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Sonbon Anthony D’souza

Mr. Sonbon Anthony D’souza teaches English at Telangana State Model School, and Junior College, Maripeda, Mahabubabad, Telangana. With over a decade of teaching experience, he has dedicated his career to nurturing students from rural and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. He holds a master’s degree in English and a bachelor’s in education.

Anthony is actively involved in training teachers at the district and state levels. He has served as a key resource person for the prestigious English Language Enrichment Course and contributed to curriculum development for the Telangana Open School Society’s SSC and Intermediate textbooks. He was recognized with the District Best Teacher Award in 2023 for his innovative teaching methods and his contributions during the pandemic. His classroom story was published in the national journal *Teachers Muse*, showcasing his commitment to education.

Through the Fulbright TEA program, Anthony is exploring innovative teaching methodologies to make learning more participatory and impactful. Upon returning, he envisions organizing language development programs for students and teachers to enhance their communication skills, foster self-confidence, and prepare them for future academic and career opportunities. He also intends to share his Fulbright journey and learnings through workshops, seminars, and educational forums, while creating opportunities for cross-cultural collaborations and meaningful academic partnerships.

Sampat Kumar Kokkula

Mr. Sampat Kumar Kokkula is a teacher of English at Zilla Parishad High School (Girls), Uppal, in Hanumakonda District, Telangana. He has 27 years of teaching experience. He has master’s degrees in English, zoology, education, and psychology. He is a state resource person and a research fellow at the National Institute of Technology, Warangal. His efforts aim to build confidence, communication, and critical thinking abilities among students and promote girl’s education. His vision is one of better teaching standards and student outcomes.

Sampat completed the online courses The American English E-Teacher Program, 21st Century Skills and English Language Teaching from Regional English Office-India, Certificate in English Language Teaching from Regional Institute of English, Bangalore, and Foundation Course from Centre for Cultural Resources and Training, New Delhi. He completed the British Council’s Action Research Mentoring Scheme project. He designed the Techy Kids project, which connected students to global platforms during the pandemic. He conducted training sessions, webinars and conferences to help teachers adopt modern teaching techniques. Being a representative of the English Language Teachers Association, Telangana, he coordinated state-level storytelling, Spell Wizard, Elocution, and Drama competitions and English Olympiad. He took an active role in the project ‘Communicative English for Chenchu Children’. He wrote a drama script that integrated many discourses.

As a Fulbright TEA fellow, Sampat is working on advanced teaching methods and individualized strategies for inclusive education. He aims to integrate technology into classrooms and strengthen community involvement by adopting practices from the United States’ education system.

Abhilash Ashok

Mr. Abhilash Ashok is a dedicated English language educator with over 15 years of teaching experience, known for his innovative approach to English Language Teaching (ELT). Holding an MA, MPhil, and currently pursuing a PhD in English Language Teaching, Abhilash is passionate about exploring and implementing creative pedagogical strategies that enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.

Adept in using theatre pedagogy as a dynamic tool in his classrooms, Abhilash combines creativity with practical teaching methods to improve students’ language proficiency and confidence. His contributions extend beyond the classroom, manifesting in impactful workshops for teachers on prestigious platforms such as the International Conference on English Language Teaching in Arabia, hosted by the University of Qatar.

As a scholar-practitioner, Abhilash has contributed to academic research. His paper, published in the International Journal of Curriculum Development and Learning Measurement, highlights his commitment to advancing the field of ELT through scholarly inquiry.

As a Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program fellow, Abhilash is engaging in cross-cultural academic exchanges, learning from global educational practices, and refining his expertise in innovative teaching methodologies.

Through this opportunity, Abhilash seeks to inspire students and educators to embrace transformative learning experiences that have a lasting impact.

Joyeeta Banerjee

Ms. Joyeeta Banerjee is an assistant teacher at Nikunjapur High School teaching English as Second Language (ESL) to the rural learners of secondary and higher secondary grades for the past 23 years. She holds a master’s degree in English from the University of Burdwan and a master’s in education from Rabindra Bharati University.

She is the cultural coordinator of her school and after school hours, actively engages in teaching English to disadvantaged learners. She appeared in the critically acclaimed movie Kalamkathi, screened in the environment category of the 29th Kolkata International Film Festival. She has published many articles. Her book review was featured in the prestigious Bengali quarterly Anustup. She was a recipient of the National Child Rights Research Fellowship in 2012.

As a Fulbright fellow, Joyeeta is exploring theoretical and practical issues related to ESL pedagogy. It will be useful in delineating a plan of action to foster meaningful learning for the first-generation learners in her ESL classrooms. She intends to publish her findings and her experiences both in academic journals and popular magazines and newspapers. She is interested in conducting workshops and seminars at the grassroots for the benefit of her school and community.

Nijoy P Jose

Dr. Nijoy P Jose is a higher secondary school teacher and trainer of the English language at St. Thomas Higher Secondary School in Pala, Kerala, and a life skill trainer certified by Junior Chamber International. He has a master’s, an M.Phil., and a Ph.D. in English. Through his 21 years of teaching experience, he has worked as a student trainer, a teacher trainer, and a trainers’ trainer. Dr. Jose is also a columnist and the author of three books. He has received many awards and recognitions from various firms, including the Manorama Online Thought Leader Fellowship 2022.

