Columns by Head of School Chris Nikoloff, General News, Upper School

Student Blog: Trio of Students and Head of School Nikoloff Travel to India on Journey of Entrepreneurial Exploration

Chris Nikoloff, head of school, and three students – Simar Mangat, Neeraj Baid and Neel Bhoopalam, all seniors – along with Jennifer Walrod, director of global education at Harker, are traveling in India from March 22-April 7 to explore entrepreneurial education and opportunities. Read all about their adventures right here!

  • Agastya Trip. - April 6, 2013
    Agastya Trip.
  • Last Day - April 6, 2013
    Hey Folks!! We’re heading home now! The feeling is bittersweet. We had such a great adventure here in India. :) Time to go back home though, taking all the amazing memories with us.  Just a quick recap of what we did this past day! Today, we went to the Agastya foundation and toured their 172 acre facility. It was like exploring an outdoor Tech Museum! Then we taught kids from rural villages about rotational motion in the air and created twirling fans!! :) After the lesson, the kids performed a folk dance. It’s amazing how fascinated the kids were by us. :) Definitely made us feel special. Then we learned how bricks are made, visited a local village, saw how agriculture was conducted, and drank some fresh coconut water from trees. Though we came back late to TISB, we relished every minute we had with our friends. We talked, laughed, and had an amazing time. Special thanks to Akshay, Chirag, and Anshul for being our hosts. We’re definitely going to miss them. Shout out to our TISB peeps! :)  Now, we’re currently at the airport…waiting for a delayed flight. :( Hopefully the storm in Dubai will clear up. We miss everyone back home and hope everyone is doing well! We’ll try to head back as quickly as possible. ;) Also, considering this is the last post…a huge shout out to everyone who made this trip the amazing adventure it turned out to be. Beginning with Ms. Walrod who embraced our idea 9 months ago to Mr. Nikoloff who made the trip extremely fun. Also, a huge shout out to Tara for being an amazing travel guide and Dr. Sullivan (TISB principal) for having us at TISB. It’s been an amazing adventure folks, and we’ve enjoyed every bit of it. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our blog as much as we’ve enjoyed telling our stories. :)  With that, one last time! Signing off,The India Crew 
  • General India Pictures Part 2. - April 6, 2013
    General India Pictures Part 2.
  • General India Pictures Part 1. - April 5, 2013
    General India Pictures Part 1.
  • Day #11 + TISB - April 5, 2013
    Hey Folks!! We’re really sorry we haven’t been able to post anything on the blog these past couple days. The TISB wifi had blocked all social networking sites for students, but the networking manager was kind enough to lift restrictions for us! :) And away we go, lots to recap! Last we left off, we were in Jodhpur for our last night there. In the morning, we traveled to the Polo Grounds to meet his highness, the maharaja (king) of Jodhpur. There was a huge horse show going on, but we were still able to have an audience with the King and take some amazing pictures. :) We got to meet royalty!! Woot! After that fortunate encounter, we arrived at the Jodhpur Aerodome and said our goodbyes to Tara, officially our travel consultant…but more like a mom/friend/guide/someone we really care about. BTW, for anyone interested in traveling, please check out her company.www.India-by-Design.com She didn’t ask us to market for her, but we all feel she deserves a huge shout out. She MADE our trip amazing with her travel expertise and connections, and we can’t thank her enough for being so caring. :) Go Tara!!  Anyways, that entire day, we traveled from Jodhpur to Mumbai to Bangalore, arriving late at night and having a quick Subway dinner to satiate our hunger. TISB has welcomed us with open arms and shown us amazing hospitality during our stay. We are currently living in a dorm room for triples, and all of us have amazing buddies! On the first day, we did a presentation of Harker and later won the IDEA challenge competition in business. For the rest of the school day, we attended classes and observed TISB’s culture. Simar even managed to teach a Calculus Math class, ultimately posing riddles for the class to solve. Overall, we’ve had a very positive experience here at TISB! Today, we traveld to a Textile Factory called Go Go International to see the entire production process for many brand name shirts. The factory utilizes the assembly line method to minimize costs and increase efficiency [economies of scale]! Looks like our Econ knowledge is being put to use. :)  We’re about to go to sleep, and somehow it started raining extremely hard in this hot Bangalore Weather. Everyone here is happy and healthy. Hope all is well back home. Love,The India crew
  • Amer Fort. - April 5, 2013
    Amer Fort.
