Having a strong educational background in literature and education, Archana Gaba’s innovations in child pedagogy and cognitive development slip smoothly into her core thrust areas. Gaba is associated with several organisations working in the field of child welfare and development at the national level. A YEL examiner with Cambridge and a teacher associate for the 'Science of Happiness' course, University of California (Berkeley), she is also the master trainer of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and hypnotherapy. She gets candid and talks about her work and passion.
“My school’s name is Saint Kabir Gurukul. I believe we are the most progressive educational institute of this region where students are free to choose what they want to learn. Science and engineering are not imposed on them,” she states.
Is her work her passion, too? “I am an educator by profession. Both my parents used to be teachers, too. So, I grew up amidst discussions around education as an agent of change and progress. This is something I can do without counting hours; all 365 days of the year, all my life.” Talking about her travel habits, she says, “I love to travel. I belong to a small town in the interiors of Punjab, which is a very simple and culturally dry place with hardly any means for recreation or opportunities to network with the people. So, travelling is more of a necessity than a luxury for me and I enjoy it a lot. My favourite travel spots are places with a breath of history.”
She believes one must use one’s potential optimally. She started as a teacher, and now is a principal. She also held the common notion that principals are tough, dry, distant people. But when she became one, she realised how wrong she was. The position worked as a vantage point from where she could look at the bigger picture. She loves being with them and being a trained therapist, she counsels them, too.
“My greatest passion is to help people know themselves, know their gifts and then empower them so that they can use their gifts, their capabilities for themselves and for society. Education is a very powerful tool. Besides, India has massive human resource. If we succeed in educating them well, no one can stop us from becoming the super power,” she strongly opines.
She goes on to say, “Since my childhood, I have been very fond of stories and other forms of literature. My mother is a highly religious woman and she would make me and my siblings read various holy scriptures every summer. Besides, our home always had story books and magazines lying around. I am a voracious reader and a proud owner of an enormous library.”
Her message to today’s youth is that the only real parameter of our success is our impact on the world we live in. “While chasing their ambition to obtain a high-paying job and a life full of luxuries, they cannot afford to forget their obligations and responsibilities. The reactions to their actions and choices will affect the nation as a whole,” she says.
Her hobbies are too many to count. She is a travel freak, a book worm and a music junkie. She also loves to design spaces, attire and jewellery. She dabbles with creative writing, and is fond of adventure sports; she loves to train teachers, and even corporate teams. She is associated with many national-level organisations that work for the cause of education. “If we all are what we throw and what we keep, I want to think, speak, keep and spread unconditional love,” she signs off.
