Interviews

“Our University is mobile free, mobiles are not allowed to the students so the students are more human interactive,” says Prof Dr. Pramod K Raghav, President, Jayoti Vidyapeeth Women’s University, Jaipur in an interview with Chandan Anand, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAJaipur #ELSARajasthan We welcome you at today’s event, would like to know more about your university? I am Prof Dr. Pramod K Raghav currently I am President in charge of Jayoti Vidyapeeth Women’s University, Jaipur. It is nations first private State Women’s University with full-fledged status of a Private State Women’s University. The university is especially established for empowering the woman through education and the mission of the university is Community Development, currently University is having more than 130 programs specifically for the girls for the women’s and it is in medical field as well as in non-medical field. The idea is here to bring up the deprived sector of the country, the women’s through the education. Except this the university has several other specialties also, the safety is at the top priority and second the most important which we call the USP is a mobile-free, our University is mobile free, mobiles are not allowed to the students so the students are more human interactive, they have the time to spare and focus on the studies but they are not lagging behind, they are still well connected with the world through the internet and we have the internet surveillance also. So, it’s a university and it is scattering the need of entire nation it not only for the Rajasthan so that’s how this University is imparting and enhancing the quality of education and serving this special sector. I would also like to add that our PhD programs and distance education are open for both male as well as female. The University was founded by nations first youngest founder of the University late Dr Panckaj Garg sir and currently the university is headed by Mr Vedant Garg who is the advisor and CEO of the University along with a team of very experienced professionals. When it comes to add an edtech player in your organization what are the top two three factors when you select an organization the edtech player or a startup for enrolling any services or any product in your university? One thing is sure that without EdTech without the addition of technology we are not going to go anywhere. So, it is an important part and when we are selecting an organization we are looking that the campus must be paper free most of the facilities must be digital for example we are in service sector actually, if we talk about the private universities so a student must be facilitated and the students are nowadays digital friendly. So, it is very important that all the aspects right from getting leads up to the distribution of the degrees it all must be the digital. Lot of options are there, universities are changing themselves and they have to change because we are competing with the global universities the countries are now open for the foreign players for the foreign universities so we have to enhance our level and digitization is the top most choice for those global universities and only then they can align with us or we can partner with them. So, that’s how I look it for it is a must. What is the outcome of certain forum, what is the takeaway from this event for you? Actually, we had two covid waves and such type of forums as ArdorComm is bringing the academic leaders at forefront and these academic leaders, these academicians are the one who are in a driving phase of these universities who are putting their implementation of the vision of their founders, their sponsoring bodies. It’s very good and to bring them up front to give them an opportunity to share their views to disseminate whatever they have learned in the past and in today’s scenario if you see it is very important that these private universities they must use each other’s qualities, each other’s expertise and there is no harm in doing that will enhance the level of education and the group like ArdorComm Media, I really congratulate you and will definitely add that it is a good event and such type of events should be organized in future also bring these academic leaders let them share their views, let them disseminate what they have learned and that’s the way these private universities they’ll be collaborating one day with each other. Any message would you like to give to ArdorComm Media Group? My message is that keep on doing such types of events and keep on bringing these academic leaders because mainly academic leaders they gather in the academic conferences or in the seminars or in the symposia but this is the first type of event I am seeing where you have focused on the academicians those who are leaders in their field so keep it up and keep doing it, thank you.  

