Sindhu Mendke receives award from EW’s Dilip Thakore (left) & Summiya Yasmeen (right)

Dedicated educator and champion of underprivileged citizens for over four decades, Indore-based Sindhu Mendke is incumbent chairperson of the Tirthanjali Educational Society (estb.1978) which manages the co-educational CBSE-affiliated K-12 New Digambar Public School, Indore (NDPS, estb.1995). Currently, NDPS has 2,387 children mentored by 200 teachers on its muster rolls.

A postgrad in political science and education of Vikram University, Ujjain and Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore, Ms Mendke began her teaching career in 1967 with the Saraswati Mahila Shikshan Sansthan followed by teaching stints at Sevika Vidyalaya and the Rural Institute of Kasturbagram where she served as a lecturer for three years until her marriage.

In 1978, Ms Mendke promoted The Digambar School which started with a first batch of five students in a rented house. As Founder-Principal and Director of the school, she embraced the challenge of establishing an English-medium school despite her Hindi-medium background. By focusing on foundational literacy and numeracy and spiritual education of children, she proved that with deep understanding of children’s education, transformative changes are possible.

In 1990, Ms Mendke promoted the Tirthanjali Academy Playschool using proven early childhood pedagogies to make learning enjoyable for youngest children. She integrated established pedagogies into the curriculum and trained teachers to innovate supportive learning material.

In 1995, The Digambar School was expanded to transform into the New Digambar Public School. After serving as a feeder institution for NDPS for five years, the Digambar School was finally shut down in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic shutdown. A year later, Tirthanjali Academy Play School also merged with NDPS.

Under Ms Mendke’s dynamic leadership, NDPS has transformed into a premier institution equipped with advanced state-of-the-art laboratories, libraries, and arts and sports facilities. Although her futuristic vision and innovations in K-12 education were criticised by conventional educators, her firm self-belief and determination enabled her to introduce progressive innovations such as abolition of school-bags, and no-homework for primary school children. Moreover, she integrated yoga, arts, and sports into the primary school curriculum long before such practices became pervasive. In addition, Ms. Mendke’s introduction of easy learning systems for preschoolers led to the publication of Kids’ Wonderland, an educational book series for youngest children. Currently, this octogenarian education pioneer is working on publishing original musicals, theatre dramas, poems and songs for children.

Ms Mendke’s commitment to education extends beyond the promotion and establishment of NDPS. Since 1989, she has been providing free-of-charge education to meritorious underprivileged children. Other socially beneficial initiatives include initiating cleanliness drives, e-waste recycling, and relief support during national calamities in selected rural habitations. These initiatives have significantly contributed to developing a sense of community and civic duty within NDPS students.

For her extraordinary contribution to the growth and development of early childhood and primary-secondary education, the Board of Directors of EducationWorld are pleased to present Ms Sindhu Mendke the EW Lifetime Achievement in Education Leadership Award 2024 and induct her into the EW Hall of Fame of Indian education.