Inspiring Generations: Outstanding Women Education Leaders

A spolight by LoEstro

As India’s leading education advisor, LoEstro has had the unique vantage point to see the critical role women continue to play in the education sector. As an extension of that endeavour, we announce the Oustanding Women Leaders in Education List 2024 to celebrate and share stories of women in the sector who inspire us.

Education plays a crucial role in shaping the future of a country. India has made long strides and progress towards the same over the past decade, at 81%, inching closer to the global average. A large part of this progress has been made due to increase female attendance in schools and colleges.

When go a step further and understand who builds the backbone of education in India, we see that the best education institutions and services are led by women. This International Women’s Day, we want to celebrate the top leaders who have shaped our country’s education system over the past decade.

Why Women are the Backbone of India’s Education Ecosystem

The education sector is a unique case, where women have gravitated towards teaching as a profession. According to UDISE 2021-22 data, women teachers outnumbered their male counterparts. When we imagine a teacher, we typically visualize a woman teaching a classroom of students. We do so because that is what the reality is:

Women form a larger part of the education system in India
62.3%: The percentage of female teachers in primary/elementary education in India (2019-20) ▪ 44.5%: The percentage of female teachers in higher education in India (2019-20)
Women have a higher and more positive impact on students
Improved learning outcomes: Studies have shown that students, particularly girls, perform better academically when taught by female teachers
Increased enrollment: Research suggests that having more female teachers, especially in rural areas, can lead to higher enrollment rates, particularly for girls.
Data from Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) tells a similar international perspective, where on average, women make up over two-thirds of teachers from pre-primary to tertiary education. Most teachers are women.

India Should Encourage More Women to Lead Education Initiatives

While it is imperative that we appreciate and recognize the large female participation in the teaching workforce, a reality still remains. There is a large underrepresentation in leadership roles by women in education; While the number of female teachers is rising, they are still underrepresented in leadership positions within the education sector.

When leaders in India are women, girls’ aspirations and advancement in education improve. Across the 16 biggest states in India, a 10% increase in the number of women involved in district politics would lead to an increase of nearly 6% in the probability of primary school completion, with a larger impact on girls’ education.

Celebrating India’s ‘Women in Education’ this International Women’s Day

I am an optimist at heart, and though my job requires me to be analytical and often take a hard look at the story data is telling, it is nearly not enough. Change in real world is not driven by dreary statistics but by powerful stories, stories of change; by people, people who influence and lead, drive change; one child, one school, one city and ultimately a nation at a time.

It is our honour and our first attempt to tell the stories of women who have smashed the proverbial glass ceiling – who are educators, leaders and entrepreneurs. My hope and ambition is that they inspire you as much as us, some of them we have had the privilege of working together closely and others, whose work we have admired from a distance.

Roshni Nadar, Chairperson of HCL Technologies

Roshni Nadar Malhotra is the Chairperson of HCLTech, and commands a $50 billion global tech giant. As a Shiv Nadar Foundation Trustee, she’s driven $1.2 billion into transformative institutions. Pioneering VidyaGyan, she nurtures rural talent, earning the Children’s Champion Award in 2023. Roshni’s leadership extends to MIT, Kellogg School, and US India Strategic Partnership Forum boards. Forbes recognizes her consistently among ‘The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.’ Roshni, an alumnus of the Forum of Young Global Leaders, holds an MBA from Kellogg, receiving the Dean’s Distinguished Service and Schaffner Awards.

Grace Pinto, Managing Director, Ryan International Group of Institutions

Dr. Grace Pinto, Managing Director of Ryan International Group of Institutions, exemplifies leadership in steering one of India’s largest private K-12 education groups. Ryan has a countrywide network of 135+ vibrant schools spread over 18 states of India. With a commitment to realizing excellence in education, she shoulders the responsibility of providing strategic direction. Her dedication contributes significantly to the group’s prominence and impact in the educational landscape.

