Teachers

Get to know the Veranda Team better

Founders/Directors

Andal Aghoram

Andal Aghoram's passion for literature and language is only overshadowed by her love for teaching. With a Masters in Literature and Education and over three decades of experience as a teacher, mother and grandmother she is perfectly placed to mould the next generation of thinkers and achievers. Aghoram believes that each child is uniquely equipped to learn and discover the world around them and it is this belief that has led to the creation of Veranda.


She is insistent that children should grow naturally like trees, without any fear or inhibitions. This quality of fearlessness will help them voice their thoughts freely and grow confidently. She plans to inculcate this quality of accepting challenges as opportunities in every child who comes under her care.

Mahalakshmi Ganesh

Mahalakshmi Ganesh knows the challenges of raising a child in today's world with all its technological and competing distractions. She strongly advocates blending time-tested and modern innovative methods of teaching to find the right middle ground that fits each individual child. This MSc mathematics graduate personally combines her love for eco-friendly materials, outdoor play and a clear understanding of essential concepts to teach her two boisterous sons and many nieces and nephews. Ganesh also stresses on the importance of inculcating an understanding of our culture and history as part of everyday play.

Meenakshi Suresh

With thirty years in a joint family and two grownup children, Meenakshi Suresh considers herself a mother first. Her Master's degree aside, her natural ability to connect with people genuinely has helped her raise enough funds to educate over 150 children at the NGO she co-founded. Suresh is the most popular aunt in a family with nine children, who is known for never saying 'no' to any of them. She is however uncompromising when it comes to child safety and security. Calling herself a 40 year old child, her positive attitude and genuine love to be with children has led to the creation of 'Veranda'.

"Children should grow naturally like trees, without any fear or inhibitions. This quality of fearlessness will help them voice their thoughts freely and grow confidently"

Andal Aghoram

Founder

Teaching Staff / Executive Team

Sai Prabha Subeesh

Coordinator/Lead Teacher

Every time, I welcome a new batch of children, my only thought is to make them fall in love with school. I have never thought of Preschool teaching to be a JOB. Some people are bestowed with a Super Skill, which they are unaware of. I was lucky to find mine at the right time in life. In class, my children and I follow simple Rules. We explore a whole new world together. And amazingly, it is a new world each time, because each child is unique. We lose all inhibition. We jump into activities with enthusiasm. We travel to different places during Story Time. And we are never afraid to ask questions or give answers, because no answer is wrong. This may sound like Utopia, but this is what I strive to do every year as a Pre School Teacher. And I have succeeded year after year for more than a decade now. When I am in a classroom, I walk a fine line between being one with the children and indulging in goofy play, to leading them, by example, down the right path, as a teacher. My biggest strength lies in my ability to effortlessly switch between these roles, as and when required. There is nothing more that I like to do, than to fly free with my children and Veranda has given me the wings and the sky to blaze a new trail.

Sindhu Prabhakar

Coordinator/Lead Teacher

Sindhu is a graduate in Education and a Cambridge trained teacher. She has also completed several other certifications in Education. She has 16 years of teaching experience across various boards and schools in Chennai. She facilitates her children by setting a positive climate and organizing required resources in the classroom. She effectively relates to students and tailors teaching methods to suit their individual needs.

Bindu Balakrishnan

Coordinator/Lead Teacher

Bindu Balakrishnan has over a decade of experience in moulding young minds. Having worked in different geographical locations she has handled various programmes of kindergarten education. She endeavours to create an environment for the child that augments as a home away from home. Her natural affinity for tiny tots enables her to earnestly enjoy the time spent amidst them. Their innocent actions brighten up her day. She dovetails her passion for singing in her classroom activities.

Rajkumari Ezhilan

Lead Teacher

Rajkumari is a lively teacher with strong classroom management skills. She is a motivated, enthusiastic and dedicated educator committed to fostering a cohesive student learning atmosphere. Her master’s degree in communicationand five years of classroom experience helps her identify the individual and collective learning needs of the children. Her classroom is student centered and promotes self-esteem as well as cooperative learning.

