Indian in contention for US $ 1 mn Global Teacher Prize in UK

London: A woman Indian physics teacher in the UK, recognised for her experiential method of teaching physics, is among the top 50 contenders from around the world for a global prize of US$ one million.

Kavita Sanghvi has been recognised for her experiential method of teaching physics as principal of MET Rishikul Vidyalaya in Mumbai by The Global Teacher Prize 2017.

She helped her students grasp the application of textbook concepts in real life situations.

"For the past few days on receiving the mail and finding my name in the top 50, I have been walking in the clouds, smiling and feeling an immense sense of gratitude towards all for shaping me professionally to develop my strengths and potentials," Sanghvi said.

"This recognition makes me feel truly special and inspires me to enhance my abilities and capabilities further.

The Prize will be a constant reminder to me that I am responsible and accountable to the community towards academic, environment and social development of my students and teachers," she added.

The Global Teacher Prize, now in its third year, was set up by Indian-origin entrepreneur Sunny Varkey to recognise one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to shine a spotlight on the important role teachers play in society.

This year's top 50 was whittled down from over 20,000 nominations and applications from across 179 countries.

Ten candidates will be chosen from the top 50 by February 2017 and the winner will then be picked from the final 10 by a Global Teacher Prize Academy.

All 10 finalists will be invited to Dubai for the award ceremony at the annual Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF), to be held on March 19 next year, where the winner will be announced live.

"We were overwhelmed by the huge support the Global Teacher Prize received this year. We intend to keep this momentum going as our journey continues to return teachers to their rightful position as one of the most respected professions in society," said Varkey, founder of the UK-based Varkey Foundation.

"The tens of thousands of nominations and applications we received from every corner of the planet is testimony to the achievements of teachers and the enormous impact they have on all of our lives," he said. Sanghvi, the only Indian on the list this year, studied physics in Toronto before returning to India. She was selected by the British Council to be part of their Global Teachers Accreditation Programme, and used the opportunity to conduct research on experiential learning in physics.

She has already received many awards – not just for physics but also for her environmental projects within the school. She was the global winner of the School Enterprise challenge and was recognised by the World Education Summit 2016 for Becoming Enthusiastic About Maths and Science (BEAMS) project.

"I count my teachers as among the most influential people in my life. Teachers are entrusted with nurturing the potential of the young and helping them blossom as productive and responsible members of society. It is hard to underestimate their value," said Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations and one of the supporters of the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize.

The Global Teacher Prize Academy includes prominent names such as actress Freida Pinto; Wendy Kopp, co-founder and CEO of Teach for All; Brett Wigdortz, founder and CEO of Teach First; Nick Booth, CEO, The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry; James E Ryan, Dean and Professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Jeffrey D Sachs, world-renowned professor of economics and special advisor to the UN; and Lewis Pugh, the only person to have completed a long distance swim in every ocean of the world.