Dr Arunabh Singh Named ARISE President-Elect at Varanasi Meet

Dr Arunabh Singh, Director of Nehru World School and Co-founder of Healthy Planet TGA, has been named President-Elect of the Association for Reinventing School Education (ARISE) for FY 2026-27, marking a significant moment in the evolution of one of India’s most credible platforms for progressive school leaders.

The announcement was made at ARISE’s Members’ Meeting held in Varanasi on March 21, 2026, which brought together founders and school leaders from across the country for two days of strategic dialogue and institutional transition.

Outlining his priorities for the year ahead, Dr Singh said: “ARISE represents the collective voice of progressive schools across the country. Going forward, our focus will be on strengthening collaboration, advancing policy engagement, and building future-ready institutions that place students at the centre.”

Outgoing President reflects on two years of growth

Outgoing President Mr. Praveen Raju, Founder of Suchitra Academy and Sagebrook International School, Hyderabad, handed over the Presidential Baton at the meeting’s closing ceremony. Reflecting on his tenure, Mr. Raju said: “Over the past two years as an independent institution, ARISE has grown significantly — institutionally, structurally, and in membership — emerging as a credible and unified national platform for progressive school leaders. The trust and spirit of collaboration among members remain the foundation of this journey.”

New State Councils announced across twenty states

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A key highlight of the Varanasi meeting was the announcement of ARISE’s newly constituted State Councils for FY 2026-27, with leadership appointments spanning twenty states and union territories.

Andhra Pradesh is led by Chair M Padma Subrahmanyam and Co-Chair Mahadev Vasireddy. Assam will be chaired by Nellie Ahmed. Bihar’s council is headed by Mrigya Singh. In Gujarat, Kavish Gadia takes charge as Chair with Kush Dinesh Sakaria as Co-Chair.

Haryana’s council is led by Chair Aditi Misra and Co-Chair Yash Prakash. Jammu and Kashmir will be chaired by Nandan Kuthiala. Karnataka’s council is headed by Srinivas Kumar Chalasani. In Madhya Pradesh, Siddharth Singh Girnar takes the chair.

Maharashtra is led by Chair Irshad Patel and Co-Chair Shailesh Dalmia. New Delhi’s council is headed by Chair Rahul Aggarwal and Co-Chair Jyoti Arora. Odisha will be chaired by Dr Silpi Sahoo. Punjab’s council is led by Chair Manjot Dhillon and Co-Chair Robin Aggarwal.

Chandigarh will be chaired by Gurpreet Bakshi. Rajasthan’s council is headed by Chair Ragini Kachhwaha and Co-Chair Deepak Sharma. Uttar Pradesh is led by Chair Shalini Singh and Co-Chair Saifi Khwaja Yunus. Uttarakhand’s council is headed by Chair Bharat Goyal and Co-Chair Manoj Kumar Khera.

Telangana is led by Chair Meghana Jupally and Co-Chair Satya Datla. Tamil Nadu’s council is headed by Chair Vikram Ramakrishnan and Co-Chair RJ Thayumanaswamy. West Bengal will be chaired by Pradip Kumar Agarwal. Kerala’s council is led by Rajesh George Kulangara.

These councils will play a central role in strengthening ARISE’s regional presence, member engagement and policy dialogue at the ground level through 2026-27.

Senior education leaders address the meeting

The two-day meeting drew participation from senior figures across India’s school education ecosystem. Dr Joseph Emmanuel, Chief Executive and Secretary of CISCE, delivered a special address emphasising the transformative power of collective school leadership. “When progressive schools come together with shared purpose and collective strength, they can transform the school education landscape in phenomenal ways,” he said.

Dr Praggya M Singh, Professor and Director of Academics at CBSE, underlined the value of direct engagement with school leaders in shaping policy. “Interactions with school leaders provide valuable ground-level insights into classroom realities and emerging needs, which are essential for shaping responsive academic initiatives,” she said.

Representatives from international education boards also attended, including Mahesh Balakrishnan, Manager South Asia at the International Baccalaureate, and Vinay Sharma, Senior Vice President and Regional Director South Asia at Cambridge International Education — reflecting ARISE’s engagement across both national and global school education frameworks.

Agenda focused on policy and professional development

The meeting’s deliberations covered leadership effectiveness, institutional governance, learning and development priorities and the liberalisation of the K-12 sector. A dedicated expert session on India’s new Labour Codes provided school leaders with practical guidance on compliance requirements and operational implications for educational institutions.

The Members’ Meeting concluded with a collective commitment to reform-oriented dialogue, stronger collaboration and a shared determination to shape the future of school education in India.