4 school principals chosen for prestigious Derozio Awards in recognition of service to education

New Delhi, Nov 20 (PTI) Four school principals have been chosen for the prestigious Derozio Awards 2025 in recognition of their exemplary service to school education and human enrichment, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) announced on Thursday.

The awards will be conferred by former Supreme Court judge and chief justice of Karnataka High Court Vikramjit Sen at the School Heads’ Meet organised by the Association of Schools for the Indian School Certificate in Chandigarh on Friday.

Instituted by CISCE, the Derozio Awards honour individuals whose leadership and contributions have strengthened the nation through education. The honours are presented annually to recognise educators who have made a transformative impact in their respective spheres — primary, middle, secondary, and senior secondary education and educational leadership. Each award comprises a 24-gram gold medal, a citation plaque engraved in silver, a scroll, and prize money worth Rs 1 lakh.

"This year's awardees shine with extraordinary dedication, bold innovation, and deep human impact. Our rigorous evaluation reaffirmed the remarkable educational transformation unfolding across CISCE schools and the inspiring commitment of educators who continue to elevate learning nationwide," said Joseph Emmanuel, Chief Executive and Secretary of CISCE.

The awardees are: Shinoj Kizhakkemuriyil, Principal, St Antony’s School, Ghaziabad; Priti Sinha, Principal, Gulmohar High School, Jamshedpur; Seena Joseph, Principal, Auxilium Nava Jyoti School, Kerala; and Kusum Uniyal, TGT Science, Jyoti Vidyalaya, Joshimath, Uttarakhand.

The two-day School Heads’ Conference by the Association of Schools for the Indian School certificate began on Thursday in Chandigarh, drawing more than 2,000 heads of CISCE-affiliated schools from across India to discuss emerging educational trends and chart a forward-looking roadmap. The theme of the conference is Building stronger schools together.

"Stronger schools emerge when institutions, universities, and stakeholders work together. We must prepare students not just for white-collar jobs, but for sports, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Schools sow the seeds of imagination that higher education must continue to nurture," Ashok Kumar Mittal, Rajya Sabha MP, said in his inaugural address. PTI GJS GJS AMJ AMJ