Three teachers from India have been included among the top 50 teachers selected from around the world for the Global Teacher Prize 2026, making a profound impact on society with their visionary and innovative teaching initiatives. Among them is Sudhanshu Shekhar Panda, the Principal of KL International School in Meerut and the CBSE's City Coordinator.
The other two teachers selected from the country who are contenders for the annual award are Mehraj Khurshid Malik, a teacher from Jammu and Kashmir, and Rubal Nagi, who works in education in slums and rural communities across the nation. For the 10th edition of this global competition by GEMS Education, organised by the UK-based Varkey Foundation in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), more than 5,000 nominations were received from 139 countries.
Sunny Varkey, the Indian-origin founder of the Global Teacher Prize, said of the Indian nominees, "The Global Teacher Prize was established with a simple objective: to bring teachers like you into the limelight. Academics whose dedication, creativity, and compassion should be honoured and shared with the world."
He said, "Teachers shape minds, inspire confidence, and open the doors through which young people build a brighter future for themselves and others. Your work is not confined to the classroom; it impacts lives and shapes the world."
The complete profiles of all the teachers, along with their photographs, have been shared on the Global Teacher Prize website, allowing people from around the world to learn about their contributions.
Sudhanshu Shekhar Panda's educational journey began with struggle and evolved into an extraordinary career defined by innovation, service, and transformative impact. After his father's death when he was 18, he took up teaching to support his family.
What began as a necessity later became his lifelong commitment. Sudhanshu views the diversity of students from various socio-economic backgrounds not as a challenge, but as an opportunity to create inclusive and empowering classrooms. His classes give equal importance to creativity, value education, yoga, meditation, and emotional well-being, alongside academic rigour.
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As a result, his students have consistently performed excellently, achieving 100 per cent results in Economics, full marks, numerous city and district-level toppers, and All India Ranks in CBSE Class 10 and 12, including an AIR-1.
Sudhanshu's impact is not confined to his classroom. As the CBSE's District Training Coordinator and Lead City Coordinator, he has trained over 6,000 teachers across four districts. His workshops on the National Education Policy 2020, experiential learning, inclusive practices, technology integration, teacher well-being, and assessment have elevated the quality of teaching throughout the region.
As a pioneer of a global perspective in schools, Sudhanshu initiated international student exchange programmes with institutions in Australia and the USA. These programmes have promoted joint work on sustainability, cultural diversity, and global citizenship. He also conducted teacher exchange programmes with Terra Cura Inc. (Massachusetts) and the Marion Institute (USA), bringing global best teaching practices to Indian classrooms.
His students have participated in international forums, conducted sustainability audits, and received honours for global research initiatives. As part of his commitment to community upliftment, he founded an initiative called 'Fuhaar', which has been assisting destitute families for years. He also mentors children at the Meerut children's home (Bal Griha). He launched programmes such as 'Disha' for children with special needs and 'Seva' for social responsibility.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, through the 'Studomatrix Support Centre' and with the active participation of students, hundreds of families were provided with food, counselling, and educational continuity.
If Sudhanshu Shekhar wins the Global Teacher Prize, he will establish a 'Centre for Educational Excellence'. He also plans to further the expansion of teacher training nationwide, extend community programmes, and broaden international cooperation to enable long-term, systemic change in Indian education.