Our Alumni

Namrata Boileau

When I first started learning French, I could not have imagined that it would open up a whole new world for me and greatly influence the path I chose!

Having done all my courses at the Alliance Française de Pune, I taught the kids course for a short while before winning a scholarship to study in Information and Communication at Paris II – Panthéon Assas. I did an internship with a TV news programme, ‘La Vie des Médias’, with TF1.

I pursued my studies in Advertising, and did a Masters in Advertising at the École Supérieure de Publicité, in Paris. Through this school, I did an internship in Media Planning with HAVAS,in Paris. After that, I was in Montreal for SCL-Medtech, wherein I assisted my supervisor with marketing.

I now live in Quebec, Canada. Being fluent in English and French, I worked with
Statistics Canada as an interviewer. I also worked part-time as an Interpreter for SANC, a non-profit organisation. Most recently, I have done online advertising for a web development agency, Plogg.

From teaching to translation and interpretation to media and marketing, from India to France and Canada, French has taken me on an enchanting journey of discovery and opened doors to a world of endless possibilities!

Mukta Dhere

They say, ‘With languages, you are at home-anywhere’.
I couldn’t agree any less because, this the exact sentiment that lingers within me today. That’s how learning French has shaped my life. And that’s how AFP became a home to me and so many others!

It started off when a 16-year-old went on a month-long exchange trip to France and returned with a glimpse of a whole new life, new bonds and a never-ending amour for the language. Since then, French has been an indivisible part of my days and my life.

It was just last year that I had a wonderful opportunity which allowed me to explore the country more naturally, blending in with the culture and exchanging endearing bonds in the role of a teacher. Being a language assistant in a French primary school, my knowledge of French proved to be an asset which allowed me to connect and create a bond which went beyond the mundane differences.

Currently, I am pursuing my higher studies in Geneva in the International Relations domain. My motivation to study in this field was strongly backed by my passion for French as it allows me to apply my understanding of the language in a different setting. This can offer me bilingual opportunities in the diplomatic capital of the world and even gives me an edge over the others while looking at internships in various organizations.
I completed all three advanced levels at the AFP. The B2 Weekend course with Amruta Ma’am was one of the most amusing and fun batches I have ever experienced. I was absolutely blessed to be with Nisha Ma’am for both – C1 and C2. She is not only a gifted teacher but my inspiration in many walks of life. My most appreciated takeaways from her were her criticisms and corrections.
The last class, I still remember, was a bit blurry with tears, a lot merry with satisfaction! But what I still miss the most are the gâteaux au chocolat and the German Bakery outings at the end of every level!

Akshada Risbud

“When I first signed up for classes at Alliance Francaise de Pune, it was because the language intrigued me. I considered myself fortunate to find a well-reputed institute close by. I entered my first French class with the intention of trying something new and with the hope of having a great time! I never expected to complete C2 one day, get selected for the Assistant and even carve a career out of it. Quelle surprise!

As a student, I couldn’t have asked for better teachers than Sonya and Nisha Ma’am. They
made each class so vibrant and lively; it was impossible not to want to be a part of their discussions – even when we tackled ‘imparfait’, combated ‘passe simple’ and warred with ‘futur anterieur’! The environment created in class was always open and friendly, making learning easier and more enjoyable despite the challenging nature of each advancing level. Our teachers were always helpful, going out of their way to ensure that all our doubts and queries were cleared, however small or silly. We had utmost confidence in them and they never let us down!

Studying French has opened up numerous and unexpected avenues for me. When I was still a student, I was encouraged by Sonya Ma’am to start conducting my own French classes. I thoroughly enjoyed filling the shoes of the French teacher. It helped me further my understanding of the language. Further, I got a chance to train as an intern at the institute itself, where I worked with young learners in the Kids Batch. Introducing a foreign language to children at a young age is no easy feat, but my colleagues were so skilful, they managed to make it a fun-filled and delightful experience.

Currently, I work at BITS Private Limited as a French-English Translator and it has been the
cherry on top of my French career! I’ve found another fantastic team to work with and I couldn’t be happier with the work I am doing. The practical style of teaching at AF de Pune prepared me for the on-the-job learning and has been vital in my progress as a translator.

From stuttering and struggling to string a single sentence together in A1 to all the heated
debates in C2, and now working as a French translator, I cannot believe how far has Alliance Francaise de Pune has taken me! There isn’t a better place to study French. I am grateful to all the support and encouragement I have been given!

Alliance Francaise de Pune, je vous remercie infiniment.”

