When 2002 graduate, Sahil Arora, joined us at our recent reunion event along with his parents, we took the opportunity to find out what he has been busy doing since his Ficino years.
Q: What have you been up to since you left Ficino School?
A: After Ficino, I took the “sensible” route: high school, then university… and then promptly scrapped it (in the best way possible). One of the biggest moments for me was an exchange to the University of California Santa Barbara — leaving my comfort zone and discovering the other side of the world opened my mind in ways I didn’t expect and gave me the confidence to try things that once felt ‘out of reach’.
I went on to qualify as a Chartered Accountant… and then did something no spreadsheet could explain. I applied to drama school in London, got in, and completed a Master’s in Acting for Screen from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
I can safely say I’m a professional actor and accountant. A quirky combo, but one that pretty much sums up my personality: practical brain, creative heart, and an ambition for life.
Q: What was your favourite subject at Ficino and why?
A: Arts with Mr Clark stands out. Alongside any classes with Mrs Hudson. I still have some of the paintings in my room from my Ficino days — to the continual disbelief of my relatives and friends, who are convinced I must have bribed a teacher to be able to draw such a majestic elephant or a colourful kookaburra with such skill. For me, it’s a nice reminder that you should never place yourself in a box limiting what you can and can’t do.
Q: Favourite school meal (and least favourite)?
A: Pasta – be it cold or hot. Something new was unlocked.
Q: Please share a vivid memory from your time at the school.
A: I have great memories of climbing the Pinnacles in the Coromandel to performing several Shakespeare plays like Henry V at Saint Barnabas Church – and The Tempest. One role in particular that stands out to me was understudy for the lead role of Monostatos in The Magic Flute. I somehow ended up playing the lead. Unbeknown to me, that role lit some kind of spark. Having the freedom to create and express myself planted a seed that would resurface many years later when I started taking acting classes after full-time work.
Q: Any plans or dreams for the future?
A: Be a great father to my daughter and create my own path forward creatively and professionally – all while respecting and caring for those important to me.
Q: How do you think your time at Ficino has influenced you?
A: In more ways than I realised as a kid, Ficino planted ideas and values that stayed quietly in the background in my subconscious, only to show up years later in how I think, work and treat people. For me, the teachers weren’t just educators; they embodied the school’s values. That shaped my own values: integrity, kindness, respect and good manners were never optional. Those lessons didn’t end at school. They’ve quietly guided me into my adulthood life.
Q: If you could travel back in time, what advice would you give to 10-year-old Sahil?
A: Challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone and lean into what makes you unique. Being an introvert can feel safe and secure; but the real joy in life begins when you bring your personality into each interaction, no matter how big or small, even when it’s uncomfortable.
