"I hope that other young pupils with bursary awards will be inspired by my story.”

Sitting on the cold floor of the Newsom Hall during one of my first assemblies as a nervous Year 7 pupil, I saw the Head Boy delivering a speech. He was South-Asian, a person of colour, like myself, and it filled me with a sort of vicarious pride. Seeing a person who looks like me in such a position of success was both reassuring and inspiring. I’m proud that six years later, I am now in the same position, having been entrusted with the role of Head Boy. 

I believe representation is deeply impactful, and I hope that other young pupils with bursary awards will be inspired by my story

I would not be at Dame Allan’s without the instrumental help of a bursary award; the massively positive impact the Schools have had on me and my development cannot be understated. The Schools have given me innumerable opportunities across a huge range of domains: academics, sports, performing arts, public speaking and so much more. I am grateful to have been able to make the most of the resources that an independent school education offers. In particular, the smaller class sizes and more individual time with teachers have been a great aid, creating the perfect incubator for my passions and interests to flourish.

It is my pleasure to be co-leader of the Economics Society, and a regular participant and speaker in numerous other societies and extracurricular activities such as Philosophy Society, Jazz Band, Politics Society, Feminist Society, and school concerts/recitals. This is yet another forum in which the Schools have enabled me to freely explore my interests.

I am so passionate about politics, and having been able to embrace this at Dame Allan’s has been fantastic. This passion is also hereditary in many regards. My paternal grandfather, Abu Khaled Chowdhury, studied politics at one of the most renowned universities in Bangladesh, and went on to become a highly respected politician and lawyer, becoming a much-loved member of his community. He was also a professor of political science himself. My father also studied political science in Bangladesh, and our conversations very often turn into discussions of recent geopolitical events in the headlines.

Not unrelated to my passion for politics, debating and public speaking have punctuated my life at Dame Allan’s. Having the opportunity to talk in public speaking competition finals about topical (and, indeed, contentious) political issues from my own perspective has been a huge honour and privilege. My love of oratory can certainly be largely attributed to the public speaking opportunities which Dame Allan’s has given me. I’ve also been involved in sports, including rugby and basketball, performed in musical events across the school, and it’s always a pleasure to meet prospective students and their families when representing the Schools at open days and similar events.

Being at Dame Allan’s has also pushed me to work on my personal development, for which my position on the Sixth Form Council has been especially useful. In particular, my role there gave me the opportunity to organise the 'Red Cross Concert', raising hundreds of pounds for the Red Cross’ appeal in Palestine-Israel, an issue that means a lot to me personally and is deeply intertwined with my interest in politics. I, myself, also performed in the concert. Taking leadership on this, for a cause which means so much to me, is something I'm extremely proud of and is another testament to how Dame Allan's has shaped me and my character.

Currently, I’m studying Maths, Philosophy and Economics, with the hope of studying PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) at university. Thanks to the support, passion, and expertise of the wonderful teachers at Dame Allan’s, I am hopeful that I can make this goal a reality - something that will have been monumentally assisted by my bursary award.