Sarmistha Sarkar, class of 1995, is an active member of a peace initiative in the city. There is no doubt in her mind that Loreto Sealdah school brought her to where she is today:

"I feel very privileged to have studied at Loreto Sealdah. I think we got opportunities and learnings that most other schools do not provide.

"From the time we were little kids attending the junior classes, we were interacting with children from very different backgrounds. The school had an open door policy and there would be street children wandering in and out at all times.

"Other schools would never allow their regular students to mix with these children coming from the wrong side of the tracks, but we thought nothing of it. We would play with them, share stuff with them and the school authorities never stopped us. The interactions came naturally, and equipped us to deal with children coming from a totally different context in an uninhibited non-judgemental way.

"Consequently, when in senior school, we started going out to the villages to teach, and then later when the Rainbow School started, we were able to communicate and bond with these groups quite unconsciously. Our minds had an openness that made it very easy to converse with these children, learn about their realities, and share our thoughts with them. They became our friends, part of our world.

"The school really made me aware about, and sensitive to, others. I learned to respect another's space.

"And the teachers played a big part in this: because they treated us with respect and caring, these values were nurtured in us. In retrospect, I realize that we were never expected to compete for marks and ranks. What was stressed instead was our ability to reach out, to try and solve a problem if we saw one. It was only when I went to College that I realized how paranoid everybody was about academic performance!

"Loreto Sealdah enabled me to learn empathy through my body – through real experience. And it was an incredibly empowering process. I've been involved in social activities ever since school. I know I can't change the world but I can do my bit and that's a great feeling. And that's something that Loreto Sealdah gave me."