Shweta & Rajiv Kapur
Head Start parents from 2005 till date
Parents of Shiv and Tara

Shweta, Tara and Shiv Kapur at the HSEA construction site

Our older child has been at Head Start since he was two, in 2005. Two years later our daughter followed his footsteps into the leafy lanes of Koramangala. This is where our story begins.

We are so proud and so blessed to be a part of this extended family as Head Start celebrates its 35th anniversary. What words can I possibly use to humbly describe how those caring, mindful hands have nurtured our children for over a decade now? From the days of watching our toddlers get a warm reception by Samina Aunty, at the steps of their preschool, to the graduation speeches given by those very children, at sweet sixteen, in that very playground, we have walked together so far and it has been one special journey.

My eyes get misty and a warm fuzzy feeling overwhelms me whenever I think of this multidirectional umbilical cord we have shared with so many Adults at Head Start. Campuses have changed and faces may have changed, but each one of you has a spot in our hearts.

We could not have asked for better partners than the Head Start team. Be it sports, music, academics or theatre, the effort and enthusiasm that goes into a student's all round development has always been commendable and  I am so glad that these children have had opportunities to interact with talented adults, who helped expand their horizons. Our kids have gained from friendly as well as competitive events at times, always aware that they were there to participate, regardless of the outcome.

My husband and I see sport as a vital activity for a balance in life. So when we look back at all the effort, the trials, the thought and the resources that Riad has put towards encouraging different sports activities, we cannot help but appreciate that even as far back as 2008, Riad had rented the plot next to the Koramangala school because the children began cricket and soccer coaching when they were still under the age of six. That kind of vision really did get the ball rolling early and today our children have a keen interest in being sporty, being fit, and we can hope they will care to be active adults, decades from today. We did give them a head start, didn’t we?

Samina Aunty once addressed us parents when our kids were in the preschool years, referring to them as gifts that would open up at their own pace. I am grateful for that insight! Like a guiding star, all these years, those words have stayed with me. Not only ours, I can see each and every young person here, blossoming as individuals, and there is much to be thankful for.

What Aunty didn’t spell out - there is magic in the air at Head Start. Not only are my kids in love with school food, they also fight tooth and nail to avoid going on a holiday if they have to miss a day at school. So here we stand, never thought we must live up to the kitchen and the happiness quotient at Head Start!

Honestly speaking, the child in me also loves going to the Sarjapur campus. I really look forward to PTM days. I pick the earliest slots for a reason. I'm on a picnic, enjoying the tea and snacks, the fresh air and the blue skies. Best of all, I love to walk around the trees and landscaped areas. Another memory that surfaces is the music events at school. I distinctly recall a beautiful sunset and a terrace full of parents mesmerized by a troupe of young girls performing Kathak. That very evening, in the winter of 2011, the amphitheater with the large tree outside the Primary block was dressed in a veil of cascading lights. Truly, that evening was so special for all these reasons, apart from the fact that the children had crafted musical compositions to perform, facilitated by Sutirth Sir and the music teachers.

One day in the near future when my children shall no longer walk in these corridors and will build lives in places far away, I know that Head Start will be in their hearts and in their steps. They shall be responsible citizens of this earth and the varied learnings they take from Head Start will be their guiding force.

Today, with both our children in high school we have high regard for the tremendous support we have from the excellent teachers, Riad and Ms. Priya Peter. We have seen them guide and educate our children with true commitment. Their sincerity and effort has been a gift to us parents. We genuinely wish Riad, Samina Aunty and all the Teachers and Facilitators at Head Start all the best for decades to come. May your aspirations for our school find wings and we hope that the young adults who emerge from your care will carry your good work forward in every way!