In an inspiring recognition of educational innovation, Indian teacher Rouble Nagi has been awarded the prestigious $1 million Gems Education Global Teacher Prize at the World Government Summit 2026. Her remarkable journey began twenty-six years ago when a single encounter with a child who had never seen a pencil ignited her mission to transform education in India’s most disadvantaged communities.
Nagi’s teaching model represents a paradigm shift in addressing the complex challenges of slum education—poverty, irregular attendance, inadequate infrastructure, and social barriers including child labor and early marriage. Through her innovative approach incorporating flexible scheduling, vocational training, and creative learning utilizing recycled materials, she has successfully helped thousands of children develop confidence, critical thinking skills, and academic achievement.
The results speak volumes: her programs have achieved a reduction in dropout rates exceeding 50 percent while significantly improving literacy and numeracy outcomes. Perhaps most importantly, she has fundamentally transformed community attitudes toward education in areas where schooling was previously undervalued.
Nagi attributes her success to a simple yet powerful philosophy: building genuine relationships with students. ‘When a teacher treats a child like her own, all barriers are broken and all challenges can be addressed,’ she explained. ‘I’ve never been just a teacher—I’ve been their friend, their mother figure, their educator, and someone they can confide in freely.’
One particularly poignant story illustrates her impact: a nonverbal student communicated his traumatic experience of being locked in a dark room through a drawing showing a single beam of light. This artistic expression broke through his silence and led to his return to education, demonstrating how Nagi’s methods create safe spaces for emotional and academic growth.
Her inspiration stems from childhood experiences traveling across India with her officer father, witnessing countless children deprived of educational opportunities. This early exposure to educational inequality fueled her determination to ensure that no child would lack access to learning tools and supportive teaching.
The Global Teacher Prize recognition not only celebrates Nagi’s extraordinary achievements but also highlights the transformative power of compassionate, adaptive education in overcoming even the most daunting social obstacles.