Congratulations on winning the 'Academic Excellence in K-12' Award! How does it feel to receive this award and what do you think about your school standing out in this category?

It is indeed a matter of great pride for us to have been bestowed upon the honor of 'Academic Excellence in K-12'. Hardwork, grit, innovation, a relentless focus on imparting quality education to our students and our vision of creating global-minded citizens are some of the facets that have contributed towards our success in this category. Notwithstanding, I applaud the efforts of all schools and education leaders who were nominated and wish them the very best, as, due to the collective efforts of such educational institutions led by visionaries, India is becoming a globally-renowned educational hub.


How did you get started with the Satluj Group of Schools?

I was born into a family of educationists. I’ve been working in the education industry for 12 dedicated years with prior experience of varied industries, including media and communications, insurance, publishing, etc. I never planned on becoming a part of the education industry, but destiny had something else in store.

Satluj Group of Schools was founded in the year 1976 by legendary educationist Late S. Pritam Singh Serai after stints as a Professor of Education in the UK, the USA and Singapore. He started the Chandigarh region’s first private, independent school—Satluj Public School—in Sector 36-D, Chandigarh in a two-room rented apartment with just three students. Over the years, the name Satluj, just like its synonymous river, has become a trusted brand in education with 15 campuses spread across four states in North India and is the tri-city region’s largest private, independent school group. In 2020, right before COVID, we launched a new K-12 brand called ‘Satluj World School’, which has grown to three campuses.


How do you like to communicate and build relationships with parents?

We have always been keen on working hand-in-hand with parents for the holistic development of our students. For constant communication with parents, the school provides information to parents through social media handles, our in-house developed app called 'School Man', regular interactions between teachers and parents, and a robust feedback mechanism where we take up even the smallest points of concern for the benefit of our students.


How have you helped teachers feel more empowered at your institution?

We believe that if school is a temple of education, then the teachers are living Gods. We constantly strive to empower the teachers by constant training—in-house, in coordination with the national board, peer assessment and interaction, and by encouraging our teachers to partake in specialized courses for their professional development.


What is your personal philosophy of education?

Education is the only weapon to bring about change in society. I believe in imparting a futuristic viewpoint to our students so that they stand to compete in a globalised world by constant up-skilling and innovation, while simultaneously developing and encouraging curiosity via applying their academic learning in real-life settings. Education isn't only about incorporating 21st century skills into students, but showing them how to apply these skills in order to succeed in every endeavor of their lives. Thus, it eventually helps students with focusing on developing a strong moral compass so that students are able to distinguish between what is right or wrong for them without any intervention. We believe in not only building the educational base of students but also ensuring that they have a successful future. We strive towards excellence in all our endeavors.