Remembering NAS Dubai student Ridansh Agrawal through the ‘Ridansh Centre of Design and Innovation’

In a fitting tribute to a remarkable young man, the NAS Dubai DICE team were delighted to attend the opening of the Ridansh Centre of Design and Innovation in Ahmedabad, India earlier this month.

The centre, opened and run by the Agrawal family, stands as a tribute to Ridansh Agrawal, former student of Nord Anglia International School Dubai who sadly passed away during his Sixth Form studies.

 Ridansh Agrawal, former student of Nord Anglia International School Dubai

Beyond his academic brilliance, Ridansh had an infectious character with a sharp wit that made him so unique. Ridansh was generous, sharing his knowledge and leading many workshops for younger students in the school, igniting their enthusiasm and curiosity.

Ridansh’s profound passion for design, computing, programming, and technology was the main source of inspiration for the new design centre, which is now welcoming students from all over the city of Ahmedabad, India.

The centre hopes to continue Ridansh’s passions by giving young people practical, hands-on experiences. This is made possible thanks to a state-of-the-art facility boasting the latest tools and equipment including CNC machines, laser cutters, 3-D printers, vacuum formers, and more.

The team at the Ridansh Centre of Design and Innovation

The DICE team at NAS Dubai—overseeing the school’s Design, Innovation, Computing, and Enterprise curriculum — were privileged to receive an invitation to offer suggestions around the design and layout of the workshops. They also gave some advice on the centre’s curriculum content. This opportunity allowed them to participate in a project that really embodies Ridansh's values and ambitions.

One of the design labs at the centre

In line with this vision and Nord Anglia’s approach to education, all projects at the Ridansh Design and Innovation Centre are taught through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals encompass 17 crucial areas, addressing a broad range of global issues. By approaching their work from a sustainable development perspective, students can tinker, create, and play, ultimately developing physical prototypes and systems that tackle challenges aligned with the SDGs.

The centre also draws inspiration the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which is another world-leading organisation that Nord Anglia schools collaborate with. Specially, the Ridansh Centre also promises to embrace the MIT motto of "mens et manus" (Mind and Hand), which promotes the practical applications of education.

“I feel this is a wonderful example of how very good things can come together for very good reasons. It’s an example of how well those involved have interpreted the vision and practice that our partnership with MIT inspires,” said Matthew Farthing, Principal of Nord Anglia International School Dubai.

To read more out NAS Dubai’s leading approach, click here.