“Quality education and employability, these two objectives of higher education can definitely be achieved if there is a full support of the industry in the processes,” says Prof. Dr. H L Verma, President (Vice Chancellor), Jagannath University, Rajasthan in an interview with Chandan Anand, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAJaipur #ELSARajasthan How’s your experience of witnessing today’s forum of Education Leadership Summit and Awards? I must convey my thanks to ArdorComm Media Group for taking this initiative because it is the need of the time that you are able to bring industry stalwarts and the academic leaders at one platform and in the changed scenario. So, there is a need that the education is made more industry oriented because in the present market economy it is the demand of the economy that students ought to be upskilled, they need to be trained in a way that ultimately, they are fit for job. So, quality education and employability, these two objectives of higher education can definitely be achieved if there is a full support of the industry in the processes. In isolation neither academic institutions can work effectively nor industry, for industry also it is required now in the whole process this higher educational scenario is going to be changed. Every one of us will have to have a very clear-cut future vision that what type of education now it is going to be as in the developed nations we find that industry and the academic institutions they work with close interactions so the same way industry should also come forward, they need to provide funds to the academic institutions but at the same time the system should be such that whatever is the outcome of education so that need to be shared with the industry and the outcome need to be marketed by the industry. For example, there is a research project funded by the industry so whatever is the outcome of that project ultimately resulting into patents or resulting into they can say the marketable products. So, that should be the ultimate domain of the industry now unless and until in Indian conditions also, so this type of environment will emerge that industry interests are also taken care of, academic institutions interests are also taken care of and only then the right type of skill development can take place among the students that it is now a type of situation type of environment that in which everyone has to open up its steps and take the support of all relevant professionals and Industry people so that our youth our young generation so they are fully prepared to handle the future challenges. With that background I am sure that this type of initiative which has been taken by Chandan ji so it is highly appreciable and in future so these types of more initiatives need to be taken and industry people and the academic institutions. So, all that requires change in mindset of the people now, so no academic institution can achieve excellence, can work in isolation and even I will suggest that the institutions instead of having practical labs within the campus and if these can be established inside the industry and the students go there in the industry they get more practical experience. So, that type of you can say arrangement that will help achieve quality and student will be ready for the product development. I can say so because hands-on experience is more important so it is now education for market economy. So, theory and practice gap is to be bridged at all levels otherwise no institution can survive, can grow in the times to come so that is the type of environment which I understand is required. I am glad to say that recently ArdorComm Media celebrated its one year of existence and one and a half years has already gone, we have seen many leaps and bounds, any message or advice would you like to give to ArdorComm Media? ArdorComm is doing a great job, you are really providing leadership and what others neither at the government level nor at the institutions level alone can do it. So, organizations like you may be in the initial stage there can be certain difficulties because the most difficult thing in the society is to bring change in the mindset of all stakeholders. So, you are doing that, it’s really appreciable and it is a great job and we wish a great success for you because bringing industry and academics at one platform in itself is a great thing.  

“I think skill in terms of ‘RUN’ which is my punch word here, where I say Reskilling, Upskilling and New age skills,” says Prof. Dr. Padmakali Banerjee, President, Sir Padmapat Singhania University, Udaipur in an interview with Chandan Anand, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAJaipur #ELSARajasthan Would like to understand and know more about your University? Sir Padmapat Singhania University is based out of Udaipur, the city of lakes and one of the world’s tourism capital of India and this is an initiative of the JK cement which is a very large group, one of the world’s largest manufacturer of white cement and grey cement. This University is a 15-year-old University and it is a very forward-looking University where there is a lot of importance which has been given to the new age education in terms of the professional skill courses and the industry integrated programs coupled with internationalization. How do you rate and how much focus you are giving on skilling part? I think this is something that it is the need of the hour, so as I was in the deliberations today, I mentioned that I think skill today is the most important. I think skill in terms of ‘RUN’ which is my punch word here, where I say Reskilling, Upskilling and New age skills, so every curriculum has been integrated for having certain employability skills also skills which will be enabler for the very chaotic world that we are seeing in the future. Being a corporate governed University does it play a good factor for getting admissions or is still the same way as other Universities are doing? I think it is a brilliant question, the answer is yes where we are looking at not just the admission part but I think the delivery part because I talk about three I’s, innovation in curriculum design, industry integration and internationalization, so in the second ‘I’ of Industry integration here is a university where the students can also go for immersion programs. So, while we go for the most of the universities around from all walks of life for example in the tech area if you look at, very recently we tied