  • Day #10 - April 2, 2013
    Here comes the sun doo-doo-doo-doo! Goood evening ladies and gentlemen!  Today, Ms. Walrod and Simar woke up at 5:30 to see the beautiful sunrise from Fort Khejarla! They watched the entire village come alive as the sun’s tendrils stretched across the pink sky. Birds chirped in unison and local villagers began milking their cute goats. :)  Soon after, we went on a village tour in an African Safari type jeep. We first came across a lake upon which we skipped stones, and then interacted with local villagers. After observing the simple village life, we handed out toiletries to the locals and played with the baby.  We then drove two hours to Jodhpur and visited the cremation site for all the Rajas! In Jodhpur, the king hasn’t had any political power since independence, but still garners respect of the people. We had delicious, stuffing meal in the Raja’s (King’s) own palace, called the Umaid Bhawan. We’re putting on a few pounds. Luckily, we don’t have to check in that package!  Moreover, the indoor pool was simply heavenly. :)  After Mr. Nikoloff’s jocularly told us to take our time, we rushed to the Maharaja Fort wish housed the royal family before the grandfather of the current raja built the Umaid Bhawan in the center of Jodhpur.  To conclude our day, we walked the local markets and had dinner in a very ambient outdoor restaurant called On The Rock! :)  Hope all is well back home! Love, The India Crew
  • Day #9 - April 2, 2013
    Evening folks! Sorry we couldn’t upload the post yesterday! We didn’t have internet connection at the fort. Waking up to the sweet noise of our phone alarms, we stumbled out of bed and had a hasty breakfast for the long trek ahead of us. After picking up our article in the Rajistan Daily Newspaper, we embarked on a lengthy five hour journey to Khejarla. On the way, we stopped at McDonald’s for some Paneer wraps and had a very philosophical discussion on the meaning of life. :)  A short nap followed, and we arrived at the Khejarla fort in the evening! Can you believe it?! We’re sleeping in a fort!! After dropping our bags off, we took a jeep to a nearby temple on the mountain to see the sunset. It was such a sublime sight! Once the sunset, the entire village came up to pray to a Hindhu goddess. It’s amazing how communities can build around religion. As the stars popped into the night sky, we laid on the rocks and simply gazed at the beautiful world around us. We traced constellations and took some amazing photographs too! Arriving back at the fort, we had a fantastic dinner and headed back to our rooms for some well-deserved sleep! Tomorrow morning, we’ll be waking up early to see the sunrise! Hope all is well back home! The India Crew 
  • Shahpura House! - April 2, 2013
    Shahpura House!
  • Day #8 - March 31, 2013
    Good morning everybody!  Today, we really felt that boiling Indian heat! Rolling out of bed and hastily eating breakfast, we drove to the Amber Fort in Jaipur. Bearing semblance to the Great Wall of China, the fort has beautiful architecture that assimilates Mughal and Indian elements. Interestingly, we rode elephants up to the fort! The elephants often surprised us with a water shower from there trunks. Also, when the elephants would pee, the urine would crash down like a waterfall. Quite a sight!  At the fort, we explored the 4 main courtyards. There was a magnificent mirror palace as well as a commercialized Café Coffee Day (Starbucks equivalent) smack dab in the fort. We rode jeeps down from the fort and ventured onwards to a Rajistani lunch.  There, we were interviewed by a Rajistan (Indian state) newspaper! We will be in the daily newspaper tomorrow across the state. :) Pretty exciting, right?! Bellies full with some delicious Indian food, we journeyed to the Water Palace and rode on some camels. Soon after, we visited the city Palace and climbed to the top of the building. There we saw the entire city of Jaipur laid out beneath us against the beautiful landscape.  Finally, we walked down the streets of Jaipur in shopping spree and followed Ms. Walrod into an Indian clothing shop (Uh oh). We sat on the stools outside the shop as if our own moms were shopping for sarees (Indian dresses). We love you <3 We actually ended up talking with the locals in English, Hindhi, and Spanish with some Italian and French mixed in! Talk about multilingual adventures! Our day concluded with us singing Hakuna Matata in the vaan as we drove up to a dinner under the stars! All is well, happy and healthy. :) Have an amazing day!  The India Crew
  • Photo - March 30, 2013
  • Day #7 - March 30, 2013
    Good evening folks! We hope everyone is having an amazing start to their well deserved Spring Break!  Today, we woke up to see the Taj Mahal at sunrise. The light literally made the marble and precious glimmer. Quite a sight! Quick history lesson! The Taj Mahal was created by Shah Jahan to showcase his love for the late queen, Mumtaz Mahal.  The monument itself is built from white marble and intricately engraved with semi-precious stones.  A special stone, the firestone, glows when light is shined on it…kind of like a firefly! After gazing upon such a beautiful wonder of the world, we ate breakfast at our hotel and began a lengthy journey to Jaipur. One lunch stop and 5 hours of driving later, we have arrived at a beautiful haveli (palace converted into a hotel) in Jaipur! We are soon to have dinner on the rooftop and watch a cultural show! :)  Miss everyone back home.  Good Night! Toodles and TTFN :) The India Crew
  • #celebritystatus - looking into the bathtub at Agra Fort -... - March 29, 2013
    #celebritystatus - looking into the bathtub at Agra Fort - pimped out auto rickshaw - agra fort architecture - inverted dome (jain influence)
  • Delhi Daredevils!! We totally forgot to put this up. During our... - March 29, 2013
    Delhi Daredevils!! We totally forgot to put this up. During our breakfast yesterday, we met the Delhi Daredevils Cricket Team. This is the American equivalent of meeting the Red Sox or the Yankees. The first photo is with Andre Russel, a world-known cricket player. Big Deal for all you cricket fans! :) 
  • Day #6 - March 29, 2013
    The sweeet sweet smell of Indian rain. It’s raining everybody, it’s raining! :) Today has been quite a sightseeing adventure! After waking up, we went to the Fatehpur Sikri which is the ghost town capital of the Mughal Empire. King Akbar ruled from there and assimilated all the different religions and cultures to rule peacefully. Boy was it hot!  For lunch, we had some amazing Shahi Paneer with fresh naan. Bellies full, we took a nice nap in the bus before reaching the Agra Fort. The Agra Fort is one of the biggest, most strategically advanced forts in the world. It was simply amazing to see the beautiful rooms. The architecture itself was captivating. Def. check out the pictures!  It is currently raining, and the smell is enchanting. Definitely nice to cool off, and feel the rain on your skin! :) We’re heading out to dinner! We won’t post tomorrow morning since we’ll be seeing the Taj Mahal at sunrise.  TTFN,  The India Crew :)
  • Holi Pictures!!! We couldn’t upload them yesterday.... - March 29, 2013
    Dance off Holi Pictures!!! We couldn’t upload them yesterday. #IndiaInternet Hope you enjoy them. 
