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- Rouble Nagi was announced as the winner of the 2026 GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize at the World Governments Summit in Dubai.
- Over the past two decades, she has established more than 800 learning centres across over 100 slums and villages in India, transforming abandoned walls into interactive murals that have helped bring over a million children into formal education.
- The prize money will be used to build a Skilling Institute offering free vocational and digital literacy training
NEW DELHI/ DUBAi: Indian teacher Rouble Nagi, who transforms neglected and broken walls into large-scale, interactive murals that teach everything from literacy and numeracy to hygiene and environmental awareness, has made history by being the recipient of the $1 million GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize 2026, an initiative of the Varkey Foundation, organised in collaboration with UNESCO. Now in its tenth year, the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize is the largest award of its kind.
Expressing her deep gratitude at the outset, Rouble Nagi thanked His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Mr. Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Global Teacher Prize and GEMS Education, the Varkey Foundation, UNESCO, and the distinguished jury for recognising grassroots work rooted in education, compassion, consistency, and service, stating that this honour strengthens her resolve to continue working towards quality education for children.
The award was presented by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence of the UAE, in the presence of Mr. Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation. Supported by UNESCO, the Global Teacher Prize is globally recognised as one of the most prestigious honours in the field of education.
Rouble Nagi’s journey began over a decade ago in the slums of Mumbai with a hands-on commitment to uplifting marginalised communities, working directly with families in fragile environments to bridge the gap between the margins and the mainstream. What started as a small, deeply personal effort grew steadily into a nationwide movement. Walking alongside communities, listening to their stories, and refusing to accept inequality as destiny, she expanded her work from Mumbai to villages and urban slums across India.
Mr. Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Global Teacher Prize, GEMS Education, and the Varkey Foundation, said, “Rouble Nagi represents the very best of what teaching can be – courage, creativity, compassion, and an unwavering belief in every child’s potential. By bringing education to the most marginalised communities, she has not only changed individual lives but strengthened families and communities. Her work reminds us that teachers are the most powerful force for progress in our world.”
Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, said, “Congratulations, Rouble. This moment reminds us of a simple truth: teachers matter. UNESCO is honoured to join the Global Teacher Prize in celebrating teachers like you, who, through patience, determination, and belief in every learner, help children into school – an act that can change the course of a life. It affirms the right to learn, to dream, and to build a future with possibility.”
Through her initiative, Misaal India, Rouble Nagi established education centres that bring learning to the doorstep of underserved communities, alongside skill centres that empower women to become financially independent and emerge as village entrepreneurs. Each centre reflects dignity, confidence, and the quiet power of opportunity.
A defining hallmark of her work is the use of art as a tool for learning, transforming classrooms into spaces of expression, imagination, and healing. By integrating art into education, she enables children to grasp concepts more deeply, overcome fear, and rediscover creativity and self-worth.
Her vision has been deeply shaped by the work of Savitribai Phule, whose pioneering work in education for the marginalised continues to guide her path. When Rouble Nagi began her journey two decades ago, these ideals gave her clarity and courage. She continues to follow the same principle today: empowerment through education for all, without discrimination.
Her journey and learnings are chronicled in her book, which reflects how one initiative, rooted in purpose, can touch multiple thematic areas: education, women’s empowerment, livelihoods, dignity, sanitation, and social inclusion. These efforts closely align with national priorities and the government’s vision of Viksit Bharat, demonstrating how grassroots action can meaningfully contribute to holistic nation-building.
Upon receiving the honour, Rouble Nagi dedicated the award to all children, stating that the recognition belongs to every child whose dreams deserve opportunity and care. She also dedicated the award to the Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat, affirming her belief that education-led empowerment is central to building a developed, inclusive, and self-reliant India.
She shared that her work draws inspiration from the leadership and vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, particularly the emphasis on grassroots empowerment and inclusive development, as well as from Nelson Mandela, whose life exemplifies courage, resilience, and compassion.
Reflecting on her journey, the artist and educator reiterated her belief that destiny has a way of finding you, and when passion and purpose align, they have the power to create extraordinary change. This landmark achievement stands as a moment of immense national pride, celebrating not just an individual’s success but the enduring power of education, empathy, and service-led leadership to transform India from the grassroots up.