up with HCL technology then if you look at Commonwealth education, so I think in a very big way partnerships are playing a very big role at the University and so are the very great placement opportunities and the so-called median salary and the top of the salary. So, I think I see a great opportunity serving such a University. At your role balancing finances is equally important, how do you address when it comes for an edtech integration in your University? I see a business plan for anything, suppose we are going to set up our program say on robotics, so I think you need to set up the actual work area. For example, the labs so we see it as a part of the business plan so even before launching a program, we have that set. For example, even it’s in the data analytics we had a robust partnership with SAS so now our entire cluster is getting that kind of a collaboration and we’re also getting a lot of projects coming from industry, for example we recently got a very good grant for offering programs on the online platform from Commonwealth education. We all have gathered at New Normal Education Leadership Summit, so according to you what is New Normal? I just mentioned in the session today, for me it is a brave New Normal wherein we are doing everything which is breaking the age-old norms. So, whether it is digitalization, whether it is the way we are connecting to the communities, the way the relationships have been, I see slowly the gap that we were talking about 10 years back about industry where I think a lot of tech companies were struggling to make an appearance, I think I see now educators are also coming together. So, I see forming a league which will create a very beautiful and a Happy New India that we look at where education will play a great role. Any message for ArdorComm Media Group? I think ArdorComm Media Group that you have set up, congratulations for the kind of associations you have already created getting almost maybe 30 to 40 top Educators itself, I think already is something that you have won. What I also want to really leave you with is that every organization has to look for the development of youth at large so I think in each of the projects, how are you taking care of the ESG aspect of economy, social relevance and corporate governance. So, that is just a message and since you are with the youth for the youth so I suggest then bring in their seventh sense which is their optimistic intelligence and I think as a technology company it’ll be very easy that you can start bridging that area as well.  

“We are in need to first digitalize our campuses, give them IT facilities and infrastructure so that we can reach to the students and needy ones in a better manner,” says Dr. Vinod Bhardwaj, Associate Professor, Dept. of College Education, Govt. of Rajasthan in an interview with Chandan Anand, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAJaipur #ELSARajasthan How’s your experience to witness the New Normal Education Leadership Summit and Awards? This is a great privilege to be a part of this event over here in fact, after covid I am witnessing the first program of this kind where people are talking about education quality, innovation, skilling and digitalization of the educational institutions. Basically, what is happening that after covid a lot of changes have taken place in educational domain but very few people took care about those changes and those compulsions. So, this platform is giving that kind of discussion and bringing people to have the discourse on the changes and their remedies. It was a pleasure for me to be a part of this event that when we were discussing about the innovation and skilling and digitalization of the campuses that’s wonderful program I’m seeing over here and I really admire and acknowledge the contribution of ArdorComm that they have taken this initiative and this program is being organized in Jaipur. Dr Bhardwaj you have been doing so many works under your department to impart digital education, any special initiatives or anything which you remember during your tenure which you would like to share as an experience or as a case study? In fact, after covid we are also just looking for the social media platforms and IT based platforms where we can disseminate the knowledge or the contents to the students. So, we started one program like Gyandoot, so we were having online classes but again whenever we talk about the free sources or free resources available there is a restriction about that. We understand that if we use them then there are restrictions of sometimes storing, sometimes the buffering problem, sometimes the delivery problems, sometimes the network problem, a lot of things. So, instead of that if we can have some small investments in such kind of facilities and inviting some agencies, expert domain people to make this thing facilitate so what will happen certainly our part is to deliver educational content and to reach up to these students that we can do easier. So, we started some program Gyandoot, I remember that more than six lakhs viewers were there when we started this program after one month or so then after that Gyansodha, Gyanganga this kind of program we also started. So, these are all IT based programs and what is the result of these all things or initiative so that certainly we are in need to first digitalize our campuses, give them IT facilities and infrastructure so that we can reach to the students and needy ones in a better manner, that we can do. How does certain kind of forums help when we see educators, academicians, edtech companies, startups and even the representation from government uniting at one platform? Definitely this helps a lot, because couple of years back I was a part of this kind of programs, higher education conclave, even some programs were organized in the association with our department when I was there also and my former commissioners and additional chief secretaries they were enough kind to take this kind of initiatives and we started and I remember that you were the part of that, you were the other team lead at that time, so what happened that we got some agencies under the roof we got some MoUs through this kind of programs who got associated with us and we got our institutions benefited. Some kind of training programs to our students, some kind of skilling programs to our students, so this was a great benefit of this kind of program and still I’m looking for such kind of agencies over here in this program as