Indian Teacher Rouble Nagi Wins Global Teacher Prize 2026
Art-Based Education Model Honoured at World Government Summit, Dubai
Indian educator Rouble Nagi has won the prestigious Global Teacher Prize 2026, receiving the one million US dollar award at the World Government Summit held in Dubai. The award, now in its tenth edition, was presented by GEMS Education and formally handed over by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The achievement has brought global recognition to India’s innovative grassroots education initiatives.
Rouble Nagi was honoured for her unique approach of transforming neglected and abandoned walls into interactive educational murals. These “living walls of learning” function as open classrooms, teaching children basic literacy, numeracy, public health, environmental awareness, and social values through visual art. This model has been especially effective in reaching children from marginalised and low-income communities who have limited access to formal schooling.
Over the last two decades, her work has helped integrate more than one million out-of-school children into the formal education system. She was selected from over 5,000 nominations representing 139 countries, highlighting the global impact and scalability of her educational model. This international recognition underscores the importance of creative and inclusive teaching methods in addressing learning gaps.
Through the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, she has established more than 800 educational centres across India. These centres operate in over 100 low-income communities and villages, providing safe, inspiring spaces where children can begin structured learning. The centres also support enrolled students by offering remedial education, psychosocial assistance, and creative activities that improve engagement and retention.
A key feature of her work is extensive teacher mentoring. Rouble Nagi travels across different regions of India, directly working with children and training educators. She has trained more than 600 teachers and volunteers, creating a replicable and scalable model that addresses not only educational needs but also the social and economic challenges faced by children in disadvantaged communities.
Her programmes have led to a reduction in school dropout rates by more than 50 percent and have significantly improved long-term student retention. These outcomes make her work particularly important from an examination perspective, as it links education with social reform, community participation, and sustainable development.
Rouble Nagi has announced that she plans to use the prize money to establish a vocational institute that will offer free training in professional skills and digital literacy. The initiative aims to enhance employability and transform life opportunities for millions of underprivileged youth across India.
The Global Teacher Prize is presented by GEMS Education and organised by the Varkey Foundation in collaboration with UNESCO during the World Government Summit. The award recognises exceptional educators worldwide for their outstanding contribution to teaching and for shaping the future of education through innovation, dedication, and social impact.