EduDrone – WE CONNECT, GOAPI & Partners hosted over 100 School Leaders at their event, Women in Leadership Excellence Award 2023.
Women in Leadership Excellence Award 2023 organised by Edu Drone –WE CONNECT in association with Get Out & Play India and Partners based on the theme-Break the Bias.
Quite a unique event, curated by Sanjay & Kajal Chhatija, Founders, EduDrone and Shweta Singh, Founder, Get Out & Play India, the eventful day was showered with best wishes from Dr.Swati Popat Vats, President, Early Childhood Association and Association for Primary Education and Research, keynotes on school leadership, an inspiring speech by a professional para athlete on her tremendous struggle as an athlete on wheelchair and wonderful journey of a business guru, launch of a sports start-up, presentation by some revolutionary programme curators for school students followed by mesmerising Phoolon ki Holi on the energetic beats of Dhol Tasha, filling the atmosphere with the fragrance and feel of Holi and true blessings of womanhood- the ME TIME for the busy educators.
The event was curated to celebrate women in leadership roles, embrace their attributes and render respect to the education fraternity. Get Out and Play India’s team took a wonderful initiative of recognising the efforts of powerful women in schools and celebrated the Women’s Day with a difference. It was supported by On My Own Technology, Torrins India, Adventure Education, Simply Science, Study Smart, Smart Planetarium and Vizuara.
The day commenced with the opening address delivered by Rajkumari Agarwal and lamp lighting by the dignitaries. Mrs. Kajal Chhatija, Education Change maker, Founder, EduDrone – WE CONNECT, Director, United International School, shared the objective of the event – ‘The day focuses attention on the persistent biases, stereotypes and discrimination that hold society back from being inclusive and gender equal.“The Transformation of Education Begins with Women in Education”.
The highlight of the event was conferring Dr. Swati Popat Vats, President, Podar Education Network, President, ECA & APER, with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her incredible dedication towards bringing a change and being a child rights activist. Dr. Vats’s virtual address inspired the school leaders to bring about a change in the education system and her joyful virtual meet set the tone of the event. The chief guest, Ms. Geeta Chouhan, a rising Wheelchair Basketball Player fighting against all odds addressed on “Doubt to Power – My Journey as a Female Athlete. Ms. Chauhan’s story of a real struggle to reaching her goal filled new inspiration and she received a standing ovation from all the school leaders.
The Keynote speaker, Mrs. Malati Kalmadi a veteran educationist, Managing Trustee of the KGI and Founder Director of KGERC, curator of Tuesdays for Tomorrow, spoke on the Ingredients for Successful Leadership – Rise above brought several reminders of giving priority to loving oneself and loving people around us, being balanced, accountable and having motherly love towards our tasks. Then Mrs. Jayshree Venkatraman, Principal of SNBP International School (CBSE) addressed the gathering on “Unleash & Foster the Legendary Leader.
The Chief Guest, Tushar Shetty, Co-Founder & Partner, Ideas to Impact Hub, gave an insight on Driving Innovation in School” Mr,. Shetty shared his significant experience in building Startup Ecosystems, Managing & Operating Incubation Centres, Organizing Corporate Innovation Programs for Fortune 500 companies.
Shweta Singh, Founder, Director, Get Out & Play India launched her sports programme for K12 Schools, with a mission on bringing good quality, easily accessible sports activities closer to home for every child.
Dr. Raj & Dr Rajat Dandekar, co-founders of Vizuara, a company on a mission to transform the classroom experience in Indian schools gave a demonstration of their virtual science and maths labs for the students to experience and practice it virtually.
Mr Shekhar Jain, Co-Founder, On My Own Technology, spoke on how learning robotics and coding can help students to up skill and be motivated to be future ready.
Sunil Sundaram, Co-Founder, Torrins India shared his journey of his passion towards music and making of music curriculum for K12 schools. Mr. Eshsaan Noorani (of Shankar Ehsaan Loy) is one of the chief mentor and partner at Torrins.
A team from Study Smart& Smart Planetarium presented their education platforms of bringing space in school and also being the one point solution in terms of preparing students to study aboard and helping them to select the universities.
All this was followed by celebrating International Women’s Day with a difference having phoolon ki holi, dhol tasha and awarding Women in Leadership Excellence Award 2023.