Nargish Khambatta, Principal, GEMS Modern Academy
They say education is a calling… but in my case I stumbled into it. In the exuberance of youth, I wanted to be a doctor, a police officer, an athlete... But I always enjoyed explaining things to my friends, so when I didn’t get through my medical entrance exam, I followed the herd instinct and studied what everyone else seemed to be studying – Microbiology. After my Master’s degree I was inspired by my sister who was an excellent teacher (now principal of her own preparatory school). She narrated such powerful stories. I started out teaching at college level, and when I came to Dubai I veered towards school teaching as you had to have a doctorate to be able to teach in a university here. I come from Deolali, near Nasik in
India. I’m the eighth child in a family of nine and my wonder years were spent in the countryside, with fond memories of my school and the time we spent on our farm. It was a content, happy childhood – not an affluent one, but filled with lots of laughter. My parents insisted on the family having dinner together and conversations at the dining table were stimulating and fascinating – I think all my aspirations stemmed from there, listening to my family discuss the mundane and the profound and everything in between. [Indian spiritual leader] Swami Vivekananda’s gardener analogy is one I picked up over a plate of steaming white rice and curry: the potential to grow lies in a seed and not with the farmer. And as an educator I find that very powerful – like the gardener, parents and teachers need to create a conducive and wholesome environment for children to blossom. My gender didn’t hold me back as
a teacher... but as the leadership positions came my way, whispers of “why her, aren’t we good enough to do the job?” were murmured by men. But I’ve never experienced a blatant “she can’t do it”. If anything, in my 33 years of being in education, I’ve really enjoyed my friendships even with male colleagues, with there always being mutual respect, and we have always worked as one unit.
You can either age gracefully... or try and remain young forever. Now, I’m more sure of myself, my relationships, what I stand for, and I’m not afraid to speak up. I have been described as an iron fist in a velvet glove. I’m tough when I need to be, but I always have the sensibility to carry people with me and understand their problems and concerns. I’m enjoying the space I am in. When I got to 40, many people cautioned me, but the minor insecurities I had sort of vanished. In my 50s now I’m almost in zen state. To all the women out there – ageing is a beautiful phenomenon, embrace it. Do we really need Women’s Day in
today’s day and age? It’s always wonderful to celebrate women and their achievements and I think the age where Women’s Day was needed is behind us. Every day women are celebrated. Men don’t need a day to remind anyone of their contributions, so why do women? It would be more relevant in countries where women are not emancipated, but certainly not in this part of the world.
A quandary I face now... is how to fulfil my wanderlust – I love travelling. I’d like to just take off for six months – not to do regular touristy things but more off-the-beaten track in the countries of my choice. Growing up I had some insecurities.
I was painfully shy (though people find it difficult to believe that now), and I always thought I was not good enough! I hated to be in the spotlight - every time I was called to speak, my heart would thump out my chest. Now I’m not the life and soul of a party, but enjoy being with friends and family. Life has taught me that it’s OK to have moments of anxiety, it’s OK to not be able to do everything perfectly, as long as you can rationally think things through, and come to terms with it. I tell my daughter; ‘acceptance is the greatest liberator. Once you accept something, it stops being a bother!’ Do I have a work-life balance?
Yes, and no. I like things just so – the Goldilocks effect! I seek excellence. I’m not a workaholic, but enjoy my work so much that sometimes I neglect things on the home front. When I ask to go to the beach, my husband knows I need the space and haven’t been getting enough me-time. I love to read, being with kids, going for long walks on different routes and gardening. The best way to make an impact…
is really by creating a ripple effect. As an individual, your realm of influence is limited, but when you empower people, they go on to empower others. That’s my leadership philosophy. We encourage our children to question things, not to be ‘yes people’. It’s about teaching kids not what to think, but how to think.
I always wonder... what legacy I am going to leave behind. I often have these discussions with my son, who is 29 and working in Toronto, and my daughter, 26, who works in Dubai. I’ve always dreamt of a school with a difference… and educating the girl child is important for me and my family. So I want my future to be for those who don’t have access to quality education.
When I got to 40, the minor insecurities I had sort of vanished. In my 50s now I’m almost in zen state