P.N. Kavoori
P.N. Kavoori
A true trailblazer in Indian education, Mrs. Pearl Nath Kavoori, fondly known as Kavoori Ma’am, left behind not just a legacy, but a philosophy rooted in simplicity, strength, and service.
Born into the Nath family, she and her sister were named Ruby and Pearl, reflecting the values and character they would come to embody. From an early age, Kavoori Ma’am was influenced by remarkable experiences, witnessing her father’s generosity during the Partition and meeting Mahatma Gandhi, whose ideals would guide her throughout her life and career.
Her journey in education began in 1953 at the Basic Training College in Ajmer. After her marriage and move to Baroda, she recognised the growing need for quality English medium education. Between 1961 and 1968, she established three schools under the Lions Club banner, earning widespread respect for her vision, integrity, and commitment to educational excellence.
Even a battle with cancer could not diminish her determination. Following her recovery, she served as Vice Principal at Bhavan’s School in Delhi before being invited by Rajmata Gayatri Devi to Jaipur to establish Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Vidyalaya. What began under the shade of a neem tree grew into one of Rajasthan’s most respected educational institutions under her inspiring leadership.
Dignified, compassionate, and deeply committed to her students, Kavoori Ma’am knew every child by name and mentored every teacher with care. She embodied the Gandhian values of honesty, inclusivity, and perseverance, ensuring that education extended far beyond academics and became a lifelong lesson in character and citizenship. Among the many lives she influenced was Anita Karwal, who went on to become Chairperson of CBSE and later Education Secretary of India.
In 1995, she founded Disha, a school dedicated to children with disabilities, reaffirming her belief that education should be accessible to all and that no child should ever be left behind.
Mrs. Pearl Nath Kavoori passed away at the age of ninety four, surrounded by her students, a fitting tribute to a life devoted to teaching, nurturing, and uplifting others. Her legacy continues to inspire generations of educators and learners, living on in every institution she built and every life she touched.
Why This Award Exists
For the Educators Who Know What Schools Are Really For
P.N. Kavoori believed that the true measure of education lies not in grades or rankings, but in the character, values, and humanity it nurtures. Throughout her life, she championed an approach to learning that placed integrity, compassion, and responsibility at its core.
The P.N. Kavoori Prize honours educators who carry forward this philosophy and have made values based education a defining part of their work.
It recognises individuals who create school cultures rooted in empathy, purpose, and ethical leadership, shaping not only successful students, but thoughtful citizens who contribute positively to the world around them.
2025 Awardee
Lata Vaidyanathan
Lata Vaidyanathan has built Gyan Bharati School into an institution that proves values and excellence are not in conflict - they are, in fact, the same thing. As Director of the school, she has created a culture where academic achievement and moral development are pursued together, as aspects of a single, integrated vision of what it means to be educated.
Her leadership is defined by a quiet but unwavering insistence on doing things the right way - for students, for teachers, and for the school community.
Words of Honour
"Lata Vaidyanathan has built an institution that stands as a living argument for the proposition that values and excellence are inseparable. The P.N. Kavoori Prize honours an educator who, like Kavoori herself, understands that a school's most lasting contribution is not its trophies, but the kind of people it sends into the world."- 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 built a culture of values in their school - someone whose students leave not just educated, but shaped.