P. Kishore, promoter-managing director, Everonn Education Ltd

Where would you place education on your national list of priorities?
At No. 1 without doubt. Education is a liberating force which can empower people like no other.

How best to mend government schools?
The need is to work on building partnerships to achieve tangible objectives in steady, ongoing process.

Education thinker/philosopher you admire the most
Mahatma Gandhi for his simple living and high thinking. And for his excellent advice: “You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

Your favourite Nobel laureate
Dr. Rabindranath Tagore for his vision and passion to further excellence in the arena of intellectual capital long before the need was felt for people excellence.

Your leadership style
I advocate a situation warranted style — participative and delegative with the underlying principles of being fair, ethical and transparent.

Your favourite book on leadership
Straight from the Gut by Jack Welch of GE.

Are you for or against the RTE Act mandating 25 percent reservation for poor children in private schools?
For. Access to good education institutions has been and continues to be, a very serious challenge faced by underprivileged children in India.

Should education outlay be augmented by cutting defence expenditure?
No. It isn’t advisable to argue for cutbacks on defence expenditure to facilitate a larger outlay for education.

What has been the Everonn Education experience?
Now we understand the dynamics of the market  from the perspective of customers and service providers.