Flipping through the years at Wycherley…..
View(s):It has been over 15 years since I graduated from Wycherley International School, after seven memorable years which laid the foundation for my life. Despite many challenges, my parents always tried to provide me with the best education I could possibly get and were overjoyed when I gained admission to Wycherley way back in 1990. Oblivious to the challenges that lay ahead, I can now see in retrospect and appreciate the nurture and support provided by my teachers at Wycherley.
My first day at Wycherley was the beginning of the Third Term in Grade 5. I was really nervous, for not only did I have an arduous task of catching-up with the work from the previous two terms, but making new friends was an even greater fear. Settling into the new
Dr.Kushwin Rajamani, MB BCh(Hons) FRACP
environment was facilitated well by my very first teacher in this institution, Mrs Indrani Nalliah. Not only was she a brilliant teacher but being in-charge appeared to be second nature to her. I had to put my nose on the grind to get me through this term as the task of making it to the next Grade seemed daunting. Thankfully I managed to forge friendships with kids with whom my child-like nature was with good company. Entrance to the spot behind the water tank during meal breaks required a secret password released to a privileged few, where we had intense conversations about teenage mutant ninja turtles.
One misconception I had during those years was the idea that sleeping the night before exams would lead to loss of information. Although it did get me through exams, I later realised, that this was not ideal and rather a good night of sleep is more important so that the mind is fresh. Religion (without fanaticism) was an integral part of my upbringing, and the belief that anything is possible as long as I have the blessing from higher powers. In my formative years, like many kids, I did not question what I had to do but just did it. It is not unreasonable not to be enthusiastic over every subject which was part of the curriculum, as we could not foresee the relevance of each in the future. The diverse subjects were essentially to give us a taste, so that with time, we would identify that single discipline that would dominate our interest. Until I reached that level of maturity to know what I wanted as a career, I set out to excel in everything I did. Although I cannot quantify the relative contributions of each subject, they played a substantial role in exercising memory and recall, creativity, vision, analytical skills, inspiration, knowledge of world issues along with the demands and direction of
Personally, I believe that the brain needs to be harnessed to function optimally from a very early age in order to set the wheels of success in motion. The exception to this would be if you rely on luck or born into wealth, but I am an advocate of controlling and creating your own destiny. It was not a comfortable notion to depend on inheritance nor to feel entitled or take pride to savour decades of hard work my ancestors have endured. Our minds are our greatest asset and it is great minds who remain celebrated over centuries, not millionaires. Teachers have dedicated their lives to invest and build the minds of the next generation. Materialism and the incredible obsession to be a ‘celebrity’ in various forms appear to have taken centre stage. I think the real celebrities are the likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa, who represent visionaries that changed the world in a meaningful way. They imparted vital messages which could transform our nation and change it into non-violence and helpful to the poor.
It was indeed a welcome relief to get through my exams and make it to Secondary School. The baton to keep everyone in-line was passed onto another disciplinarian, Miss Yoga Coomarasamy. However, as long as we impressed her with our grasp of Mathematics, we were in her good books. These were the final years of a relatively carefree life. If only I could do it all over again- attend school in the morning and play sport all afternoon, along with the fun and thrills of the various extra-curricular activities such as debating, music etc. This was also a time when ‘Famous Five’ and ‘Secret Seven’novels influenced us to the extent where we founded our very own ‘three investigators’. Unlike fiction, there were not many clues to solve petty crimes, and the trio parted three months later.
The next transition was getting quite serious. It was hard enough battling through the growing pains of being a teenager, but in addition needing to decide what path of subjects we wanted to pursue. Although we did not have a good appreciation of what is involved as a career in pursuing a particular subject, the fundamental aim was to choose what we enjoyed. Other factors are somewhat secondary, even when it comes to deciding on a career.
High School was under the jurisdiction of the most feared and respected individual of the school’s entire history, Mr Kingsley Jayasinghe. It takes a certain character to be Principal of this institution for over 20 years. The teaching methods and leadership have been time-tested with outstanding results, and appears to show no signs of slowing down. The combination of a personal desire to learn and excel, supported by the strong academic staff at Wycherley with decades of experience has been a perfect match to consistently produce fantastic results.
Graduating from the class of 1997 was a time of highly mixed emotions. Excitement was uncontrollable towards the next stage in our lives. At the same time there was great sadness as we parted from our nest after being nurtured by our teachers until then. It marked the end of childhood and innocence, leading to the beginning of an adult life. This involved many choices and decisions more than ever before and eventually become products predominantly of our own actions and inactions.
The work ethics, endurance and study techniques I have cultivated at Wycherley served me in good stead to survive the rigors of medical school in Ireland. Thereafter, opportunities presented in Australia allowed me to pursue and achieve my lifelong dream of becoming a Cardiologist. I am now relocating to the USA to work at a Premier Hospital for Cardiology in the Country. Although this journey has taken many sacrifices in my part, I am forever indebted to my teachers who set the foundation I needed to achieve the life I dreamed of. My mother has had very little in terms of a formal education and has struggled to ensure that her children have the education and life she never had. At moments of turmoil and darkness it is ultimately her unconditional love, support and the courage to prevail against all odds that has helped me weather every storm. It is my turn now to return the favour to my family, school and country. There is a lot to be done.
Dr.Kushwin Rajamani
MB BCh(Hons) FRACP
Follow @timesonlinelk
comments powered by Disqus