Dattatry Kobarne, Unique International School, Lohegaon, Pune
Growing up in the small village of Lohegaon in Pune, Dattatry Kobarne lived a life filled with financial struggles. Every step of his education was a battle, with his father, an ex-serviceman, being the only source of income for the family. The limited income forced many compromises in his childhood, but the hardships never broke him. Instead, with the quiet strength of his parents behind him, a dream started to grow in his heart — a dream to change the lives of children who faced the same hardships he once did.
From a young age, Dattatry knew he didn’t just want to teach children from textbooks. He wanted to prepare them for life — for the real world outside the classroom.
“Educators should never lose sight of the fact that education needs to prepare a child not only to be smart academically but strong in the realities of life,” he exclaims earnestly.
“Children need to learn what to do outside of exam conditions; when no one is watching.”
“When a child can leave the classroom, and engage with the world with an element of activity, they are learning character as much as they are learning skill,” he adds, passionately. “There is a limit to learning through winning; the best teacher is to lose; it is not about the finish line, it is about the learning; winning does not mean to get a trophy, it means to stay humble, it means to learn from each moment, and to move forward with the experience that you can.”
Starting of the Journey
With this belief at the core, Dattatry started Unique International School in 2019. True to its name, the school focused on balancing academic learning with overall development.
Starting the school with limited funds was not easy. But Dattatry stayed focused on his purpose. “We did not have much money, but we had a clear vision and strong determination,” he says. On the very first day, about 300 students enrolled, which gave the school a strong beginning.
“We knew that gaining trust was more important than anything else,” he shares. “Instead of worrying about raising more funds immediately, we focused on giving good quality education to the students who believed in us.” During this journey, Dattatry also worked on improving his own teaching and leadership skills. He took every challenge as a learning opportunity to build resilience and adaptability.
“We stayed committed to the goal and the foundation philosophy we started with, and that commitment continues even today,” he says simply.
Also Read: Growing from 185 to 1,000 Enrollments: The Inspiring Story of a School Leader in Lucknow
Why is Holistic Growth Important?
From an early age, Dattatry had a passion for learning different skills. He filled his spare time playing cricket, learning to play an instrument, and exploring a variety of art forms. These were the things he engaged in when things were rough at home. As he says, “Growing up in a house of struggle, I found that sport, music, and art gave me something to counter the sadness and stress.”
By 10th grade, Dattatry had engaged in numerous activities which, in turn, not only improved his academic growth but also shaped him as a person. He shares, “Children need to get through school, however, they also should find a sport or hobby that gives them joy and motivation. It keeps a child’s focus and, moreover, builds teamwork and leadership skills that will help them throughout their life.”
Adopting the same idea, he shaped it into Unique International school and established it at the school’s core. Beyond extracurricular activities such as sports, music, dance, and art, the school also helps children explore other creative forms to express their individuality better.
Dattatry himself plays an active role in mentoring students. “I personally lead activities like the march-past because it teaches cooperation, discipline, and unity,” he says. By making these activities a part of daily life, he ensures that students grow not just academically, but also build the courage and strength to face life ahead.
Efforts To Make Education Accessible
At Unique International School, the team goes above and beyond to support children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Dattatry shares, “We have students whose parents’ livelihoods depend on limited sources of income, like gardeners, drivers, and other blue-collar workers.” With such parents struggling to pay school fees regularly, Dattatry says, “We created a financial incentive for these parents, offering discounts to ensure their children stay enrolled. Our goal is to prevent them from dropping out and taking odd jobs to make ends meet.”
But the school’s mission doesn’t end with just addressing financial barriers; it also inspires students to dream bigger. Dattatry emphasizes, “Many children from our community feel that, because they live in a village, their only goal should be to finish basic education and take up any job to support their families.” The school not only wants them to be financially independent but also takes it one step further. He highlights, “I always tell them the examples of people like our former president and scientist Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who was a newspaper vendor at one time, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was a tea seller, went on to achieve greatness not just for themselves but also to uplift the nation.”
Through such inspirational stories, Dattatry aims to educate his students that no matter where they come from, they can dream big if they dare to. “Our children must be told and educated that their past does not dictate their future,” he affirms with confidence.
Upgrading to Digital Learning With Varthana
When the school began expanding and growing, Dattatry felt the need to stay ahead of the online world to further innovate the learning process. He says, “We wanted our children to learn from the latest technologies to enable them to learn at their own pace, which is one of the essentials of modern education.” But the biggest hindrance was funding. It was there that he encountered Varthana, an organization that was able to see his vision and, more importantly, his conviction to support various learning styles for children at every level.
“By taking a school loan from Varthana, I was able to set up a computer lab that was a point of reference for students. It enabled them to learn something new, take interactive classes, and prepare themselves for a more digital world,” Dattatry shares gratefully. Varthana’s loan assisted him in overcoming the financial barrier and helped him make a significant change in the school’s infrastructure.
He goes on, “This alliance was important to the school’s development and helped to advance its mission of offering a broad, forward-looking education.”
Looking Toward the Future
Today, Unique International School represents much more than an institution. The team is all invested in the education of the community and under Dattatry’s leadership, the school has grown. It has also evolved into a more inclusive and comprehensive learning environment.
“Our ambition is bigger than one school – we are looking at a minimum of 10 Schools in the future,” says Dattatry, as he considers his next steps for the school. Dattatry is determined that every child, no matter where they are located, deserves the opportunity to succeed. He explained, “I want to build a system where children from very remote places can enjoy success”.
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