DUBAI // A week before the Grade 12 Indian board examinations, the world's highest achiever, Rohan Sampath, dared to take up the task of organising an international debate competition at his school.
Despite the distractions, the Science pupil received a 99.5 per cent in the Indian School Certificate (ISC) exams, making him not only the highest scorer this year but also the first pupil to achieve the score in the history of the examinations, it was confirmed yesterday.
"We had to organise the Modern World Debates which had teams coming in from the UK, Qatar, India and Singapore," said the pupil who studied at Dubai Modern High School. "It may have taken off a few marks here and there but that really does not bother me. Though, at the time, it was a cause of some anxiety to my parents."
Outside of India, the ISC examinations are taken in schools in Indonesia, Singapore, Bhutan, Yemen and the UAE. This year more than 100,000 pupils sat the exams.
The ISC is considered as a more stringent and rounded approach to education than the Central Board of Secondary Education curriculum prescribed by Delhi.
It is also the only qualification from India that does not require pupils to take additional A-level courses or bridging programmes needed to enter several international universities.
Rohan scored 100 per cent in mathematics, physics and computer science and 98 per cent in chemistry and English.
Since his position was confirmed on Saturday, the phones in the Sampath household have been ringing off the hook.
Sandhya, his mother, said all their well wishers have only one question: "How did he do it?"
"I think we always knew he would be at the top in school, but of course being at the top globally, that's a different feeling," she said.
"However I think I was more elated when he got the Stanford offer in March.
"When it comes to academics I think intelligence plays a role. But Rohan has always being focused in class and has had dedicated teachers. What he should be credited for is doing all of it without giving in to private coaching, which is often the norm among Indian families here."
She admits she would get jittery when he took on a lot of activities at school. "I would wonder, how will he manage without private tuitions, and would the school lessons be enough?"
However, Rohan says after-school classes "would have been an insult to my school teachers".
The family has not yet had a quiet moment to reflect on his success as Rohan spent the day giving talks to his juniors at school yesterday.
"I have become a small celebrity. It is quite embarrassing," said the 17-year-old who considers this the happiest moment of his life after the birth of his brother.
"I wasn't planning to, but ended up giving talks to the Grade 11 and 12 students. Academics was only a small part of my conversation, it was more about how to manage time and study smart. Focus on at least one or two extra-curricular activities as well."
He said his involvement in activities outside class is what eased the stress during the examinations.
"Grade 11 and 12 can be really tiring and the time spent in swimming was what kept me motivated throughout the day. If I hadn't being doing that or debating I wouldn't be as focused in the schoolwork either."
Rohan was the president of the Modern Debating Society at school and represented the UAE at the World School Debating Championships in Scotland, last year. The team came fifth out of 48 schools.
Grant Smith, founder and coach of the UAE Debate Federation, said Rohan displayed a broad knowledge of current affairs, "beyond what academics taught him".
"A very sharp young man, someone who can think on his feet," the coach said.
His ability to balance academics and personal interests has won Rohan a place at Stanford University in the US, where he starts in September.
"I don't have to immediately decide on majors but I am looking at engineering and economics in equal measure," he said.
"But the big picture for me is to make a difference in the world, and that could either be through innovation and entrepreneurship or making policy for organisations like the UN."
aahmed@thenational.ae
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Recycle Reuse Repurpose
New central waste facility on site at expo Dubai South area to handle estimated 173 tonne of waste generated daily by millions of visitors
Recyclables such as plastic, paper, glass will be collected from bins on the expo site and taken to the new expo Central Waste Facility on site
Organic waste will be processed at the new onsite Central Waste Facility, treated and converted into compost to be re-used to green the expo area
Of 173 tonnes of waste daily, an estimated 39 per cent will be recyclables, 48 per cent organic waste and 13 per cent general waste.
About 147 tonnes will be recycled and converted to new products at another existing facility in Ras Al Khor
Recycling at Ras Al Khor unit:
Plastic items to be converted to plastic bags and recycled
Paper pulp moulded products such as cup carriers, egg trays, seed pots, and food packaging trays
Glass waste into bowls, lights, candle holders, serving trays and coasters
Aim is for 85 per cent of waste from the site to be diverted from landfill
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Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, with fares starting from Dh2,807 return. Frequent high speed trains between Zurich and Vienna make stops at St. Anton.