well. So, this is a wonderful program and really this kind of initiatives rather help to bring all the people, the service providers and service takers at one platform under the one roof and you as a facilitator certainly contributed great in that kind of things. We have been gathered here for a New Normal Education Leadership Summit and Awards, what does the word new normal for you stands? New normal is in fact after covid this word is being very much used, sometimes it has become rather a part of our discourse at different platforms but really the topic you have chosen for this discourse is the need of hour, new normal means now we have to give up the traditional formats of imparting knowledge or giving knowledge or the curriculum the syllabi especially the mode of delivery is very much important which we have to take care in this phase and so New Normal is very appropriate, what you are using and in the light of this topic a lot of changes are to be taken into institutions and in the mindset of the people. Certainly, when the Vice Chancellor of some universities were discussing in the forum and other educationists were discussing in the morning session I was very happy at least people are worried about all this new normal and they are thinking seriously on this issue that what should be the shape of our institutions and the education system and when they were quoting about the new education policy, the new education policy is also expecting some kind of changes in the system and New Normal is also expecting this so we are going on the right track to combine the two objectives altogether and introduce some changes in this system and they are certainly to be taken whether it is part of research, whether

“I think for each one of us as educators it’s important that they come in live forums like this and interact, share their insight and share it with the whole world because it’s all about learning from each other,” says Dr. Harshita Sharma, Founder & Director, Brainstorm International, Pune in an interview with Chandan Anand, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAJaipur #ELSARajasthan You have been witnessing this event since morning, what is your experience and an outcome of the endeavour? I think first of all I should thank Chandan ji and the entire ArdorComm team for connecting so many educators which is very important, because its educators coming from different domains and then sharing their knowledge which is very important. Since morning it has been a really brainstorming sessions, so that is one thing and a lot to take away from all the sessions all the panellists in each session which is fabulous the way the things are organized and managed and the delivery. I think it was just amazing so kudos to the entire team and yes lot of takeaways since morning with the new NEP implementation I think there has been a lot of discussions going on all around how to do it where to start, what need to bring in change and everybody coming with their life experiences, the school sharing their best practices I think that was amazing. How much and how more like in the tech part now the technology would be enabled in the school I think that’s again a thought process which is going on and how do we bring in that balanced approach, how do we make sure that the NEP in the true sense in the real world it can be implemented because right now it’s all in the paper and that can be done if you have such events where everybody brainstorm together and everybody shares their best practice and see that how we can learn from each other because that’s one angle which would be the only way forward. I think for each one of us as educators it’s important that they come in live forums like this and interact, share their insight and share it with the whole world because it’s all about learning from each other, it is all about experiential learning, it’s all about inquiry based, it’s all about the new normal and the new normal will never happen and it’s enacting, if we come together and brainstorm at this. What according to you does new normal stands for? The new normal actually stands from where I begin my journey. So, the new normal would be again for whom it is a new normal, for me, is it for children, is it for parents, for whom? So, being into the education fraternity I think the children become the center and everything falls around with the children. So, if we keep that center always and we revolve around I think we can bring in that change unless and until we do that otherwise I’m doing something, a teacher is doing something but they’re all doing. So, the new normal everything comes with advantages disadvantages so if you even have the technology, how much little or how much more that the balance has to come. Similarly, in the foundational literacy skills also so when you’re talking about the balanced approach which is very important the language and literacy communication. So, when we’re talking about effective communicators also where and how that is something which is very important and that has to be bringing from the best pedagogies. It should be how we do it and how simple we can make it there. What should be the outcome of this event, when we see the edtech players are also here the academicians are here even the government fraternity is there, what should be the benefit from this entire amalgamation? So, instead of blaming, justifying and complaining, I think each one of us if we take 100 percent responsibility of what I can do for my organization that would be like adding value to the nation. Where we are looking ahead at the bigger picture which is there so it starts with me and how can I do even if I can do just say maybe 10 percent, I think that adds, every drop in the ocean matters. I would be glad to share that ArdorComm Media Group has recently completed its one and a half years and we’ve celebrated our anniversary recently, any message or advice would you like to share or give to ArdorComm Media Group? Every challenge is a new opportunity and I think actually every day we learn new things so that’s the message I would give that as a team I think you’re doing a wonderful job, connecting educators because that is where we are talking about shaping the future of children. I think you’re doing a wonderful job and stay blessed and wish you all the best and just amazing to be here and I know, I have seen you for so many years, the kind of work what you’re doing, it comes from heart and not from mind.  

