About us - Beyond 8

With agency and autonomy, our learners choose a flexible and convenient pathway to a purposeful education in the best liberal colleges in the world.

Our Story

Back in 1995, Naveen joined a small play school his mother founded, called Headstart Nursery and Primary School. Soon, Raaji joined hands. What started out as small trials in classrooms there led to the school growing into HLC International, India’s first Ashoka Changemaker school.

The school they founded bloomed into a social incubation centre for new initiatives. And, over the years, the incubation centre has nurtured numerous ventures until each became a market facing business. Naveen and Raaji spent the better part of the next two decades evaluating what is taught and learnt in class rooms across the country and brought their best new ideas in reimagining education for social transformation.

It is their conviction that such transformation must happen because of the education we impart our children and young adults and not in spite of it, that led to the development of Beyond 8. Beyond 8 is made up of all their good ideas, collectively offered in a manner that can suit every learner in creating their own learning journeys. At Beyond 8, Naveen works closely with industry leaders in developing partnerships, while Raaji brings together all the building blocks of a 'real' education - one that can serve young learners in their adult life.

VISION Learners should learn with freedom and fun, explore multiple interests, and in ways that prepare them for fulfilling lives, not just careers. Our hope is that through this wide exposure learners get a glimpse into the many directions in which their lives can go and have the opportunity to be excited by the diversity of choices they have. MISSION Through the highest levels of compassionate empathy for our people, we provide a transformative education that is both learner determined, flexible and adaptable to enable our high school learners to pursue the best collegiate liberal education pathways in the world.

Our Founders

Meet our Founders

Beyond8 Team Member

Naveen Mahesh

CoFounder

Naveen is the Director and Managing Trustee of HLC, India's first Ashoka Changemaker School, and founder of Beyond 8, India’s first learner-determined high school for liberal education. Following successful ventures in various industries in India and the US, he has dedicated the last two decades to reimagining school education. Accredited by Harvard Business School and IIM, Naveen is also a social scholar from The Leadership Institute led by Harvard Prof. Frances Frei. He has founded multiple social initiatives and serves on the boards of several NGOs, including NalandaWay, which serves 30 million government school children. Currently Vice President of the TamilNadu Association of Cambridge Schools (TACS), Naveen was honored as an "Uncommon Leader" by the Madras Management Association in July 2019.
Beyond8 Team Member

Raaji Naveen

CoFounder

Trustee and Thought Enabler of HLC, the Social Incubator, which is India's first Ashoka Changemaker institution, located in Chennai. Raaji spent many years in business analysis and product management with MNCs in the US before joining school education in 2005. Since then she has been instrumental in enabling thought leadership, introducing evidence based research practices as well as shaping HLC's philosophical identity. She is a Harvard educated thought leader and enabler who is geared to stay abreast of the innovations and best practices that make learning visible. Besides having co-founded a number of social initiatives, such as Karthavyam, Militvaa, Elina, Kognify and Explorers, As a learner, ideator, social entrepreneur and Heutagogy expert she focuses on bringing evidence-based, systemic and impact focused approaches to the process of redesigning the education system. Raaji was recognised as an “Uncommon Leader” by the Madras Management Association in July 2019.

VISION

Learners should learn with freedom and fun, explore multiple interests, and in ways that prepare them for fulfilling lives, not just careers. Our hope is that through this wide exposure learners get a glimpse into the many directions in which their lives can go and have the opportunity to be excited by the diversity of choices they have.

MISSION

Through the highest levels of compassionate empathy for our people, we provide a transformative education that is both learner determined, flexible and adaptable to enable our high school learners to pursue the best collegiate liberal education pathways in the world.

"THE ALTERNATIVE" TO SCHOOLING

The Beyond 8 Team Learn more about our awesome team.

Beyond 8

Beyond 8 provides transformative pathways for high school learners to pursue the best collegiate liberal education in India & abroad.

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