4 years ago……
Rakesh & Manas were in a serious brainstorming session attempting to draft the elements that would define why OM was started, where they wanted it to get to, and how OM would get there. Somewhere during this rather serious discussion, Rakesh started talking about his dream of bringing in motorcycles into the Montessori space.
Realizing a break would be a good idea, Manas sidetracked the discussion into what to order for lunch since neither had carried food from home.
Rakesh was and remains passionate about riding motorcycles, though the speeds he used to achieve have come down a few notches. Age, maturity, responsibility, and multiple riding accidents are some of the reasons.
Over lunch, Manas patiently made a rational case for keeping the two very very separate and unrelated and pleaded with Rakesh to remove the junior motorcycle that Rakesh had displayed in the main working area for children. Apparently a hyperactive and very curious child whose parents were being given a tour of the school by Manas had managed to get himself onto the bike and before either parents or Manas could reach him, had fallen with the motorcycle in somewhat slow motion.
You can see below the only remaining image of said junior motorcycle inside the school.
Fortunately, no harm was done and the child calmed down after the initial shock of his life’s first motorcycle incident. Expecting the parents to either report us to the police or sue us or both, Manas was quite surprised when the parents admitted their child to OM.
Rather reluctantly, Rakesh removed the motorcycle from the school.
That urge to find common ground between two seemingly disparate activities was never put to rest.
4 years later ……
In the first quarter of OM’s fourth year, Rakesh observed many parents riding motorcycles to drop their child to school and that dormant itch resurfaced once again. At his usual impatient speed, he quickly designed a logo for what he had in mind and shared a poll on the parent WhatsApp groups. The poll asked 1 simple question –
13 parents across two WhatsApp groups said YES. The next poll shared 2 possible ride dates and so it was that the inaugural OM Rides breakfast ride took place on 3rd August 2025. Five motorcycles and three cars took part in what started as a half-cocked idea which has now demonstrated a way of combining an adult hobby with fun and learning for the children of the adults.
In Rakesh’s traditional optimistic/shoot first and ask questions later style of doing things, OM’s website will have a separate section dedicated to OM Rides where we will post ride stories and pictures. It is our optimistic expectation that parents (existing and prospective) looking at our website will see the logic, the fun had by adults and children, and the learning that the children get from these rides.
Feel free to email your queries/questions to admin@oliviamontessori.com
Till the next one, take care & ride safe.