  • Day #5 - March 29, 2013
    Before describing our day, we would like to take a moment and thank all our blog readers for viewing our blog! We’ve goten a lot of positive feedback, and all the support really means a lot. :) Today, we met with Gita Mittal, a Senior High Court Judge in Delhi, and discussed the judicial system in India. She brought a whole new perspective to Indian culture, emphasizing that access to healthcare, education, and food is lacking.  After that enlightening conversation, we visited a memorial that captured the exact location of Gandhi Ji's assassination. He was killed by extremists during a prayer session. We walked in his footsteps and absorbed the enormous impact a single man can have. You can see some of the photos below!  Next, we went to a nearby food court and had some delicious Pizza Hut. The Tandoori Paneer Pizza was godly. :) Bellies full, we embarked on a journey to Agra. Neel woke Simar up from his nap via a giant bear hug. He wasn’t too pleased. Arriving at a small hotel, the crew took a rickshaw ride around the area. After eating dinner at the hotel restaurant, we journeyed to the Taj Mahal for a full moon look at one of the world’s wonders. It was simply breathtaking to see the Taj Mahal under the moonlight.  We are heading to bed, fearful of the mosquitos that may have bitten us. Bzzzzzz. Otherwise, we are happy and healthy! :) Have a great day!!  Toodles, The India Crew :D
  • Day #4 - March 28, 2013
    Happy Holi!!! :D :D :D Gooood Evening folks! We wish everyone a very happy holi. :)  Quite simply, yesterday was mind-blowing. Holi, being the festival of color, consists of people throwing powder at one another and being merry together. We first played a toned down, warm-up version of Holi at the hotel using flowers. The dancers invited us on stage too, and we spinned with our peacock feathers.  Then Holi got taken to another level. We went to the National School of Drama in Delhi from which many Bollywood actors come and played with the students there. Needless to say, we were drenched in color. The students gave us huge hugs and wiped color on our faces. With music blasting on the field, Simar and an actor actually had a dance-off. His feet were out of control, and I think it’s safe to say Simar won. :) We were pulled on flat carts around the field, celebrating and shouting Happy Holi with everyone there. Definitely an experience we will never forget.  After cleaning up at the hotel, we ate lunch at the Bengali market. OMG. We had some of the best chole bhature in Delhi. Chole bhature is basically fried bread with curry chickpeas. The meal was complete with finger-licking good ras mali (David L and Michael A love this stuff, ask them about it). Ras mali is a spongy mitai (Indian sweet) soaked in a sweet milk. Next, we went to a technological hub of India in Gurgaon to meet with Rajesh Sehwaney, the founder of the biggest accelerator in India. We learned about the developing business ecosystem in India. The mobile phone has reached far greater predominance than the PC. The evolution of such an economy will be extremely fascinating.  To finish off the day, we went to Lodhi gardens in Delhi where we walked around the park and fended off insects with our repellant. We got some amazing shots using the lighting though! Def. check it out. For dinner, we ate at one of the best restaurants in Asia called Khareem’s. The food was amazingg. We ordered a combination of paneer, chicken, and mutton dishes.  That’s all for now folks! We’re leaving to Agra soon to see the Taj Mahal under the full moon light. We hope everyone at home is happy and healthy. :)  Signing off,  The India Crew :) hehe 
  • Lodi Gardens. - March 28, 2013
    Lodi Gardens.
  • Playing holi at our hotel!! We threw flowers at one another and... - March 27, 2013
    Playing holi at our hotel!! We threw flowers at one another and danced on stage! We’ll be uploading the pictures from our time at the National School of Drama tomorrow! :) That was an intense game of holi!! 

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