Giftah

Lead Teacher

With a decade of experience in teaching the IGCSE curriculum, Giftah brings a wealth of knowledge and passion in teaching. She has a strong foundation in handling primary, lower and upper school students, ensuring each child receives a robust and engaging education. Giftah holds a postgraduate degree in Plant Biotechnology and a B.Ed, along with certification as a Cambridge teacher. She believes in out-of-the-box learning, encouraging students to explore and innovate beyond the traditional classroom environment. Children are like butterflies, they get transformed when nurtured in a healthy and supportive environment and her commitment to creating such an atmosphere helps each student reach their full potential. In addition to her academic prowess, Giftah is also a talented singer, seamlessly integrating music into her teaching to enrich the learning experience.

Priyanka Sidharth

Lead Teacher

Priyanka, a graduate in Electronics and instrumentation Engineering, is a Montessori trained teacher who is passionate about teaching. She is loving and enthusiastic about awakening a love for learning in the children in the Early Years Program. She understands what is essential during the important stages of a child’s development and provides them the same with her creative methodology.

Sonali Divya

Lead Teacher

Sonali is an energetic person who believes that children have the magical power to brighten up anyone's day. She enjoys being around children and strives to bring out the best in them. Sonali comes with a Post Graduate in Journalism and a Diploma in International Teaching. She has also completed an intensive course in Early Intervention from Madras Dyslexia Association (MDA). Apart from being a teacher, she is a foodie and a fitness enthusiast.

Fathima Aafreen KM

Lead Teacher

Fathima with Graduate Degrees in Biology and Education is a skilled teacher who enjoys spending time with the children. She is patient, kind and takes a special interest in art and craft activities. She is a nature lover and enjoys gardening.

Nandita Dheepak

Lead Teacher

Nandita with a Postgraduate Degree in Engineering possesses a natural flair for connecting with children, firmly believing in their unique abilities and potential for success. She fosters an environment where children are encouraged to explore, experiment, and share their perspectives, aiming to unlock every child’s full potential. Her approach is to spark curiosity, ignite imagination, and instil a lifelong passion for learning. Outside of her work, she loves reading books and enjoys stand-up comedy.

V Monica

Teacher

Monica with Graduate Degrees in Engineering and Education has a Diploma in International Teacher Training as well. She is an avid reader and continuously equips herself with new technology to teach children. She encourages independent reading and creates a reading culture in her classroom. She incorporates teaching methods that instil creative thinking in the children. She loves adventure and travel.

Jhuma Sarkar

Lead Teacher

Jhuma Sarkar has done her graduation in English Literature from Calcutta University. She has worked as an Early Childhood Educator for the past six years. Her love for kids brought her into this profession. She believes that providing a safe, clean, healthy and a child friendly environment is very important for the development of a child. Inculcating self regulation and good manners are also very important.

Durga Narasimha

Teacher

Durga is a lively, enthusiastic person with a Certificate in Early Childhood Education and four years of teaching experience. She loves being with children and enjoys exploring new activities with the children to help them learn. She strongly believes that education should be enjoyable, meaningful and enable children to think out of the box.

Latha Rani Khatod

Lead Teacher

Latha has over 14 years of experience teaching children and is fascinated by their innocence, inquisitive nature and enthusiasm to learn. She believes in providing a safe, engrossing, fun and warm environment and inculcating good manners. She is passionate about teaching and feels that every day with the children is a stress buster which makes the teaching process effortless.

Jayachitra

Teacher

A postgraduate from Mumbai university, Jayachitra has been a personality and skill development trainer for the past 5 years with experience in various schools across Chennai. She brings with her a nurturing and enthusiastic approach to the children. Her patience and empathy, helps her connect with each child and understand their individual needs. Her goal is to ensure that each child feels confident and happy about their educational journey.

Payal

Teacher

Payal is an energetic teacher with 3 years of experience who enjoys working with children. She is a graduate in Business Administration. She goes beyond the classroom to teach and create meaningful learning experiences. She believes that every child is unique, and as a teacher, she strives to nurture each child’s individual strengths, encourage curiosity, and build confidence in their abilities. Her hobbies include reading books, storytelling, engaging in creative arts and crafts, listening to music, and participating in outdoor activities.

Anushree

Teacher

An Enthusiastic person with a Masters in Computer Application and information technology, Teaching has been her passion. To pursue her interest, she completed a certification in teacher training and started teaching young children. With an experience of 4 years in phonics training for kindergarten to grade 2 kids, her teaching journey is continuously growing every day. She is an art tutor who loves helping children bring out their creative ideas to reality with colours. Besides teaching she is a graphic designer, a Pranic healer and an Arhatic yogi and a pet lover too.