Jayshree Periwal, Director, Jayshree Periwal Group of Schools

Dr. Jayshree Periwal is a transformative force in Rajasthan’s education. Her schools have grown from one student in her garage to leading over 12,000 across ten schools in 24 years. Pioneering international education in Rajasthan, her institutions, offering IB and IGCSE curricula, set a benchmark for global standards. She was honoured as the ambassador for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and has represented state of Rajasthan for Barack Obama’s high power white house delegation for collaborative partnership in education. Dr. Periwal’s accolades include the Vijaya Raje Scindia Award of Excellence 2019 and AsiaOne’s Person of the Year.

Kavita Gupta, Founder, Neev Academy

Kavita Gupta is the Founder and Managing Trustee of Neev. She established the organization in 2005 with a vision to achieve balanced early childhood development. Evolving from a preschool focus, Neev now operates a grade school aligned with the International Baccalaureate programs. With five preschools and an academy campus in Bengaluru, Neev employs over 200 teaching professionals, catering to nearly 1200 children. Kavita aims to extend Neev’s impact by initiating a community school for underprivileged children. With a background in corporate strategy and finance, including leadership roles in a major pharmaceutical firm, Kavita holds a master’s degree in biotechnology from Mumbai University and pursued part of her MBA at Harvard University before restructuring the family business.

Shaheen Mistri, CEO, Teach for India

Shaheen Mistri is the CEO of Teach For India. She has garnered global acclaim for her unwavering dedication to educational equity. Born in Mumbai and having lived in 13 countries, she returned at 18, founding the Akanksha Foundation in 1989 to address the educational disparities in Mumbai’s slums. Over 25 years, Akanksha evolved from one center serving 15 children to 51 centers and 16 schools, impacting thousands. Inspired by Teach For America’s founder, Shaheen co-launched Teach For India in 2008, placing nearly 1700 Fellows in seven cities. As an Ashoka Fellow, WEF Global Leader, and Asia Society 21 Leader, Shaheen’s influence extends to various boards and foundations, shaping transformative changes in education. Strategic Partnership Forum boards. Forbes recognizes her consistently among ‘The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.’ Roshni, an alumnus of the Forum of Young Global Leaders, holds an MBA from Kellogg, receiving the Dean’s Distinguished Service and Schaffner Awards.

Indu Shahani, Founding President, Atlas SkillTech University

Dr. lndu Shahani is the Founding President and Chancellor of ATLAS SkillTech University. Dr. Shahani was the Sheriff of Mumbai (2008, 2009), Member of the University Grants Commission (2011-14) and Principal of H.R. College of Commerce & Economics, Mumbai (2000-16). She is an Academician with over four decades of institution building experience. She was the first Indian to be appointed Vice-Chair on the Board of Governors of the International Baccalaureate (IB) and sits on a number of coproate boards as an Independent Director.

Lina Ashar, Founder, Dreamtime Learning

Lina Ashar is the founder of Kangaroo Kids and Billabong High schools. She is a visionary educator with over 30 years of experience. Her organisation has set up Billabong branches and Kangaroo Kids franchises across India and internationally, with schools in Maldives, Dubai, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. In 2023, she continues to innovate with Dreamtime Learning, with her learner-centric approach and emphasis on experiential learning.

Namita Dalmia, Co-founder, Enzia Ventures

Namita is the Founder of Enzia Ventures, venture capital fund. Enzia invests in tech entrepreneurs focusing on healthcare, education, and the environment, offering deep sector experience and a curated network to foster long-term business growth. In her prior role, Namita led strategy and investments in education at Omidyar Network India, bringing five years of experience as associate director at Central Square Foundation. There, she spearheaded the education technology vertical, incubating and investing in non-profits while collaborating with the government. With a background as a design analyst at Education Elements and contributions to the National Knowledge Commission, Namita’s multifaceted expertise complements her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a dual degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology.

