wants to go till the very end, but you must give him the time and space he needs. He will be the one studying at the college at the end of the day.’

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Parents of Vandita who wrote to the school said:
‘Vandita enjoyed every moment of her stay in The Doon School campus. She was overwhelmed by the concern, care & attention you & the staff of your school showered upon her, it helped her feel secure & at ease to take on the mental & physical challenges involved in successfully completing the program. Observing you and your colleagues performing your assigned roles has in itself been a learning experience for Vandita and redefined her concepts and perceptions about warmth & hospitality.
Thank you very much for all the attention & care you and your team have showered on Vandita and made this a memorable summer for her, the reminiscences of which will last her a lifetime. Please accept our gratitude and convey the same to your team at the Doon School for creating a home away from home for Vandita’.

Parents of Arnav who wrote to the school from Mumbai about their son Arnav said:
‘Arnav has had the time of his life at Summer at Doon…
In the initial days he was all complaining about the accommodation, hours of the course, food and everything.
But by day three he had completely turned around and he loved the food, the course, the people and towards the end he was hoping it could be extended.
He was very happy with his experience on the farming and social services. He had never had a chance to do something like that. The course was very engrossing and I hope to see a change soon.
Thanking you for the lovely experience and we are looking forward to more’.

Parents of Aryan who wrote to the school said:
‘A small thank you note for all the efforts taken by the school and the Aspire group to help my son Aryan. As a parent I have been observing some notable changes in him which indeed are reasons for my joy and happiness.
His experiences about the leadership programme have helped him in expressing himself with amazing confidence. He seems to have become more responsible and has started taking charge of his actions. The do’s and don’t’s and a list of consequences for him in life seems to be clear. Aryan’s interpersonal skills and communication skills have truly been enhanced .The workshop was indeed very fruitful. Thanks for all your guidance and support.’

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Congratulations to both departments on the numbers of boys achieving 100% in Mathematics and Political Science this year. The latter subject choices have seen a huge increase in popularity at ISC and at IB as boys are making these choices as a result of the courses at top class liberal arts colleges in the US and for Law and International Relations in the UK at Russell Group universities and in Canada. Oberoi House dominates this list in both subjects this year. Boys in Oberoi House included: Sidharth Pahuja for Mathematics, Ritesh Devnani for Political Science and Harshvardhan Singh for Mathematics. Harshvardhan has accepted a place to read Economics at the University of Waterloo. Ritesh has a place to read Economics at Ramjas College, Delhi. Siddaarth has been offered a place to read Economics at the University of Hong Kong. Gaurav Kothari from Jaipur House has been offered and accepted a place to read Economics at Singapore Management University in Singapore.

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The internship is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the boys to get involved in the day-to-day work of world’s leading scientists at one of the world’s most advanced research facility. Boys attended lectures, demonstrations, discussions and visit across CERN facilities working with scientists and engineers in the laboratory.

It was a weeklong certified programme designed specifically for students to help them learn more about Particle Physics and Astronomy. It is one of the most prestigious programmes available those who study science.

Dr. Archana Sharma was the Coordinator of the internship and organized the entire programme in close association with Dr. Mick Storr.

 Guest Speakers included:

1) Dr. Archana Sharma, CERN

2) Dr. Mick Storr, University of Birmingham & CERN

3) Dr. John Ellis, King’s College London & CERN

4) Dr. Ian Bird at Data Centre, CERN

5) Dr. Michael Doser, Anti-matter specialist, CERN

6) Dr. Vinod Chouhan, CERN

7) Mr. Achintya Rao, Science Communication, CERN

8) Dr. Mitra, Crystal Laboratory, CERN

9) Dr. Sparsh, Medical Applications, CERN

10) Dr. David Barney, Detectors, CERN

11) Dr. Mangluki Django, Accelerators, CERN

Dr. Archana Sharma was the coordinator of the internship and organized the entire programme in close association with Dr. Mick Storr. Some of the highlights of the programme were as follows:

 The fundamental concepts were set in by Dr. Jihn Ellis who is a very senior scientist and a pioneer of a theory name SUSY (Super Symmetry). In the event of SUSY’s experimental validation Dr. Ellis may get Nobel, as they say. Others who were involved in developing basic knowledge were Dr. Barney and Dr. Django who talked about detectors and accelerators respectively.

 The Data Centre visit was packed with technological surprises as the amount of data collection and its processing is simply mind boggling.

 The field visit to the snti-matter factory was an exciting experience for the boys who were not only intrigued by the subject but equally mesmerized by Dr. Michael Doser. He explained the production and the use of anti-matter dispelling several doubts.

 It was really very encouraging to attend interactions with young Indian scientists Dr. Mitra and Dr. Sparsh who exposed the complex working of the crystal detectors and the medical applications of the particle beams. Another interesting talk was given by Mr. Achintya Rao who works as a Science Communicator at CERN. This was for sure a new career opportunity for all interns.

 Apart from the regular classes and interactions there was hands-on laboratory work on detection of cosmic rays, visits to LINAC, ATLAS and CMS which are main hubs of scientific research. Other important visits were the Cryogenic facility and the newest ground station of International Space Station (ISS) detectors in France.

CERN is willing to invite young Indian students who are highly focused and motivated to pursue core Physics in future. Recently the Government of India has finally approved India’s becoming an Associate member of CERN and so Dr. Sharma and other Indian connections are working many such opportunities.

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