The Varkey Foundation believes every child deserves a vibrant, stimulating learning environment that awakens and supports their full potential. The foundation believes that nothing is more important to achieving this than the passion and quality of teachers. It supports global teaching capacity and seeds excellence and innovation in the next generation of educators. The foundation also founded the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize to shine a spotlight on the incredible work teachers do all over the world.
GEMS Education is one of the world’s leading private K–12 education providers, educating more than 200,000 students from over 176 nationalities across its global network of owned and managed schools. With nearly half a million alumni, GEMS has built a legacy of impact that spans generations and continents. Established in Dubai in 1959, GEMS remains a family-founded and family-led organisation, guided by its visionary founder, Sunny Varkey, and his sons Dino Varkey (Group CEO) and Jay Varkey (Deputy CEO).
With a focus on delivering high-quality education to students from all walks of life, GEMS offers a wide range of curricula and learning pathways. Each year, GEMS students graduate into the world’s top universities, including all eight Ivy League institutions and every UK Russell Group university, and go on to become leaders, innovators, and changemakers in every sector. Through its expanding school network and philanthropic initiatives, GEMS is committed to its mission: to put quality education within reach of every learner, everywhere.
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication, and information. UNESCO promotes knowledge sharing and the free flow of ideas to accelerate mutual understanding and a more perfect knowledge of each other’s lives. UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
Here’s a brilliant, polished bio-style news feature crafted from the information visible in the images. It’s written in a high-impact, editorial news tone, suitable for magazines, national dailies, international features, or official profiles.
Rouble Nagi: Painting Change, Empowering Lives, and Redefining Social Transformation Through Art
Rouble Nagi is a rare force where art, activism, and nation-building intersect. A celebrated social worker, internationally acclaimed artist, author, and changemaker, she is the Founder of the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation (RNAF) and the visionary mind behind Misaal India, one of India’s most impactful slum and village transformation movements.
Born in a small village in Jammu & Kashmir to Sikh parents and raised across military cantonments as the daughter of an Indian Army officer, Rouble Nagi’s upbringing instilled in her a deep love for the nation, discipline, and service. These formative experiences shaped her lifelong commitment to social equity, education, and empowerment of marginalized communities.
A social worker and activist at heart, Rouble Nagi believes that compassion is an active practice and that meaningful change must be accessible to all. Through the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, established in 2008, she has championed the cause of quality education for underprivileged children, enabling them to become responsible, confident, and productive citizens. RNAF runs multiple programs based on low-cost, sustainable education models, combining creativity with social responsibility.
Her landmark initiative Misaal Mumbai, now nationally known as Misaal India, stands as India’s first large-scale slum transformation movement through art. What began as an experiment in Mumbai has grown into a nationwide mission, transforming over 3,00,000 slum dwellings, impacting more than one million lives across 73+ slums and villages in India. By integrating sanitation, waterproofing, hygiene, education, environmental awareness, women empowerment, and “Say No to Plastic” campaigns, Misaal India has redefined how urban and rural renewal can be achieved with dignity and community participation.
A strong advocate of women’s economic empowerment, Rouble Nagi’s work in Kashmir has been particularly transformative. Through Misaal Kashmir, she has established skill development centres enabling rural women to achieve financial independence, produce globally marketable products, and reclaim a sense of pride and identity. The initiative has helped connect Kashmir’s women and youth with the rest of India, fostering unity through opportunity and inclusion.
Rouble Nagi is also an internationally celebrated artist with over 800 murals and sculptures and more than 150 exhibitions worldwide to her credit. A member of the India Design Council (IDC), she is among the pioneers who introduced large-scale art installations for Mumbai beautification. In 2017, she created history by becoming the first woman artist to exhibit at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum, with her work personally selected for the museum’s permanent collection by the Hon’ble President of India.
In 2022, she authored “The Slum Queen”, published by Garuda Prakashan, offering a powerful narrative of her journey transforming slums and villages across India. The book chronicles her grassroots experiences, her work with women in rural Kashmir, and presents a compelling blueprint for how NGOs can partner with government systems to drive inclusive development.
Despite global recognition, Rouble Nagi remains deeply rooted in the communities she serves. Her philosophy—“sense of hope even in despair”—guides her work, ensuring that art becomes a tool for healing, empowerment, and sustainable transformation. Her journey is not just one of murals and milestones, but a vibrant celebration of the human spirit, uplifting lives and reshaping India’s social landscape—one community at a time.