“We are very conscious about sustainability, it is part of our agenda,” says Kanak Gupta, Director, Seth M. R. Jaipuria Schools in an interview with Chandan Anand, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAJaipur #ELSARajasthan Any message would you like to pass on to the educators who are running the group of schools or schools or who is planning to enter this domain? The only message I have is that take education very responsibly. I think the future of the country is in our hands, the future of the world is in our hands, make sustainability as part of your agenda and focus on creating experiences in engaging with the students. Educate them, develop empathy the four e’s is what I would like to advise people to work on. It’s important to do it for the simple reason that unless you do that you are essentially being transactional and we’ll always be in the 1940s, 50s stuck and not come out of it, we need to now come out of it. Though the main forte for any school is to get admissions, what is the process which you follow for selecting a teacher? I think the most important thing in the school is the student and the teacher. The student and the teacher need to be at the centre of the teaching learning process. At our schools instead of only looking at what a teacher has done previously what we do is that we ask them to make a presentation about what you want to do. We also show them a road map so it’s a two-way process where the school shows the teacher what the roadmap of learning growth is going to be but the teacher also says that what they want to do because it’s a bad system to judge people on basis of what they’ve done in their past, it could be good, could be bad but it’s important to see what they want to do in the future so that is the most important aspect. We have a scale where we rate the teachers and then we try and understand if there’s a good match. Once the teacher is in the system it’s even more important to continue the professional development of the teacher on a regular basis so we do about five training interventions every year and teachers out of which two are teacher driven by teachers come and tell us that this is what I want to do, so it’s very interesting that way. Any mantra which you follow for the growth journey of Seth M. R. Jaipuria Group of Schools? We are very conscious about sustainability, it is part of our agenda. So, we call it SPICE so it’s S is for Sustainability, P is for possibility where we tell students that everything is possible and they can be what they really want to be, I is for integrity, C is for communication and E is for empathy, so that’s what we follow. What does the word new normal for you stands? New normal for me is opportunity, more than anything else. I think it’s the opportunity to impact and change the world to make it better because I do believe that we are facing climate change which is going to affect us in the short and the long run. I don’t want to leave a world behind where we will not have the opportunity to look back and say that I could have made a difference. So, I look at the new normal as an opportunity. Any message would you like to give for the appearing board exam students? Wish you all the best, enjoy yourselves, do not worry about marks think about the learning and think about where you want to go what you want to do that is more important but most importantly enjoy yourselves. Any message for the recently celebrated one year of existence of ArdorComm Media Group? Heartiest congratulations, I can’t believe it’s already been a year, I was there for the first event as well. I hope many more anniversaries and I hope that you’ll be able to create the sustainable impact that you are trying to make at the small cities, identify leaders at local levels who will create a better India for the future.

