The Kanni
Thahryamal Prize
For Championing Education Against All Odds
Kanni Thahryamal
Kanni Thahryamal
Kanni Thahryamal dedicated her life to ensuring that children - especially those from marginalised communities - received an education worth having. Against every obstacle of resource, infrastructure, and institutional indifference, she championed the cause of learning with extraordinary persistence and grace.
Her work was defined by a simple conviction: that no child's future should be limited by the circumstances of their birth. She built schools, trained teachers, and fought for policies that would make quality education a reality - not just a promise.
Why This Award Exists
For Those Who Fight When Fighting Is Hardest
Kanni Thahryamal's story is one of relentless determination in the face of obstacles that would have stopped most people. The Kanni Thahryamal Prize honours educators who share that spirit - who choose difficult paths because they believe in what lies at the end of them.
This award goes to an educator who has championed the cause of education - for children, for communities, or for an entire region - against odds that would have defeated a lesser spirit.
2025 Awardee
Mukesh Sharma
Mukesh Sharma founded Prometheus School with a conviction that Indian children deserve an education that develops them as thinkers, not just test-takers. Against the prevailing current of examination-oriented schooling, he built an institution grounded in inquiry, creativity, and a genuine love of learning.
His journey required courage - to resist the familiar formulas, to invest in teachers and methods that were untested, and to stand by a vision even when the easier path was available.
Words of Honour
"Mukesh Sharma chose the harder path - and through that choice, built something rare: a school that genuinely changes what children believe is possible. The Kanni Thahryamal Prize honours a champion who proves, year after year, that the obstacles are never as permanent as the courage to overcome them."- ScooNews Memorial Awards Jury, 2025
Award Ceremony - 2025
Moments from the inaugural ScooNews Memorial Awards at Global Ed-Fest 2025, Jaipur.
Know a Worthy Nominee?
Nominate an educator who has championed learning against all odds - someone whose persistence has opened doors for children who needed them most.