Indian Educator Rouble Nagi Clinches Prestigious 2025 Global Teacher Prize in Dubai
Rouble Nagi, an inspirational Indian teacher and dedicated social activist, recently graced the stage at the World Governments Summit in Dubai to receive a remarkable global honor. She has been officially named the distinguished winner of the highly coveted 2025 Global Teacher Prize, an esteemed award accompanied by a substantial $1 million prize. This prestigious recognition, as reported by the Associated Press, celebrates educators whose profound impact extends far beyond traditional classroom boundaries, deeply influencing and transforming entire communities.
Transforming Education Through 800+ Learning Centres in Underserved Areas
Nagi was honored primarily for her extraordinary initiative in creating and establishing more than 800 innovative learning centres spread across various regions of India. A significant number of these centres are strategically located in slum areas and underserved neighbourhoods where access to formal, structured schooling is severely limited or completely absent. Her visionary work specifically focuses on two key groups of children: those who have never had the opportunity to attend school at all, and those who are already enrolled but face considerable challenges in keeping up with their academic progress.
The learning centres, operated under the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, function remarkably outside conventional school infrastructure. They are ingeniously designed to introduce structured learning to children who would otherwise remain entirely outside the formal education system. Many of these centres operate in informal spaces within slum communities, emphasizing basic literacy, essential numeracy, and maintaining continuity with standard school curricula. This approach effectively allows children to either enter school for the very first time or successfully rejoin formal education after previously dropping out.
Innovative Use of Public Art as a Powerful Educational Tool
In addition to traditional classroom instruction, Nagi has pioneered the innovative use of public art as a dynamic and engaging teaching tool. She paints extensive educational murals on the walls of slum settlements, covering fundamental subjects such as reading, mathematics, science, and history. These vibrant walls transform into permanent visual learning materials that remain accessible and educational for children and families even after formal classes have ended for the day.
Nagi, who is professionally trained as an artist with experience in sculpture, painting, and installations, has strategically shifted her work from galleries to public spaces, particularly in low-income neighbourhoods. Her notable initiatives include the ambitious Misaal Mumbai project, a large-scale slum painting endeavour that began with Paint Dharavi in 2016 and later expanded across Mumbai and various parts of Maharashtra. According to her foundation, thousands of homes have been painted and cleaned as part of these community-driven projects, often with active participation from local residents.
While these projects are frequently described as beautification efforts, their core stated goal is fundamentally functional. The murals are intentionally designed to create safer and cleaner living environments while simultaneously serving as durable learning surfaces for children and their families.
Global Recognition from Education Leaders and Future Plans
The Global Teacher Prize jury specifically commended the impressive scale and unwavering persistence of Nagi’s transformative work in marginalised communities. Sunny Varkey, the founder of the Varkey Foundation which instituted the Global Teacher Prize in 2015, stated that Nagi’s work powerfully reflects the expansive role teachers can play beyond conventional classrooms. UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini emphasized that this award highlights the continuing critical importance of teachers in expanding educational access, particularly for children pushed to the margins of formal systems.
Nagi, who becomes the tenth recipient of this global prize, has announced plans to utilize the $1 million award to build an institute offering free vocational training. The focus will be on developing practical skills that can support sustainable employment and financial independence, especially for young people who fall outside conventional academic pathways. This initiative aligns perfectly with her foundation’s earlier programmes, which have included skill development for women and youth in both rural and urban areas.
From Jammu and Kashmir to International Acclaim
Born in Jammu and Kashmir in 1980, Nagi studied political science before pursuing fine art training in London. After returning to India, her work increasingly focused on public art and meaningful community engagement. She is also the author of The Slum Queen, a book published in 2022 that meticulously documents her extensive work in slums and villages across India.
The Global Teacher Prize undoubtedly places Nagi’s remarkable work on an esteemed international platform. However, her projects themselves remain deeply rooted in local spaces, creating classrooms without walls and facilitating learning that genuinely begins where children already are, transforming educational access across India’s most vulnerable communities.
