Leading from the front

Praveen Raju is the founder of Suchitra Academy an International school based in Hyderabad, India. Suchitra Academy provides an integrated facility where India’s Top players like Badminton World Champion, P V Sindhu trains. Praveen is a mentor and guide to P V Sindhu.

Mr.Praveen has been featured amongst “25 Leaders Reinventing K-12 Education” in Educational World India. He was the Executive Director of Indus International School, Hyderabad and the Founder Chairman of Indus Early Years, both among the top schools of India in their categories. He was also the founder/Vice President of TIE Hyderabad and is now Co-Chairman of FICCI Arise. He is also the coordinator of Nexus of Good (Nexus of good.org.in), Hyderabad Chapter.

He was a university-level badminton player and national level snooker player.

He completed Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communications from Osmania University  and holds a Certification in School Management and Leadership from Harvard University Graduate School of Education and Harvard Business School (Leading Schools, Leading People and Leading Learning)

“When the atmosphere encourages learning, the learning is inevitable” – Elizabeth Floss.

Deepa Kapoor has over 20 years of experience in the field of education. She has done her Masters in English Literature and has passionately taught young, bright minds across the country. Being from a defense background, she has a varied and rich experience of teaching in schools all over India. She has been in leadership positions in various schools pan India.

She is the founder member of the Suchitra Academy’s leadership team. She was the Vice Principal of Suchitra Academy and took over the mantle of Principal in March 2020.

She believes that every child has immense potential to excel, given the right environment. She is a strong advocate of the “No Child Left Behind” policy, whether in academics or other school activities.

Ms. Deepa believes that education cannot be imparted in the four walls of the classroom. A child has to explore, enquire and be curious about the world around them. To satiate a curious mind should be the prime role of a teacher! A teacher has to be a learner first, her patience steadfast and her dedication unparalleled.  Under her able  guidance, the teachers are encouraged to adapt and adopt new practices that acknowledge both the art and science of learning. They understand that the essence of education is a close relationship between a knowledgeable, caring adult and a secure, motivated child. They grasp that their most important role is to get to know each student as an individual in order to comprehend his or her unique needs, learning style, social and cultural background, interests, and abilities.     She  believes  that with massive revolutions in knowledge, information technology, and public demand for better learning, this kind of restructuring is imperative.

She also believes in keeping herself abreast with the latest trends in education. She has been a part of a few webinars on pertinent topics related to this field. She has also recently completed an online course in School Management and Leadership from Harvard University.

​Trisha is a passionate educator who wants to bring a radical change in education. She is making a difference in the lives of teachers by creating a space where they start questioning and look for meaning in their life and work. School education is her calling and she is in this field for the last sixteen years.

She has done her Masters in Organic Chemistry from Delhi University and has completed a Design Thinking course from Stanford University and TISS. She has also earned a certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard University. She is presently pursuing Diploma in Montessori Teacher Training.

Before taking her place at Suchitra Academy, she has been a part of the Network of Enterprising Educational Ventures (NEEV), Delhi as a Research Associate and The Heritage School, Delhi as a Facilitator. She has been part of many workshops on education and retreats on self-awareness. She is trained in Project-Based Learning (PBL) by Steven Levy, known as the father of PBL.

She believes that teachers need to be guided to learn and unlearn with children and children need to experience the freedom that instills responsibilities in them. She plays the unique role of In-house Teacher Trainer and steers the PBL, Mathematics and Science programs, adding new dimensions to the teaching and learning processes.

Kamlesh Bahukhandi is a University of Delhi graduate and holds a diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education & Primary Teachers Training. She has experience of over 20 years as a progressive educator. Before joining Suchitra Academy, she worked at ASN International School (Delhi) and Delhi Public School (Hyderabad).

She believes that every child deserves special care and affection to be able to spread their wings to fly and that It is the responsibility of teachers to identify the talents, skills, abilities and interest of the students and nurture them in such a way that each one of them blooms every step of  their way.

To add to it, she stresses the importance of parents’ involvement in their child’s lives. This is particularly critical because learning doesn’t   stops at school, rather it should be seen in the continuum. And it is both the teachers and parents who can make it possible by working as collaborators.