Through his participation in the Fulbright TEA program, Dr. Jose aims to be academically sharp and socially productive. The program is helping him learn about the global scenario of the teaching-learning process and interactions with native speakers of the English language are helping him reimagine his language-learning classrooms back home. He further believes that the FTEA program will help him in developing strategies to address the challenges faced by marginalized groups while learning English.

A. Madhu Babu

Mr. Madhu Babu is a teacher and trainer of the English language at the Z.P. High School, Brahmanatarla, Andhra Pradesh and an e-content developer for the State Council for Education Research and Training, Andhra Pradesh (APSCERT). In his extensive teaching experience of 27 years, he has developed several classroom videos and conducted workshops on career guidance, life skills, and communication skills for students and teachers. His classroom practices are fun-filled, student-friendly, and designed to help students tackle real-world challenges. In recognition of his role in improving communication skills among children from rural areas in India, Mr. Babu received the National Best Teacher Award in 2020. He has a master’s in English and a bachelor’s in education. He also has a diploma in ELT from the Regional Institute of English, Bengaluru.

Through his participation in the prestigious Fulbright TEA program, Mr. Babu is exploring the role of teaching strategies in promoting employability skills among students. Upon his return to India at the end of the program, he hopes to share the insights gained during his stay in the U.S. with his students and colleagues.

Ravi Kumar Kola

Dr. Ravi Kumar Kola is Teacher of English at Zilla Parishad High School Panthini, Hanumakonda, Telangana. He has 24 years of teaching experience, master’s in English and zoology, and a Ph.D. in zoology. Dr. Kola was awarded the National ICT Award for School Teachers by the Ministry of Education, Government of India for extensive integration of technology with content and pedagogy. He is also a state resource person for SCERT Telangana. A constant learner, he has completed online courses from prestigious institutes like US Embassy’s Regional English Language Office (RELO), New Delhi, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

Through his participation in the Fulbright DAI program, Dr. Kola is enhancing his teaching skills and gaining insights into innovative pedagogical approaches. Upon returning to India, he intends to utilize his refined English language skills to develop tailored English language programs for rural students in Telangana. By equipping rural students with strong English language abilities, he aims to empower them to access better educational opportunities and improve their employability as well as to bridge the linguistic gap between rural and urban areas in the state. As an active member of various English forums, Dr. Kola wishes to share knowledge gained from his Fulbright project with the English fraternity of Telangana.

Kritika Dhiwahar

Ms. Kritika Dhiwahar is an English language facilitator at HLC International School, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. With a distinction in Cambridge International Diploma in Teaching and Learning (CIDTL) and training in drama from the National School of Drama, New Delhi, Ms. Dhiwahar uses storytelling and drama techniques to create an inclusive learning environment. She holds a master’s in English literature and a bachelor’s in education and has over a decade of experience in classroom teaching and teacher training. She also works as a freelance teacher educator for Srikriti, the Teacher Education Centre, and for leading publishers—Macmillan Education and Scholastic, India.

Ms. Dhiwahar’s Fulbright DAI inquiry project, “Play’s the Thing: Targeting (language) learning outcomes through story and drama-based learning”, focuses on exploring pedagogical applications of storytelling and drama. She aims to understand how these methods are implemented in U.S. schools to advocate their increased use in the Indian ELT context. Through her project, she seeks to establish the educational value of drama and storytelling. Ms. Dhiwahar plans to conduct seminars and workshops to inspire her fellow educators to embrace storytelling and drama as pedagogical tools in language learning classrooms. She believes that bridging the gap between a theoretical understanding of language and its practice will enhance language acquisition and the overall educational experience of Indian students.

Shayista Shakeel

Ms. Shayista Shakeel teaches English and Social Science at a government high school in the district of Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir. She has a dual master’s in English and education. She is passionate about environmental pollution and undertakes activities with her students to clean water resources and disposal of bio-degradable waste. She has counseled several students who are undergoing depression or addicted to drugs. She coordinates workshops and events focusing on skill enhancement and development of students. In addition, she is a freelance columnist and has authored several articles in local dailies.

Ms. Shakeel’s participation in the Fulbright TEA program is helping her to develop a curriculum based on the model of shared learning for her students. She is learning new teaching methodologies and is sharing her experience and observations with international FTEA participants. Upon return to India, she intends to advocate practice-based learning and inclusive classrooms in schools of her community with the help of knowledge gained during her Fulbright program.

Ravi Kumar Sankranthi

Mr. Ravi Kumar Sankranthi teaches English to grades 6 – 10 at the Zilla Parishad High School in Kusumanchi, Telangana. Most of his students are from marginalized communities. Since 2008, he is also a teacher trainer for district and state-level training programs. He has trained teachers from vernacular medium schools and equipped them to teach in English medium schools. He has a master’s and a bachelor’s in English literature.

Mr. Sankranthi participated in a workshop on multilingualism organized by the Regional Institute of English, Bangalore wherein he provided digital inputs for the training module of in-service teachers. He presented a paper on “Issues and Challenges in the Implementation of Discourse Oriented Pedagogy” at a national conference in Hyderabad.

During the Fulbright TEA program, Mr. Sankranthi is learning the latest strategies in teaching English. He is excited to share his classroom experiences and success stories with the international FTEA fellows. He is curious to find solutions to the challenges of teaching in a heterogeneous classroom. As a cultural ambassador, he is excited to represent his country and culture and understand the cultures of other countries. Upon his return, Mr. Sankranthi wants to share his FTEA experiences with his students and colleagues. He intends to create a long-lasting bond with U.S. schools and schools of international FTEA fellows by designing various academic projects.