Ansh Lalwani

  

Volume 9 | Issue IV | December 2025

Indus International School ’26

Pune, India

  

Knowledge systems have always fascinated me—across physics, philosophy, and anthropology. Growing up free to choose my own path, I watched friends as young as six trapped in rote exam drills and lost peers who broke under that pressure. Witnessing such pedagogical oppression in India led me to examine the frameworks that simultaneously “open” doors and impose limits on our learning. Moreover, in the wake of personal losses, I founded The AARA Initiative to challenge mental-health stigma in India, even focusing within educational settings—a theme that informs my critique of institutionalized meritocracy. Through this work, I came to understand how high-stakes testing not only measures achievement but also often exacerbates suffering, leading me to believe that truly meaningful pedagogy must strike a balance between intellectual rigor and emotional well-being. Outside advocacy, I engage in dialogues bridging Vedic inquiry, Enlightenment thought, and contemporary science. These interdisciplinary conversations sharpen my understanding of how curricula are constructed and whose perspectives they center. Elevating this paper to publication tested my ability to weave rigorous research with clear storytelling; The Schola editors’ insightful feedback honed both my arguments and academic voice. I’m excited to continue this journey as I pursue physics and philosophy—ultimately aiming for a PhD that merges empirical science with critical theory to rethink existing epistemological frameworks, thereby using intellectual vitality as a means to foster tangible empowerment.