Indian Teacher Rouble Nagi Wins $1 Million Global Teacher Prize

Rouble Nagi, an Indian teacher and social activist, has been awarded the prestigious $1 million Global Teacher Prize at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. This award recognises outstanding educators whose impact goes beyond traditional classrooms and into communities that often lack access to formal schooling.

Nagi was honoured for her work in creating more than 800 learning centres across India, many of them in slums and underserved areas where children have limited or no access to education.

Her approach focuses on bringing structured learning to children who have never attended school, as well as helping those who are already enrolled but struggling to keep up.

Art as a medium of teaching

Alongside classroom instruction, Nagi has used public art as a teaching tool. She paints educational murals to depict subjects like history, mathematics and reading.

The walls act as visual learning material which remains even after the classes end. Rouble Nagi is an Indian artist specialising in sculptures, art installations and paintings.

She is the Founder of Rouble Nagi Art Foundation. She is also the founder of Rouble Nagi Design Studio. She has over 800 murals to her credit and has held over 150 exhibitions.

Her initiatives include 'Misaal Mumbai', a large scale slum project and 'Paint Dharavi', through which she changed the outlook of people that learning can also be done through painted slums and walls.In these drives she has initiated to clean these areas.

The murals which are painted are specifically meant to feel safer and inclusive towards the underserved people.

Recognition on the World Stage

The Global Teacher Prize is awarded by the Varkey Foundation, which began the award in 2015 to celebrate impactful teaching worldwide.

Nagi became the tenth recipient of this honour. Leaders from governments and international organisations were present at the summit in Dubai when she accepted the prize.

Nagi told the media that she plans to use the prize money to build aninstitute offering free vocational training. This initiative aims to help young people gain skills that can support employment and financial independence.

A journey from Jammu Kashmir to recognition

Born in Jammu and Kashmir in 1980, Nagi studied political science and fine art before focusing her work on community based education.

She has also written about her experiences in slums and villages across India, she has also written a book known as 'The Slum Queen', which was published in 2022.