Smita Deorah, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Lead School

Smita Deorah is Co-Founder and Co-CEO at LEAD Group, India’s only School Edtech unicorn. At LEAD Group, Smita is responsible for education research, product development and capability building. She along with Sumeet have been instrumental in developing the LEAD Integrated System, which is benchmarked with the best education systems globally; and contextualized for schools across India. LEAD Group is today transforming learning outcomes for 5 million+ students in 9000+ schools across India. Smita is passionate about excellence and values in academia. Her goal is to bring quality learning to underserved communities and to bridge the gap between India’s high-fee schools and its budget private schools, so that every child can be nurtured to their true potential. Prior to co-founding LEAD Group, Smita founded Sparsh, an NGO that worked for the uplift of Anganwadis in Mumbai in association with the Maharashtra government. Sparsh currently runs four CBSE affiliated budget private schools in taluka areas of Maharashtra. Before establishing LEAD Group, Smita spent nine years at Procter & Gamble Singapore and India as
a leader in Finance, Treasury and Strategy.’

Kiran Bir Sethi, Founder, The Riverside School

Kiran Bir Sethi is the Founder of The Riverside School. She is a Designer turned Teacher, Principal, and Social Entrepreneur. She seamlessly applies design principles to education and community-based programs. A National Institute of Design graduate, she ran a successful Graphic Design Firm before founding The Riverside School in 2001. The school serves as a laboratory for prototyping design processes, fostering transformative student learning experiences. Kiran is the founder of ‘aProCh,’ an initiative for child friendly cities, earning her the Ashoka Fellow in 2008. She received the “Call to Conscience Award” by the King Centre at Stanford in 2009. In the same year, Kiran launched “Design For Change,” utilizing a 4-step design framework to instill an ‘I CAN’ mindset in children globally. DFC, now in 60+ countries, is the world’s largest movement of change by children, impacting over 2.2 million children and 65,000 teachers. Kiran’s journey exemplifies a fusion of design thinking, education reform, and social entrepreneurship.

Tristha Ramamurthy, Founder, Ekya Schools

Dr. Tristha Ramamurthy is the Founder of Ekya Schools and Vice President of CMR Group of Institutions. She pioneered pedagogically sound, research-based learning experiences in India. Overseeing K-10 and K-12 initiatives for the CMR Group, she manages CBSE, ICSE and Cambridge-affiliated schools with over 8000 students. Bringing cutting edge educational advancements to Ekya, Dr. Tristha draws from principles of the Project Zero Classroom at Harvard University, inquiry-based learning from the Reggio Emilia approach in Italy, and Design Thinking from Stanford Graduate School of Education. With a Bachelor’s degree from Singapore Management University, a Master’s from Stanford Graduate School of Education, and a Doctorate in Education from King’s College, London, Dr. Tristha’s research focuses on educational equity, teacher motivation, education policy and curriculum construction.

Manjula Shroff, CEO, Kalorex Group

Dr. Manjula Pooja Shroff is the Managing Director and CEO of Kalorex Group. She stands as a driving force behind premier educational institutions in India. Over three decades, Kalorex has become synonymous with professionalism and excellence in K-12 education, boasting 60+ institutions, including Delhi Public Schools and Calorx Olive International School. Empowering 88,000+ students and enriching 4,000+ educators, Dr. Shroff’s commitment extends to marginalized communities and special learning needs, evident in initiatives like Visamo Kids and Prerna. She has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the “Secular India Award” and “Woman of the Year” by the American Bibliography Society.

Supriya Paul, CEO, Josh Talks

Supriya Paul is the CEO & Co-founder of Josh Talks, India’s leading regional content and upskilling organization. Initiating this impactful venture at just 20, she received the Woman Transforming India Award in 2021 and secured a spot in Forbes’ top 20 self-made women in 2020. Her commitment earned her a place in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2018. As a Goalkeeper for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Supriya actively advances Global Goals, advising platforms like YuWaah (Generation Unlimited), Atal Innovation Mission, the Founder Institute, and the Women Economic Forum. Beyond leadership, she invests in early-stage tech startups and mentors through ‘Phir Ziddi Hi Sahi,’ empowering young girls to navigate gender bias. Motivated to inspire youth, Supriya’s debut book ‘All You Need Is Josh’ captures 30 stories, reflecting her dedication to fostering motivation and empowerment.

The author is Rakesh Gupta, Managing Partner of LoEstro Advisors. LoEstro Advisors is India’s leading investment banking and consulting firm, working with blue-chip education companies and organizations.