“The children forget about the main ethics of education and there’s a lot of usage of mobile and this also have a negative effect,” says Mahesh Choudhary, Chairman, Mayur Children Senior Secondary School in an interview with Chandan Anand, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAJaipur #ELSARajasthan You have been witnessing the event since morning, according to you what are the outcomes and learning from these symposiums? The main thing I saw here that all the person who came here are very dignified and well educated and that’s why we can get the best outcome here that’s why I came here. I already searched a lot about this before the event and I got to know that lots of big personalities from education sector came here and everyone have to get a lot of knowledge from here, the good things from here, that’s why it’s a great event. As we’ve seen a transition from the traditional education system to e-learning or digital education, can you share any example of what has been the benefit of it in your school? First of all, I come from the rural background and our schools are in the rural area of Nagaur, Rajasthan. In the online there are pros and cons about everything, the traditional education has their own perspective and online education have their own perspective but after this era of covid and the new normal, the new education policy as well, we tried a lot to digitalize the education in our villages in our schools but there are also some negatives of online education. The children forget about the main ethics of education and a lot of usage of mobile and this also have a negative effect. The positive effect is that two and three years in the covid era we got to educate our children via digital medium if there was no digitalization then everything could have got vanished. That’s why positive and negative both perspectives were there in a traditional era and in this digital era. As we are gathering at New Normal Education Leadership Summit, according to you what is the word New Normal stand for? The main thing is artificial intelligence we are all aware of, but there is one thing which have to be taken care of is the mental health of children. We have to guide our teachers as well as students about the mental health and a peaceful mind, how can we define a peaceful mind and all of these things. In this new normal everything is going to be best when the new education policy will be totally implemented. In these kinds of events where we have the academicians, edtech players as well as representation from the government, what is an outcome of these event for you? A lot of things we can learn from these kinds of events and surely, I am very thankful to you guys to invite us here and these events are like a coordinator in between an institute and a company, digital companies and any platform, that’s why we can meet as school and as an online platform and it’s very good to know about different things here. Recently our media organization has just completed one and a half years of existence we celebrated anniversary any message would you like to give to ArdorComm Media Group? You guys are going on a great path like these kinds of events you are having, it’s great especially in this new normal after a lot of hectic covid time, you guys are taking initiative for the education. You are doing very great work and have a bright future, thank you so much.

“Preschools have to be taken seriously, preschool educators have to be taken seriously so I think that would play very important role for us now,” says Sneha Rathor, CEO, Sanfort Group of Schools in an interview with Chandan Anand, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAJaipur #ELSARajasthan Would like to understand from you the energy mantra of yours, the way you have been taking the journey of Sanfort Group of Schools to a certain level, what motivates you? I think not only me that goes for all the educators. I think the biggest strength that we have is our children that we see and all the energy is being derived from them. We spend most of our time thinking about the kids in our schools or spending time with them so they give a lot of energy to us because whenever we see what is it that we want to do for them as educators and how we really want to change things for them so that they have a better education and they turn out to be a global leader with more information and a lot of innovation in their minds. So, I think that’s the greatest form of motivation for all of us to go ahead in education. I have seen the journey of your group specially the way you have transformed from the preschool to schools, how do you guide the people who actually look to venture into preschools especially post covid? I think education right now is a wonderful space to come in specially post covid because during covid greatly there has been a shutdown in preschools and because of which there’s a lot of vacuum that has been created and the number of births that have happened during the pandemic has also been great so a lot of children are coming and the number of schools that we have right now, the number of preschools that we have right now to cater to the needs of those children is less so it’s a huge vacuum a huge opportunity for people to come in and venture into. But, it has to be on a professional level so earlier pre-covid that we used to see there was a little gap in the terms of what kind of pre-schooling that should be there in our country. In a country as huge as India with a massive population of young children so what we need to see is whoever is venturing into preschool has to be somebody who’s very professional, somebody who actually understands that why preschools are required in our society and what is the importance of it and how really pre-schooling should happen so it shouldn’t be just like our next door place where the children go they play and learn some rhymes. It has to be taken seriously and I think it will now be taken seriously because NEP has come into place so it becomes more of a serious education rather than just a neighbourhood preschool concept. How would you execute NEP in your schools and what are the benefits which you see in near future which NEP will definitely bring in overall preschool education? We’ve been discussing it for a really long time for all the old