Page 142 - EW November 2025.pdf Final

Pictorial Essay

Lifetime Achievement in Education Leadership Award 2025-26

Rustom Kerawalla

DR. SHAYAMA CHONA (2012)
GULAB RAMCHANDANI (2012)
DR. AUGUSTINE & GRACE PINTO
(2013)
SUMER SINGH (2013)
DR. ACHYUTA SAMANTA(2013)
SANJIT (BUNKER) ROY (2014)
LT. GEN. (RETD) ARJUN RAY (2014)
SHOMIE DAS (2014)
DR. RAMDAS PAI (2015)
DR. B.S. RAO (2015)
M.V. MUTHURAMALINGAM (2015)
CAPT. RAJ MOHINDRA (2016)
DR. P.C. THOMAS (2016)
DR. R. VARADARAJAN (2016)
JAYASHREE MOHTA (2017)
DR. JAGDISH GANDHI (2017)
ARUN KAPUR (2017)
DR. DEEPAK & DR. BHARTI MAD-
HOK (2017)
Rustom Kerawalla (centre) with Dilip Thakore (right) & Sumer Singh (left)
BEGUM ANEES KHAN (2018)

n alum of Manipal University, Rustom Kerawalla in education and skilling. Under Kerawalla’s leadership,
is founder-chairman of the VIBGYOR Group the Ampersand Group has successfully partnered with
Aof 40 schools with an aggregate enrolment of state governments countrywide to manage municipal
55,000 students in 15 cities countrywide. Kerawalla is schools, early childhood education centres, and large-
also the Founder-Chairman of the Ampersand Group scale vocational training programmes.
(estb.2004) that provides school management services A strong believer that education is not limited to
and skills education programmes. In a career spanning building knowledge but must shape responsible citizens
over three decades, Kerawalla has consistently worked contributing meaningfully to society, Kerawalla’s career
towards reimagining education in India through the lens trajectory reflects enduring commitment to advancing
of holistic development. India’s education landscape with innovation, integrity,
In 2004, Kerawalla established Mumbai’s first VIB- and purpose.
GYOR school, designed to move beyond rote learning Whether through private institutions, public partner-
and nurture well-rounded individuals. This philosophy ships, or large-scale skill development programmes,
resonated with parents and educators alike. Since then, his mission is to create opportunities that empower
the number of Vibgyor schools countrywide affiliated individuals and strengthen the nation.
with the Delhi-based CBSE, CISCE, and the UK-based For his extraordinary contribution to the growth and
Cambridge International curricula has multiplied to 40 development of early childhood and primary-secondary
institutions of holistic, future-focused learning. education and skilling initiatives, the Board of Direc-
Simultaneously as he became aware of education tors of EducationWorld are pleased to present Rustom
lacunae in rural areas and public institutions, Kerawalla Kerawalla the EW Lifetime Achievement in Education
was prompted to establish the Ampersand Group — a Leadership Award 2025-26 and induct him into the EW
diversified organisation providing integrated solutions Hall of Fame of Indian education.

142 EDUCATIONWORLD NOVEMBER 2025