Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program for International Teachers Archives

Sonaleeca Das

Ms. Sonaleeca Das is a science teacher at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Tenughat of Bokaro district in the state of Jharkhand. She has been teaching science to middle-school learners for eighteen years. She has an integrated bachelor’s degree in science and education from Regional Institute of Education, Bhubaneswar.

She is actively involved in planning and organizing science exhibitions, exposure visits to science centres, mentor talks, and workshops on nurturing design thinking among the middle-grade learners for their successful participation in national-level science competitions. In 2016 she received the Navodaya National Incentive Award for her contributions in the field of teaching learning in one of the remote north-eastern regions of India.

During her participation in the Fulbright DAI program, Sonaleeca plans to explore methods to nurture, develop, and scaffold reflection as a skill among the middle-school learners in science. She believes that the skill of reflection should help the current generation of learners to listen to their internal voice, to make meaning of their experiences and develop the ability to receive comments, suggestions, evaluations, and feedback. The learning and findings from her project will guide her to redesign the experiential learning process in her school. She plans to disseminate learnings from this project through research publications and workshops with fellow teachers.

Nilam Thakkar

Ms. Nilam Thakkar is an educator with over 15 years of experience at NGO Manav Sadhna. Through its Prathma remedial education program, she has been teaching 4th and 5th graders while serving as Principal, and training 12 teachers on holistic values-based education. She also developed the Prathma curriculum, which includes workbooks, assessments, and teacher training modules.

She holds a Primary Teacher’s Training diploma (PTC), a B.Ed., and an MA from Gujarat University. She has pursued professional development through programs such as Social Emotional Learning (SEL) facilitation, done pedagogy training with Teach for India, and Waldorf Education training. Her dedication to education has been recognized with the Women of Excellence Award (2023) and the Wonder Woman Award (2019).

Since 2016, she has been a member of the selection committee of the Gujarat State Child Care and Protection Department, selecting members for the Child Welfare Committee and Juvenile Justice Board across 33 districts.

As a Fulbright DAI fellow, Nilam aims to explore innovative educational approaches to address the psychological, social, and emotional challenges faced by children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Her project focuses on creating sustainable interventions to enhance students’ cognitive skills, motivation, and self-confidence. She plans to design a teacher’s guide and training modules to empower teachers and foster supportive learning environments. Her vision is to integrate these strategies into her school system and share her learnings with NGOs and schools, ensuring holistic child development and academic progress for underserved communities.

Mukesh Kumar

Mr. Mukesh Kumar is a School Lecturer with the Government of Rajasthan and has over 18 years of rich teaching experience. As an educator and author, he has written 31 books on English Literature, comprising academic guides and poetry collections. His work includes comprehensive guides on Shakespeare, cultural studies, and preparation materials for UGC−NET and examination for assistant professor. Mr. Kumar holds a master’s degree in English and is dedicated to fostering academic excellence and personal growth in his students.

During his participation in the Fulbright DAI program, Mukesh is exploring innovative approaches to ethical integration of AI with education. He aims to enhance teaching methodologies and develop strategies to improve students’ critical thinking and literary appreciation skills. Upon returning to India, he intends to implement AI-driven educational tools in the classroom, develop new curriculum materials incorporating ethical AI usage, and conduct workshops for fellow educators. He trusts that these efforts will help cascade his learnings to the broader educational community and transform the teaching-learning scenario in government schools across Rajasthan and beyond.

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.

Benny Varghese

Mr. Benny Varghese is Research and Publication Officer (Post Graduate Teacher Mathematics) at Navodaya Leadership Institute, Canacona, Goa—one of the seven teacher training institutes for Navodaya Schools run by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. With 25 years of teaching experience in senior secondary schools, Mr. Varghese was honored with the National ICT Award by the Government of India in 2016 in recognition of his effective and innovative integration of ICT in promoting students’ learning. During 2020-22, he served as an institute advisory board member of the Central Institute of Education Technology, a constituent unit of the National Council of Educational Research and Training, Government of India. He holds a master’s degree in mathematics and a bachelor’s degree in education.

