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Three Indian educators shortlisted for million dollar teacher prize
The contest is organized by UK-based Varkey Foundation, in collaboration with UNESCO and GEMS Education.
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Jeffin T. Kaleekal - Mon, 15, Dec 2025
- 23:00 EST
- 110
Sudhanshu Shekhar Panda, Mehraj Khourshid Malik, Rouble Nagi / Global Teacher Prize
Three educators from India have made it to the top 50 shortlist of the million dollar Global Teacher Prize 2026.
Sudhanshu Shekhar Panda, a schoolteacher from Meerut; Mehraj Khourshid Malik, a teacher from Jammu and Kashmir; and Rouble Nagi, working on education in slums and rural communities across India, stand to win 1 million USD for their pioneering work in the field of education.
The contest is organized by UK-based Varkey Foundation, in collaboration with UNESCO and GEMS Education.
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Sunny Varkey, the founder of the Varkey Foundation and GEMS Education, said, "Congratulations to this year's top 50 finalists. The Global Teacher Prize was created with a simple mission: to shine a light on teachers like you – educators whose dedication, creativity, and compassion deserve to be celebrated and shared with the world."
Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, said, "Congratulations to this year’s top 50 finalists. UNESCO is honoured to stand alongside the Global Teacher Prize in celebrating the extraordinary commitment of teachers everywhere."
Giannini added, "Our world is navigating profound challenges – from teacher shortages and rapid technological shifts to the urgent demands of climate action. If we are to build a just, inclusive and sustainable future, we must recognise a simple truth: we cannot rise to this moment unless we invest in teachers."
Sudhanshu Shekhar Panda
Panda has spent the last three decades of his life transforming the lives of thousands of students and training over 6,000 teachers.
If he wins the Global Teacher Prize, he will set up a Centre for Educational Excellence, expand teacher training across India, grow community programs, and build more international partnerships to create lasting improvements in Indian education.
Mehraj Khourshid Malik
Malik is a Kashmiri educator who chose teaching as an act of resistance against conflict and extremism, leaving a Microsoft career to serve his community.
He leads a network of 1,000+ volunteers promoting peace, dignity, and civic responsibility across institutions, and aims to expand this work through a Centre for Transformative Education if awarded the Global Teacher Prize.
Rouble Nagi
She is an Indian artist and educator who empowers marginalized children through art-based education, reaching over a million students via the Misaal India program. If awarded the Global Teacher Prize, she plans to expand education centers and vocational skilling for underserved youth.
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