HIFLA

Social Media Manager

Hifla, a young enthusiast has always wanted to take up teaching as her profession and she chose to teach young children because she personally believes that children tend to carry forward those small things, which they learn at a very early stage and she wants to help them learn new things in the most fun way possible which they can adapt quickly. She also feels that being understanding and friendly is the only way to teach kids the right things which will definitely help them come out with flying colours. She has a gentle and a calm way of handling children which helps them feel safe and happy.

Vishnu Priya

Art Teacher

Vishnu Priya is passionate about providing quality early childhood care and education. Her love for learning and passion for creative arts are her strengths. With her humour and attention for kids, she can provide a safe, happy and a fun educational environment. She values the uniqueness of talents and will provide learning opportunities and care which will meet the individual children’s needs.

Saranya Vijaykumar

Art Teacher

Saranya Vijayakumar is a practicing artist and storywriter whose work has been featured in Shakthi FM and earned accolades in Dinamalar. She holds a Diploma in Painting and an MBA from Anna University. She enjoys collecting miniatures, coins and currency, and beach sand from around the globe thereby enriching her understanding of the world’s diverse cultures. Saranya incorporates her love for art and diverse collectibles into her teaching methods, aiming to expand children's creative thinking.

Jamuna Panchariya

Hindi Teacher

Jamuna, is a graduate who has worked as an educator for the past eight years. She is passionate, hardworking and disciplined. She uses creative teaching strategies to keep the children interested. She is perfectly placed to mould the next generation of thinkers.

Vasumathi Y

Tamil Teacher

Vasumathi is a hardworking and sincere Tamil Language teacher with a rich and varied experience. She has strong communication skills and has handled children at the primary level for six years. She is positive, driven and passionate about engaging children at levels. She is extremely patient and enhances the social experiences of the children by encouraging group lessons and learning.

Sri Vidya

Teacher

Vidhya has a rich experience teaching young children for the past ten years. She feels immensely rewarded by the impact that she has made on the lives of the children she has taught. Besides teaching, her interests lie in Cooking and going for long walks.

Chithkala Rajaraman

Values Program Coordinator

The most satisfying process that a value facilitator can have is to elicit the innate goodness in children. It’s a joy to see the little ones blossom slowly and steadily as they discover themselves in a natural way each day. Veranda gives me the right environment to do this.

Sujatha Rajendran

Value Educator

Sujatha Rajendran brings passion, warmth, and purpose into every classroom she steps into. With a deep love for interacting with children, she finds endless inspiration in their innocence, curiosity, and eagerness to learn. For her, teaching is not just about imparting knowledge—it is about shaping values, nurturing character, and building meaningful connections. As she guides young minds, she also embraces the opportunity to learn and grow alongside them. She believes that children, with their honest questions and fresh perspectives, are often the greatest teachers. Sujatha strives to inspire not just learning, but also a lifelong foundation of integrity, empathy, and confidence in every child she teaches.

Rajana Mahesh

Accounts Executive

Rajana is a graduate in Mathematics and a student of NIIT with 4 years of experience in Finance. She is a self-driven, motivated women who takes up responsibilities with utmost enthusiasm. She would like to see her as an entrepreneur and have an immaculate zeal towards learning and accepting newer ways of implementing things.

Melody Shillong

Front Office Executive

Melody is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and brings over 6 years of experience in administrative roles. She is also an entrepreneur, running a small food and dessert startup. She is a hardworking and proactive individual with strong multitasking abilities and a keen interest in continuous learning. Melody is driven by a goal to build a successful entrepreneurial career and is known for her ability to take initiative and get things done efficiently. Her interests include travel, exploring different cultures, dogs, and cinema, which add to her well-rounded and open-minded perspective.

SARHANYA MADHAN

Front Office Executive

Sarhanya Madhan brings over a decade of experience in the education sector, with a strong emphasis on school operations and administration within dynamic learning environments. She has been instrumental in ensuring the smooth functioning of institutional processes, including the management of facilities and staff. She holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science and a Montessori certification, reflecting her passion for education. Organized and detail-oriented, she is known for her strong communication and interpersonal skills. She consistently fosters a positive and efficient work culture, ensuring seamless coordination across teams. Her ability to adapt and problem-solve effectively contributes to the overall growth and stability of the institution.