Teacher Portrait – Mr Naveen

Born and raised in Kerala, ‘God’s Own Country’, Mr Naveen, Deputy Principal Pastoral, finished his schooling in Cochin and went to Chennai and Loyola College to undertake Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and Master of Arts in Econometrics from the University of Madras. Immediately after his post-graduation, Mr Naveen took the opportunity to work as an Assistant Professor in Economics at Loyola College for three years. We reached out to Mr Naveen to find out more about his history, passion for his work and role as a parent.   

The support we receive from the parent-body makes this family strong and united – Mr Naveen, Deputy Principal Pastoral  

Joining TISB in 2006, 15 years ago, Mr Naveen has been a member of staff who sees campus as a home away from home. During his years at the school, Mr Naveen has been appreciating the opportunity to work as a Boarding House Master, as Discoverers House Master, Master in Charge-Economics, Head of the Social Sciences Department, IB Coordinator and since the year of 2020 he took over the role of Deputy Principal Pastoral. “The management, SLT, teachers, admin staff, nurses, boarding parents and support staff work as one cohesive unit, passionately round the clock to bring a smile to our students’ faces”, says Mr Naveen, who is especially proud and pleased with the TISB community and the amazing set of students.   

Being the Deputy Principal Pastoral, Mr Naveen’s priority is to help any student if they might be feeling low and stressed. “There is nothing more rewarding and satisfying than to see and know that you have made an impact on a student’s life”, says Mr Naveen, who is truly passionate about helping students, offering guidance and mentoring them for their futures. “Student well-being and helping students to materialise their initiatives are two areas of focus that will always be on the top of my job description”, says Mr Naveen.  

June 1 was the UN 'Global Day of Parents' which appreciates and encourages all parents in the world. Mr Naveen feels that the easiest, but sometimes the most forgotten aspect of parenting, is to listen to the child. “Very often our children do not need solutions, but they just need somebody who will listen to them”, explains Mr Naveen, who sees it as an opportunity for children to express their thoughts and feelings, although it might not always be an easy thing to do. For this to happen, he suggests having set times for families to meet and spend time together without any gadgets. “Keep talking to them, know them and this will help all of us as parents to build positive relationships with our children”, says Mr Naveen, who will enjoy the next meal with his family and, of course, no mobile phones.   

A quick Q&A with Mr Naveen  

What is your favourite food?  
Coming from the state of Kerala - of course, seafood - Kerala Fish Curry and Rice.    

What is your favourite music? 
Extremely hard to pick but mostly soft rock - Scorpions, Bryan Adams, Gun N Roses etc. I also like A R Rahman hits and does listen to a very selective playlist comprising Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi songs.  

What is your favourite book and movie?  
I must admit I am not a voracious reader but do not miss reading the morning newspaper. My all-time favourite book is 'The Godfather' by Mario Puzo. Of late a book which really got me hooked and thinking is the ‘Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind’ by Yuval Noah Harari.    

War movies are my favourites. I don't think I have missed watching any classics in this genre: 'The Hurt Locker’, ‘Saving Private Ryan’, ‘Schindler’s List’, ‘Braveheart’, ‘American Sniper’, ‘Kalapaani’ etc. to name a few. I am also a huge fan of the Mollywood actor Mohanlal, so literally all his classics.     

What is your favourite animal?  
Tiger. By far the tiger is the most beautiful and elegant looking animal.    

What is your favourite colour?  
I do not have a favourite colour, but I do have favourite colour combinations: Black-Tan and White-Tan are my favourite colour combinations.  

What is your favourite hobby?  
Going for long bike rides on my Royal Enfield Desert Storm, cycling, and gardening (you will find plants all over my home and workspace too). I love sports, both playing and watching. Basketball (I am a diehard MJ fan) is a game I play and watch religiously. All these hobbies and passions are the best way to de-stress and disconnect from the norms and routines.