Augustine David

It all started when I chose French as a foreign language option in Junior college. A choice that was born out of curiosity and excitement to learn one of the most beautiful romance languages. Initially, it was a struggle but slowly, I got the hang of it and surprisingly, did really well at the board exams.
Fast forward to the second-year of Bachelor of commerce at Symbiosis, I joined Alliance Française de Pune (AFP) as I had some free time to pass and the fact it was a stone’s throw away from Symbiosis, it was a no-brainer.
What started as a pastime turned into a serious affair – time spent learning grammar, regular and irregular verbs, discovering history, culture and verlan, participating in the fête de la musique to thinking and debating in French and many, more instances come to my mind. Eventually, I ended up passing the Advanced DALF C2 level and obtained an Alliance Française scholarship. Soon after, I joined Grenoble Graduate School of Business to pursue a Masters in International Business degree. Post-graduation, I ply my trade as an IT Business Consultant at CGI in Paris. Presently, I am working on an IT transformation project at the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environment in a very “franco-français” environment.
Overall, the time spent at AFP was an absolute roller coaster of a ride! Thankfully, some of the best teachers that I could have ever asked for, accompanied me on it. 7 years ago, all this seemed like a distant dream but here I am living “the French dream.”
Thank you, AFP!

Kruttika Dadhe

The idea of learning French started off as a casual activity, so that I could pass the surplus time I had during college years. It went on to become the biggest asset of my professional life!

I was 19 when I started my 1st level at AFP. The teachers I had for every level, evoked in me, a sense of passion and curiosity for the French language and culture. It kept me wanting to learn more! Along with learning the language, I developed an overall good understanding of the French ecosystem. When I moved to Grenoble for my post-graduation, this understanding proved to be a great help.

After my post-graduation, my language skills along with other accompanying aspects learnt at AFP, helped me get my first job at the French Trade Commission at the French Embassy in New Delhi. I worked in their Bombay office and then in their Paris office. Today, I am still living in Paris and am working with an agro-focused investment company.

This journey has been possible thanks to Alliance and the teachers that I was fortunate enough to have as my guiding light!

Shashank Rele

I commenced my journey in French in 2007, when I got the opportunity to fly to France through a Rotary Students Exchange program. It is in France that the roots of this romantic language got inculcated in me.

Upon my return in 2008, I started learning French at the “Alliance Française de Pune”. The amateur was transformed into a professional in 2012 after passing my DALF C2. I am thankful for all the guidance, support & encouragement received from Pallavi, Sonya, Sudnya & the very jolly Sunil Ganu. They brought so much more to the class than just the teaching. I enjoyed every bit of their classes & yes today I still miss them! For me, they are the legends of the Alliance Française de Pune.
Thanks again!

While I first kicked off my professional career as a French professor, it was short lived. I soon found another opportunity to work with Symantec. I started off as French language interpreter & translator in late 2012. Since then I have been working at SYMANTEC located at EON IT Park, Pune & now manage a team.

French has enriched me personally & professionally. I am sure it will also pay dividends to anyone who loves this language.

Currently, I’m a team supervisor at Broadcom Inc.

Devika Erande

17 years ago, when I started learning French I didn’t know it would play such a vital role in shaping my career as well as my personality. What started as a compulsory subject, soon became my passion and I decided to explore everything the language had to offer. While pursuing evening courses at the University, I also enrolled myself at Alliance to cover that extra mile required to become a French language expert. I cannot express in words what all those classes, the teachers and the library meant to me. They were an inseparable part of my daily life for a good three years from 2005-2008.

After finishing my Masters in French translation from the Pune University, I went on to do the ‘Assistanat’ in a small medieval city in central France called Bourges. I taught English in French to primary school kids, something that I had never imagined I’d be able to do. This experience taught me that I could do so much more with French than just study literature or translation. I later completed my Master’s in International Public management from sciences Po Paris with an Eiffel Scholarship. Since then, I have been using French in my daily professional life. It has only widened my horizons. I could work with international organisations in Francophone African and Middle Eastern countries thanks to my skills and fluency in French. Currently, I am working with the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic where my drafting skills in French and English come in handy!

I have a reached a point in my life where I cannot imagine myself without me speaking in French. It’s become a part of me and my identity, along with my Indianness and I totally love it!

Mandar Chitale 

I started learning French in 2010 at Alliance Française de Pune. I completed the level B2 in 2013. After finishing my studies in BE – Computer Engineering in 2012, I worked at Symantec as a technical translator / Interpreter for French language till 2014.

