People

I was a child, and I am probably an adult now, but not too much has changed. I am an apprentice of life, addicted to learning, sharing, and understanding the world around us, from atoms to stars, passing through our human scale. That desire to know the reality of the world, together with the wonder of spending nights beneath the enigma of the starry skies in my grandmother’s orchard in Hornachos, led me to study physics, followed by a master’s degree in astrophysics and a PhD, during which I tried to understand some secrets held by massive stars. I spent most of my professional life researching some questions that arise when we look into our cosmos. But seven years ago, my life took an unexpected turn. After a few days disconnected on a virgin beach in Oaxaca, I decided, within hours, to join the UWC movement. Since then, I have been teaching physics at MUWCI and meeting some of the most inspiring people: people who, like stars, remain a light in the search for the mystery of life.

I studied history, acting and literature. My alma mater is Moscow State University, and also Russian Institute of Theatre Arts. I taught various subjects, such as literature, history, critical thinking, and more, at several universities and schools in Russia and Armenia (for example, at Moscow State University, or at the Russian-Armenian university in Yerevan). I have been teaching history and TOK at MUWCI since 2024. I like volleyball, so I try to come to play with the volleyball triveni as often as I can. I also like reading poetry (especially in Russian), drawing, watching movies. A fun fact about me is that I know a little bit of Hindi, as I studied the language when I was a student, and I like to practice it.

His passion is teaching, while his hobbies range from sports and travelling to numerology and the fascinating world of occult sciences. And he’s best known for his witty one-liners, perfectly timed, totally unexpected, and almost always leaving everyone in splits!

Arunkumar John Khandagle holds an M.Sc. in Mathematics, a B.Ed. in Science and Mathematics, and an M.Ed. in Educational Administration from the University of Pune. Dedicated to fostering numerical fluency, he has been teaching Mathematics since 1993 for Grades 11 and 12 ( age group from 15 to 18 years) across diverse curricula, including the Maharashtra State Education Board, CBSE, IGCSE, and the IB Diploma Programme. At Mahindra United World College of India (MUWCI), he serves as the Head of Group in Mathematics, guiding students through advanced mathematical concepts while actively embodying the core UWC values of cross-cultural understanding and educational excellence. Outside the classroom, he is an avid reader who loves exploring books on educational leadership, religion, and philosophy in his free time.

About a decade ago, I completed a Master's in Clinical Psychology and a Diploma in Counselling Psychology. After a year of clinical practice, I came across a teaching opportunity and discovered a deep-seated passion for working with high school students. This led me to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Education. I continue to explore educational psychology, as it brings together two fields that I enjoy.

Over the years, I have taught Psychology and Sociology across a range of curricula. My introduction to the UWC movement was serendipitous, through a friend in 2021, while the world was still navigating the pandemic. At a time when I had begun questioning the purpose of traditional education systems, the UWC movement renewed my sense of hope and challenged a lot of my own understanding about the purpose of education. Now, as I begin my fifth year at MUWCI, I am grateful to be surrounded by some of the most brilliant, compassionate, and dedicated students I have ever met. Outside of work, I tend to have fleeting hobbies, but my current passion projects are becoming a better swimmer and learning to make bread.

I’m the visual artist here at Mahindra UWC, an educator, UWC alumna, and sometimes a walking art history library who somehow found a way back to UWC … and the IB, teaching, and loving the residential/ experimental life that only UWCs can provide.

I teach Visual Arts at MUWCI, while also serving as a House Parent, Advisor, and Kriya Shivaji Faculty Supervisor. My own UWC journey began as a student at Li Po Chun UWC, and later took me to Ringling College of Art and Design in Florida, USA, where I studied Fine Arts. Along the way, I’ve had the chance to work and learn and create through artist residencies in Finland and La Paz, Bolivia, and as an scholar and Teacher Assistant at Pilchuck Glass School in Washington State. My artistic practice has also taken me into the international contemporary art scene, including selections for the SIART Biennial in La Paz, the Bienal Sur in (Arg), the Bienniale of Santa Cruz and other significant projects.

I am married to art as a concept and experience; I enjoy the challenges of critical dialogue, and the messy, exciting space where ideas become images, objects, and experiences. For the past three years, I’ve fulfilled my dream of teaching the subject(s) I adore, always encouraging diversity and inclusion in all aspects of teaching and learning, helping students to find their voices.

Master of Fine Arts in Cinema with specialisation in Cinematography (Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute), Post Graduate in Cinematography (Film and Television Institute of India), Post Graduate in Journalism (University of Pune). Graduate in Pure Science (Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics). More than 2 decades of teaching experience at school, college and university level. Shepherding young changemakers at MUWCI since 2018 (Faculty of Film and Theory of Knowledge).

