Gurugram, March 26 -- It all began with an unassuming poster, pinned to a wall at a local Bandra library during the pandemic: "Tired of Zoom classes? Presenting Comini Learning Pods."

It led curious parents to Priyanka Rai and Sai Gaddam, who had then just moved to Mumbai and were looking for alternative schooling options for their own children. As they began to speak to interested parents, the idea of a learning pod (where a small group of children learn together) turned into something bigger but small enough to suit their needs: Comini Microschool.

"Our goal was to build a neighbourhood school, not a fancy building. We wanted to create a space where parents could feel confident enough to pull their children out of traditional schools ...