The characteristics, skills, and dispositions of effective leaders in any field need to be comprehensive and varied. Especially considering the role women have in education today, the need for addressal of a wide range of complex issues facing the current market which are particularly daunting, women leaders in education must have the ability to recognize, define challenges and provide opportunities continuously. Also, being able to collaborate with a broad range of stakeholders to develop appropriate strategies overcoming the weaknesses and building on the strengths of existing programs, women leaders have involved themselves in the betterment of practices and policies of their respective institutions of education. Moreover, with the demand for women education leaders to lead the effort, in turn, providing support structures that will help to motivate and reward students, faculty, and staff, they are expected to have strong public understanding and support, working relentlessly in the betterment of society one student at a time. One such personality who aims at clearly encompassing all the learning she has received so far, thereby, displaying her passion towards imparting quality education to all – Mrs. Indira Lohia, as the most vital personality at Vidya Mandir and Vidya Niketan has helped 10,000+ children move up in their respective educational careers, under her able guidance and leadership.
An excellent academician, who started her career with a very humble beginning, Mrs. Indira believes thoroughly that education is an umbrella that provides shade to a wide range of purposeful pursuits. Always working towards grooming students into global citizens, she is the epitome of 21st-century mentor, as she lays equal emphasis on providing today’s children with an environment, which helps them explore their true potentials. With a legacy of 3-decades of quality teaching-learning resting on her shoulders, Mrs. Indira along with the whole management team of both the schools, have forayed themselves into society, through the dreams of millions of children.
Crediting her whole success story to her family, Mrs. Indira stated – “My husband (Late) Shri Nikunj Lohia had always been my source of inspiration and now, my daughters are now the key in taking this vision forward and bringing a paradigm shift into academics and education”. A patriot at heart and teacher by profession, Mrs. Indira Lohia is a visionary administrator who holds an exquisite dream of making the nation a better place to live in through education.
Aiming higher
Being the founder and serving as the current president/director at Vidya Mandir and Vidya Niketan schools, Mrs. Indira explicitly has displayed her passion towards educating, by the way the whole environment of harmony and happiness exists at these schools. All through these years of development of school’s academia, Mrs. Lohia as a school trustee left no stone unturned to keep the spirits and passion of teachers high, taking care of their individual needs, while they grow together with the school. Putting in equal efforts and emphasis on all-rounded development of not only the students, but the onboard faculty as well, trainings, faculty development programs and workshops are made a norm at both the schools, letting teachers imbibe the new-age pedagogical techniques in their everyday teaching procedures. Furthermore, guaranteeing all the children studying at both the schools of a life filled with achievements on all fronts, she acts as the shelter for striving successes, irrespective of the scenarios and circumstances the world is facing.
A community-oriented personality, she preaches adaptability and an attitude of staying every-ready for change, anytime and anywhere. Gradually facilitating all her school staff towards getting equipped with knowledge and tech-savviness needed by today’s world, she never let the teaching-learning process get hindered at any point of time. She added on this very point, by quoting – “The technology got the best out of us, but now as I look back, it all made us relentless in our pursuit of education online or offline.” Also, along with revamping the whole idea of school functioning, she stood strong with the core-aspects of humanity and society. By providing extensive support to teachers, support staff, drivers, maids and guards – financially and emotionally, in these hard times of the pandemic, she got to know their families during this period, showing the world how even the worst of times, can bring development and growth, if worked together as one big family.
A supportive shade of change
In pursuit of setting new stages of education leaderships, that powerfully direct towards converting students into responsible personalities of tomorrow, Mrs. Indira Lohia also addresses the importance of mental health of students, during these times of high uncertainty. Giving guidance and counseling to all her teachers, to act as mentors cum gurus, helping them grow as all-rounded individuals, Mrs. Lohia makes sure that strong mentor-mentee bonds exists on the school campuses, which usually go beyond the classroom hours.
Also, considering the fact that the dynamic world outside would have different possibilities and opportunities in the coming years, she preaches the importance of children-initiated and children-centric education, where it’s made mandatory to participate, in order to thrive in a complex society. Understanding that each student has his/her own style of learning and understanding, multiple intelligence theory has been adapted at the schools, making sure that students retain their knowledge, mastering the basic concepts of subjects of their interest and, in turn, applying those in different situations of real life applications.
All in all, a firm believer of – ‘No success comes without facing challenges but the way you perceive your challenges defines your journey till there’, Mrs. Indira Lohia has always sported hurdles effortlessly, welcoming challenges through which, she always ends up learning something new. And lastly, as a today’s women leader, she praises all the current efforts put in by the government towards expanding opportunities for fellow women across all sectors, and also, hopes that someday women will break beyond their stereotypes, and come together to lead the country and society, with true vigor of reaching for the stars.