I teach Global Politics and MUWCI and have been an examiner for the course since 2017. A California native, I began my teaching career as a New York City Teaching Fellow before going on to serve with the Peace Corps and Peace Corps Response as a Teacher Trainer in Ukraine (twice), Liberia, and the Republic of Georgia. My international teaching career has spanned the globe, including positions in Myanmar and Bahrain at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. I was a Fellow at Harvard's Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, having completed the 2024–25 Engaging Eurasia Fellowship and am currently a member of the 2026–27 cohort of the Davis Center's Blavatnik Archive Curriculum Writing Teacher Fellowship. Outside of the classroom, I have held both short-term and long-term electoral observer positions with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), with deployments to Armenia, Albania, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, North Macedonia, and Tajikistan. I hold a BA in Humanities and graduate degrees in International Relations, European Human and Minority Rights, and in Teaching Adolescents

I hold a BA (Hons), MA, and M.Phil in Spanish from Jawaharlal Nehru University, along with a Master's in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language from the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo, Spain. My teaching journey includes working as guest faculty at JNU, teaching at Instituto Cervantes, Delhi, teaching English at IES Pando in Spain, and most recently, teaching at Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai. At MUWCI, I teach Spanish Literature, Spanish B, and Spanish Ab Initio. What I love most about MUWCI is its diversity. I find myself constantly learning alongside my students as much as I teach them. Outside the classroom, you'll usually find me on a long forest walk, binoculars in hand, trying to quietly spying on birds.

I have spent nearly three decades in classrooms, yet I remain convinced that the best teacher in the room is curiosity. My academic interests have wandered happily from molecules to networks to minds, earning degrees in physical chemistry (M.Sc.), network computing (MCA), and guidance & counselling (B.Ed.). Looking back, they all turned out to be studies of connection. My journey as a teacher began in 1996 and, since 2008, the wonderfully unpredictable world of the IB. Somewhere between balancing equations, debugging networks, and untangling teenage existential questions, I discovered that education is less about delivering answers and more about asking better questions.

At UWC Mahindra, I wear two hats, as a chemistry teacher and extended essay coordinator, but both roles are really about the same thing: nurturing independent thinkers who are willing to challenge assumptions, embrace uncertainty, and learn from failure. Chemistry reminds us that remarkable transformations often begin with tiny interactions. UWC reminds us that the same is true of people. I simply have the privilege of watching both reactions unfold every day.

An educator with over two decades of teaching experience, I bring a strong passion for environmental education, sustainability, and student-centred learning. I hold a postgraduate degree from the University of Mumbai and have been part of the IB Diploma Programme since 2010. I am IBO-trained in Biology, Environmental Systems and Societies, and Theory of Knowledge, and I am an External IB Examiner for ESS.

At MUWCI, I teach ESS HL/SL, while contributing to the wider UWC community through my role as the Sustainability Coordinator. I am particularly passionate about connecting classroom learning with real-world environmental challenges and encouraging students to think critically about their relationship with the natural world.

Outside the classroom, I enjoy crochet and making candles—creative pursuits that provide an opportunity to unwind and explore my artistic side.

Along with my students, I have been exploring Mathematics and Physics for nearly two decades now. Through inquiry, problem solving, and discussions with curious young minds, I have learned that no matter how well we understand a concept, there is always a deeper question to ask, a more elegant solution to uncover and a new connection to discover. This shapes both my teaching and learning at MUWCI.

Outside the classroom, I enjoy playing basketball and like to go for walks.

Neha Jain joins MUWCI as a teacher of French. She holds a doctorate in French and Francophone studies and completed her teacher training (KPU) at the University of Gothenburg, where she is also qualified for senior lecturer positions, as she is at Dalarna University. Her dissertation on migrant writing from France and Quebec received the 2023 Prix d'excellence from the Association Internationale des Études Québécoises, awarded to five doctoral theses worldwide.

She has taught across several countries and continents, and her research follows questions of migration, memory and belonging — most recently asking how colonial histories shape present-day environmental crises. She has presented this work in South Korea, Iceland and Chennai, and has translated French writing on displacement into Hindi.

Outside teaching, she speaks four languages — English, French, Swedish and Hindi — and has translated Macbeth. She dreams of building mud houses out in the country someday.

