As the Indian Education System evolves, we are seeing an increased number of Women taking on leadership roles in International Schools. The female voice has always been a subdued one in India, change-makers are breaking barriers and proving to be excellent leaders, creating positive change and empowering students. Neelam Ravi, Executive Director and Head of GJR International School, founded in 2018, an inspiring, passionate, and visionary lady, empowering students to be confident in their abilities. She believes in breaking barriers and creating a society free from gender bias.

 Here are some highlights from our interaction with her.

Give Us A Brief Overview Of Gjr International School. What Are Some Important Features About Your Expertise As A Leader In The Field Of Education That You Want Us To Highlight Through The Article?

GJR International School was established to carry out Late G Jayaram Reddy's vision, that children in the Marupalli community should have access to a high-quality affordable education that meets global standards. We focus on experiential learning, empowering children to explore, express themselves, and be eager to learn. We promote a spearheading 360-degree learning approach involving the teachers, children, and parents, who collectively look into the future while also evaluating past learning. The school offers classes from pre-primary to fifth grade in the IB curriculum and from 6th-12th grade in the CBSE curriculum. I've worked in education for 25 years, after previously serving in the Indian Air Force. I have taught in schools across India in diverse curriculums like IB, ICSE, and CBSE. Gradually, I assumed leadership roles and began training teachers and developing curriculum to go beyond traditional methods and teach students to be confident in interacting with anyone from around the world and feeling on par with them.

Take us through your early educational journey and prior industry experience that you bring to the table. What factors motivated you to become an educator and academic consultant?

Coming from a defense background, I attained education throughout the country. I noticed as a student that the traditional teaching pattern was the same everywhere. This was something I wanted to change, and this motivated me to act, and take on the role of an educator and academic counselor. To be in a position where I could bring meaningful change by designing curriculum, training teachers, and so on. As an educator, I worked in various parts of the country again, in different school boards, which gave me the necessary experience to know what changes need to be introduced. To ensure learning, children need to go beyond books and question what they learn; if books are involved, teachers are focused on finishing the course, which is what I want to change, and this is what motivates me to take action.

Throw some light on the roles and responsibilities that you shoulder as the Executive Director & head of GJR International School. What are some of your primary focus areas as the director and head?

 While academics and administration are my primary focus, I'm also involved in curriculum design, classroom management, design and implementation, and teacher training. I see myself as a mentor and believe in working alongside the teachers, acting as a soundboard for their ideas. I dabble in almost everything, including administration, academics, safety implementations, teacher professional development, parent interaction, and ensuring that the children are groomed in a safe and healthy environment that they look forward to returning to every day. The post-pandemic, social, and emotional well-being of students and faculty is also a priority.

What are some of the most pressing challenges that you face in terms of leading the school and how do you mitigate these challenges?

Being a new school, the biggest challenge that we face is building trust with the parents. We are in a region which holds a traditional Indian outlook and all parents, when interacting with us, ask how our school will help their children prepare for JEE & NEET. All parents wish to make their children doctors and engineers and convince them to keep an open mind. We prepare children for all kinds of opportunities whether it is MBBS, Engineering, or something else. So our biggest challenge right now is convincing parents that we are at par with the schools they trust.

In your opinion what are some of the most significant milestones that you have achieved through out your professional journey?

What has been the driving force behind your success as a leader in education?In terms of milestones, being in the Indian Air Force was a big milestone for me. Beyond that, I have been a Co-Founder and head of three startups, but I do not see them as only my milestones. No organization can survive solely on one person. The success of all of them has been possible due to the combined efforts of the team I have built, with the guidance from my seniors who taught me about the profound impact that comes from cultivating a culture where the exchange of ideas flowing from all levels, and with the support of my family who encouraged me to pursue whatever I have wanted.

How do you foresee the Indian education system for girls evolving in the near future? What is your vision for the school's growth going forward?

While we have seen the trend in India that the female voice is subdued and female education is just seen as a formality where girls are expected to complete their education and get settled; we are now seeing a trend which is more focused on girls' education. Things are changing slowly, focused on empowering females through education. This school is focused on removing gender bias. We are training our children to see each other as equals. We are focused on providing a 360-degree education that makes all children resilient, so that if one thing does not work out for them, they can bounce back and try another.

What would your advice be to young women and girls who also aspire to become business leaders and entrepreneurs in the future?

I would like women and girls to learn that being a female does not mean holding back. I believe in student agency, where the goal is to help all students find their voice and express themselves. Women and girls need to understand the importance of finding their voice, making their choice, and taking ownership of things. People may not always understand that, but that must not hold you back. In order to progress, we need to break barriers and do what feels right.

Neelam Ravi,  Executive Director & Head,  GJR International School

Educational Qualification:· Master's in Education, MBA, M.SC.