With a technical degree and 2 years of experience in French language in professional field, I went to France in September 2014 for my further studies in “Architecture de Systèmes d’Information” with specialization in Business Intelligence at EFREI (Ecole d’ingénieur généraliste en informatique et technologies du numérique). As part of the course curriculum, I did two internships out of which for the final one (stage de fin d’études), i worked for Capgemini as a BI/Big Data Consultant working for different clients in the transport sector. I obtained my Master’s Degree (Diplôme d’Ingénieur) in October 2016.

As of now, I am a BI Consultant at Talan Solutions working on different reporting tools such as SAP Business Objects, Tableau and IBM Cognos for the client SNCF (French Railways). As a hobby, I play water polo for a local Parisian team with matches for the new season starting from first week of November.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my French professors in India, Mrs. Sudnya Athale, Mrs. Sangeetha Ramanathan and Mr. Sunil Ganu and also here in Paris, Catherine Nusbaum and Andréas Topp for their continuous support. It is because of them, that I have integrated perfectly into the French society.

Sneha Hiremath

I have always loved storytelling and debating. Growing up in India, I regularly participated in eloquence competitions, debates and plays whether it was in school at St. Helena’s or in college at Symbiosis. Hence, when I joined Alliance Française de Pune (AFP) in 2001, my objective was to master the language and attain the same fluency as in English. I couldn’t have found a better place than AFP. From day one, the teacher spoke to us in French and taught us not only to express our opinions, discuss and debate in French but to also think in the language.

The institute has also been an important catalyst in taking me to Paris where I am based for 15 years. It guided me in the entire process of obtaining scholarship to study in France in 2004. In Paris, I completed my Masters in Banking and Finance from the University of Dauphine (Paris IX), and a Master 1 in Management Sciences from the University of Assas (Paris II). The programme was entirely in French and I had been well prepared by the institute in adapting to the French pedagogical approach. Following my Masters, I entered the fascinating world of Private Equity.

Currently, I am an entrepreneur in France and manage my own venture, Ace Advisors, specialised in storytelling and marketing for private equity firms.
Mille mercis to AF Pune and all the wonderful teachers who assisted me in kick starting my French adventure.

Rucha Nawre

It’s hard to capture in a few words, where my journey with French has taken me. It
started off with, as I would like to call it the, ‘vengeance classes’; I simply wanted to
understand the words my sister (also an AFP alum) would throw at me during fights.
It then took me to Sciences Po, Paris, as one of the first students from Pune and saw
me live, work and breathe in Paris for seven years. Back when I sat in the early
classes at Alliance Francaise, trying to learn different verbs, conjugations and cool
new words for hangman, I could have never imagined that one day, I would be the
French Web editor at an UN agency, managing online communications in French for
a global organization.
I left Paris a few years ago, but French remains close to my heart wherever I have
been – India, Singapore and now Belgium – and while I may not be working with the
language on a daily basis, I do use it occasionally while dealing with teams and
media in francophone countries. Most importantly, every day when I drop my eight-
month-old daughter off at her crèche, I see her starting to respond to ‘bisous ma
cherie’, and I know French is going to be a big part of her life and heart, just like
mine. Merci AFP!!!

Sahil Lodha

My interest in Cinema, Photography, Music & Fashion motivated me to learn French language. Enrolling at the Alliance Francaise Pune has been one of my best decisions. I spent 5 years at AF Pune, from 2007 to 2012. During this period, I benefitted and appreciated their dynamic & interactive teaching methodology. Furthermore, communication in English is ruled out and slowly and steadily, you begin to learn French like a native. My profound gratitude goes to my professors Geetanjali, Nisha, Sudnya, Palavi & Prit who have been truly inspirational. It’s because of them that I was able to attain fluency in the French language. The culture events organised by AF Pune enabled me to immerse myself in French culture by attending their musical concerts & gastronomic events, French ciné-club & by reading  books on French literature at the AF Pune library.

It is only now, after spending close to two years in Paris as a student & using the language practically, I realise how useful this education was & how I could understand the nuances better, relate to the culture better, make friends faster & I never ever felt like a tourist in France. My time in Paris really made me think about Fashion brands & Cinema in a broader context.

Currently, I am pursuing Luxury brand management & fashion communication modules in Mumbai, & also working full-time for an Architecture firm creating photo & video content.

Thank you, Alliance Francaise Pune for providing me with a stepping stone and guidance at an early age!