A passion and commitment to deliver quality education has transformed Suman Gulati, the sexagenarian founder principal and director of the Gurgaon-based Blue Bell Group of Schools (BBGS) into a celebrated role model edupreneur in private school education. An uprooted refugee after the partition of India in 1947, Gulati graduated from Dayal Singh College, Karnal with degrees in education and financial management. In 1978 she moved to Gurgaon with her husband B.D. Gulati, former town planner of Haryana. Confronted with the lack of high-quality schools in the then fledgling satellite city of Gurgaon, Suman with support from her husband, the founder chairman of D.R. Memorial Society (which runs BBGS), promoted the Blue Bell Model Senior Secondary School in a rented house. With her strong values, attitude, vision and willingness to walk the extra mile, Gulati has transformed BBGS into a showpiece primary-secondary of Gurgaon and NCR (national capital region).
Since then the number of institutions within BBGS has risen to three — two CBSE-affiliated senior secondaries and a prep school — with an aggregate enrolment of 3,800 students instructed by over 200 teachers. “Right from the start as principal, I exposed and invol-ved children in multiple intelligences activities. This created a culture of confidence within our teachers’ community; children enjoyed learning and in the process we differentiated ourselves as well. For instance, we introduced the continuous and comprehensive evaluation system in our schools long before CBSE mandated it this year,” reveals Gulati.
Under her able guidance, special attention is conferred upon girl students and marginalised children. “We have earned respect within parent and neighbourhood communities because of our special focus on the development of the girl child and inclusion of under-privileged children. Over the past three decades BBG schools have established a reputation for gender equality and social outreach,” says Gulati. BBG schools also offer special classes for children of village households, and school women in hygiene and progressive ideas. “It is important to work with local commu-nities to promote human rights and learning,” says Gulati.
Unsurprisingly, for her pioneering work in school education over 30 years, Gulati has been showered with accolades, awards and encomiums. She has served on the managing committee of the Central government’s Kendriya Vidyalaya, Aaya Nagar (Delhi) and as chairperson of the Gurgaon Progressive Schools Council. She has received the Nehru Bal Samiti and Child Welfare Council Award; Green Earth Award; Shakuntalam Samman; National Child Care Award of the Union ministry of women and child development; Rashtriya Ratna Award; Rajiv Gandhi Shiromani Award; Indira Gandhi Sadbh-avana Award (of the National Integration and Economic Council) among other honours.
“Although receiving awards is encouraging and stimulating, I am fully aware that they are the outcome of team effort of all colleagues past and current, supporters, alumni, students, teachers and parents. It takes communities, not individuals, to build excellent education institutions,” acknowledges Gulati.
The force be with you.
Autar Nehru (Delhi)