Ruskin Bond International School aims to open in 15 cities this year
By Arun Pratap Singh
Mussoorie, 5 Jan: A launch programme for the ‘Ruskin Bond International School’ (RBIS) was held at Hotel Savoy here, today, in the presence of celebrated author Ruskin Bond, who has lent his name to the school, a joint venture involving his grandson Siddharth Bond.
Former Lt Governor of Puducherry and the first female IPS officer in the country, Kiran Bedi, was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Ruskin Bond International School is set to open in the coming session in Vadodara to begin with, and then in Mussoorie. In this year alone, the school aims to set up 15 branches across the country on a franchise model.
Chief Guest Kiran Bedi described the launch day as a memorable one that is bound to create history. She said she was proud to be participating in the launch ceremony of the school in the presence of living legend Ruskin Bond. She said that, as a reader and writer herself, she highly appreciates the writing skills of Ruskin Bond. He has a unique skill and the patience to describe well even the smallest thing as part of his storytelling. She also appreciated the concept of the school and the brain behind the school, Kunal Sharma. The school aims to groom creativity, storytelling ability, and real-world skills among young students. This, she said, would lead to a large number of budding storytellers, lyricists, and creative young minds as the school is set to open 15 branches this year itself and many more in the near future. She also felt that the students who get the opportunity to study at the Ruskin Bond International School would feel privileged, and their parents would be extremely proud of their children.
Bedi said that education is the foundation of a thriving nation. The Ruskin Bond International School model ensures that children not only learn but also develop the values and skills needed to lead. Bedi also stated that, when she shared this information with friends about coming to Mussoorie to participate in this event linked to Ruskin Bond, she was asked by one to advise the school to encourage the children to keep an empty Ruskin Bond jar at the beginning of the session, which they can keep filling by writing notes about their ideas and experiences and then share the same at the end of the year in the school with others. This, her friend felt, would make them more creative.
The event also witnessed an interactive but informal session between Ruskin Bond and Rohan Joshi, a noted stand-up comedian and host. Joshi asked Bond certain questions regarding his school days. This conversation took the audience on a nostalgic journey regarding their own and Bond’s school life.
Bond shared that he often enjoyed running away from the school. But he also appreciated the fact that his school had a well-equipped library full of interesting books, and in response to another question, he observed that every school in the present times should also have a good library that can engage the young minds of the students. Bond also shared that, in his time, teachers used to be very strict and used canes, and he had also been caned by his teachers during school time. He added that though this kind of treatment in schools is not prevalent anymore, the importance of instilling discipline remains equally important even in the current times. In response to another question, Bond conceded that he is not very knowledgeable about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and therefore can’t say if AI can adversely or positively affect the imagination power of children, but he wished that he would have performed better in mathematics if AI had been present during his school days.
Earlier, addressing the gathering, Kunal Sharma, who is the brain and the visionary behind the RBIS alongwith Siddharth Bond, said that the vision of the promoters of the school is to spark a love for learning in children through stories, imagination, and real-world applications. Kunal Sharma, president of Chhatra Sansad India, also shared how the idea of Ruskin Bond International School cropped up. He recalled that he met Siddharth Bond, the grandson of Ruskin Bond, in Goa and, having been a fan of Ruskin Bond’s storytelling, remained in touch with Siddharth. During their interactions, the idea to open a school that aims at a paradigm shift in school education was born and took shape. He added that, designed as a groundbreaking preschool franchise model, RBIS aims to redefine early education by combining creativity, storytelling, and real-world skills to nurture India’s youngest minds.
Also addressing the gathering, CA Utpal Shah emphasised that the operational and financial framework of the RBIS ensures its sustainability and scalability. Siddharth Bond highlighted the importance of preserving his grandfather’s legacy while nurturing future generations.
Popular YouTube creators Abhi and Niyu also had a session regarding education and creativity. During the event, it was stated that the school is inspired by stories and real-world skills and draws its essence from the life and works of legendary author Ruskin Bond. Each school under this model aims to integrate storytelling as a fundamental teaching method, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and empathy among young learners.
Shilpi compered the session while Shristi, the granddaughter of Ruskin Bond, paid rich compliments to her grandfather and legendary author Ruskin Bond.
