“It’s been incredibly nostalgic to return to Kodaikanal International School after 17 years of graduating,” saysTaira Malaney, alumna and documentary film maker from Goa. Kodaikanal International School (KIS), one of the earliest IB schools in Asia, has occupied a distinctive place in the Palani Hills as a multi-cultural, multi-national institution that has shaped generations of students from India and across the world. “Hiking, camping, field studies, environmental research, outdoor sport and service have taught generations of students resilience, independence, teamwork and stewardship. In 1976, it became the first school in India to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. “I found true joy in learning at KIS,” Taira recalls, particularly through subjects such as Psychology, English and Visual Arts.