I hold a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) and a Master of Education (M.Ed.), and for the past 10 years I have worked as an Experiential Learning educator, designing and leading programs that empower students to learn through service, outdoor education, leadership, and meaningful community engagement. Over the last two years, I have also taught Theory of Knowledge (TOK), encouraging students to think critically, question assumptions, and make connections across disciplines and cultures. My connection to the UWC community has been deeply rewarding, as I have had the opportunity to contribute to its mission of fostering international understanding, compassion, and responsible leadership while supporting students both inside and outside the classroom. Beyond my professional life, I enjoy swimming, gardening, and listening to music, activities that help me recharge, stay connected with nature, and maintain a healthy balance between work and personal well-being.

Rubén is a Spanish teacher from Spain with a background in History and Geography post graduated in teaching Spanish as a Second Language and with a Master in education from the Spanish Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED). Before joining UWC Mahindra College, he taught History and Spanish in Spain and has several years of experience working in international education. At MUWCI, he teaches IB Spanish B and Spanish ab initio, helping students develop not only linguistic proficiency but also an appreciation for the cultures and perspectives of the Spanish-speaking world. He values the diversity of the UWC community, where every lesson becomes an opportunity for meaningful intercultural dialogue and mutual learning. Outside the classroom, Rubén is passionate about hiking, long-distance cycling, and exploring the outdoors. He enjoys discovering new landscapes, whether in the mountains or along historic trails, and believes that nature offers some of life's best opportunities for reflection and learning. One of his greatest passions is the Camino de Santiago, the ancient pilgrimage route across Spain, whose blend of history, culture, and human connection continues to inspire both his travels and his perspective on lifelong learning.

I'm excited to join MUWCI as a Biology Facilitator. I hold an M.Sc. in Biotechnology and a B.Ed., and have over 14 years of teaching experience, including 8 years with the IBDP.

I'm thrilled to become part of the UWC community, whose commitment to intercultural understanding, compassion, and education for peace deeply resonates with me. I look forward to learning from and contributing to this vibrant community.

Saad is a linguist with a Ph.D. and has an academic background in Literature. Saad has been teaching IB English A: Language and Literature and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) for over a decade and serves as an examiner for both subjects. At MUWCI, he teaches IB English A: Language and Literature and Theory of Knowledge. He has been part of the UWC movement for more than five years and deeply cherishes the transformative and holistic vision of education at the heart of the movement. Saad believes, with Bertolt Brecht, that "Art is not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it." He also loves travelling and learning from different cultures, inspired by Marcel Proust's reflection that "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."

I joined MUWCI in 2023 as the Head of Group 4 (Science), while also serving as a facilitator in Biology and ESS. Since then, I have had the privilege of seeing two batches of Biology students and one batch of ESS students grow, discover their potential, and leave the college with a genuine love for their subjects and hope for the future.

The rigour of these courses taught them an important lesson: they had to rise from the ashes, persevere through the challenges, and truly earn their grades—and they did! Watching that transformation has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey at MUWCI.

With more than 30 years of teaching experience behind me, I might have thought I had seen it all. Yet, with MUWCI students, every year brings something new to learn. I look forward to accompanying them on their journey, supporting them as they navigate challenges, make choices, discover themselves, and ultimately steer their own course.

Siddesh Mukundan is a Mathematics teacher and Wada 1 Parent at MUWCI. This is his second tenure at the college - he first taught here from 2017 to 2020, and returned in 2025. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Nanyang Technological University and spent close to a decade in Singapore before returning to India. At MUWCI, Siddesh teaches IB Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation at both Standard and Higher Level, loves to facilitate his affiliated Trivenis, and is embedded in the residential life milieu of Wada 1. Outside the classroom, he is a music lover and audio-engineering enthusiast, and is passionate about sourdough bread-making - few things, he'll tell you, are more satisfying than the aroma and feel of a fully proofed, freshly baked loaf. He lives with his wife and their two-year-old daughter, rediscovering the joys of the campus's everyday corners in her company.

I bring together psychology and pedagogy in my work in learning support and student wellbeing at MUWCI. I hold an MA in Applied Psychology with a specialisation in Clinical Psychology, along with a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities. This combination shapes how I think about inclusion and support, always trying to see the whole student rather than just the challenge in front of me. Over ten years of teaching, I've had the chance to work across the PYP, MYP, and DP, and what stays with me most is helping students find their footing, academically and emotionally. Being part of the UWC community, day to day, on campus, means a great deal to me. Sharing meals, conversations, and quiet moments with students and colleagues from so many different backgrounds is something I don't take for granted. That sense of connection extends beyond MUWCI too, as I help coordinate a UWC-wide professional network for Learning Support and EAL coordinators, where we get to learn from one another across schools.Outside of work, I'm a quiet observer who finds joy in the details. I'm always up for discovering lesser-known cuisines, and I tend to speak less and listen more, believing that meaningful connections are built in the spaces between words.