players in preschool industry. So, I think when we talk about NEP and after reading NEP most of the leading preschools in India or good preschools in India they had been following it for years now, so for us it has been nothing new in terms of incorporating it. But I think it gives a huge sense of importance to us now that the NEP has come into play so earlier it was taken as an option that okay fine like you can send your child to the school but now NEP coming into place it gives us importance that this is a formal education also, it has to be taken seriously. Preschools have to be taken seriously, preschool educators have to be taken seriously so I think that would play very important role for us now. So, teaching techniques we’ve been following it for a long time but making it formal is what brings a huge change for us. What are the values or the mission of Sanfort Group of Schools? I think it’s very important as I said that India is a huge country and with such massive young minds that we need to nurture. So, I think what we look at is giving quality education to more and more children to be accessible to all kind of children. It should not be restricted to a particular society it should be accessible to everybody because its important, early years are very important and that’s how we need to look at it. We all have gathered at New Normal Education Leadership Summit and Awards, what does the word new normal for you stands? I think new normal has a different meaning to us now because when it was covid the New Normal was that oh now the schools are not open everything is shut and we need to sit at our homes, it would be even two years old children learning through screens and all of that was the new normal. But post pandemic era the New Normal is that, oh the world is open now and that we feel so happy that now the children are coming back to school you could see people roaming around freely and then the new normal is that we’re now respecting that what freedom is and how important it is because in those two years the sense we were lacking that, oh we never knew that this freedom could ever be taken from us. Yes, so I think pandemic really made us realize how could we be restricted from going out of our homes towards offices or something like that meeting our own relatives our

“The main thing is learning but with which perspectives it is on to you,” says Neetu Sharma, Founder and Principal, Million Miracle Pre-School, Jaipur in an interview with Chandan Anand, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAJaipur #ELSARajasthan What has been the learning from your session and the time which you have spent at the event today? The event was very interactive and it was a great learning from all the learned peoples we were sharing the stage. We were getting upgraded mentally and by spiritual learning which really a person needs at this time. Being a pre-school teacher what I really feel if you are having an energy of a 150 percent then we can deliver the hundred percent to the children because children are the most energetic persons, to engage those brain in a very positive manner we have to see how we can upgrade them on ourselves, first ourselves in a better way by learning what is newer to get upgraded with them to their levels. Children don’t have a lot of patience they are very quick learners and for them regular reinforcement is very much important so whatever we are teaching is that a life skill or it is a social thing we are teaching them or anything which is from mythological things or educational. Our students have to be self-driven they should not be dependent on anyone they should know what is right, what is wrong. They should know how to use the things wisely. So, I have learned these all things lot from here we were like the children with the experienced peoples so let’s see how we can apply them and next time whenever we meet I can assure you with some more good betterments in ourselves even and thank you for such a good platform you have given to us. What has inspired you to become an owner of your own brand? When we were working with the other brand also, they were the first gurus, I have learned a lot of things from them but when you work we can’t find that if this thing would have been to this level it would have been easier because practically doing and having in the books is entirely different. So, when we come on the grounds we find that there are some limitations to it just work with that free zone and then I find if the children at this age get that plight of knowledge at a full side, full learning they will of course bloom like anything. So, to working with them with a free side that without the foundation that we have to cover this, that you have to do this way only no I don’t think learning has a particular pattern learning is something which every person learns in a different way. If I say do this, means a child can take it in any way in whichever mode or state he is. It is not that he is listening if I say write ‘A’ he will take my instruction, but in my school the child can write in the air also he can write in the copy, some children will like to write on wall so this is the free liberty side what we are giving to the child that they should learn how to write. The main thing is learning but with which perspectives it is on to you. I say best teacher is the one who doesn’t teach how she knows it is the one who dealt herself according to the child how she is making interesting one for the children. We have been managing really hard to execute this event and we have been doing this from last one and a half years recently we celebrated our first anniversary any message or any advice would you like to give to ArdorComm Media? I should say ArdorComm Media is doing a good job they are getting so many big peoples at a single platform. I can understand from my level being an entrepreneur it becomes very difficult to cope up with so many people with their busy schedules and of course you are doing great work, giving us this platform especially the teachers and educators who are actually the foundation layers and if we are on the same stage and we are able to connect with the things over the higher educations it will become something else only, so thanks goes to the ArdorComm Media who is giving such a good platform to us.  

