The quiet courage behind HLC
HLC began with a simple, radical idea: the child belongs at the centre.
What followed was not a “school launch” as much as a life choice. Mrs.Sudha Mahesh and Mr. Mahesh left the security of their jobs, moved to Chennai, and began in a two-room home that became a classroom by day.
The three promises they made to children
Before HLC had scale, it had clarity. These were the foundations.
A happy place
A school should feel like home: bright, warm, and reassuring for young children.
An inclusive place
Not only for children with visible needs, but for anyone who has felt excluded elsewhere.
An active place
Learning through play and activity, so concepts become lived experience rather than fear and performance.
Living in a school
In January 1995, Headstart Nursery and Primary School opened with one learner and two facilitators, in Mrs. Mahesh and Mr.Mahesh’s rented home in Thiruvanmiyur.
Parents noticed something unusual very early: children were genuinely happy, and missed school on weekends.
The logo that carried the philosophy
Mrs.Sudha designed the first logo herself: a rooster and many chicks.
It was both metaphor and intent: a head start for every child, and a childhood protected enough for playfulness to thrive.
Mahesh’s form of leadership
Mahesh’s contribution was not only operational. It was principled.
When early support arrived, he insisted that HLC’s work be formalised through a public charitable trust rather than resting on personal accounts. That choice became a long-term commitment to education as service.
Vidyothsahi
In 1997, the Trust was formed and named “Vidyothsahi”, a suggestion that reflected what Mrs. Sudha Mahesh stood for: enthusiasm for learning.
This Trust remains the home for the school’s purpose, and the reason certain decisions at HLC are treated as values before they are treated as policies.
“Doing right by the child”
Mrs. Sudha Mahesh's leadership had a distinct tone: firm on what matters, gentle with people.
Alumni remember not being talked down to, not being shamed, and being treated as a person first. The lesson was not obedience; it was dignity, consent, and self-respect.
A small story that shows the whole philosophy
One alumna recalls a moment from Grade 6: a small wrongdoing, a complaint, and a conversation that did not humiliate or punish.
Mrs. Sudha Mahesh chose to speak, patiently, as though the child’s inner compass mattered more than the incident. The child left with a clearer understanding of privacy and consent.
The founders
The school began with their partnership in purpose. Today HLC International is India's first Ashoka Changemaker School, under the steardship of Mr. Naveen and Mrs Raaji.
What we remember them for
A tribute is not a timeline. It is a set of inheritances.
- Childhood protected as a serious priority
- Learning made joyful, not performative
- Inclusion treated as belonging, not charity
- Kindness as a daily discipline, not a slogan
- Values embedded into structures (not left to personalities)
Want the longer story?
This page is a tribute. The fuller narrative lives in the book that documents the early years, decisions, and people who made HLC possible.
If you would like to understand how their foundations were carried forward, order a copy of the book from the school.
