Dr. Bindu Rana: Transforming Education in India with Innovation and Entrepreneurial Spirit

New Delhi: Dr. Bindu Rana is an award-winning educationist, author and academic. She is the architect of the largest body of school curriculum created by the private sector in India. Her application-based workbooks and teacher teachings transformed education in India. She has created more than 800 books and 25,000 lesson plans for kindergarteners to high schoolers, and trained over 10,000 teachers in her three decades in education. She holds a PhD in inclusive education as well as three master’s degrees in special education, education and the Upanishad studies.

Dr Rana sees learning as an ongoing process and is always open to new ideas and changing ideologies. Having started her career as a teacher, she has been contributing in diverse ways to the field of education from the last 33 years. Pursuing her vision of ensuring every child reaches his/her highest potential, she has tirelessly worked towards bringing about the desired shift in the mind-set and practices of educational professionals and practitioners.

One of her most valuable experiences so far has been the creation of four distinct and unique Learning Systems catering to different segments of society—Little Millennium, the Millennium Learning System, the E-DAC Learning System and the Scaffolding Learning System—each with its own unique philosophy and pedagogy. The creation of these Learning Systems has resulted in a vast and amazing repertoire of educational products—the first of its kind by any research team in India. She has also established and led one of the largest private school chains built around the learning systems and is continuing to do so. She is on various school managing committee boards and has been the keynote speaker in a number of Educational Forums.

Dr. Rana is currently building a new-age school that challenges the traditional norm of rote learning in India. Her school, Antah: Prerana, or “Inner Calling,” seeks to create the next generation of job creators rather than mass produce job seekers. Set on a farm outside New Delhi, the school blends nature, philosophy and mindful practices like yoga with academics, entrepreneurship and life skills. Visit https://www.antahprerana.org

The school is set with a vision to ignite young minds with a passion for innovation, creativity, and problem solving, empowering them to become visionary leaders of tomorrow’s entrepreneurial landscape. The mission of the school is to provide a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that inspires young minds to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset, foster holistic development, and encourage critical thinking. The aim is to promote global citizenship and create lifelong learners while partnering with families and communities. The philosophy of the school centers on nurturing the young minds to become future entrepreneurs who are not just adept in business but also grounded in ethics, creativity, and social responsibility. The school’s approach blends traditional academic learning with practical experiences, empowering students to explore their passions and develop the skills necessary to create, innovate, and lead in the ever-evolving entrepreneurial landscape. Through mentorship, real – world projects, and an emphasis on ethical entrepreneurship, the school aims to instill the students with a sense of purpose and a commitment to making a positive impact in the society.

Dr. Rana is a changemaker in education and Antah Prerana is a game changer when it comes to molding our education system the right way. The current education system is paralysed by rote learning methodologies and lacks the flexibility and fluidity to accept the curriculum that the children of today need and it is not geared to equip the children for the future. This understanding in the gaps of the current system lead Dr. Rana on her inspiring journey to establish Antah Prerana as the new age school. She believes that we are fortunate to be a part of a world where technology has become so advanced that nothing seems impossible at this stage. If only, we become conscious about the use of technology and its inclusion in the way education is imparted, we can fight the major challenges that our system faces today, and emerge as one of the most literate nations of the world. It is important to allow our children to learn and grow at their own pace, limit the sense of competition and focus more on skill development rather than making our children run in the rat race for scoring good marks.

She firmly believes in the fact that two things that can change the face of the education system today are technology and democracy. Unite these two and there will be no looking back for a nation as great as ours!

Dr. Rana is pairing her lifelong learnings as an academic with her passion for spirituality and entrepreneurship to bring this vision to life. She previously set up more than three dozen schools as the founder of Millennium Education Management. Dr. Rana’s expertise lies in marrying creativity with learning, and her path-breaking curriculum is currently studied by thousands of students across India. She also founded Scoolstars–an online platform that helps children showcase their innate talent beyond academics.

Dr. Rana is the trustee of two NGOs that help children with special needs and distraught teenagers.

Her awards include:

• National Achievers Award for Edupreneur of the Year presented by National Achievers Recognition Forum
• Rashtriya Shiksha Ratan Award presented by the National Achievers Recognition Forum
• Award for Outstanding Contribution to Education presented at the National Education Awards Summit
• Gem of India Award at the 2017 All India Achievers Conference for outstanding contribution to education
• South Asia Education Summit Award 2014 for the best academic innovative curriculum for the EDAC Curriculum
• Best Practices followed in a school for Little Millennium
• World Education Award 2012 for Digital Learning
• World Education Award 2012 for the online training module Empowering Facilitators With Effective Strategies
• Excellence in Information Integrity Award 2009, Chicago