At times, the abstractness of mathematics makes its teaching and learning a dull experience for many. Through his Fulbright DAI project, ‘Toy-based pedagogy for enjoyable mathematics learning’, Mr. Varghese aims to transform the traditional methods of teaching and learning Math by means of gamification. Given children’s fondness for games, he intends to design and use mathematical games to teach and reinforce math concepts. Upon his return to India, he intends to share his enriching Fulbright DAI experience and his pedagogical findings with Navodaya school teachers. He further aims to implement the findings of his project in Navodaya schools and in other educational organizations in the country.

Mohammad Imran Khan Mewati

Mr. Mohammad Imran Khan Mewati, an Indian teacher and mobile app developer, has made significant contributions to the field of education and technology. As a school teacher in the Sanskrit Education Department in Alwar, Mr. Khan’s passion for education and his understanding of the transformative power of technology led him to develop over 100 educational mobile applications. These apps have garnered millions of users, providing free educational content to students from rural and marginalized communities.

Mr. Khan’s advocacy for digital learning and equal access to technology gained national attention when the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned him during a speech at Wembley Stadium in 2015, “My India is in Imran Khan of Alwar.” His dedication and impact on education have been recognized through numerous prestigious awards, including the National Teacher Award, National ICT Teacher Award, and the Jamnalal Bajaj Award. He has developed notable apps, such as the PRASHAST app for disability screening in schools for the Indian Ministry of Education and Project Dishari, Geervani, and DevVani for the Government of Rajasthan.

During his Fulbright DAI project, Mr. Khan is developing an advanced educational app that incorporates pedagogical principles and utilizes cutting-edge technology. The app aims to deliver engaging educational content, enabling students to learn easily using smartphones.

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.

Anuja Sudheer

Ms. Anuja Sudheer works as a speech language pathologist and head of the early years program at the Centre for Autism and other Disabilities Rehabilitation Research and Education (CADRRE), Trivandrum, Kerala. CADRRE is a not-for-profit organization that runs a full-day intervention and education program in a school setting for children with autism aged two-18 years by an interdisciplinary team of speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and special educators. Ms. Sudheer holds a master’s degree in audiology and speech-language pathology from the National Institute of Speech and Hearing, University of Kerala, and has over 13 years of experience in supporting children with special needs.

Ms. Sudheer has obtained certifications in applied behavioral analysis therapy, picture exchange communication system, oral placement therapy, PROMPT therapy, Avaz (an AAC app), comprehensive literacy skills in individuals with complex communication needs from Jane Farrall Consulting, and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. She conducts trainings of special educators through Continuing Rehabilitation Education programs by the Rehabilitation Council of India. She participates in outreach programs to raise awareness about autism among grassroots-level healthcare workers and parents in rural India. Additionally, she has given talks at numerous national and international conferences. Through the Fulbright DAI program, Ms. Sudheer hopes to receive training in strategies and methods for teaching young children with complex communication needs, particularly those with autism. She anticipates being able to put her training to use by directly supporting her students and colleagues at CADRRE and through outreach programs in rural India.

Madhura Rajvanshi

Ms. Madhura Rajvanshi has been teaching English to middle school children of Pragat Shikshan Sanstha’s Kamala Nimbkar Balbhavan, Phaltan for the past 15 years. It is a Marathi medium innovative school situated in a semi-urban region of western Maharashtra. She also works as the education coordinator of the school and her work involves administration, planning creative activities in school, and teacher mentoring. She has a master’s degree in elementary education from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

Ms. Rajvanshi uses art, storytelling, and music to make English learning interesting and relevant for her students. She has made a substantial contribution to children’s creative and independent English writing through the production of storybooks. She has delivered talks and written several articles on the same.

Through the Fulbright DAI program, Ms. Rajvanshi hopes to understand how English teaching is approached and learning spaces are organized in American schools. She aims to explore the constructive attitudes towards language teaching in the U.S. and see how they can be adapted to Indian context.

Ms. Rajvanshi will use her Fulbright experience and learning to create a structured program for teachers in her community for teaching English to non-native speakers. After her return to India, she will share it with the teachers through workshops and training programs.