United Arab Emirates

Anjana Sanalkumar, a teacher at Dubai’s The Westminster School who spent 33 years with GEMS Education, has died. The school community has paid tribute to an educator it described as having made an impact on generations of students, parents and colleagues.

Sanalkumar was listed by The Westminster School as both a teacher and an examination officer. The cause of her death and the location where she died were not known at the time of the announcement.

Her three-decade career with GEMS Education was closely associated with The Westminster School, where she became a familiar presence for successive groups of pupils and their families. Following her death, the school invited former students, parents, staff and others who knew her to leave messages and recollections.

Tributes and memorial arrangements

In a social-media message, The Westminster School asked members of its community to join in commemorating Sanalkumar’s life and contribution.

“As we come together to remember and celebrate the life of Ms. Anjana, we invite everyone who knew and loved her to share a heartfelt message, memory, or a few words in her honor in the comments,” the school said.

The school acknowledged that some people would be unable to attend the memorial in person, adding: “Though distance may keep us from gathering together in person, it does not have to keep us apart in remembering her.”

A memorial service is scheduled for Thursday, October 8, at 3pm. The school said the service would be livestreamed so that members of the wider community who cannot attend physically can take part.

“Your words, memories, and presence — near or far — mean more than we can express,” the school said. “Thank you for helping us honor and celebrate a life that touched so many.”

Scholarship proposed in her memory

A parent who asked not to be identified said GEMS Education had outlined plans for a permanent tribute to Sanalkumar’s service. According to the parent, the group intends to establish the Anjana Sanalkumar Memorial Scholarship at The Westminster School.

“Amid the tributes, GEMS Education in a letter announced plans to honour her service with a lasting legacy. The group intends to establish the Anjana Sanalkumar Memorial Scholarship at The Westminster School,” the parent said.

The planned scholarship would link Sanalkumar’s long period of service in education with future students at the school where she spent much of her career.