Mr. Michael Purcell
Founding Head of School,
Governing Board Member

Dr Arnaz Ranji Charna
Head of School

The Founding Members

Edubridge International School is a dream come true for its founding members: Mr. Amal Parikh, Mrs. Viral Parikh, and Mr. Rraman Siingh. Fueled by their desire to contribute to the formation of a more progressive society, they launched EIS in 2013 to create confident and balanced citizens of the future. To achieve their shared vision for a better society, they conceptualized an inclusive school with rich opportunities for experiential and collaborative learning in a caring and supportive environment – a school that values curiosity and inspires creativity. With these ideals in mind, they settled on the PYP, MYP and DP Programmes of the International Baccalaureate Organization as the ideal vehicles for producing lifelong learners and leaders. Today, they couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome, as EIS is widely regarded as a top international school with high academic achievement, a caring environment, and a warm family feel.

Mr. Amal Parikh – Founding Member

Mr. Parikh has worked with some of the best finance and investment companies in the country, and has established himself as a key architect of international education in South Mumbai. With a deep understanding of the power of education for transforming individual lives and society as a whole, he ventured into the education field, to convert his passion into action. As a trustee of the reputed public charitable trust, ‘Chanakya Gyan Kendra’, and as an active board member of ‘Avanti Fellows’, he plays a key role in helping economically disadvantaged students to matriculate at India’s top colleges. As a member of the EIS Governing Board, he is actualizing his dream of providing students with world class education that provides international standards with local values and context. His high regard for the IB Programmes – developed in the country and beyond – has been accentuated by his own children’s positive experiences at Edubridge.

Mrs. Viral Parikh – Founder Director EIS

Mrs. Parikh, a mother of three children, has long been a proponent of the IB Programmes. Having gone through traditional forms of schooling herself, she fully understands the value of holistic education, as opposed to the unquestioned rote-based learning that many Indian schools still provide. Having seen the positive impacts on her own children, she aspires to introduce more families to the IB Programmes. As an active EIS Board Member, she advocates for each child, ensuring that they are supported, empowered, encouraged to set high standards for themselves, and guided to compete with themselves, not with others. Since the school’s beginning, Mrs. Parikh has been instrumental in shaping a positive ethos and a commitment to continuous transformation in pursuit of well-being and high-quality teaching and learning. Above all, she hopes that every EIS student will become a ‘lifelong learner’ who achieves varied success and a better world for all.

Mr. Rraman Siingh – Co-Founder Director EIS

It’s great to hear about Edubridge International School’s growth and success over the past ten years. The school’s ability to retain staff and build a collaborative workplace culture is impressive and has likely played a large role in the school’s overall success. It’s also encouraging to hear that the school actively invests in its teachers’ professional development, as this benefits both the teachers and their students. Congratulations on this milestone anniversary, and here’s to many more years of success and progress!

The story is told in numbers: when the school opened its doors in 2013, we began with a fledgling class of 65 students and a staff of 40, spanning from Pre-K to Grade 10. In 2023, that number has now grown to over 400 students- a 56% year on year increase. Of these, an average of 98.7% of the students have remained at the school. The staff strength has also increased to over 80. Since 2013, we have been able to retain almost 77% of our workforce on a yearly basis. The present leadership team is made up of teachers who started early in the school’s journey; they have an average of 8.3 years of experience at EIS! These impressive statistics are a measure of Edubridge’s ability to meet the needs of all our stakeholders- students, parents and teachers.

At EIS, we take pride in nurturing the whole child, not just academically but also emotionally, socially and physically. Our comprehensive curriculum, coupled with a range of extracurricular activities, allows students to explore their passions and develop their talents. We believe in providing a holistic learning experience that prepares our students to face the challenges of the future with confidence and resilience.

We also understand that education is no longer confined to a classroom and that technology has transformed the way we learn. EIS uses cutting-edge technology to enhance the learning experience and empower our students to become self-directed learners who are equipped with the skills to thrive in a globalised world. EIS is a community that fosters mutual respect, understanding and a sense of responsibility towards one another. Our parents are active partners in their children’s education and we value their contributions to the school’s growth and development.

In conclusion, Edubridge International School is not just a school, it is a community that nurtures the next generation of leaders who will make a positive impact in the world beyond our school gates. Our commitment to our values, holistic education, technology and community make EIS a happy, fulfilling and inspiring place to learn and grow.

Mr. Michael Purcell – Founding Head of School, Governing Board Member

Mr. Purcell joined our school 20 years into his distinguished career in international teaching and educational development. He earned his Master’s Degree in Physics from The University of Texas at Austin and taught at the following institutions: Huston-Tillotson College, the Science Academy of Austin, and Lyndon Baines Johnson Early College High School. In 2000, Mr. Purcell came to India, serving as the Head of Mathematics at the Mahindra United World College. Subsequently, he spent several years at the New International School of Thailand, where he taught math, science, history, and Theory of Knowledge. He has received numerous teaching awards from top academic institutions as well as from students. His student-centered approach has always earned him the respect of his students, parents, and peers. Mr. Purcell has an acute understanding of all three International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, and has consulted for schools in Thailand and Japan. Now serving as an active EIS Board member, he continues to have a strong impact on our school’s forward direction.

Rear Admiral Vineet Bakhshi VSM (Retd) – Governing Board Member

Rear Admiral Vineet Bakhshi, VSM (Retd) is a distinguished alumnus of The Scindia School, Gwalior; the National Defence Academy; the Naval College of Engineering; and the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. With a commendable 36-year career in the Indian Navy, he held pivotal roles, including Head of the Machinery Trials Unit, Director of the Indian Naval Ship Maintenance Authority, Commanding Officer of INS Shivaji (Engineering Training Establishment), and Director General of Naval Projects, Mumbai.

Following his naval service, he served as Chairman and Managing Director of Goa Shipyard Ltd. from 2010 to 2014. He then transitioned to the education sector, becoming the CEO of Bakhshi’s Springdales Group of Schools under the Govind Ram Memorial Educational Society, Kota. In 2018, he was appointed Chairman and Independent Director of QGO Finance Ltd.

A committed Rotarian, Rear Admiral Bakhshi actively contributes to literacy initiatives, continuing his lifelong dedication to service and leadership.

Dr Arnaz Ranji Charna – Head of School

Dr. Arnaz Ranji Charna earned her Master’s Degree in Medical Genetics from the University of Glasgow, Scotland and her PhD in Molecular Genetics from Ohio State University. She is a published author, and has also completed her post-doctoral research at Northwestern University where she worked on developments in synthetic biology.

Before joining Edubridge, Arnaz worked with an organization that helped connect students with higher education Institutions in the US. In the process, she has interacted with and guided many students who sought clarity & guidance with regards to higher education. Arnaz has been the senior school Biology teacher and University Guidance Counselor at EIS for eight years and had also spent four years as the Head of the Science Department before assuming the position of the Head of School. She is passionate about teaching and guiding students and remains committed to fostering a strong and thriving alumni network.