Speakers

Shazia Ahmed hails from a family of educators, instilling in her a lifelong commitment to transforming lives through education. Her educational journey took her through New Public High School and NMKRV College, laying the groundwork for her mission. With a deep passion for integrating technology into education, she is dedicated to modernizing and advancing educational practices, making a lasting impact on the lives of students and educators alike.

Dr. Manjula Raman is a distinguished educator and visionary leader with nearly three decades of experience in senior school leadership. Nominated for the prestigious Padmashree award in Literature and Education, she has received the President’s Award twice for her exceptional contributions to the field. Dr. Raman is a respected resource person for leadership programs, collaborating with institutions like CBSE, TERI, Oxford University Press, and the British Council ELT program. She founded the Anubhuti Foundation and Anubhuti Bal Bhavan, leading social entrepreneurship initiatives for the underprivileged. Beyond her educational leadership, Dr. Raman is a renowned panelist on AIR and esteemed media channels, offering insights on education, women’s issues, and psychology. She has authored numerous articles on these subjects in newspapers and journals. With diverse interests ranging from adventure sports to environmental and animal rights advocacy, Dr. Manjula Raman’s impact extends far and wide. Her extensive list of accolades includes the UNESCO Grant for Gandhian Studies, Army Chief Commendation Card, Vice Chief of the Army Commendation Card, and the National Value Award from the HRD Ministry. Currently serving as the Director Academics at Sherwood High in Bangalore, she is a dynamic professional who continually adapts and innovates to provide a globally enriched educational experience for her students.

Dr. A. M. Surendra Kumar, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of Presidency University, Bengaluru, is a highly accomplished academic with a Ph.D. His academic journey began with a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Calicut University, followed by an M.Tech in Thermal Science from the Government College of Engineering, Trivandrum. Dr. Kumar’s extensive 38-year career includes teaching, research, and administrative roles. He started as a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at Mangalore University, later heading the department. He also worked at BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, and joined Presidency University, where he progressed to Controller Examinations. With over 20 journal papers and recognition in Marquis Who’s Who, he is a distinguished figure in engineering education and research.

Dr. Gopal Mugeraya holds a B.Tech and M.Tech in Chemical Engineering from NITK Surathkal, a Ph.D. from IISc Bangalore, and pursued post-doctoral studies at the University of California Riverside, USA. With a luminous career spanning 25 years at NITK Surathkal, he guided numerous theses, published extensively, and served as a Visiting Professor at esteemed institutions globally. His managerial and academic excellence led to roles as an Advisor to AICTE, Chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee for Karnataka Pollution Control Board, and Director of NIT Agartala, NIT Mizoram, and NIT Goa, where he spearheaded the development of a new campus. Dr. Mugeraya’s expertise has been acknowledged internationally, accompanying the President of India on official tours and participating in the BRICS Energy Conference. Currently, he serves as Vice-President (Technical Education) at NITTE (DU), NITTE Education Trust.

Prof. (Dr.) Raj Singh is the Vice Chancellor of JAIN (Deemed to be University). He is an innovative academic leader and administrator with proven capability in designing industry relevant programs in collaboration with industry and academia. He is a strong proponent of a flexible education system in an inter and trans-disciplinary setting. With 38 years of experience in education and administration, he has led some of the well-known universities and institutions in India. In the early years of his career, Professor Raj Singh has served in the Indian Air Force and worked as the Founder Head of the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India. Prof. Singh has conducted research and published in the field of Finance and Accounting, Strategy and Marketing. He graduated in Mathematics and Economics and took postgraduate qualifications in Economics. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) from the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India and a Ph.D. from Maharshi Dayanand University Rohtak, India.