Finland International School – Racecourse debuted a revolutionary roundtable focused on bringing together key voices from the academic, parenting, wellness, technology and entrepreneurial circles. The roundtable series will address discuss the most urgent and pertinent themes shaping today’s youth and tomorrow’s citizens. The inaugural issue of the roundtable, which is named Chalk-n-Charm, was widely appreciated for the insights gleaned from the exclusive and interactive session.
The first roundtable explored the compelling intersection of privilege and accountability, from the lens of Gen Z. The experts decoded the emotional, digital, social and economic factors that shape Gen Z’s worldview, adaptability, resilience and value systems. The conversations that emerged aligned strongly with FIS’s mission to raise grounded, emotionally intelligent and future-ready learners, capable of navigating both opportunity and adversity with equanimity.
Sharing their views were luminaries including Sandhya Vivek Mohanani, founder and CEO of Evaana Wellness – a science-based, toxin-free beauty and wellness brand for preteens and teens; Shivani Sharma – Chefpreneur and founder of Gourmestan, one of Dubai’s most respected mindful gourmet brands; Taylor Elizabeth – an emotional intelligence and etiquette coach who has worked across 22 countries; as well as Shilpa Bhagat – founder of a 7.5-lakh-strong wellness community Fitistan, a corporate wellbeing advisor and founder of SENA, a socially conscious lifestyle brand supporting India’s armed forces families. Joining them was Puja Goyal Sarvaiya – founder of The Chic Indian, a fashion-tech platform leveraging AI-powered personal styling and curated editorial discovery. Their diverse personal and professional backgrounds, and keen observations made this roundtable especially impactful.
The roundtable was preceded by a warm student-led welcome, followed by a guided tour of the FIS campus showcasing Finnish-inspired learning environments such as Home Economics, Woodwork, Performing Arts and collaborative classroom spaces. The event highlighted FIS’s belief that education extends far beyond textbooks — it lives in conversations, experiences and the real-world perspectives that children are exposed to.
Commenting on the inspiration for the first roundtable, Shashank Goenka – founder of Finland International School said: “If privilege exists, it must be paired with perspective. The goal of education must be to raise grounded, self-aware and future-ready young citizens.”
“As an advisor to Finland International School – Racecourse, I have always believed that meaningful progress happens when we create spaces that allow diverse voices to be heard. Bringing celebrated women from different walks of life together on one platform was a reminder of how powerful shared experiences can be. Their insights on education, the future, and the role we play in shaping tomorrow reaffirm our belief that communities grow stronger when we learn from one another. This is the essence of our philosophy — rising together, inspiring together and always keeping children at the heart of our purpose,” shared Fatema Agarkar – a leading educationist and school board advisor.
