Shanu Patel High School

Over in Warje, Pune, specifically at 62 Girish Society, you will find Shanu Patel High School. It is right in the middle of a residential area, so it feels very much like a part of the neighborhood. The houses are close by, and the neighbors know when our school day starts because of the noise. It is a compact building, typical for this part of Pune where space is hard to find. We have a small entrance where the parents drop off their kids on scooters before heading to work. The traffic in Warje can be a bit of a mess in the mornings, but once everyone is inside, things settle down. We have classrooms that get a lot of afternoon sun, which makes it a bit warm, so the fans are always humming. The floors are made of simple tiles that have been walked on by thousands of feet over the years. We have a small library that is mostly just shelves of old books that people have donated. It is a practical place. We don’t have any fancy sports fields, just a small open area where the kids can stand for assembly. The staff room is small and usually smells like ginger tea. We just go about our business, teaching the kids and making sure the exams happen on time. It is a local school for local people, and we like it that way.