Daniel Thomas Matriculation Higher Secondary School

Koyambedu is one of those places in Chennai that never really sleeps. Being situated at No 1184 on EVR Periyar High Road means we are right in the thick of it. The traffic outside is almost constant, but once you step inside our gates, it feels a bit different. We’ve been running Daniel Thomas Matriculation Higher Secondary School here for quite a while. The school yard is where all the action happens during the morning assembly. We’ve got students from all over this side of the city. The staff here is used to the fast pace. We spend a lot of time walking up and down the stairs, checking on classrooms, and making sure the water tanks are full. It’s a lot of physical work keeping a place like this going. On rainy days, the road outside gets messy, but we just carry on like usual. We have older teachers who remember when this area wasn't so crowded, and they share stories with the younger ones. It’s a place with a lot of history etched into the walls. We don't use a lot of complicated systems; we just talk to each other and get things done. Whether it’s fixing a broken window or planning the next term, we just take it one day at a time. It’s a bit noisy and always busy, but it’s our home. There is always a pot of tea in the office and a list of things that need doing before the sun goes down.