Page 78 - EW November 2023

People

Wellness Centre, Rajkot), rolled out
a plan to construct an additional aca-
demic building with a built-up area
of 80,000 sq. ft.
History. An education, technology
and industrial systems graduate
of the globally top-ranked Har-
vard (USA) and Cambridge (UK)
universities who returned to India
in late 2013, Patel promoted TNS
after deeply researching curriculum
design on the main campus of RK
University (estb. 2005), the first
privately promoted professional edu-
cation university in the Saurashtra
region of Gujarat which has an ag-
gregate enrolment of 6,000 students.
Subsequently, after studying best
schools in India, US, Singapore, and
Denmark, and consulting with ar- ECSE's Bishnu Pal (centre right): tripartite technical cooperation agreement
chitects and designers from Colum-
bia, Harvard, Bauhaus-Universität learning path through a unique Distinguished dean
(Germany) universities, and CEPT foundational program christened
University (India), he designed the the Northstar Exploratory Learn-
state-of-the-art campus of TNS. ing Approach. It empowers them to polymath alum of Jadavpur
“TNS was started as a course choose their preferred subjects and University, Kolkata, IIT-Del-
project at Harvard University, where skills to promote a sense of owner- A hi and professor at the high-
I was exploring K-12 education from ship and passion for learning. The ranked IIT-Delhi for over three de-
three perspectives: curriculum, expe- program not only enhances academic cades (1978-2014), DR. BISHNU PAL
rience and space design. Simultane- engagement, it also nurtures critical is Founder-Dean of the Ecole Central
ously, I researched the institutional thinking and decision-making skills. School of Engineering (ECSE) of the
history and organisational culture of The school's curriculum, assessment new age, multi-disciplinary Mahin-
the Massachusetts Institute of Tech- structure, and architecture have been dra University, Hyderabad. Promot-
nology. From these studies I became carefully designed to implement this ed by the Mumbai-based Mahindra
aware that conceptualising, design- philosophy. Moreover, our teacher to Group, the well-known heavyweight
ing and constructing a K-12 school student ratio is 1:7 resulting in highly in automotives (Mahindra & Mahin-
in India which is a safe haven of true personalised learning,” says Patel. dra — automobiles and tractors) and
expression for children, educators Future plans. Looking ahead, IT and ITES (Tech Mahindra — IT
and parents, was necessary and Patel is hopeful of making TNS’ enabled services), Mahindra Uni-
possible. After nearly three years of path-breaking learning programs versity (MU) was established in May
foundational work, TNS admitted its accessible to educators and students 2020 under The Telangana State
first batch in 2016,” says Patel, who nationwide. “In TNS, we are Private Universities Act, 2018. Cur-
also teaches philosophy and litera- constantly exploring new ways of rently, it offers undergrad, postgrad
ture at this avant garde day school. designing learning experiences. and doctoral programs in engineer-
Direct talk. “Unlike the competi- While growing student numbers and ing, business management and law,
tive school education landscape increasing branches are legitimate to 4,000 students mentored by 230
that promotes rote learning, TNS is parameters of growth, in TNS the highly qualified faculty.
driven by the philosophy that learn- growth is biophilic. Our curriculum Newspeg. As Dean Academics
ing should be enjoyable, meaningful teams are simultaneously designing (ECSE) of the largest school of Ma-
and relevant to students. It was a professional development workshops hindra University which hosts over
challenge convincing parents in a for educators and parents so that we 2,500 students, Dr. Pal was recently
tier II city to embrace a new school continue to share our pedagogies (July) in Bengaluru to attend the
with a contemporary philosophy and with one and all,” says Patel. International Biennial Conference
learning approach. Here students Wind beneath your wings! on Photonics, 2023 held at the top-
are encouraged to find their own Paromita Sengupta (Bengaluru) ranked Indian Institute of Science.

78 EDUCATIONWORLD NOVEMBER 2023