“We need to skill our teachers as well because they are coming from the 80s and then we are going to teach in the 21st century children and that’s a huge gap in between,” says Hema Harchandani, Founder & Managing Director, Canvas International Group in an interview with Chandan Anand, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAJaipur #ELSARajasthan What is the message you would like to give specially to the people who are already running schools and those who are eying to be one of the owners of the school? I think two things are the major agenda which I also speak about, one is the parent partnership program which has to be very dignified way and then every school has to design in a such a process because we are focusing on the new skill-based program most of the time. So, the parents should also be aware of that what are the skills we have and what we are going to teach our children that’s one major fundamental thing because then only the collaboration work together, as a school as an educator as a parent. Another part I always emphasis on is the training process, the training process has to be the school side in a very high side because the way today the recruitment is happening we need to skill our teachers as well because they are coming from the 80s and then we are going to teach in the 21 century children and that’s a huge gap in between. So, first we have to skill ourselves and then only those strategies have to be put on. Earlier we used to talk about teacher training program now is it like teacher training and skilling program? Yes, it’s more into a skill-based program, I think the teachers who are already coming from they know how to teach the subjects but they need to enhance their levels because the children have skill set better than the teachers so they should think out of the box. This is not a classroom sitting kind of thing there has to be life experience even in the science, math any language we are talking about those things has to be in an experienced way that’s what we have to talk about. Would you like to share any experience as a live example of your own school? I always remember one thing is when you take them outside from your school campus most of the things whenever we the teachers are doing inside the campus they are okay with that. Take them out take that risk along with you, yes definitely there is a risk involved but I think beyond the campus if you take the children then you see the ‘wow’ thing is happening with the children so think about those strategies, think about the openness don’t focus on the numbers, numbers will come automatically. We all have united here for the New Normal Education Leadership Summit and Awards, what does the word new normal stands for you? I think new normal is adjusted now, we all are adjusted after covid in the new normal. I think new normal for me has done wonders personally as well as professionally. One thing I’ve learned from after covid is patience. Whatever you do things will happen their own way. So, I think that one message I really wanted to give is be calm, be patient things are going to happen as per your plan don’t be impatient and rude for the anybody else so that’s what it is. When we gather in a program like this where all the stakeholders from the same fraternity like academia, industry and government are present, what should be an outcome of certain forums? School and education is a community business we need to understand, it’s not be, okay the government only going to do that or as a owner I’m going to change it or as a parent I have to, every stakeholder has to come on the forum and then talk about. At the end of the day we have to focus on what are the end results so suppose today we are talking here so many concepts, so many things. I think everybody has to take it forward in their school the strategies we gather here, we discuss. If I am doing something different and somebody else is doing we should start, this has to be exchanging program instead of okay no I am doing this, I am very rigid on my strategy which should not be. So, in any conference we are going be ready for the openness be ready for the learning thing and be ready for taking it forward. I’m glad to share that we’ve recently celebrated our one year of existence, any message would you like to pass on to ArdorComm Media? I think Chandan and the team is doing excellent work and I know him for last couple of years now and I am sure you are doing such a great work and keep doing it.