Just like her serious love for animals, I found my love for teaching and theatre by chance. With an experience of 8 years in exploring theatre with children of all age groups, it is a space of deep connection and experimentation for me. I love everything performance- whether music, dance or theatre, along with gardening and creating aesthetic spaces (I try). I have been a part of the UWC community for the last two years and thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the residential life as much as the regular school life. A fun fact: Flying cockroaches freak me out. I will run away no matter what.

I have been teaching IBDP Mathematics courses since 2005. I have also taught TOK for about 15 years in the past. I hold master and doctoral degree in physics. Currently I am teaching mathematics at MUWCI. I love this 'on the hill' community for its diversity and young energy. On a personal note - this social experiment called 'UWC' is a huge source of learning for me.

With an academic background spanning Hindi, English, Psychology, Education, and Leadership, I hold a PhD in Hindi and a PhD in Educational Leadership and Management, for which my defence is due, alongside a Certificate in Leadership in Boarding School Education; an M.Ed.; M.A. degrees in Psychology, English, and Hindi and Urdu; a B.Ed.; and a B.A. in Hindi, English, Urdu and Political Science. My teaching journey of nearly two decades has taken me through Woodstock International School, where I spent four and a half years; Stonehill International School, where I worked for six years; and UWC Mahindra College, where I have spent the past nine years teaching Hindi and School-Supported Self-Taught (SSST) Literature. I joined the UWC movement because its mission and values reflect my own understanding of education as something that must extend beyond academic achievement to develop empathy, compassion, critical thinking, courage, and a deep sense of responsibility towards others and the world we inhabit. I believe that education has the power to help young people recognise injustice, question the structures and assumptions that sustain it, and develop the confidence and ethical grounding to challenge it. For me, leadership begins with learning, but it becomes meaningful only when learning is translated into lived values, thoughtful action, and a genuine commitment to others. My aim, therefore, is to create learning spaces in which students are encouraged not simply to acquire knowledge or achieve academically, but to become reflective, principled, socially conscious, and compassionate human beings who are willing to engage with complexity, take responsibility for their choices, and contribute meaningfully to creating a kinder, more just, and more humane world.

PhD in Educational Leadership and Management (Defence Due)

PhD in Hindi (Defence Due)

Certificate in Leadership in Boarding School Education

M.Ed. (Master of Education)

M.A. in Psychology

M.A. in English

M.A. in Urdu

M.A. in Hindi

B.Ed. (Bachelor of Education)

B.A. in Urdu

B.A. in Hindi, English & Political Science

I hold a Bachelor's degree in English Literature and a Bachelor of Education, and have over 13 years of experience teaching in IB and international school settings. Throughout my career, I have taught IBDP English Language and Literature, MYP Language and Literature, IGCSE First Language English, and supported students through EAL and the School Supported Self-Taught Literature programme.

At Mahindra United World College of India (MUWCI), I will be teaching English Language and Literature, working with students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Being part of the UWC movement is deeply meaningful to me, as I value its commitment to intercultural understanding, service, and reimagining a sustainable future through experiential learning.

Beyond the classroom, I am an avid reader who enjoys long walks and finding moments of quiet under the night sky. I believe that literature helps us understand both ourselves and one another, making every classroom a space for curiosity, empathy, and meaningful conversations.

PhD in Global Anglophone Literature and Culture, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. I began with teaching IB in an international school in Mumbai way back in 2001. Then I moved to a little village near Kullu and taught in a local school for four years after which I taught at universities both in India and the US until 2020. I returned to teaching the IB in 2020 at a UWC. Interestingly, a family friend who studied at MUWCI in 1999 introduced me to the UWC movement then. Fun fact: In another life, or maybe in this one - who knows - I'd love to fix old motorcycles and write poetry all the time.

Hi, I'm Dr. Shivangi Saxena aka Shivi. I'm a psychologist with over 13 years of experience working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families. I have a Doctorate and a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology, a Diploma in Guidance and Counselling, and certifications in Psychological First Aid and Play Therapy.

I love creating safe, welcoming spaces where people feel comfortable being themselves. Whether you're navigating a difficult phase, looking to build resilience, or simply need someone to listen, I'm here to support you. I truly believe that small conversations can lead to meaningful change, and it's a privilege to be part of that journey.