Mary is a postgraduate in Science, having a bachelor’s degree in Education. She has 10 years of experience in the teaching field and is associated with Suchitra Academy for the last 5 years, She is the in-charge of Project-Based Learning classes.

According to her education is a life-long process. She believes that the students are at the center of all school-related decisions. She is always excited to bring her experience of child-centered approach to support students learning. She believes that relationships between families and the school are vital to the success of the students.

She feels that with the right guidance, children learn to make decisions more independently, learn and unlearn from their experiences not just in the formative years but as adults too.

Mousumi Pradeep is a trained graduate from Regional Institute of Education, Ajmer
with Math Honours. She has also done her masters in Educational Planning & School
Administration. She has over 26 years of teaching experience in various schools.
Her aim is to incorporate moral values in a more impactful manner by integrating words
with visuals and other means of technology to help them grasp more. She believes
that 21st century education does not involve only learning the traditional way, but also
to integrate technology to help make the world a smaller place. She believes in
promoting interactions beyond the classroom and multi-nation interactivity for project
works.

Students’ emotional well-being and their success in and outside school depend on
their ability to use their competences for democratic culture. Since well-being has
many facets, improving well-being in schools require a whole-school approach,
involving the triad of student, teacher and parent. Through various activities,
interactions and workshops, this bond must be strengthened.

Apart from the regular curriculum, Mousumi also believes that Career guidance should
be an integral part to understand student strengths and weaknesses with regard to
their present course. Experiential learning in the form of field trips & hands on activities
develops social & personal skills adding relevance to learning, enhancing intrinsic
motivation.

She believes that ‘Every child is unique’. With different teaching strategies, Multi-
disciplinary approach & pedagogies in the class, we ensure that ‘No child is left
behind’.

Mousumi feels, creativity is the essence of interest in a being, without which the
attention span drops. According to her, our goal in a classroom should be to create
the optimal environment for students to learn and feel supported. We have to raise the
bar and encourage children to achieve greater heights. The school is a place that has
to create an environment and culture that embodies knowing each child and make
Every Student Future Ready.

Manjeet has over 14 years of experience working in the field of teaching and administration. She has done her master’s in Finance from Kakatiya University. She has been in Suchitra for the last nine years and has donned several hats from a primary teacher to Coordinator. She is currently the Head of Programs and School Coordinator.

She is a dynamic leader with an enduring passion to help children reach their full potential not just academically but also socially, emotionally, and physically. She enjoys working with children of all ages, which makes her feel young and energetic. It taught her patience, compassion, sincerity, and open-mindedness. She believes every child is unique, and there is so much to facilitate them, which keeps her excited to give her best. Her core strengths lie in being a team worker and sharing strategies to cater to every student’s needs.

She is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and management of the events and programs pertaining to the whole school within the spirit of the school‘s Mission Statement. She provides strategic direction and promotes the aims of the school through the implementation of school policies. She assists in securing and maintaining an excellent benchmark of quality programs for all students and in ensuring high standards of goal-oriented programs in the school.

With a 21-year teaching experience and expertise from Elementary School to Class XI & XII Mrs. Vaijayanthi is an innovative thinker in the classroom and believes in creating a conducive environment wherein the student learns to question, ideate and create sustainable solutions. Besides being a teacher and a mentor Mrs. Vaijayanthi’s expertise lies in developing pedagogically relevant projects that enhance the teaching-learning experiences of students thus making education a holistic experience.

Mrs. G. Vaijayanthi is an MBA from Mumbai University and has a Master’s in Mass Communications and Journalism coupled with a B.Ed. She is also a certified Career Counselor by UCLA (University of California and Los Angeles.

Mrs. Vaijayanthi’s gamut of work experience includes Classroom teaching, International Collaborations (student-exchange programmes), School Branding & Corporate Communications, Ed-Tech (Creative development of Academic Content for digital platforms based on competency levels) and CSRs (socially relevant community service and out-reach programmes for students).

Mrs. Vaijayanthi is also a recipient of many awards, prominent among them being The United Nations – Rex Karmaveer Award for excellence in Community engagement, 2019, The Somaiya Institute of Management and Research – Alumni Superstar Award for excellence in Community Engagement

Mrs. Vaijayanthi is also an avid short-story blogger and has also been a published author for Chinmaya Mission’s Balvihar Children’s monthly for the last 14 years.