"When I first told my classmates in Rishi Valley I was from the Middle Andamans, they used to say, 'Where??' Now all of them want to visit!"
- BINDU DURAIKANNU
"My House is in Betapur Village. It takes 8 hours by bus to go to Port Blair. I never dreamt one day I would be in Mumbai, that too studying in Xaviers!"
- JINU GEORGE
"My mother used to take care of me before I left the Andamans. Now I take care of her."
- PRATIMA KUMARI
"In Nicobar we feel forgotten by people on the mainland. The foundation showed us it's not true."
- MATRENA MARTIN
"In the Andamans life is beautiful, but sheltered. Rishi Valley exposed me to people from different cultures and communities. Now I want to go out into the world"
- RUKHSAR RASHEED
"Life in Kashmir is beautiful but sometimes sad. Here schoolwork is tough but there is no sadness."
- SARHAN SHOWKAT
"In winter, I really miss home, the snow, the kangri... then I do pottery under the Parijat tree in school and I forget everything!"
- SHEEBA ASHRAF
"When I went back to Kashmir for my first vacation after joining Sahyadri, I told my friends all about school - going on treks, learning the guitar, doing real life experiments outside with nature. They were very happy and slightly jealous!"
- YOUSRA IQBAL PADDER
"When I see my classmates in Sahyadri – they all have come from different parts of India – then I realize how big this country is, and how lucky I am!"
- ARBEENA JAN
"I couldn't talk to the teachers freely in my school in Kashmir. In Sahyadri the teachers are like my older brothers and sisters!"
- ASIF MANZOOR
"In Sahyadri school everybody is the same. There is no big and small. Teachers, students. workers in the school – everybody's the same!"
