Indian Teacher Wins $1M Prize for 800 Slum Classrooms

Rouble Nagi never imagined meeting a child who had never held a pencil would change her life forever.

That moment in her early twenties launched a two-decade mission that brought more than one million children from India's slums and villages into formal education. Now, she's been awarded the $1 million Global Teacher Prize for creating over 800 learning centers across the country.

Nagi's classrooms don't look like traditional schools. She transforms abandoned walls into interactive murals that teach reading, math, science, hygiene, and environmental awareness. These aren't decorative artworks but open-air classrooms that draw children into learning while engaging their parents and entire communities.

The approach works because Nagi designs education around real life rather than ignoring it. Her programs offer flexible schedules for working children, hands-on learning with recycled materials, and practical skills that show immediate value to families facing poverty's harsh realities: child labor, early marriage, and lack of infrastructure.

The results speak clearly. Her programs have cut dropout rates by more than 50% and significantly improved long-term school retention across 100 slums and villages.

The Ripple Effect

Nagi's model creates change that extends far beyond individual students. She has recruited and trained over 600 volunteer and paid educators, building a scalable approach that meets children where they are academically, socially, and economically.

Her nonprofit, the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, doesn't just fund murals. It turns neighborhoods into active participants in children's education, strengthening families and entire communities in the process.

"By bringing education to the most marginalized communities, she has not only changed individual lives, but strengthened families and communities," said Sunny Varkey, founder of the Global Teacher Prize and GEMS Education.

Selected from over 5,000 nominations across 139 countries, Nagi plans to use her prize money to build a free vocational institute and digital literacy training program. The goal? Transforming millions more young lives.

An internationally recognized artist whose work appears in the President of India's permanent collection, Nagi continues traveling extensively across India. She works directly with children in learning centers while mentoring the teachers who lead them, proving that education and art together create powerful change.