In the 1980s, I joined Children’s Garden School as a Grade 8 student, when my family shifted from Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu. On the first day of school, we were full of apprehensions. A week passed and we soon realised that the school was like a temple. We were not allowed to wear slippers to the classroom. We welcomed this practice.
Children’s Garden School gave considerable importance to arts and culture, inspiring students to push the limits. Nalini Ramani, our music teacher, gave us the first opportunity to sing on stage. She recommended our names for a concert. Everybody went gaga over our performance, and that’s when we realised that we are good on stage. I was also a state-level cricket player, thanks to my sports teacher Suguna. She was extremely strict, which worked to our advantage. She was responsible in putting us in various sports activities.
It was a free atmosphere. If we did not prepare for our tests or complete our homework, our teachers would not reprimand us immediately. They would try to find out the reason we had failed to complete our homework.
We were fortunate to have performed at out alma mater for its 75th anniversary celebrations. We performed there not as professional singers, but as former students of the school.
(Haripriya is one of the Priya Sisters, eminent Carnatic singers)
